Neutral. Experienced. Decisive.
When the two appraisers cannot agree, the umpire decides. DCS serves as a neutral umpire in property insurance appraisal proceedings, with the expertise to issue well-reasoned, defensible awards based on the evidence.
The Role of the Umpire in the Insurance Appraisal Process
The insurance appraisal process provides a binding, non-judicial dispute resolution mechanism for property insurance claims when the policyholder and the insurance company cannot agree on the amount of the loss. When the two party-appointed appraisers cannot agree, they jointly select a neutral umpire to resolve the dispute. (If they cannot agree on an umpire, either party can petition a court to appoint one.)
The umpire reviews both estimates, examines the supporting documentation, and issues a written award. The award of any two of the three (either appraiser agreeing with the umpire) is binding on both parties. The umpire role requires deep expertise in property damage valuation, construction costs, scope and pricing in industry-standard estimating software, and the application of insurance policy provisions to a specific loss.
DCS brings a combination of qualifications to the umpire role: prior carrier-side adjusting experience (former insurance carrier field adjusters and team leads from 2010 to 2017), Xactimate Level 2 certification, decades of construction and remodeling experience, and active public adjuster licensure in Texas (home base) and Florida. DCS has handled property damage claims from both sides of the table and brings that perspective to the umpire role.
Neutrality Commitment
When DCS is engaged as a neutral umpire, the role is strictly neutral fact-finding, not advocacy.
Opinions based on inspection, experience, and research
DCS evaluates the property, the documentation in the record, the scope and pricing in both estimates, and reaches a number that can be defended on the record. The award is not anchored to either appraiser position or to which party initiated the request.
No coverage decisions
Whether a particular item or peril is covered, excluded, or sublimited is outside the scope of the appraisal proceeding and outside the umpire role. Those questions belong to the carrier, the courts, or a licensed attorney.
No financial interest in the outcome
Umpire engagements are billed on a flat-minimum-plus-time-and-expense basis. They are never contingent on the size of the award or on which party prevails. Contingency would compromise the impartiality the role requires.
Conflict and eligibility check before acceptance
Before accepting an umpire engagement, DCS confirms there is no prior involvement in the claim, no relationship with either party, no financial interest, and that DCS meets the eligibility standard set by the specific policy.
Why DCS Is Qualified to Serve as Umpire
Carrier-Side Adjusting Experience
Personnel at DCS have worked the carrier side as field adjusters and team leads, handling thousands of property claims from inside an insurance company. That perspective informs how the carrier estimate was likely built and where it tends to under-scope.
Xactimate Level 2 Certified
Industry-standard estimating software with deep proficiency in scope, pricing, supplementation, and the line items most often disputed in property losses.
Decades of Construction Experience
Hands-on understanding of how repairs are actually performed and what they actually cost. Critical for evaluating whether a scope is realistic for the loss.
Both Sides of the Table
DCS has worked the carrier side and the policyholder side, which provides a fuller view of how each side builds an estimate and where the actual disagreement usually sits.
Texas Home Base + Florida Licensure
Texas Department of Insurance firm license #3134924 (home base). Florida Department of Financial Services firm license #W820363.
Award-Quality Documentation
DCS issues written awards that explain the basis for the determination, reference the evidence, and address the disputed line items. The goal is an award that ends the dispute, not one that invites a court challenge.
Engagement Process
A predictable, written, conflict-checked engagement.
Initial Contact
Either party (or either appraiser) reaches out to DCS to discuss availability for the matter, the loss type, the location, and the policy form involved.
Conflict and Eligibility Check
DCS confirms there is no prior involvement in the claim, no relationship with either party, no financial interest, and that DCS meets the eligibility standard ("competent and disinterested" or "competent and impartial") in the specific policy.
Written Engagement Letter
DCS provides a written engagement letter to both parties (or to both appraisers) describing the scope of the umpire work, the fee structure, and the timeline.
Documentation Review
DCS reviews both appraiser estimates, the supporting documentation (photographs, scope notes, Xactimate reports, expert opinions, repair invoices), and the policy excerpts relevant to the loss-amount question.
Inspection If Warranted
DCS conducts an independent inspection of the property when the documentation is insufficient or the parties request it.
Conference
DCS typically holds a conference (in person, by phone, or by video) with both appraisers to clarify positions, address questions about the documentation, and identify the specific line items that drive the disagreement.
Written Award
DCS issues a written award that explains the basis for the determination, references the evidence, and addresses the disputed components. Any two of the three (the two appraisers plus the umpire) must agree for the award to be binding.
Umpire Service Details
Neutral Umpire Services
DCS serves as a neutral umpire in insurance appraisal proceedings for both residential and commercial property claims in Texas and Florida.
Award-Quality Documentation
DCS issues written awards that explain the basis for the determination, reference the evidence on the record, and address the disputed line items.
Documentation Review
Thorough review of all documentation submitted by both appraisers including photographs, measurements, scope notes, and Xactimate estimates.
Property Inspection
When warranted, DCS conducts an independent inspection of the damaged property to supplement the documentation provided by the appraisers.
Timeline Management
Once the umpire is selected, the umpire portion of the process typically takes 30 to 90 days. DCS communicates the timeline up front and keeps both appraisers informed of progress.
Transparent Fee Structure
Flat minimum on most standard residential matters. Time, expenses, and distance billed for larger or more complex engagements. Fee disclosed in the written engagement letter, never contingent.
Fee Model
- Flat minimum on most standard residential matters. Includes a set amount of time and expenses sufficient for a typical residential umpire engagement.
- Time, expenses, and distance billed separately for larger or more complex matters.
- Never contingent on the outcome. Umpire fees are not tied to the size of the award or to which party prevails. A contingency would compromise the impartiality the role requires.
- Disclosed up front in the written engagement letter. Both parties (or both appraisers) sign a letter that sets out the fee structure before any work begins.
- PA fee caps do not apply. The TX Insurance Code Chapter 4102 cap and the FL Statute §626.854 cap govern public adjusting work, not umpire engagements.
Contact DCS to discuss the specific matter and receive a quote before the engagement begins.
Important: these are public adjusting outcomes, not umpire outcomes
These outcomes were achieved when DCS represented the policyholder as a public adjuster. Public adjusting, appraiser, and umpire engagements are distinct roles. When DCS serves as a party-appointed appraiser or a neutral umpire, the role is fact-finding on the dollar amount of the loss, not advocacy, and the result reflects the evidence on the record. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Recent Case Studies
The carrier valued this Hurricane Ian loss below the policy deductible, effectively offering nothing. After the appraisal clause was invoked and DCS served as the policyholder appraiser, the appraisal panel issued an award of $1,427,372.70. Result driven entirely by inspection, scope, and pricing on the record, not by the carrier prior position.
A 50-year State Farm customer had major portions of their Beryl claim denied. A large tree struck the front of the house with multiple limb penetrations and water flowed into seven rooms. DCS documented the full scope and reversed the partial denial. Final settlement included a new roof, new A/C unit, and full damage payments.
A Galveston homeowner with Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) coverage received an initial offer several times smaller than the actual damage warranted. DCS negotiated the settlement up through persistent documentation and construction knowledge.
A late-December 2024 tornado swept through Spring and damaged the home. The initial Homesite scope captured only a fraction of the actual structural and roof-decking damage. DCS lifted shingles, documented fastener pull-through, and built a supplement that grew the settlement by more than 5.65×.
Extensive concealed water damage from a failed HVAC condensation line. The initial Homeowners of America offer did not account for the full scope of subflooring, wall cavity, and cabinet damage. DCS documented the complete causation and damage trail and negotiated a 25× settlement increase.
Allstate denied the plumbing leak claim in full on wear-and-tear grounds. DCS assembled engineering causation evidence, documented the prompt-payment timeline against Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542 deadlines, and negotiated a full reversal to the policy limit.
The initial State Farm offer on a hail-and-roof-leak claim captured only visible surface damage. DCS documented the true scope of roof decking, fastener pull-through, and interior water damage from the resulting leak. Final settlement was 6.5× the initial offer.
A tree fell on the home during Hurricane Beryl, causing major structural and interior water damage. DCS was engaged from the first day of the claim and documented dwelling, ALE (loss of use), and personal property in full across all coverages.
A failed toilet supply line caused extensive water damage across multiple rooms. DCS was engaged from day one and presented a fully documented claim including subfloor, cabinet, and framing damage.
A plumbing supply line leak caused extensive water damage, but the carrier's initial estimates severely undervalued the restoration scope. Through the formal appraisal process, a binding award was issued that accurately reflected the true cost of repairs, increasing the settlement by over $76,000.
The initial Allstate assessment significantly undervalued the scope of loss. Acting as the appraiser, a binding award was secured that accurately reflected the true cost to repair the property, increasing the final settlement by over $82,000.
The initial Texas Fair Plan scope for this Hurricane Beryl claim drastically undervalued the wind and storm damage. Acting as the public adjuster, the true extent of the property loss was meticulously documented and negotiated, resulting in a final settlement increase of over $81,000.
Hurricane Ian devastated Sanibel Island, and the carrier's initial offers fell severely short of the catastrophic destruction. Acting as the public adjuster, the true extent of wind and structural damage was meticulously scoped and negotiated, pushing the final settlement up by over $181,000 to cover the rebuild.
Experienced. Impartial. Ready to Serve.
Contact DCS to discuss umpire availability, eligibility for your specific policy, and fee.
