Appraisal is an alternative to a lawsuit built into almost every Louisiana homeowner policy. When you and your insurer agree that coverage exists but disagree on the dollar amount of the loss, either side can invoke the appraisal clause.

You pick a competent, impartial appraiser. Your carrier picks one. The two appraisers jointly select a neutral umpire. Each appraiser evaluates the loss. Any two of the three panel members (both appraisers, or one appraiser and the umpire) signing the same amount makes that number binding as to the amount of loss.

Appraisal is the right tool when you and your carrier agree coverage exists but are far apart on the dollar amount of the loss — typically several thousand dollars or more. It is not the right tool when the dispute is about whether damage is covered, whether a cause of loss is excluded, or whether your carrier is acting in bad faith.

We review your file and your policy before recommending appraisal. Invoking it when the real issue is coverage can cost you leverage you didn't need to give up.

Each side pays their own appraiser. The umpire's fee is split evenly between you and the carrier. That structure is standard under Louisiana RS 22:1892 and in the appraisal clauses of nearly every homeowner policy.

Our flat fees for appraisal and umpire engagements are disclosed in writing before any work begins, so the number is never a surprise.

Yes. A properly executed appraisal award, signed by any two of the three panel members, is binding as to the amount of loss. It sets what your carrier owes and what you accept.

The award can only be challenged in court on narrow grounds — fraud, evident partiality of the umpire, or an appraiser exceeding their authority by deciding coverage questions instead of valuation. In practice, once the award is signed, it is the final number.

Most residential appraisals in Louisiana wrap up in 60 to 120 days from the date of demand. Simple interior water or roof files can move faster. Hurricane losses with multiple trades, engineering reports, or large contents inventories take longer.

The biggest delay factor is usually how quickly both appraisers can agree on an umpire and how organized the documentation is going in — which is where strong file preparation makes a measurable difference.

No. Appraisal resolves the amount of loss only. It does not decide coverage, it does not address bad faith, and it does not extinguish your right to pursue a bad faith claim under Louisiana RS 22:1892 or RS 22:1973 if your carrier misused the process — delaying, lowballing, or ignoring clear documentation.

Louisiana courts have repeatedly confirmed that bad faith claims survive appraisal. If your carrier's conduct supports one, the appraisal award does not close that door.

If the appraisal clause applies and the carrier refuses to participate, the policy is being breached. The remedy is a motion in state court to compel appraisal, and Louisiana courts have consistently enforced these clauses.

Refusing to appraise while continuing to underpay the claim can also support a bad faith claim. When we see an unjustified refusal, we document it carefully — because that documentation builds leverage for any follow-on litigation your attorney may want to pursue.

A public adjuster represents you across the entire claim — reviewing the policy, documenting damage, building the estimate, negotiating with your carrier, and advocating for every dollar your policy owes.

An appraiser is the impartial-role party each side names when the appraisal clause is invoked. An appraiser evaluates the loss based on the evidence and does not negotiate. William serves in both roles depending on what your file needs — but never both on the same claim.

Often yes. A Demand Estimate — an independent, line-by-line scope of loss delivered with photo documentation and written support — is the lowest-cost, lowest-risk way to force a carrier back to the table.

Many carriers revise their offer once they see a defensible number in writing. If they don't, appraisal is still available, and now you have a documented record showing you gave them a fair chance to pay before the dispute escalated.

No. Louisiana law and every appraisal clause require appraisers to be competent and impartial. A family member fails impartiality on its face. A contractor who stands to be hired on the repair has a pecuniary interest in the outcome — which can get the entire award vacated by a court.

Your appraiser needs to be someone with no financial stake in the repair and no personal relationship with you. That is why licensed public adjusters and independent appraisers with insurance-side training are the standard choice.

The statute requires residential property insurance policies in Louisiana to include an appraisal provision. Either party can demand appraisal in writing at any point during a dispute over the amount of loss.

Each party then has 20 days to name an appraiser. The two appraisers have 15 days to agree on an umpire — if they cannot, a district court judge in the parish where the property is located appoints one. An award signed by any two of the three panel members is binding as to the amount of loss and enforces the policy's existing terms, limits, and deductibles.

The two appraisers select the umpire jointly. They typically exchange short lists and agree on someone with the right credentials, experience on similar files, no prior representational conflicts with either side, and the availability to move quickly. If they cannot agree within 15 days, a Louisiana judge appoints one.

The umpire reviews both appraisers' evaluations and decides any items they could not agree on. William is available for appointment as umpire when both sides agree he is the right fit, subject to a conflict check and strict procedural separation under Louisiana RS 22:1706.