The Arizona Insurance Appraisal Roadmap, Step by Step

1. Pin down the disagreement
2. Read the Appraisal condition and the deadlines around it
3. Send a written demand
4. Both sides name appraisers
5. The appraisers choose an umpire
6. The appraisers work through the differences
7. The umpire decides what is left
8. The award is signed and paid

Step 1 Pin down the disagreement

Before anything formal happens, write down exactly where you and the carrier differ: which rooms, which roof slopes, which line items and what your number is. Send that to the adjuster with your contractor’s estimate and photos. A specific, documented supplement request settles more Arizona claims than any other single step, and it creates a record if you go further.

Step 2 Read the Appraisal condition and the deadlines around it

Find the Appraisal paragraph in your policy’s conditions. Note whether it sets a deadline to name an appraiser, whether it requires a sworn proof of loss first, and how it describes the appraisers (competent, independent, disinterested or impartial). Then find the suit-limitation condition and put that date on your calendar. Appraisal may not stop it.

Step 3 Send a written demand

Either side can demand appraisal in writing. The demand should identify the claim, say that you disagree on the amount of loss, invoke the appraisal provision and name your appraiser or commit to naming one within the policy’s time frame. Send it in a way you can prove, such as certified mail plus email.

Step 4 Both sides name appraisers

Each party chooses its own appraiser. Yours reviews the file, inspects the property independently and builds a line-item estimate. The carrier’s appraiser does the same. A good appraiser can explain every line of their number to the other side and to an umpire.

Step 5 The appraisers choose an umpire

The two appraisers select a neutral umpire, ideally early, before positions harden. Look for relevant experience, such as tile and foam roofs, large commercial losses or wildfire rebuilds, and full disclosure of past relationships. If the appraisers deadlock, many policies allow a court in the county where the property sits to appoint one.

Step 6 The appraisers work through the differences

Most of the dispute is resolved here. The two appraisers compare scopes item by item, agree where they can, and narrow the rest to a short list. If they agree on everything, they sign an award and the umpire never has to act.

Step 7 The umpire decides what is left

For items still in dispute, each appraiser submits a position with support: photos, measurements, pricing, manufacturer data. The umpire may inspect the property. The umpire then decides each disputed item.

Step 8 The award is signed and paid

When the umpire and one appraiser, or both appraisers, sign the award, the amount of loss is set. The carrier then applies the deductible, depreciation, limits and prior payments under the policy. Payment timing depends on the policy and Arizona’s claim-handling rules; ask the carrier for its timeline in writing.

How long it takes

Straightforward residential appraisals often finish in two to four months. Commercial claims, disputes involving engineers and umpire schedules during a busy monsoon season can take longer.

What it costs

Each side pays its own appraiser. The umpire’s fee is usually split evenly. The appraisal payoff estimator shows how those costs affect what you net.