The demand letter starts a different process
Most Pennsylvania homeowner and commercial property policies include an appraisal provision. The wording varies by company, but the pattern is familiar: if you and the insurer disagree on the amount of loss, either side can demand appraisal in writing. Each party names its own appraiser, the two appraisers pick an umpire, and a written agreement signed by any two of the three sets the amount.
That structure rewards preparation. The appraiser across the table usually has the carrier's estimate, photos and adjuster notes ready on day one. Your appraiser should arrive with an equally complete, independently built number.
What we handle after you name us
- Policy and demand review. We read the appraisal clause itself, including any window to name an appraiser and any qualifications it requires.
- A fresh inspection. We measure, photograph and scope the damage ourselves instead of marking up the insurer's estimate.
- A line-item valuation priced for your part of the state, whether that is a Center City rowhome, a Lancaster County farmhouse or a split-level outside Pittsburgh.
- Working sessions with the other appraiser to settle agreed items and isolate the real disagreements.
- Umpire selection and presentation if the two appraisers cannot close the gap on their own.
- Award review so replacement cost, actual cash value and any depreciation holdback are clearly stated before signatures.
Not sure your file is ready? Our appraisal readiness checkup walks through the documents a panel typically asks for.
Watch the one-year clock before anything else
Where appraisal helps, and where it does not
Appraisal is built for disagreements about scope and price: how many roof slopes a storm actually damaged, whether a kitchen floor can be patched or must be replaced, what plaster repair really costs in an older Scranton home. It is not a tool for deciding coverage. If the insurer has denied the claim outright, or the dispute turns on an exclusion, appraisal may not be the right next step.
Appraisal also does not decide bad faith. Pennsylvania's bad-faith statute (42 Pa.C.S. § 8371) lets a court award interest, punitive damages, court costs and attorney fees if it finds an insurer acted in bad faith toward its insured. That is a question for a court, not a panel, and for advice on it you need a lawyer, not an appraiser.
Why a finished award tends to stick
Pennsylvania courts generally treat appraisal awards much like common-law arbitration: they are hard to overturn absent fraud, misconduct, corruption or a similar irregularity. That makes the work before signing the part that matters. For a deeper look at how these clauses are written, see our Pennsylvania appraisal clause guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who can demand appraisal on a Pennsylvania claim?
Under most policy wording, either you or the insurer can demand appraisal in writing once you disagree on the amount of loss. Read your own policy, because the exact steps and deadlines differ between companies.
Can my roofer or contractor serve as my appraiser?
Many appraisal clauses require each appraiser to be competent and independent. Someone with a stake in the repair contract can give the other side grounds to challenge the award, so a separate appraiser is usually the safer choice.
Does demanding appraisal stop the suit deadline?
Not automatically. Many Pennsylvania policies have a suit-limitation clause, commonly one year from the date of loss, and appraisal may not pause it unless the policy or a written agreement says so. Talk to a Pennsylvania attorney if the date is near.