Reading the result
The big number is the estimated net increase after your appraisal costs. The bar shows how the projected award splits between the insurer’s original number, your net gain and what you’d spend on the process.
Test a range, not a point
Panels rarely land exactly on either side’s number. Try the slider at 30%, 50% and 75%. If appraisal only pays off at the high end, your case depends on everything going right. If it still pays at 40%, you have room for error.
An illustrative example
With the default figures, the insurer’s estimate is $22,600 and the contractor’s is $38,900, a $16,300 gap. At a 60% outcome and a flat $2,500 fee plus half of a $3,000 umpire fee, the estimated net increase is about $5,780. These numbers are illustrative only.
What this doesn’t include
Deductibles, depreciation timing and policy limits affect what you’re paid, not the size of the dispute. Use the holdback calculator and deductible calculator for those.
Questions about this calculator
Is the projected award a prediction?
No. It’s a scenario you control with the slider. Real awards depend on evidence, the panel and the policy.
Should I choose a flat or percentage fee?
It depends on the claim. Flat and hourly fees are predictable; percentage fees scale with the result. Compare both in the estimator and get any arrangement in writing.