How Does the Insurance Appraisal Process Work for a Roof Claim in Texas?

By Fareed Tulbah, owner of Caden Roofing · 8,000+ roofs inspected · Last updated October 31, 2026

When is appraisal worth it on a roof?

Appraisal works best when there’s a documented date of loss and the roof shows damage that matches it: a recorded hail or wind event, and the hits, creases or missing shingles to prove it.

Two recent Caden Roofing appraisals:

• The carrier said there was no storm damage. The appraisal award covered a full roof replacement.
• The carrier paid to replace two roof vents. The appraisal award covered a full roof replacement.

Appraisal can also resolve repair-only decisions (the carrier pays for a few slopes or parts, not the whole roof) and undervalued payouts (missed items, low pricing, or missing code upgrades, if your policy includes ordinance or law coverage).

When appraisal isn’t the right tool

• There’s no storm date tied to the damage.
• The dispute is about coverage itself, such as late notice, an exclusion or a lapsed policy.
• The gap is small compared with what you’d pay your appraiser and half the umpire.
• Your policy pays actual cash value (ACV) or uses a roof payment schedule, your deductible is high, and the roof is old. With ACV, the payout is reduced for the roof’s age and wear. With a roof payment schedule, it’s a percentage that shrinks as the roof ages. Subtract a high deductible from that, and even a larger award may pay you little or nothing.

What can appraisal decide, and what can’t it?

Appraisal can decide: the dollar amount of the loss, and which damage the covered storm caused versus wear, age or an earlier event. The Texas Supreme Court confirmed appraisers can sort storm damage from other causes in State Farm Lloyds v. Johnson (2009).

Appraisal can’t decide: whether your policy covers the loss. Coverage disputes, including whether an exclusion applies (like a cosmetic damage exclusion, if your policy has one), are settled separately, through the insurer, TDI or the courts. Chapter 1813 says appraisal doesn’t change your policy’s coverage or terms.

How does the appraisal process work, step by step?

1. Get the insurer’s decision in writing: an acceptance, a partial payment or a denial.
2. Send a written appraisal demand to the insurer.
3. Each side hires its own appraiser. Under TDI’s proposed rule, appraisers must be qualified for the type of loss, independent from both sides, and have no stake in the outcome.
4. The two appraisers choose an umpire. If they can’t agree, either side can ask a court in the county where the home is located to appoint one.
5. The appraisers try to agree on the amount. If they agree, that’s the award.
6. If they don’t, the umpire decides. An award signed by any two of the three is binding on the amount.
7. The insurer pays the award, minus your deductible and any earlier payments.

What are the deadlines under TDI’s proposed rule?

These dates come from TDI’s proposed rule (28 TAC §§5.9800–5.9806). As of late October 2026, it hasn’t been adopted and could still change.

Step	Proposed deadline
Homeowner demands appraisal	Within 1 year of the insurer’s letter accepting or denying the claim
Each side hires an appraiser	Within 20 days of the demand
Appraisers choose an umpire	Within 15 days of both appraisers being named
Appraisers try to agree	Within 120 days of the demand
Umpire issues the award (if needed)	Within 240 days

Both sides can extend any deadline by written agreement.

What does appraisal cost?

You pay your own appraiser and half of the umpire’s fees, according to TDI. Fees vary by appraiser, so get the fee in writing before you hire one. In TDI’s data, appraisal cost insurers about $2,840 per claim on average.

How does appraisal compare with your other options?

Option	What it decides	Speed	Cost to you
Ask for a reinspection	The insurer’s own second look	Fastest	Free
Appraisal	The amount of loss only	Months	Your appraiser’s fee + half the umpire’s (fees vary)
TDI complaint	Whether the insurer followed the law	Varies	Free
Public adjuster	Negotiates the whole claim for you	Varies	A percentage of the settlement, capped at 10% by Texas law
Attorney or lawsuit	Coverage and amount	Slowest	Highest

How does Caden Roofing help its clients, and what can’t a roofer do?

Caden Roofing works insurance roof claims across the Austin area, from Round Rock and Cedar Park to Georgetown. For our clients, we inspect the roof, meet the adjuster at the carrier’s inspection to show the damage, and document the outcome. If a client disagrees with the carrier’s decision, we explain their options.

If a client goes to appraisal, Caden Roofing gives their appraiser all of our work product: inspection photos, measurements, our estimate, and notes from the adjuster meeting. See a hail damage roof replacement in Southland Oaks or our hail damage restoration work.

Texas law doesn’t allow a roofer to act as your public adjuster on a roof it may replace (Insurance Code §4102.163), and an appraiser must have no stake in the outcome. That means Caden Roofing can’t be your appraiser or negotiate your claim. You or your appraiser make the demand and the decisions.

What is the 2026 Texas appraisal law?

Senate Bill 458 (89th Legislature) created Insurance Code Chapter 1813, effective September 1, 2025. Every residential property policy issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 must include an appraisal clause. The law doesn’t apply to TWIA or commercial policies. If your policy was issued before 2026, check its own appraisal clause.

Frequently asked questions

Can I demand appraisal after a full denial?

Yes, if the dispute is over whether the storm caused the damage. If the denial is about coverage, appraisal can’t fix it.

Is the appraisal award final?

It’s binding on the amount unless it came from fraud, accident or a material mistake, or was made without authority.

Can my roofer be my appraiser?

No. Appraisers must be independent and have no stake in the outcome, and a roofer bidding on your roof has one.

How long does appraisal take?

In TDI’s data, more than half finished within 3 months. Cases with an umpire took longer, with a median of about 193 days.

Does the insurer ever demand appraisal?

Rarely. About 99% of residential appraisals were requested by homeowners.

Is appraisal worth it on an older roof?

It depends on your policy. On a replacement cost policy, an older roof can still be worth appraising. On an ACV policy or roof payment schedule with a high deductible, depreciation and the deductible can wipe out most of the gain. Check your declarations page before you demand appraisal.

Related reading

• Should I File an Insurance Claim for Hail Damage on My Roof?
• What Is a Cosmetic Damage Waiver on Your Roof?
• My Insurance Company Is Dropping Me Because of My Roof. What Are My Options in Texas?
• All Roofing Guides for Austin Homeowners

Sources

1. Texas Insurance Code Chapter 1813: Appraisal for residential property insurance (SB 458, 89th Legislature)
2. Texas Department of Insurance: Proposed rule, 28 TAC §§5.9800–5.9806 (2026)
3. Texas Department of Insurance: 2024 Appraisal Experience Data Call Report
4. Texas Department of Insurance: What if my insurance isn’t paying enough?
5. Texas Insurance Code Chapter 4102: §4102.163 (contractors) and §4102.104 (public adjuster fees)
6. Supreme Court of Texas: State Farm Lloyds v. Johnson, 290 S.W.3d 886 (2009)