Who should send an appraisal demand?

The policyholder, or their public adjuster or attorney. Appraisal is the insured's right under the policy, and in several states a contractor may not act for the insured on the claim.

Does the appraisal letter decide coverage?

No. Appraisal decides the amount of loss. If the insurer denies that the damage is covered at all, that is a coverage dispute for negotiation, a complaint to the state, or counsel.

Where does the state language come from?

Deadline sources come from the statute text in the claim deadlines tool. Matching rules come from the state-by-state appendix behind the matching law tool. Confirm the current text before you rely on it.

Free tool · public adjusters, contractors and policyholders

Claim Letter Builder

Five letters every property claim needs at some point, filled in from your claim details and your state's rules. Copy or download, then adjust to your facts.

Letter

Sent by: Contractor, public adjuster or policyholder

StateInsurance companyAdjusterInsuredClaim numberPolicy numberProperty addressDate of lossYour nameYour rolee.g. Public adjuster, FL lic. #…Supplement amount$

Added items, one per lineThe supplement builder lists common lines and their basis.

Your letter

November 11, 2026

To: [adjuster name], [insurance company]
Re: Insured [insured name] · Claim [claim number] · Policy [policy number]
Property: [property address] · Date of loss: [date of loss]

Dear [adjuster name],

Enclosed is a supplement to the estimate on this claim for [amount] in additional repair cost. The additions are items that were not visible or not included at the time of the original estimate:

  • [item: basis (code section, manufacturer instruction or IICRC reference) and photo number]

Each line is supported by the enclosed photos, measurements and the code, manufacturer or IICRC basis noted beside it. The supplement is written on the same price list as the original estimate.

Please review and confirm whether you agree with each line. If you dispute any item, please tell me which one and the specific reason, so we can resolve it line by line. Please respond in writing within the deadlines Texas law sets for insurers (§542.055(a), §542.056(a), §542.057(a)).

Sincerely,

[your name]
[role, company and license number if any]

Review every line and adjust it to your facts before sending.

Which letter, when

Supplement cover letter: with every supplement, so the reviewer sees each added line and its basis.
Demand for appraisal: when you and the insurer agree the damage is covered but disagree on the amount. Run the appraisal calculator first.
Release recoverable depreciation: once repairs are done, with the final invoice. The depreciation calculator shows the holdback.
Request the claim file: after a denial or a low estimate, before you argue the number.
Matching request: when new siding, shingles or flooring won't match what remains. It quotes the rule from matching law by state.

These are templates, not legal advice. In several states, including Texas and Colorado, a contractor may not negotiate the claim for the insured; letters that advocate for the policyholder should come from the policyholder, their licensed public adjuster or their attorney.

Questions

Who should send an appraisal demand?: The policyholder, or their public adjuster or attorney. Appraisal is the insured's right under the policy, and in several states a contractor may not act for the insured on the claim.
Does the appraisal letter decide coverage?: No. Appraisal decides the amount of loss. If the insurer denies that the damage is covered at all, that is a coverage dispute for negotiation, a complaint to the state, or counsel.
Where does the state language come from?: Deadline sources come from the statute text in the claim deadlines tool. Matching rules come from the state-by-state appendix behind the matching law tool. Confirm the current text before you rely on it.

Need the estimate behind the letter?

A letter is only as strong as the estimate it encloses. We write the line-item Xactimate® estimate or supplement, $50 per estimate, first one free.

All tools on this page are informational and not legal or insurance advice. More free tools