Insurance Appraisal Services

Who we work for

Most of our appraisal appointments come from three places: attorneys who need a competent appraiser on a residential file, public adjusting firms that need appraisal coverage without pulling their own adjusters off working claims, and policyholders whose carrier just invoked the appraisal clause and who need someone in their corner who can actually build an estimate.

If that's you, here's what you're getting: a Texas-licensed public adjuster who writes thier own Xactimate scopes, shows up with documentation instead of adjectives, and treats the appraisal panel like what it is, a numbers fight that gets won line by line.

What appraisal actually is

Appraisal is the dispute process built into your policy for one question only: how much is the loss worth. Not whether it's covered (that's a different fight, and one for a lawyer, not an appraiser). You name an appraiser, the carrier names one, and if the two can't agree, a neutral umpire breaks the tie. The result is binding on both sides.

It's faster than litigation, cheaper than litigation, and since January 2026 it's mandatory in every Texas residential policy. Which means a lot more of these panels are about to happen, and the quality of your appraiser is the whole game.

How we work, and how we charge

Flat fee or hourly. Never a percentage of the award.

That's not just pricing preference, it's the law's mandate for independence, and it should be your first screening question for any appraiser you're considering. An appraiser with a stake in the outcome is a reason to challenge to the award. Ours is a professional fee for professional work: inspect the property, build the scope, defend it in front of the panel, done.

One hard rule we hold: we do not serve as appraiser on any claim where our firm is the public adjuster. Our PA clients get an outside appraiser. That wall is what "disinterested" means, and an appraiser who won't draw it is handing the carrier an argument.

Why an estimator matters more than a title

Appraisal awards get won on scope. Line items, measurements, pricing, code items the carrier's estimate quietly dropped. Our background is building these estimates ourself, not delegating them, and our scoping work comes with the measurement documentation to back every line (aerial reports, laser-measured interiors, photo mapping tied to the sketch).

The carrier's appraiser will show up with a desk-reviewed estimate and twenty other files on his mind. Showing up more prepared than the other side isn't a strategy, it's just the job. It's also rarer than it should be.

The new Texas appraisal rules (SB 458 / Chapter 1813)

In 2025 the Legislature passed SB 458, creating Chapter 1813 of the Insurance Code. Starting with policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026:

• Every Texas residential property and personal auto policy must include an appraisal provision.
• Either side can invoke it. You don't need the carrier's permission, and the carrier doesn't need yours.
• Appraisal decides the amount of loss only, never coverage.
• The award is binding on both parties except in narrow cases like fraud or material mistake.

What this means in practice: the appraisal clause went from something carriers could water down or leave out, to a statutory right sitting in every policy. If you and your carrier are apart on the number, this is the tool, and the timing rules around it are tight - waiting is the most expensive move you can make.

Straight answers