Appraisal
A survey that helps determine a property's insurable value or the amount of loss due on an insurance claim.
When an accident occurs, the insurance company sends a trained appraiser out to inspect the damage and estimate the cost of repairs. This information is then relayed to the adjuster, who incorporates the appraisal into the policyholder's insurance settlement.
Most appraisals are done by appointment, and many take hours to perform. Accompanied by pictures, testimony from witnesses and accounts of onsite inspections, they're often entered electronically by the appraiser and uploaded directly into a database by the insurer.
Once all information has been gathered and a settlement reached, the insurance company usually retains the appraisal indefinitely.
