What happens if the two insurance appraisers disagree?

If the two appraisers cannot agree on the amount of loss, the unresolved items go to an umpire. Under the standard ISO homeowners form (HO 00 03), each side names an appraiser within 20 days of a written appraisal demand, and the two appraisers then choose an umpire. Any agreement signed by two of the three — both appraisers, or one appraiser and the umpire — sets the amount of loss, subject to the policy terms and any remaining coverage issues.

What happens if the appraisers cannot agree on an umpire?

Under the standard ISO homeowners form, if the two appraisers cannot agree on an umpire within 15 days, either the policyholder or the insurer may ask a judge of a court of record in the state where the property is located to appoint one. Published attorney costs for that petition commonly run $2,500 to $5,000, so agreeing on an umpire directly is materially cheaper than litigating the appointment. Individual policies vary — check your own appraisal clause for the controlling deadlines.

What does an insurance umpire do?

An insurance umpire is a neutral third party who breaks the deadlock on the items the two appraisers could not resolve. The umpire reviews the competing positions and supporting documentation, may inspect the property, and decides each disputed item. The umpire addresses the amount of loss, not coverage questions about whether the policy responds at all.

How long does the umpire stage take?

Straightforward residential appraisals commonly resolve in 30 to 60 days overall, with the umpire stage adding roughly 2 to 6 weeks once an umpire is engaged. Complex or commercial losses run longer; published figures put about 75 percent of property appraisal disputes at 90 to 120 days when documentation is submitted up front. Note that unless your policy sets a timeline, no rule obliges an umpire to decide by a particular date.

Who pays for the umpire?

Under most standard appraisal clauses each side pays its own appraiser and the umpire fee is split 50/50. Umpire fees commonly run $500 to $3,000 flat for a residential dispute, or $200 to $500 per hour, so the policyholder share is often about $250 to $1,500. Each side also pays its own appraiser, commonly $1,500 to $3,000 flat or $100 to $350 per hour. The exact allocation depends on the policy language.

What Happens if the Two Appraisers Disagree?

Read the full Insurance Appraisal Guide →

Disagreement between appraisers is a normal part of the insurance appraisal process — it does not mean your claim is stuck forever. When the two appraisers cannot agree on the amount of loss, the usual next step is bringing in an umpire to help resolve the disputed items.

Short Answer

The unresolved items go to an umpire — a neutral third party. Under the standard ISO homeowners form (HO 00 03), the sequence is specific:

Each side names a competent, impartial appraiser within 20 days of a written appraisal demand.
The two appraisers then choose an umpire.
If they cannot agree on an umpire within 15 days, either party may ask a judge of a court of record in the state where the property is located to appoint one.
Agreement by any two of the three — both appraisers, or one appraiser and the umpire — sets the amount of loss.

Those deadlines come from the standard form. Individual policies vary, so read your own appraisal clause for the deadlines that actually control your claim.

Why Appraisers Disagree in the First Place

Disagreements between appraisers usually involve scope, pricing, repair versus replacement decisions, omitted line items, or different interpretations of damage evidence. One appraiser may include certain components in the loss that the other does not, or they may agree on scope but disagree on market pricing for labor and materials.

This kind of disagreement does not mean either side acted improperly. The appraisal process is designed to accommodate different professional opinions and resolve them through a structured method. The two appraisers are expected to work through as many items as they can agree on, and then escalate the remaining disputes to the umpire. For the broader sequence, see our insurance appraisal process guide. In loss-type terms, some of the most common disputes that reach the umpire stage involve hail damage and roof damage insurance claims.

What the Umpire Does

The umpire is a neutral third party whose role is to break deadlock on the items the two appraisers could not resolve. The umpire does not re-evaluate the entire claim from scratch — they focus on the specific disputed items that remain unresolved after the appraisers have done their work.

The umpire reviews the competing positions, the documentation each appraiser relied on, and any relevant inspection findings. The umpire then decides, for each disputed item, which position they agree with — or arrives at an independent figure. The umpire helps resolve the amount of loss, not pure coverage disputes about whether the policy covers the damage at all. If you are trying to vet candidates, review our guide to finding a qualified insurance umpire. Once the dispute is resolved, the result becomes an insurance appraisal award, and in limited circumstances readers also ask whether an insurance appraisal award can be appealed.

How the Umpire Is Selected

The two appraisers try to agree on an umpire first, and most of the time they do — experienced appraisers usually know the same pool of umpires. If they agree, the umpire is selected by mutual consent and the process moves on.

If they cannot agree, the standard homeowners form gives them 15 days, after which either the policyholder or the insurer may ask a judge of a court of record in the state where the property is located to make the choice. This is a real petition to a real court, not a formality: published attorney costs for it commonly run $2,500 to $5,000, on top of whatever the appointed umpire then charges.

That cost asymmetry is worth understanding before you dig in on a candidate. Agreeing to a reasonable umpire directly is almost always cheaper than litigating the appointment — the petition alone can cost more than the umpire's entire fee. For what that fee looks like, see how much an insurance umpire costs.

Some states also have statutes or regulations describing a default selection procedure or imposing impartiality standards on the umpire. Those sit on top of the policy language, not instead of it.

What Happens After the Umpire Gets Involved

Once an umpire is selected, they typically receive the disputed items from both appraisers along with supporting documentation — estimates, photos, inspection notes, and any written positions explaining each side's reasoning. The umpire may also conduct their own inspection of the property if they determine it is necessary.

The umpire reviews the evidence and makes determinations on each disputed item. Agreement by any two of the three participants — both appraisers on an item, or one appraiser and the umpire — commonly produces the binding award for that item. The final award sets the amount of loss for the disputed items, subject to the policy terms and any remaining coverage issues.

The award typically resolves the valuation dispute. However, it does not override policy limits, deductibles, depreciation holdbacks, or coverage determinations that are outside the scope of the appraisal process.

How Long This Stage Usually Takes

Straightforward residential appraisal, start to finish: commonly 30 to 60 days
Additional time once an umpire is engaged: roughly 2 to 6 weeks
Complex or commercial losses: published figures put about 75% of property appraisal disputes at 90 to 120 days when documentation is submitted up front
Naming appraisers: 20 days under the standard form; selecting an umpire: 15 days before either side can go to a judge

One thing worth knowing, because it surprises people: unless your policy sets a timeline, no rule obliges an umpire to decide by any particular date. The 20-day and 15-day deadlines govern selection, not the decision itself. An appraisal can run months, and occasionally longer, without anyone breaching a deadline.

What fills that gap is professional obligation rather than law. The recognised umpire certifying bodies impose diligence duties on their members — the Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association requires members to “act with dispatch and due diligence,” and the Windstorm Insurance Network requires them to “proceed diligently to conclude the appraisal proceedings.” Those are ethics rules enforceable through certification, not statutory deadlines — which is a practical reason to care whether the umpire you agree to actually holds a credential. Our guide to finding a qualified insurance umpire covers how to check.

The variables that move the timeline most: the number of disputed line items, whether the umpire needs an independent inspection, scheduling across three professionals, and how promptly both sides exchange documentation. More than half of the cases that ran past 120 days involved missing documents or people being unavailable — the two things a policyholder can actually influence.

For more detail on the overall appraisal timeline, see our overview of how the appraisal process works and our guide to invoking appraisal.

Who Pays the Umpire

Under most standard appraisal clauses each side pays its own appraiser and the umpire fee is split 50/50. In practice that means:

Umpire fee: commonly $500 – $3,000 flat for a residential dispute, or $200 – $500 per hour — so your half is often $250 – $1,500
Your own appraiser (not shared): commonly $1,500 – $3,000 flat, or $100 – $350 per hour
Court petition, only if the appraisers deadlock: $2,500 – $5,000 in attorney costs

Your own appraiser is normally the larger expense — usually more than your share of the umpire. The exact allocation still depends on your policy language; some policies describe arrangements other than an equal split.

Before the umpire stage begins, it is worth understanding how umpire costs will be handled under your specific policy. Your policyholder-side appraiser should be able to help you review this and set expectations. If you need a licensed professional first, start with the Texas insurance appraisers directory or your state directory. You can also return to the FAQ index or browse all guides for related educational content.

How We Compiled These Figures

Compiled August 2026. The 20-day and 15-day deadlines and the court-of-record appointment mechanism are the language of the standard ISO homeowners form (HO 00 03) — widely used, but not universal; your policy controls. Timeline and fee ranges are drawn from published appraisal and umpire practice schedules across multiple states. They describe what the market commonly charges and how long matters commonly take — they are not PropertyUmpire's rates or a guarantee, and PropertyUmpire does not set, collect, or take any share of any professional's fee. This page is educational and is not legal advice about any specific claim.

Find a Professional

PropertyUmpire helps policyholders find licensed policyholder-side professionals and neutral umpires using official state-license data. If your appraisal has reached the umpire stage — or you need a policyholder-side appraiser to begin the process — the directory can help you find qualified professionals in your state.