Insurance Appraiser — Altadena, California
Marshall Services provides insurance appraisal and ADR umpire services in Altadena, California and Los Angeles County. Altadena sits directly beneath the San Gabriel Mountains, where the canyons funnel Santa Ana winds straight into the neighborhoods below. The Eaton Fire started on January 7, 2025 in Eaton Canyon above Altadena and ran through the community overnight, destroying thousands of structures across Altadena and neighboring parts of Pasadena and Sierra Madre. The standing houses are where the disputes now are: embers in attics, vents and crawl spaces, radiant heat that warped siding, glazing and window frames from across a property line, and smoke and settled ash in wall cavities, ductwork and insulation on streets the flame front never reached. A foothill rebuild is also priced by conditions flat-lot regional averages do not contemplate — narrow canyon-edge access, hillside grading, retaining and drainage, debris removal, and housing stock that predates current codes. Our IAUA CPAU-certified appraiser documents the property as it existed, uses FAA Part 107 drone imagery where roof planes cannot be reached safely, and builds Xactimate estimates priced to what construction in the San Gabriel foothills costs today. Where the policy contains an appraisal clause, that clause resolves the amount of loss in about 90–120 days for roughly $1,000–$5,000. Appraisal decides the amount of loss, not whether the loss is covered. Serving Pasadena, Sierra Madre, La Cañada Flintridge, South Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, Arcadia and Eagle Rock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of Altadena claims come out of the Eaton Fire?
Two kinds. Total losses on lots where the structure is gone, and — more often disputed — standing houses carrying ember, heat, smoke and ash damage. We document both: the structure as it existed, and what settled ash and soot reached in wall cavities, ductwork, insulation and attic spaces.
My Altadena house is standing but full of smoke and ash. How is that valued?
By scope, room by room. Whether framing, insulation, ductwork and wall cavities need cleaning or replacement, how far testing has to reach, and which contents can be restored are all questions of the amount of loss, and estimates for the same house differ widely. We inspect, test-document and price each line rather than assert a percentage.
Does a foothill rebuild cost more than a carrier estimate assumes?
Usually. Narrow canyon-edge access, hillside grading, retaining and drainage, debris removal and post-fire sequencing are not in flat-lot regional pricing. Much of Altadena also predates current codes, so replacing what stood and building to today's requirements are different figures.
Which San Gabriel foothill communities do you serve?
Altadena and the surrounding Los Angeles County foothills — Pasadena, Sierra Madre, La Cañada Flintridge, South Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, Arcadia and Eagle Rock — for residential and commercial property damage claims.
What determines the cost of having an appraiser handle my claim?
Cost depends on the assignment rather than a fixed rate. Each side pays for its own appraiser, and when a neutral umpire is needed the two sides share the umpire's fee. What we quote reflects the property's size and type, the number of structures, how complex the loss is, and travel. A fee is quoted before any work begins.
Does an appraisal award bind both the policyholder and the carrier?
Under a typical appraisal clause, yes. An award signed by any two of the three participants — the two appraisers and the umpire — is binding on the amount of loss. The carrier then applies the policy's deductible and other terms to that amount. Appraisal settles the amount of loss; it does not decide whether the policy covers the damage.
How long does the appraisal process usually take?
It usually runs in weeks to a few months, though timing varies with scheduling and the size and complexity of the loss. Once appraisal is invoked, the carrier names its appraiser, the two appraisers inspect the property and exchange positions, and a neutral umpire is brought in only if they cannot agree. That is generally faster than the years a lawsuit can take.
When is it worth invoking the appraisal clause?
Appraisal is generally worth considering when coverage has been accepted, the remaining dispute is about the amount of loss, the gap is meaningful, and ordinary negotiation has stalled. It does not resolve a denial of coverage, because appraisal determines valuation rather than whether damage is covered. If your policy contains an appraisal clause, that clause governs whether appraisal is available and how it must be invoked.