Appraisal, Public Adjuster or Contractor: Breaking a Claim Stalemate

Written by Nathaniel Davis, owner of Roof Gutter Now — a licensed exterior restoration contractor in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Updated August 2026

What each route actually does

Contractor supplement. Cheapest and fastest. Works when the dispute is about missing line items or quantities. No fee to you — it is part of the job.

Public adjuster. A licensed representative who works the claim on your behalf, typically for a percentage of the settlement. Worth considering on large or complex losses where the whole file needs handling.

Appraisal. A clause in most policies: each side names an appraiser, the two select an umpire, and the decision on the amount of loss is binding. It resolves value disputes, not coverage disputes.

Choosing between them

If the carrier agrees the loss is covered but the number is wrong, start with a supplement and escalate to appraisal. If the carrier denies coverage outright, appraisal cannot help — that is a coverage question, and it goes to a public adjuster, your state department of insurance, or counsel.

Read the appraisal clause before invoking it. Some forms make it binding on both parties, and there are costs on each side.

Common questions