# Appraiser

An insurance appraiser is a professional appointed by either the policyholder or the carrier during the appraisal process to independently assess the value of a disputed insurance claim by comparing damage estimates and repair costs line by line.

## Not the Same as a Real Estate Appraiser

**An insurance appraiser is a professional who independently assesses the value of a disputed insurance claim by reviewing damage documentation and analyzing Xactimate estimates line by line.** When the [appraisal clause](/content/resources/glossary/appraisal-clause/index.html) is invoked, each side - the policyholder and the [carrier](/content/resources/glossary/carrier/index.html) \- appoints their own appraiser. If the two appraisers cannot agree on the claim value, they bring in an umpire.

This is a completely different role from a real estate appraiser who determines property values for mortgage lenders. Different qualifications, different process, different outcome.

## What the Job Actually Involves

**An insurance appraiser's core task is comparing two estimates line by line.** They take the carrier's scope of loss and stack it against a detailed Xactimate estimate that reflects the actual cost of repairs. For every [line item](/content/resources/glossary/line-items/index.html) the carrier missed, underpriced, or excluded, the appraiser documents the discrepancy and builds the case for a higher settlement.

This work is Xactimate-intensive. The appraiser needs to:

- Review the carrier's original estimate (often received as a PDF)
- Build or verify a competing Xactimate estimate
- Compare line items, quantities, and pricing
- Document discrepancies with photos and code references
- Present a written opinion of the claim value

The PDF-to-Xactimate conversion alone can take 2-3 hours of manual re-keying on a typical residential claim. At appraiser hourly rates of $150-$500, that re-keying step adds significant cost before the actual analysis even begins.

## What Insurance Appraisers Charge

| Service | Typical Cost |
| --- | --- |
| Hourly rate | $150-$500/hour |
| Residential case (flat fee) | $1,500-$3,000+ |
| Complex or commercial case | $3,000-$10,000+ |
| Umpire services | $250-$450/hour (split 50/50) |

The policyholder pays their own appraiser. The carrier pays theirs. The umpire fee is split between both sides.

## How Contractors Fit Into the Process

**You do not appoint the appraiser - the homeowner does.** But you can make the appraiser's job dramatically easier. Providing the claim data as an [ESX file](/content/resources/glossary/esx-file/index.html) instead of a PDF eliminates the re-keying bottleneck. Clean photos organized by damage area, a detailed supplement narrative, and accurate measurements give the appraiser everything they need to build a strong case. The better your documentation going in, the stronger the appraiser's position and the faster the process resolves.

## Frequently asked questions

**How much do insurance appraisers charge?**  
Insurance appraisers charge $150-$500/hour and $1,500-$3,000+ per residential case (Claims Appraisal Inc., Florida Insurance Claim Appraisal). Their work requires comparing the carrier's PDF scope against their own Xactimate estimate line by line.

**Is an insurance appraiser the same as a real estate appraiser?**  
No. An insurance appraiser assesses the value of a disputed insurance claim, comparing damage estimates and repair costs. A real estate appraiser determines the market value of a property. Different roles, different qualifications.