Dec–Mar
Winter
Most Maine claim files open in the cold months, and many of them stay open until the snow comes off the roof.
- Ice dams behind gutters
- Snow load on flat and low roofs
- Frozen pipes at closed camps
- Chimney and wood-stove fires
Statewide · All 16 counties · Islands included
Maine Insurance Appraiserfor property claims that came up short
Your insurer accepted the claim, but the check won’t rebuild the roof, the ceiling or the camp. Maine Insurance Appraiser prices the loss line by line and takes it through the appraisal process written into your policy.
Why owners call
Accepted is one word. Paid in full is another.
Most disputed Maine claims aren’t denials. They’re short: an attic that was never opened, a slope left off the roof report, ice-barrier membrane priced for one course when the eave needs three, clapboard that can’t be matched. A Maine Insurance Appraiser exists for the distance between the carrier’s number and the real cost to put the building back.
We build our own scope from the inspection, not from an edited copy of the carrier’s estimate, and we price what we can defend in front of an umpire.
- Counties covered
- 16
- Kinds of appraisal work
- 12
- Free claim tools
- 7
- Signatures that bind an award
- 2 of 3
Appraisal work
Twelve kinds of claims a Maine Insurance Appraiser values
Start with a review of the carrier’s estimate, or bring us in after appraisal has been demanded. Every service rests on the same thing: an independent, defensible number for your loss.
01Appraisal Clause Representation
Your own named appraiser when you invoke the appraisal clause on an underpaid Maine claim.Read more
02Homeowner Claim Appraisal
Independent appraisal for Maine homeowners whose accepted claim came in below repair cost.Read more
03Commercial, Condo & HOA Appraisal
Appraisal for condo boards, HOAs, mill conversions and Maine commercial buildings.Read more
04Roof & Hail Claim Appraisal
Appraisal for underpaid roof and hail claims on shingle, cedar, slate and metal roofs.Read more
05Windstorm & Microburst Appraisal
Appraisal for wind, microburst and rare tornado damage when the payout misses the full scope.Read more
06Nor’easter & Hurricane Appraisal
Appraisal for nor’easter and post-tropical storm damage on the Maine coast and inland.Read more
07Water Damage Appraisal
Appraisal for burst pipe, appliance leak and wind-driven rain claims that came in low.Read more
08Fire, Smoke & Puffback Appraisal
Appraisal for house fires, chimney and wood-stove fires, smoke and oil-burner puffback.Read more
09Ice Dam & Snow Load Appraisal
Appraisal for ice dam leaks and snow-load damage, Maine’s signature winter claim.Read more
10Fallen Tree Damage Appraisal
Appraisal when a tree or limb lands on your home, garage or camp and the payout falls short.Read more
11Insurance Estimate Review
A line-by-line review of your carrier’s estimate to size the gap before you decide on appraisal.Read more
12Umpire & Neutral Services
Neutral umpire services for Maine appraisal panels when the two appraisers cannot agree.Read moreThe Maine claim year
What each season sends to a Maine Insurance Appraiser
Weather here runs on a calendar. So do claims. Tap or hover a season to open it.
Apr–May
Spring
Thaw shows what winter hid. The roof that looked fine in February often shows the damage in April.
- Snowmelt leaks found late
- Roof damage revealed by thaw
- River ice and high water
- Basement water and sump failures
Jun–Aug
Summer
Short, violent storms track across the interior and drop hardwoods and pines onto houses and camps.
- Thunderstorm wind and microbursts
- Hail in the western hills
- Lightning strikes
- Trees on roofs and cars
Sep–Nov
Fall
Coastal storms and the remnants of tropical systems test siding, windows and shingles from Kittery to Eastport.
- Nor’easters and wind-driven rain
- Post-tropical storms
- Coastal surge and spray
- Early wet snow on leafy trees
How it moves
Five stages from a short estimate to a binding number
The appraisal condition turns an open-ended argument into a defined process with an end. Here’s how Maine Insurance Appraiser carries a file through it.
- 01
Free estimate review
We read your policy’s appraisal condition, the carrier’s full estimate and your photos, then tell you whether appraisal fits or another path is cheaper.
- 02
Independent scope and pricing
On-site inspection and measurements, including the attic and the areas winter hides, and a line-item estimate priced for your part of Maine.
- 03
Written demand and appointment
Appraisal is demanded in writing and Maine Insurance Appraiser is named as your appraiser within the time your policy allows.
- 04
Line-by-line reconciliation
We work through each disputed line with the carrier’s appraiser. Many disagreements narrow sharply at this stage.
- 05
Umpire and signed award
Items still in dispute go to a neutral umpire. Once two of the three sign, the amount of loss is set and payment follows under your policy.
Two numbers, one minute
Check the size of your dispute
Type the carrier’s estimate and your contractor’s. If the gap is wide, a call with a Maine Insurance Appraiser makes sense. If it’s narrow, a documented supplement may close it faster and for less.
The full settlement gap projector adds fees and shows the net at three possible award levels.
Two-number gap checkNo sign-up
of the disputed amount
Amount in dispute$0
Gap vs. carrier estimate—
Projected award$0
Increase before fees$0
Coast to County
Six regions, six ways a Maine Insurance Appraiser prices a loss
A Kennebunk beach cottage, a Lewiston triple-decker and a Presque Isle potato house don’t share a price list. Swipe through the regions.
York County
Southern Coast
- Coastal surge
- Nor’easters
- Older cottages
Kittery to Old Orchard Beach: beach cottages, brick mill conversions in Biddeford and Sanford, and condominiums in every town.
Cumberland County
Greater Portland & Casco Bay
- Record tides
- Triple-deckers
- Island access
Victorian brick, triple-deckers, waterfront commercial and island homes that need a ferry before the first shingle arrives.
Sagadahoc · Lincoln · Knox · Waldo
Midcoast & Islands
- Working wharves
- Wind exposure
- Sea-salt wear
Bath to Belfast: shipbuilding towns, harbors, capes and connected farmhouses, plus island homes off Rockland and Boothbay.
Hancock · Washington
Down East & Acadia
- Post-tropical wind
- Seasonal inns
- Remote pricing
Mount Desert Island inns and cottages, blueberry barrens and fishing towns where contractors travel long distances.
Kennebec · Androscoggin · Franklin · Oxford · Somerset
Kennebec Valley & Western Mountains
- River flooding
- Snow load
- Ski condos
Augusta, Lewiston and Waterville mill cities, lake camps, and ski-area condominiums under heavy snow at Sugarloaf and Sunday River.
Penobscot · Piscataquis · Aroostook
Penobscot Valley & The County
- Deep cold
- Farm buildings
- Ice jams
Bangor’s Victorian neighborhoods, Moosehead camps and Aroostook farms with potato houses and metal outbuildings.
Claim math
Free calculators from a Maine Insurance Appraiser
Work through the numbers before you call. Every tool runs in your browser and nothing you type is stored or sent.
EstimatorSettlement Gap Projector
Compare two estimates, add appraiser and umpire fees, and see the net at three award landings.
CalculatorRCV / ACV Holdback Calculator
Itemize depreciation, see the first check and what’s held back until repairs are done.
CalculatorRoof Pitch & Squares Converter
Footprint to roof squares, waste, bundles and the ice-barrier courses a Maine eave needs.CalculatorPercentage Deductible Checker
Turn a 1–10% wind or named-storm deductible into dollars and compare it with a flat one.
PlannerClaim Date Tracker
Lay out notice, proof of loss, appraiser and suit dates, then export them to your calendar.
ChecklistAppraisal File Strength Test
Twelve yes-or-no questions that score your claim file and list what to fix before a demand.
CheckerSeasonal Camp Vacancy Check
Count unoccupied days at a camp or second home and check the freeze-protection proof you’ll need.Storm record
Weather years that still shape Maine claim files
Adjusters and contractors still measure big events against these. A Maine Insurance Appraiser has to know what each one did to roofs, rivers and price lists.
- 1947
October fires
Wildfires burned across Mount Desert Island and southern York County, reshaping Bar Harbor.
- 1976
Groundhog Day Gale
A storm surge pushed up the Penobscot and flooded downtown Bangor.
- 1978
February blizzard
Set Portland’s tide record, 14.17 feet, which stood for 46 years.
- 1998
The Ice Storm
Ice-coated forests and power lines; parts of central and southern Maine were dark for weeks.
- 2017
October windstorm
A record number of Maine customers lost power as trees came down on roofs and wires.
- 2023
December 18 storm
Wind and heavy rain on snow sent the Kennebec and Androscoggin over their banks.
- 2024
January coastal storms
A new Portland tide record of 14.57 feet; wharves, fishing shacks and beach homes damaged.
Where we work
Maine Insurance Appraiser in towns across the state
We inspect in every county. These are the places we’re called most often.
Fit check
Good fits and poor fits for appraisal
Maine Insurance Appraiser will tell you on the first call if your claim belongs somewhere else.
Usually a good fit
- Coverage accepted, cost disputed
- Repair versus replace on a roof or floor
- Matching siding, shingles or flooring that can’t be found
- Missing trades, code items, ice barrier or overhead and profit
- Depreciation that doesn’t match the age of the item
Usually a poor fit
- A full coverage denial
- Claims-handling or bad-faith complaints
- Gaps too small to justify the fees
- Flood losses under a homeowners policy
- A suit deadline that’s days away
Answers
Questions owners ask a Maine Insurance Appraiser
Short answers about the process, the cost and when appraisal is the wrong move.
What does a Maine Insurance Appraiser do on a claim?
We value the damage when you and your insurer agree the loss is covered but disagree on what it costs. As your named appraiser we inspect, write an independent line-item estimate, reconcile it with the carrier’s appraiser and, if needed, present the open items to an umpire.
Is appraisal the same as hiring a public adjuster?
No. A public adjuster handles and negotiates the whole claim. An appraiser works inside the policy’s appraisal condition on one question, the amount of loss, and doesn’t give legal advice.
When does it make sense to call a Maine Insurance Appraiser?
When coverage is accepted, you have the carrier’s itemized estimate, and the gap between it and a contractor’s itemized number is meaningful, often more than about 10% or several thousand dollars.
Can appraisal fix a denied claim?
Usually not. Appraisal sets the amount of a covered loss. Coverage denials and claims-handling complaints belong with a Maine attorney or the Bureau of Insurance.
How are fees handled?
Each side pays its own appraiser and usually half the umpire. We put our fee in writing before work starts, and the first conversation is free.
Do you travel to islands and The County?
Yes. We work in all 16 counties, including island properties reached by ferry and farms in Aroostook. Remote access is planned into the inspection, not avoided.
Owner guides
Worth reading before you demand appraisal
Practical guides from Maine Insurance Appraiser on winter claims, policy wording and documentation.
Ice Dam Claims in Maine: Why the First Estimate Runs Short
Ice dam claims in Maine tend to grow after the first inspection. Here is where estimates fall short and how to build a file that shows the full damage.
The Maine Appraisal Clause: A Plain Reading, Sentence by Sentence
A plain-language walk through the appraisal clause found in most Maine property policies, with the questions to ask at each sentence.
Seasonal Camp Freeze Claims: Vacancy, Heat and What Gets Paid
Seasonal camp freeze claims often turn on vacancy and heat conditions before the amount of loss is ever discussed. Here is how to read those terms and document the loss.
Before you sign the release
A second look costs less than a settlement that won’t cover the work
Start here
Send your claim to a Maine Insurance Appraiser
Tell us what happened and what the carrier offered. We’ll review it and give you a straight answer on whether appraisal is worth pursuing. No pressure and no obligation.
- Call or text+1 (844) 537-1427
- HoursMon–Fri, 8am–6pm ET
- CoverageAll 16 Maine counties and the islands