When an insurance claim reaches the appraisal stage, the parties invariably brace for an adversarial experience, but it need not be one. If the participants realize that appraising is a mixture of both science and common sense, the process would result with no one's feeling as if they had lost something as a consequence of the appraisal.
In my 25 years of experience as an appraiser in the insurance industry, I have worked on behalf of both policyholders and insurers. I have learned that the process of satisfying a claim functions best when all those involved in the process are willing to compromise without having to sacrifice their client's particular interests.
Appraisal is a process that is included within the language of most insurance policies but, just as a jack is in the trunk of all new cars, most people would rather not use the appraisal provision, due to a lack of understanding as to what it entails and how it can best benefit them. In the case of the appraisal tool, it could be left on the shelf if more carriers made better attempts to clearly define the scope of damage in property claims from the inception of coverage under the policy.
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