Invoking Appraisal on a Window Hail Claim — How the Step Works
The insurer agrees the hail broke your windows. It does not agree on what thirty of them cost to replace, and the re-inspection did not move the number.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
Invoking appraisal on a window hail claim is a step many policies offer when you and your insurer agree the damage is covered but disagree on the amount. In a typical clause each side picks an appraiser and the two choose an umpire. Your policy sets the rules, so check it and ask your agent. JMB Builders does not act as an appraiser; we supply the opening-by-opening documentation and do the repair.
- Appraisal is usually about amount, not coverage
- Your policy sets the steps; ask your agent
- JMB documents and repairs; never an appraiser
Appraisal is a clause in many homeowner policies for one kind of disagreement: the amount of the loss. It is not usually the tool for whether something is covered at all, like a cosmetic exclusion or a denied date of loss. On a large window claim it tends to come up after the easier steps are done: the re-inspection happened, the supplement was sent, and both sides still have different numbers for the same openings.
How it runs depends on the wording in your policy. In a typical clause either side asks for appraisal in writing, each side picks its own appraiser and pays for them, the two appraisers pick an umpire, and an amount agreed by two of the three is binding on the amount. There can be deadlines and fees, and appraisers are paid by the side that hires them. That is a decision to make with your agent, and with an attorney or a licensed public adjuster if you want one. We do not give that advice.
What every appraiser needs is the same thing we build for every large claim: a numbered sketch of the house, photos of each opening with scale, and a line-item quote by opening that shows the window, the screen, the trim, the access and the install items for each. When the difference between two numbers can be traced to specific lines, it is a short argument. We provide that record and do the repair when the amount is set.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- The decision whether to invoke appraisal, made with your agent and your own advisers
- Your policy, the insurer's estimate and every letter about the disagreement
- The name of the appraiser you choose, if you go that way
- Access to the house for the appraisers to see the openings
What JMB supplies
- A numbered sketch of every window and door, with close photos and scale
- A line-item quote by opening, set side by side with the insurer's lines
- A list of the exact lines where the two numbers differ, and why
- A walk of the house with the appraisers when you want us there
- The repair once the amount is settled, priced per opening
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Number of openings and the trades on the claim
- How far apart the two estimates are, and on how many lines
- Upper-floor or hard-to-reach openings that need extra photos
- Whether the repair is quoted with the documentation
Send the insurer's estimate, any re-inspection result and photos of each side of the house. We reply within one business day, or book a free in-home estimate.
How long it takes
Our documentation: one visit plus the written comparison. The appraisal itself runs on the schedule in your policy and the appraisers' calendars.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Re-inspection
A second look by the insurer, often with your contractor there. Usually the first step when openings were missed or misread.
Supplement
Adding items to an approved scope, with photos. For openings or parts left off, not for a dispute over price.
Appraisal
For a disagreement on amount after those steps. Each side has its own appraiser; the policy sets the rules and the costs.
Public adjuster or attorney
Someone licensed to represent you with the insurer. A choice to talk over with your agent; we document either way.
Invoking Appraisal on a Window Hail Claim — How the Step Works: questions, answered
How does insurance appraisal work on a window claim?
In a typical clause, either you or the insurer asks for appraisal in writing, each side picks an appraiser, and the two appraisers choose an umpire. An amount agreed by two of the three usually settles the amount of the loss. Your policy's wording controls the steps, deadlines and who pays for what, so read it and ask your agent.
What is the difference between appraisal and a reinspection on a window claim?
A re-inspection is the insurer taking a second look, often after you send new photos or point out missed openings. Appraisal is a formal step for a disagreement over the amount, run by appraisers each side picks. Most homeowners try a re-inspection or a supplement first.
Can appraisal decide whether hail damage to my windows is covered?
Usually appraisal is about the amount of the loss, not whether something is covered. A cosmetic exclusion or a denied date of loss is generally a coverage question. How your policy treats it is a question for your agent, and for an attorney if you want legal advice.
Can my contractor be my appraiser?
That depends on your policy's wording on who can serve. JMB Builders does not act as an appraiser. We supply the opening-by-opening documentation and line-item quote any appraiser can work from, and we do the repair.
What do I do if I disagree with insurance on the window price?
Find out where the difference is first. Put the insurer's estimate next to a line-item quote by opening and mark each line that differs: missing windows, wrong sizes, glass only versus whole unit, missing trim or access. Send that with photos and ask for a re-inspection. If the amount still differs, ask your agent about the appraisal clause in your policy.
Can I start the window replacement while appraisal is going on?
Sometimes, but it is a question for your agent first, because the appraisers may need to see the damage. If you go ahead, the documentation has to be complete before anything comes out. We can measure, quote and hold the order until you decide.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
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