Questions About Your Texas Appraisal Award?
If you own a Texas home or business and the appraisal award on your property insurance claim doesn't look right to you, you may want a second set of eyes on it. Michael P. Bowman reviews appraisal awards and the process behind them for policyholders. We'll review your award with you and talk through what we see.
We represent policyholders. If you're an appraiser or public adjuster, please have your client contact us directly.
Watch: How Property Insurance Appraisal Works in Texas
What is appraisal?
Many property insurance policies include an appraisal provision. When the policyholder and the insurance company disagree about the amount of a loss, either side may be able to demand appraisal. Typically, each side picks an appraiser, and the two appraisers select an umpire. If the appraisers can't agree on the amount, the umpire may weigh in, and an award signed by the required participants sets the amount of loss under the process the policy describes.
Appraisal is meant to settle a disagreement about amount. Because it can carry real weight in how a claim ends up, it makes sense to understand how your award was reached.
Signs an award may deserve a second look
Every claim is different, and none of these by itself means anything went wrong. They are factual questions worth asking:
- Umpire selection concerns. How was the umpire chosen? Was a name proposed or rejected without explanation? It can be worth asking whether the umpire candidates offered to you seemed one-sided and how the final selection happened in your case.
- Scope items left out. Does the award address all of the damage that was claimed, or were rooms, components, or categories of work missing without explanation?
- The award doesn't match what was observed. Does the award line up with what appraisers, contractors, or you saw during inspections and in photos?
- Relationships or undisclosed ties. Did an appraiser or the umpire have prior working relationships, frequent assignments, or financial ties with a party that weren't disclosed?
- Procedural irregularities. Were deadlines, notices, or the steps described in the policy followed? Was the award signed by the right people? Were you or the appraiser you hired left out of communications?
What to gather before you call
Having your documents in one place helps us review your situation efficiently. If you can, collect:
- The signed appraisal award, including any attachments or itemized estimates
- The appraisal demand and any response to it
- Correspondence with or between the appraisers and the umpire, including emails and letters about umpire selection
- All estimates for the claim, from your side and the insurance company's side
- Photos and video of the damage, before and after any repairs
- Your policy, including the declarations page and endorsements
- Any payment letters or explanations you received after the award
Don't worry if you don't have everything. Bring what you have, and we can talk about what else may be available.
What a review looks like
We'll look at the award, the documents around it, and the timeline of the appraisal, and we'll talk with you about the questions they raise and what options, if any, may be worth considering. A review does not promise any particular outcome. Every claim depends on its own facts and policy language.
Timing can matter in insurance disputes, so if you have questions about an award, it's a good idea not to wait too long to have it looked at.
Questions about your appraisal award?
Free consultation. Call (512) 3-LAWYER (512-352-9937).
We represent policyholders. If you're an appraiser or public adjuster, please have your client contact us directly.
The Claim Attorney, the Law Office of Michael P. Bowman PLLC
General information, not legal advice. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Responsible attorney: Michael P. Bowman, Austin, Texas.
