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Insurance Claims Appraisal & Dispute Resolution

Defensible Valuation. Absolute Neutrality.

We provide expert appraisal and umpire services rooted strictly in policy language. Our team adheres to a "Trust but Verify" doctrine, ensuring every award is anchored in physical evidence, transparent data, and a commitment to a fair, bilateral process.

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Construction consulting agreement and collaboration between stakeholders on project evaluation and claims resolution

5 Pillars of Appraisal Excellence.

To succeed in Texas appraisal, an expert must stay in their lane. We focus on these five core technical areas to ensure your dispute is resolved without overstepping into coverage or legal interpretation:

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    Strict Scope & Pricing Neutrality

    We focus exclusively on the "amount of loss" as defined by the policy. We avoid "coverage talk," focusing instead on the scientific and mechanical cost of returning the asset to its pre-loss condition.

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    Procedural Integrity

    We maintain absolute transparency. Every meeting and substantive communication involves both appraisers or their representatives, preventing bias and ensuring the process remains "fair and balanced" under court scrutiny.

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    Forensic Invoice & Photo Authentication

    We don't just accept a paper trail; we verify it. We cross-reference invoices with metadata-verified photos and site-specific measurements to eliminate inaccuracies and identify true restoration requirements.

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    IICRC Standard Mastery

    Our expertise in IICRC S500 and S520 allows us to evaluate if a mitigation scope was technically necessary or if it deviated from the industry-accepted standard of care.

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    Litigation-Resilient Reporting

    We draft every award and report with the understanding that it may be discoverable in court. Our documentation is structured to show a clear, logical path from the physical evidence to the final valuation.

HOW WE WORK

Our Process.

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Evidence-Based Discovery

  • Trust but Verify Audits: We perform a line-by-line forensic review of all submitted estimates, invoices, and moisture data to establish a factual baseline before debating costs.

  • Joint Inspection Protocol: We only inspect the loss site when all parties have the opportunity to attend, ensuring no "ex-parte" information influences the valuation.

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Bilateral Technical Reconciliation

  • Transparent Data Exchange: Following industry best practices, we share technical positions and evidence early to identify specific areas of disagreement and reduce unnecessary friction.

  • Standard of Care Verification: Every cost is vetted against IICRC standards and real-world, local market-clearing prices to ensure the "amount of loss" is accurate and defensible.

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Procedural Resolution & Awards

  • Collaborative Draft Review: As Umpires, we issue a "Draft Award" to both appraisers for review and feedback, ensuring all facts are heard before a final document is executed.

  • Policy-Compliant Finalization: We draft final awards that clearly delineate Replacement Cost (RCV) and Actual Cash Value (ACV), providing a conclusive resolution that respects the policy's timelines and provisions.

Frequently Asked Questions.

  • We adhere to the Texas Supreme Court's standards of impartiality. This means disclosing any pre-appointment communications and ensuring no financial or professional conflicts exist. A fair umpire must be "vetted" by reviewing their history of appointments to ensure they are not exclusively working for one side.

  • No. In Texas, appraisers and umpires stay in their "lane", which is determining the amount of loss. They cannot make final legal rulings on coverage or liability. Our process provides the dollar value for the damage, leaving the legal interpretation of the policy to the attorneys and courts.

  • If an impasse occurs, the policy typically allows either party to ask a court to appoint a "competent and impartial" umpire. We support this process by providing the court with clear, defensible credentials and a record of neutral service to help the judge make a fair selection.

  • We maintain a strict no-ex-parte communication policy. We recognize that undisclosed, substantive discussions between a neutral and one party can be grounds to throw out an appraisal award. All substantive meetings and data exchanges must include both appraisers.

  • Each party pays their own chosen appraiser, and the expenses of the umpire are shared equally (50/50) between the policyholder and the insurance company. This financial structure is a critical safeguard for neutrality.

  • We bill on a standard hourly rate plus expenses. This ensures you are paying for the actual time spent reviewing evidence, conducting inspections, and deliberating, rather than a "contingency" fee, which is often seen as a conflict of interest in neutral roles.

  • Yes. Best practices involve providing a draft award to both appraisers. This allows each side to review the findings and point out any factual or technical errors before a final, binding award is signed by the umpire and at least one appraiser.

  • We "trust but verify" every photo and invoice. By documenting a clear path from the site evidence to the final dollar amount, we create a record that firms would find defensible if the process is ever challenged in court.

READY TO BEGIN?

Fair outcomes are built on objective analysis, not position. Our role is to evaluate, align, and support balanced resolution.

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