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What to Have Ready When You Reach Out

A first call moves faster when a few basics are in hand, though none are required to start the conversation. The most useful items are your declarations page (the policy summary showing coverage limits and deductibles), your carrier's estimate or letter if one has been issued, the date of loss, and the cause of damage as you understand it — hail, wind, hurricane, fire, or water. If you have dated photographs of the damage, keep them; they establish condition and timing. If you are not sure whether your policy even contains an appraisal clause, mention that on the call and we can look at the language together. There is no charge to determine whether appraisal is the right path for your situation.

What Happens After You Contact Us, In Order

The first step is a conversation, not a commitment. We confirm the state, the property type, the cause of loss, and whether appraisal has already been invoked or is still being considered. From there, the sequence is generally consistent: appraisal is invoked in writing under the policy's terms, each side names a competent and independent appraiser, and the two appraisers select an umpire only if they cannot agree on the amount of loss. Inspection follows — often including drone documentation of roof and elevation damage under FAA Part 107 rules — and the appraisers exchange positions supported by photographs, measurements, and, where relevant, meteorological records. Most disputes resolve when the two appraisers agree; the umpire decides only the items still in disagreement. Timelines vary with property size and scheduling, but a single-family residential appraisal commonly runs several weeks from invocation to award, while large commercial or multi-family files take longer because the scope of inspection is broader.

The Losses We Are Contacted About Most

Requests to this office cluster heavily around hail, particularly across the DFW Metroplex and Fort Worth Metro, where spring and early-summer storm cells produce the season's highest volume of roof and soft-metal damage. Wind claims tend to follow the same storm systems and, on the Gulf side, the hurricane season that runs from June into November. A steady share of inquiries also involve non-hail damage — the kind where the cause or the scope is genuinely in question and documentation carries more weight than usual. Across all of these, the single most common reason people call is the same: two credible parties have looked at the same roof or the same structure and arrived at different amounts. That is exactly what the appraisal process exists to resolve.

One recurring pattern from recent DFW hail files illustrates what tends to work. In several residential hail matters, the disagreement centered on the extent of damage rather than whether a storm had occurred. What consistently narrowed the gap was comprehensive, dated photographic evidence paired with meteorological data for the loss date — matching documented impact points to recorded hail activity at that location. When damage and weather record line up, the amount of loss becomes far easier for two appraisers to agree on, and the umpire is rarely needed. Several of those homeowners returned for later storm seasons, which tells us the evidence-first approach held up.

Questions People Ask Before They Call

Do I need to have invoked appraisal first? No. Many people contact us while still deciding whether appraisal fits their situation, and that assessment is part of the initial conversation.

Which states do you cover, and does it matter where I am? We serve Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Colorado, and California. Location matters because storm patterns, policy forms, and — on the Texas coast — windstorm coverage through TWIA all shape how a claim is documented and argued.

Can you serve as umpire rather than as my appraiser? Yes. As a CPAU-certified appraiser and umpire, the role depends on how you were referred and whether either party has already named an appraiser. Tell us on the first call and we will confirm what is appropriate.

How quickly can you respond? Calls and emails during business hours — Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM — receive the fastest reply. For time-sensitive matters, phone at 972-322-0752 is the most direct route.

If your question is not covered here, the FAQ addresses the appraisal process in more detail, or simply reach out and ask.