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Insurance Appraisal Dispute Resolution

Insurance Claim Appraisal Basics: How Damage Disputes Get Resolved By Jason Plasters, Principal Building Consultant What Is an Insurance Appraisal in a Property Damage Claim? Insurance Appraisal provides an alternative method for dispute resolution, in lieu of pursuing mediation or litigation when a dispute arises. At a high level, an insurance appraisal is a formal process conducted by competent, experienced appraisers who assess both the extent and value of insurance claim related damages. These experts, appraisers, typically evaluate: Scope and extent of damage Verification of the date of loss Appropriate repair and/or replacement methods Current, local market repair costs and material availability. Their role is to bring consistency and technical accountability to the evaluation, resulting in a complete and accurate valuation for the insurance claim. Why the Insurance Appraisal Process Exists When disagreements arise during an insurance claim, the stakes can quickly escalate—from delays in repair to the risk of

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Delivering Clarity Through Collaboration

Delivering Clarity Through Collaboration: How Multi Disciplinary Consulting Teams Strengthen Complex Damage Consulting By Benjamin Irwin, PE, DFE, CXLT, Associate Vice President of Engineering, Principal Forensic Engineer At Haag, our mission is to deliver independent, industry‑leading consulting services grounded in integrity, time‑tested expertise and practical experience. Today’s complex claims environment demands more than isolated technical opinions. Losses involving building failures, severe weather, fire, mechanical breakdowns, or construction disputes often requires multiple disciplines working together to uncover the full story. Haag continues to evolve a consulting model centered on multi‑disciplinary teamwork that integrates expertise across: forensic engineering forensic architecture building consulting forensic meteorology / forensic weather consulting fire science forensics property loss consulting construction process consulting research and materials testing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering heavy, mobile, and fixed equipment evaluations This coordinated approach provides clients with clear, comprehensive, and reliable conclusions for insurance claims, litigation cases, and expert

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Why IBHS Sub-Severe Hail Research Shouldn’t Guide Forensic Damage Assessments

Using the Wrong Tool for the Job: Why IBHS Sub-Severe Hail Research Shouldn’t Guide Forensic Damage Assessments By Steve Smith, PE, Director of Research and Testing, Principal Forensic Engineer Admit it. We’ve all done it. We’ve used a boot as a hammer, or a key in place of a screwdriver. We needed a tool and we opted for the nearest object that can get the job done. Not using the right tool for the job caused us to gouge the heel of our boot or bend our house key. We should have spent 60 seconds walking to the toolbox and chosen the right tool, and instead, we’ve made a mess of things. A similar thing has happened over the past couple of years, but this time, some in the roofing industry are using research papers intended to explore potential shortfalls in underwriting and risk assessment, as though the papers are

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