How to read the projection
- Start with replacement cost totals. Use the RCV line on both estimates, before depreciation and deductible.
- Test a range. Slide the landing point to 30%, 50% and 75%. If appraisal only pays off near 100%, the case is thin.
- Use real fees. Ask any appraiser — including us — for the fee in writing, and assume half of an umpire’s fee if the panel may need one.
An illustrative example
Illustrative figures only: a carrier estimate of $21,300 against a contractor estimate of $34,900 leaves $13,600 in dispute. If an award lands at 60% of that gap, the increase is $8,160. Subtract a $2,500 flat appraiser fee and half of a $3,000 umpire fee and the net gain is $4,160. The same claim at 30% nets very little — which is why the slider matters more than any single number.
What this projector ignores
Deductibles, policy limits and depreciation timing change what you are paid, not the size of the dispute. Run the ACV & holdback worksheet and the deductible comparison for those.
Questions about this calculator
Is the projected award a prediction?
No. It is a scenario you control. Real awards depend on documentation, the panel and your policy.
Should I pay an appraiser a percentage of the increase?
Some appraisers charge that way, but many policies require an appraiser to be disinterested, and a contingency fee can be challenged. A flat or hourly fee avoids that argument.