Reading the result
The estimator measures the dispute (your replacement-cost number minus the carrier’s), places a hypothetical award somewhere inside that gap, then takes away what you would spend to get there: your appraiser’s fee and half of a typical umpire fee. What remains is the net change a successful appraisal might produce.
Run three scenarios, not one
Slide the award to 30%, 50% and 75%. If the net only turns positive near 100%, the dispute probably depends on items that are hard to prove. If it stays positive at 30%, appraisal is more likely to be worth the time and fees.
What the estimator doesn’t include
- Deductibles and policy limits — use the percentage deductible converter.
- Depreciation timing — use the depreciation holdback splitter.
- Coverage questions. Appraisal values a covered loss; it doesn’t decide what’s covered.
Illustrative example: the default figures (a $21,600 carrier estimate against a $34,900 contractor estimate) are invented to show how the math works. They are not a real claim or a predicted result.
Questions about this estimator
Is the projected award a prediction?
No. It is a scenario you choose with the slider. Real awards depend on documentation, the panel and the policy wording.
Why include half of an umpire fee?
Most appraisal clauses split the umpire’s cost equally between you and the insurer, even if the umpire is never needed for every item.
Is anything I type saved or sent?
No. The tool runs entirely in your browser. Close the page and the numbers are gone.