What the estimator does
An appraisal award is a replacement-cost figure for the whole covered loss. It isn’t the size of your next check. To get from one to the other you subtract the deductible and everything the insurer has already paid, then the cost of getting there: your appraiser and, if one is needed, half the umpire. This tool lays those steps out in order.
How to use it
- Enter the insurer’s replacement-cost total and your own itemized estimate for the same scope.
- Move the slider to where you think the award might land. Try several positions; nobody can predict it.
- Add your deductible and the total of the checks you’ve received.
- Enter your appraiser’s fee as a flat amount or a percentage of the increase, and the umpire’s total fee.
Reading the three outcomes
The low, middle and high figures show the new money after fees if the award lands a quarter, half or three quarters of the way between the two estimates. If even the high case barely clears your costs, a line-by-line estimate review and a supplement request are usually the better first step.
What it leaves out
Recoverable depreciation that’s released later, mortgage company endorsements on checks, and any separate payments for contents or living expenses aren’t modeled here. This tool is for planning only. It doesn’t interpret your policy, and the figures you enter are illustrative.
Questions about this tool
Is the award the same as my payment?
No. The award sets the amount of loss. Your payment is generally that amount less the deductible, prior payments and any depreciation still held back until repairs are done.
Who pays the umpire?
Most appraisal clauses say each side pays its own appraiser and the two sides split the umpire’s fee equally. Check your policy’s wording.
Why does the tool show a negative number?
If appraisal costs are larger than the likely increase, the net is negative. That’s a sign appraisal may not be worth it for this gap.
