Frequently Asked Questions
Do you appraise homes for sales or mortgages?
No. That's real estate appraisal — a different profession with its own licensing. I resolve disputes over the amount of an insurance loss: what it costs to repair or replace damaged property under an insurance policy.
Don't you need a license to be an insurance appraiser?
In California and most other states, no license is required to serve as an appraiser or umpire in insurance appraisal — the policy's standard is that the appraiser be competent and disinterested. A few states differ — Louisiana requires appraiser registration, for example — and I verify the specific state's requirements before accepting any out-of-state engagement.
You're a public adjuster. How can you be a neutral umpire?
By disclosure and by track record. Both sides see my background before appointment — including nine years adjusting for carriers before my ten representing policyholders. Carrier-side appraisers have accepted me as umpire, and a Superior Court has appointed me. As umpire I represent neither party, and if a conflict exists I decline before the retainer.
Will you be appointed by an insurance company?
Yes. I accept appraiser appointments from either party. Insurers occasionally want an appraiser whose valuation carries credibility with the policyholder side; that's a role I can fill.
Can the appraisal panel decide whether my claim is covered?
No. The panel decides the amount of loss only. Coverage, policy interpretation, and bad faith belong to the parties, their attorneys, or a court. If your dispute is really about coverage, appraisal is the wrong tool — and I'll say so.
Is the appraisal award binding?
Generally yes, as to the amount of loss. In California, appraisal operates as a specialized, limited form of arbitration — awards are confirmed, corrected, or vacated under the arbitration statutes, on narrow grounds. What the award does not do is resolve coverage.
How long does appraisal take?
Faster than litigation, nearly always. A cooperative appraisal with responsive appraisers can finish in a few months; contested ones run longer. The biggest schedule drivers are umpire selection and how far apart the two valuations start.
What does it cost?
Each party pays its own appraiser and typically splits the umpire's fee. My fee schedule is available by email, same day. Whether the amount in dispute justifies the process is a conversation I'll have honestly at the first call.
Do you work outside California?
Yes — all fifty states and DC, subject to confirming each state's rules before engagement. Pick your state on the Where I Work page for the short version of how appraisal works there. My claims career includes catastrophe work from Texas to New York and losses as far away as New Zealand.
Who typically hires you?
Policyholders and their attorneys, public adjusters, insurers, and opposing appraisers looking for an acceptable umpire. Attorneys also retain me for consulting and expert work on claims handling and appraisal practice.
Question not answered here?
Email is best. Include the insured's name or case caption, the carrier, the claim number if you have it, the loss location, and the role you have in mind — appraiser or umpire. I respond to every serious inquiry.