Once you or your insurer invokes appraisal, one of the first decisions you’ll make is who will serve as your appraiser. Choosing an independent insurance appraiser in Maryland is not the same as picking a contractor or an attorney. The person you name has to meet the policy’s standard of being “competent and disinterested,” work efficiently with the insurer’s appraiser, and produce evidence an umpire will find persuasive. This guide covers what to look for and what to ask.
What “competent and disinterested” means
Most appraisal clauses use these two words, and both matter.
Competent
Your appraiser should understand construction methods, building codes, estimating software and local pricing. For a Maryland claim, that might mean familiarity with low-slope rowhouse roofs in Baltimore, plaster interiors, coastal construction on the Eastern Shore, or snow-load issues in Garrett County. Competence also includes knowing how appraisal works – how to structure an award, how to present disputed items to an umpire, and how to keep the panel focused on the amount of loss.
Disinterested
Disinterested means no personal or financial stake in the outcome beyond a normal fee. Your brother-in-law, the contractor who wants the repair job, or a business partner may not qualify. Courts in various places have looked at whether particular fee arrangements or relationships undermined impartiality, and an award can be challenged if a panel member wasn’t disinterested. Choosing carefully at the start protects the award at the end.
Questions to ask before you hire
- How many appraisals have you handled on claims like mine? Ask about the type of loss – roof, water, fire, commercial – rather than general totals.
- How are you paid? Hourly, flat fee or another structure? Get it in writing, including what happens if the matter goes to the umpire or takes longer than expected.
- Do you have any relationship with my insurer, contractor or the likely umpire? A clear answer here protects the award.
- Who will actually do the work? Confirm who will inspect, prepare the estimate and negotiate.
- What do you need from me? A strong appraiser will ask for the policy, all correspondence, photos and your contractor’s estimate right away.
- How will you keep me informed? Agree on how often you’ll get updates and how decisions on settlement will be made.
- What happens if appraisal isn’t the right move? An honest appraiser will tell you when your dispute is about coverage and belongs with an attorney.
Red flags
- A promise of a specific result or percentage increase. No one can guarantee what an umpire will decide.
- Pressure to sign an engagement agreement before you’ve read your policy or seen a review of the estimates.
- Offers to handle coverage arguments, bad-faith claims or lawsuits. Those require a licensed Maryland attorney.
- Vague fee terms or reluctance to put the arrangement in writing.
- An appraiser who also expects to do or profit from the repairs.
Weighing cost against the gap
Appraisal has real costs: your appraiser’s fee and half the umpire’s. Before you commit, compare those costs to the realistic difference between estimates. As a purely illustrative example, if the insurer’s estimate is $22,000 and a well-supported contractor estimate is $31,000, the $9,000 gap may justify appraisal, depending on fees. If the gap is $2,000, it may not. The claim gap and fee estimator helps you test the numbers with your own figures.
Paperwork to expect
A professional engagement typically includes a written agreement describing the scope of the appraiser’s role, the fee, how expenses are handled and how either side can end the engagement. It should be clear that the appraiser is not acting as your attorney or public adjuster. You will also usually sign the appraiser’s appointment, which is sent to the insurer along with or shortly after your appraisal demand.
Why local knowledge matters
Maryland’s 24 local jurisdictions cover very different building stock and weather. Pricing for a Silver Spring high-rise condo, a Columbia townhouse, a Salisbury ranch home and a Frederick historic-district building can differ widely. An appraiser who knows how materials and labour are priced in the region – and who has seen how local storms damage these buildings – brings arguments an umpire can rely on.
Getting started
Maryland Insurance Appraiser provides appraisal representation and umpire services for residential and commercial claims statewide. We don’t promise outcomes, and we’ll tell you if your dispute isn’t a good fit for appraisal. Learn more about our appraisal demand representation, or start a claim review to have both estimates looked at before you decide.