Insurance Appraiser — Los Angeles, California
Marshall Services provides insurance appraisal and ADR umpire services in Los Angeles, California and Los Angeles County. Los Angeles sits where dense neighborhoods meet chaparral canyons, and the Santa Ana winds that sweep down them turn a single ignition into a wind-driven urban firestorm. On January 7, 2025 the Eaton and Palisades fires began within hours of each other, destroying thousands of structures in Altadena and Pacific Palisades and carrying embers, smoke and ash far beyond the burn perimeter into Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Santa Monica, Malibu and the canyons between them. The largest disagreements are rarely about the houses that burned down but about the ones still standing: whether wall cavities, ductwork, insulation, framing and attic spaces need remediation or replacement, how far testing has to reach, and which contents can be cleaned. Our IAUA CPAU-certified appraiser inspects the standing structure room by room, uses FAA Part 107 drone imagery for roof planes and elevations that cannot be reached safely, and builds Xactimate estimates priced to Los Angeles-area labor and material costs rather than a national average. 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 the Westside, the Santa Monica Mountains, the basin, the Valley and the San Gabriel foothills.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drives most disputed Los Angeles fire claims?
The houses left standing, not the ones that burned. Smoke, soot and settled ash reach attics, wall cavities, ductwork and insulation far outside the burn perimeter, and how much of that needs remediation or replacement is a question of the amount of loss. Estimates for the same address routinely differ by a wide margin.
Does the January 2025 fire damage still generate claims?
Yes. The Eaton and Palisades fires began on January 7, 2025 and produced losses across Los Angeles County that are still being valued — partial structural damage, scorched roofs, heat-warped glazing, damaged finishes and contents. Reopened and supplemental disagreements over scope and pricing are common.
Do you price to Los Angeles costs or to a national average?
To Los Angeles. Carrier estimating software starts from regional unit costs, and after a catastrophe of this size local labor and material pricing in the basin runs well above them. We build Xactimate estimates to what the work costs here, with FAA Part 107 drone imagery for roof planes and elevations that cannot be reached safely.
Which parts of Los Angeles County do you cover?
All of it — the Westside and the Santa Monica Mountains through Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica, the basin and the Valley, and the San Gabriel foothills including Altadena, Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank. Residential and commercial claims alike.
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.