Insurance Appraiser & ADR Umpire — Commerce, Texas
Marshall Services provides independent insurance appraisal and ADR umpire services in Commerce, Texas and Hunt County. Commerce sits in the Blackland Prairie of Hunt County, in the Northeast Texas corridor where moist Gulf air feeds powerful spring thunderstorms that batter roofs, siding, and windows across Commerce, Greenville, and surrounding farm communities, while heavy rains overwhelm local creeks in the Sabine watershed. As home to Texas A&M University-Commerce, the city has a large concentration of student rentals, duplexes, and small multifamily buildings where storm damage must be documented across multiple units and roofs — often mishandled when a four-unit building is treated like a single-family home — plus agricultural barns and metal buildings across the countryside. Our IAUA CPAU-certified appraiser works only for policyholders, prices to current Hunt County costs, and uses FAA Part 107 drone inspections for homes, multifamily rentals, and rural outbuildings. The appraisal clause resolves undervalued claims in 90–120 days for $1,000–$5,000. Serving Greenville, Caddo Mills, Quinlan, Wolfe City, Celeste, Campbell, Lone Oak, Cumby, and surrounding North Texas communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you appraise student rentals and multifamily buildings in Commerce?
Yes. With Texas A&M University–Commerce anchoring the city, there are many student rentals, duplexes, and small multifamily buildings here. We document hail and storm damage across every unit and roof so investors and landlords recover the full Hunt County loss, not a single-family-style estimate.
How does Hunt County flooding affect my Commerce claim?
Heavy spring rains can overwhelm local creeks and low-lying areas in the Sabine watershed, and the resulting water damage is often labeled excluded flood loss rather than covered wind-driven rain. An appraiser documents the source and path of the water so covered damage on your Commerce property is properly paid.
Are barns and agricultural buildings covered around Commerce?
Barns, metal buildings, and other farm structures are typically covered under the other-structures portion of a property policy, but adjusters often overlook them. In rural Hunt County, one storm can damage several structures at once, so a local appraiser documents every building to capture your full loss.
Which Hunt County communities do you serve?
We serve Commerce and Hunt County including Greenville, Caddo Mills, Quinlan, Wolfe City, Celeste, Campbell, and surrounding Northeast Texas communities, handling residential, rental, 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.