Independent appraisers for Texas policyholders · Flat fees, never a percentage of the award Call (832) 503-5866Text (832) 503-5866

Hurricane and windstorm appraisal

Hurricane & Windstorm Claim Appraiser

After a hurricane, carriers adjust thousands of claims in weeks. Scopes get written fast and incomplete. If your windstorm claim was accepted but underpaid, appraisal lets an independent appraiser re-scope the loss and settle the amount with the carrier's appraiser, without a lawsuit.

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Where hurricane claims get underpaid

  • Roof and envelope. Lifted shingles, creased tabs, displaced ridge caps, torn underlayment, damaged flashing, siding and soffit.
  • Wind-driven rain. Interior water intrusion through the roof, windows and wall penetrations, and the drying, demolition and rebuild it requires.
  • Fencing, outbuildings and screens. Frequently omitted or priced below replacement.
  • Contents. Inventories that were never completed because the family was displaced.
  • Additional living expense. Documented, reasonable costs during repairs.
  • Wind versus flood. Where both occurred, the allocation between the homeowners policy and a flood policy must be supported by evidence, not assumption.

Texas coast coverage

We serve as policyholder-appointed appraiser along the whole Texas coast and inland wherever a windstorm reached: Greater Houston, Galveston County, Brazoria and Matagorda counties, Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend, Beaumont and Port Arthur, Victoria and the Rio Grande Valley.

TWIA policies

Texas Windstorm Insurance Association policies have their own appraisal process under 28 TAC ยง5.4201 and following, including TDI-rostered umpires and specific appraiser qualifications and conflict rules. TWIA policies are excluded from the general 2027 residential appraisal rules. We handle TWIA appraisals under TWIA's process; tell us which policy you have when you call.

What an appraiser brings to a storm claim

Independent documentation and a complete estimate. After a large event, the carrier's field adjuster may have spent 45 minutes at your home. Our appraisal inspection is a full-day exercise when the loss calls for it: every elevation, every slope, every room with moisture readings and photographs, and a contents review. The estimate that comes out of it is what we defend at the appraiser conference and, if needed, before the umpire.

Joseph Dittman, appraiser and licensed Texas public adjuster

Joseph DittmanAppraiser and licensed Texas public adjuster (Texas public adjuster license #3356839). Joseph serves as policyholder-appointed appraiser and as umpire on property losses across Texas. About

FAQ

Common questions about appraisal

What is an insurance appraiser for policyholders?

An appraiser is the person you appoint under your policy's appraisal clause to determine the amount of your loss when you and the insurance company disagree on it. The carrier appoints its own appraiser, and the two appraisers (with an umpire if they cannot agree) issue a binding award. Appraisers must be competent, independent and disinterested in the outcome; they are not advocates in the way a lawyer or public adjuster is.

How is an appraiser different from a public adjuster?

A public adjuster represents you in presenting and negotiating the claim and is typically paid a percentage of the settlement. An appraiser is appointed only after a dispute over the amount of loss, participates in a formal process that ends in a binding award, and must be disinterested in the outcome, which is why we charge a flat or hourly fee and never a percentage of the award.

Does appraisal decide whether my claim is covered?

No. Appraisal is limited to the amount of loss. If the carrier has denied your claim on coverage grounds, appraisal is generally not the right tool. If the carrier accepted the loss but underpaid it, appraisal is designed for exactly that dispute.

Is the appraisal award binding?

Yes, as to the amount of loss. An award signed by both appraisers, or by one appraiser and the umpire, binds both you and the carrier. Under the 2027 Texas rules it can be set aside only if it was made without authority, not in substantial compliance with the appraisal clause, or affected by fraud, accident or material mistake.

How much does an appraiser cost?

Each party pays its own appraiser, and the umpire's fee is usually split equally. We quote a flat or hourly fee in writing before you appoint us, based on the size and type of the loss. We do not charge a percentage of the award, because an appraiser with a stake in the outcome is not disinterested.

All questions

Get started

Send us the carrier's estimate.

We read the appraisal clause, compare the carrier's scope with the damage you describe, and tell you plainly whether appraisal is the right move. If it is, you get a flat fee in writing before you appoint us.

Call (832) 503-5866Mon-Sat 8:00 am - 7:00 pm Text (832) 503-5866Photos of the estimate are welcome info@policyholderappraiser.comAttach the carrier's estimate and your policy

Free appraisal review

Tell us where the claim stands. We reply within one business day with a straight answer on whether appraisal fits.

No upfront fee for the review. If we take the engagement, the fee is quoted in writing first. Prefer to talk? Call or text (832) 503-5866.

Disagree with the carrier's number?

Send us the estimate. We will tell you within one business day whether appraisal fits and what it would cost.

Request a Free ReviewCall (832) 503-5866
Call (832) 503-5866