When property damage happens, many insureds wonder whether they should hire a damage appraiser or an attorney to help move their insurance claim forward. Appraisers can estimate the cost of repairs, but only an attorney can interpret your policy, challenge wrongful insurer decisions, and take legal action when necessary. If your claim has been delayed, underpaid, or denied, relying solely on an appraiser may limit your recovery. Let’s explore why hiring an attorney is a wise choice.
What a Damage Appraiser Can — and Cannot — Do
A damage appraiser evaluates the physical condition of your property and provides an estimate of what repairs should cost. In some cases, if both sides agree to use appraisal as outlined in the policy, an appraiser may participate in the formal appraisal process to determine the value of the loss.
However, an appraiser’s authority stops there. Appraisers cannot:
- Interpret or enforce policy language
- Challenge coverage denials
- Negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf
- Stop delay tactics or bad-faith conduct
- File a lawsuit if the insurer continues to underpay
Appraisal deals only with the amount of damage, not whether the insurer must cover it, whether exclusions apply, or whether the company is acting unfairly. Those issues fall squarely into the legal realm.
What an Attorney Does for a Property Insurance Claim
An attorney provides comprehensive protection for your claim. Instead of focusing solely on cost estimates, an attorney evaluates the entire legal framework of the loss. That includes:
- Determining whether the policy covers the damage
- Documenting the property damage
- Challenging improper denials or partial payments
- Addressing disputes over causation
- Responding to insurer delay tactics
- Negotiating a settlement based on policy rights
- Filing suit when the insurance company refuses to pay
Attorneys know how insurers interpret policy language, how claims departments operate, and how to enforce your rights under contract law and state statutes. This legal leverage is often the only thing that compels an insurance company to honor its obligations.
Why Relying Only on an Appraiser Can Limit Your Recovery
Many insureds turn to appraisers because they believe the problem is simply a disagreement over the amount of damage. But in practice, most disputes involve both value and legal issues. Common limitations of using only a damage appraiser include:
- The insurer can still reject the appraisal award
- Appraisal cannot resolve questions of coverage or causation
- Appraisers cannot challenge exclusions or policy interpretations
- You lose valuable time if the insurer is acting in bad faith
- The process may lock you into a result that limits future legal action
For example, if the insurer claims your roof damage was caused by wear and tear rather than wind, an appraiser has no ability to dispute that conclusion. Only an attorney can bring in experts, challenge the insurer’s findings, or take the issue to court.
Why Hiring an Attorney Is the Strongest Choice
Attorneys have the broadest ability to protect you, maximize recovery, and hold insurers accountable. That is why, for most property damage claims — especially those involving delay, underpayment, or denial — hiring an attorney is the best and safest strategy.
An attorney can:
- Address both valuation and coverage issues
- Oversee appraisers and other experts as needed
- Identify violations of policy obligations
- Apply pressure through legal notice and negotiation
- File a lawsuit to force payment of covered claims
Unlike appraisers, attorneys can compel results through legal enforcement, not just opinion.
Where Appraisal Fits — When It Should Be Attorney-Directed
Appraisal can be a helpful tool, but only when the dispute is limited to the scope or pricing of repairs and coverage is already accepted. Even then, appraisal should be coordinated by an attorney, not used as a substitute for legal representation.
Attorney-directed appraisal ensures:
- The appraiser understands the legal posture of the case
- The insured does not waive important rights
- The process is used strategically, not prematurely
- The final result does not restrict future claims or litigation
In short, appraisal may help—but only as one component of a larger legal strategy.
How PALUMBO LAW Supports Insureds Throughout the Claims Process
At PALUMBO LAW, our team of attorneys and licensed adjusters works together to protect insureds and legally maximize recovery under their property insurance policies. We understand how insurers evaluate claims because our background spans real estate, construction, business, and insurance adjusting. That practical experience allows us to challenge wrongful denials, expose undervalued estimates, and compel the insurance company to honor the policy.
Our team assists with:
- Documenting and proving property damage
- Overseeing appraisers and other experts
- Negotiating for full compensation
- Challenging delays, underpayments, or denials
- Litigating when the insurer refuses to pay
We work to make the insurance company pay what it owes — nothing less.
Legal Representation That Protects Your Rights
While appraisers have a role in estimating property damage, only an attorney can enforce your rights, interpret your policy, and take action against an insurer that fails to pay a valid claim. If your loss has been undervalued, delayed, or denied, legal representation is the most effective path to a fair recovery.
If you’re navigating a property insurance claim, PALUMBO LAW can help you understand your options and pursue the compensation your policy provides. Connect with us today
