Terms of Service

Scope of Engagement

Marshall Services LLC provides property insurance appraisal, umpire, and dispute-resolution services only. We do not handle auto or vehicle claims of any kind, and any request outside residential, commercial, or multi-family property loss falls outside the scope of every engagement described in these terms.

Our role in the appraisal process is defined by the appraisal clause in your own policy. That clause tasks the panel — the two party-appointed appraisers and, where needed, the umpire — with determining the amount of loss. It does not, and cannot, decide whether a loss is covered. Coverage is a separate determination made by the carrier under the terms of your policy, and where the parties disagree on coverage, that question is resolved by a court, never by an appraiser or umpire. Nothing in an engagement with Marshall Services should be read as an opinion or promise that a loss will be paid, denied, or covered. If your question is whether an item is covered, the honest boundary is this: appraisal settles the amount, and your policy and carrier settle coverage.

Your Responsibilities and the Documents That Matter

An appraisal engagement runs more smoothly when the property owner supplies complete documentation early. In practice, the records that carry the most weight are dated photographs of the damage, any contractor or Xactimate estimates in your possession, the carrier's estimate and inspection notes, and a copy of the declarations page and full policy so that the applicable deductible, endorsements, and appraisal provisions can be confirmed. Most policies require that appraisal be formally invoked in writing before the process begins; you should check your own policy for the exact language and any time limits it imposes.

The typical order of events is straightforward. Appraisal is invoked, each side names a competent and independent appraiser, the appraisers inspect and prepare their own valuations, and they attempt to agree on the amount of loss. Where they agree, that agreed figure — the award — resolves the dispute. Where they cannot agree on specific line items, only those disagreed items go to the umpire, who reviews the evidence and decides. An award signed by any two of the three panel members is binding as to amount.

Realistic Timelines

Clients frequently ask how long appraisal takes. There is no single answer, because timing depends on scheduling inspections, the complexity of the loss, and how quickly documentation is exchanged. A single-family roof claim with clean documentation may resolve in a matter of weeks; a large commercial or multi-family loss with disputed causation can take longer. Prompt production of the records above is the single factor most within your control.

How Disagreements Over Extent Tend to Be Resolved

Across recent hail files in the DFW Metroplex, the recurring point of dispute has been the extent of damage rather than its existence — how much of a roof or elevation reflects covered storm damage versus prior wear. In that aggregate pattern, disputes moved toward resolution when the record included detailed, dated photographic evidence and a line-item valuation in which each item was individually justified, rather than a single lump-sum figure. This is an anonymized, aggregated observation offered to explain how evidence functions in the process; it is not a prediction of any outcome in your matter, and no two losses are valued alike.

Where a client asks whether a contractor's own estimate may be used, the answer is yes — an owner's estimate is legitimate evidence and is weighed alongside the carrier's estimate and the appraisers' independent findings. It informs the valuation; it does not by itself set the award.

Impartiality in Umpire Engagements

When Marshall Services is appointed as umpire, the role is neutral by definition. The umpire does not advocate for either party, does not represent the property owner or the carrier, and decides only the disputed items placed before the panel. Carrier names may appear in our records and correspondence for factual identification only. These terms should not be construed as creating any adversarial relationship with any insurer, nor as legal advice; for legal questions about your rights under a policy, consult a licensed attorney.