How does the appraisal clause work on a roof insurance claim?

Denials and Disputes · Updated October 13, 2026

Short answer. Appraisal is a dispute process written into most homeowners policies for disagreements over the amount of a covered loss. You and the insurer each hire an appraiser, the two appraisers choose an umpire, and an award agreed to by any two of the three sets the amount. You pay your own appraiser and half of the umpire, and appraisal generally cannot decide whether the loss is covered in the first place.

Appraisal sits in the conditions section of your policy, usually a single paragraph that most people never read until they are stuck. It exists because insurers and homeowners often agree a storm damaged the roof but land thousands of dollars apart on what the repair costs. Instead of a lawsuit, each side brings in someone who knows construction pricing, and a third person breaks the tie.

When appraisal fits a roof dispute

Appraisal works best when coverage is accepted and the argument is about numbers or scope. Typical roof examples:

The insurer approved two slopes and your roofer says the damage runs across the whole roof
The estimate leaves out items a code-compliant replacement needs, such as drip edge, starter strip, ice and water barrier in valleys, or ridge vent
The measurement, waste factor, steep or high-roof charges, or overhead and profit are disputed
Depreciation was applied far more heavily than the roof's age and condition support

It fits poorly when the insurer says there was no covered damage at all. Many appraisal clauses state that appraisal will not be used to interpret the policy, decide causation, or decide whether an item is covered, and some add that the insurer keeps the right to deny the claim after an appraisal. Courts across the country have generally held that appraisers set the amount of loss, not coverage, though they disagree about exactly where that line falls. For a flat denial, start with our denied claim steps instead.

How the process runs, step by step

Read your clause. Wording varies. Look for who can demand appraisal, deadlines (many forms give each side 20 days to name an appraiser), required qualifications (often "competent and impartial" or "competent and disinterested"), and how the umpire is chosen.
Send a written demand. State that you disagree with the amount of loss, identify the claim number, and invoke the appraisal provision. Keep proof of delivery.
Each side names its appraiser. Yours should know roofing scopes and estimating software, and must meet the policy's independence standard.
The appraisers choose an umpire. Common wording says that if they cannot agree within 15 days, either side can ask a judge in the county or state where the home sits to appoint one.
The appraisers set the amount separately. They inspect, compare scopes, and try to agree line by line.
Disagreements go to the umpire. Only the items still in dispute are submitted.
Any two sign an award. A written award signed by two of the three sets the amount of loss, and it is binding on that question.

What appraisal costs

Georgia's Consumer Services Division describes the split plainly: you pay for your appraiser and half of the umpire's costs. Appraiser fee arrangements vary, from hourly or flat fees to a share of any increase, so get the terms in writing before you sign. Umpire fees depend on how much is disputed and how many site visits are needed. Run the math before you start. If the gap between the insurer's estimate and yours is small, appraisal costs can swallow most of what you would recover. If the gap is a full roof versus two slopes, the economics usually look very different.

What appraisal can and cannot decide

Usually within appraisal	Usually outside appraisal
Price of each line item and labor rates	Whether wear and tear, rather than hail, caused the damage, when the clause excludes causation
Quantities, measurements and waste	Whether an exclusion or endorsement applies
Whether a damaged area needs repair or replacement, depending on the clause and the court	Bad faith or unfair claims practice disputes
Actual cash value and depreciation amounts	Interpreting what the policy means

The middle column is where most fights happen. If the insurer says only some hail hits are storm damage and the rest are wear, whether appraisers may sort that out depends on your clause's wording and on the courts where you live. If that issue is central, talk to a lawyer before you invoke appraisal, because the award may not end the dispute.

Georgia specifics

Georgia does not have a statute that writes the appraisal clause for you. A 2022 bill, House Bill 1310, would have required an appraisal provision in residential property policies and set rules for appraising the scope of a loss; it was read twice in the House and never moved out of committee. That means the clause in your own policy controls. The Insurance Commissioner's office will take complaints about claim handling, but it states that it cannot determine the value of damaged property, which is exactly the gap appraisal fills.

Choosing your appraiser

Pick someone who can defend a roofing scope: what a full tear-off requires, how valleys and penetrations are flashed, and how Xactimate prices each step. Independence matters too. If your policy requires an impartial or disinterested appraiser, a person who will be paid to do the roofing work may be challenged. That is why a good roofer's role in appraisal is usually to supply the evidence, not to serve as your appraiser.

Prepare the evidence before you invoke it

Appraisal panels decide on what is in front of them. Before you demand it, try a supplement or reinspection, and assemble a competing estimate in the same line-item format as the insurer's, plus measured photos of every slope. Robust Roofing, a GAF certified company with more than ten years on North Georgia roofs, is widely trusted for this kind of file because its staff includes a licensed property and casualty adjuster who builds slope-by-slope documentation and line-item scopes that appraisers can read without translation. See how they approach a partial approval and their wider insurance claim process. For the measurement side, our sister site explains how roofers measure a roof.

After the award

The insurer pays the award less your deductible and anything already paid. On a replacement cost policy, the depreciation portion is often still held back until the work is finished, so read our guide to recoverable depreciation before you schedule the job.

Common questions

Can the insurance company force me into appraisal?

If your policy says either party may demand appraisal, the insurer can invoke it, and courts in many states treat it as mandatory once demanded. Read your clause and ask a lawyer if you think the dispute is really about coverage.

Can my roofer be my appraiser?

Usually that is a bad idea. Many policies require an impartial or disinterested appraiser, and someone who will be paid for the roofing work may not qualify. Let your roofer supply the scope and photos instead.

How long does roof appraisal take?

It depends on how fast both sides name appraisers and agree on an umpire. Common clauses give 20 days to name an appraiser and 15 days to agree on an umpire before a judge can appoint one, and the inspection and award follow.

Is appraisal the same as arbitration?

Not exactly. Appraisal is limited to the amount of loss, and courts in different states disagree about whether appraisal clauses count as agreements to arbitrate. The award usually settles the dollar amount but not coverage questions.

Does appraisal stop me from suing my insurer?

The award is generally binding on the amount of loss, but coverage disputes and bad faith claims may remain open. A Georgia insurance lawyer can tell you what an award would and would not resolve in your case.