Ace your appraiser site visit

After a total loss, your insurance company will send a field adjuster to inspect your property and interview you.

This is one of the most important reports that will happen, and it will dictate a lot of what happens during your recovery.

We put together a mini-course so you are well prepared.

*This information has been checked for accuracy and non-bias
 by licensed professionals, experts and representatives from
 National 501c3’s. Consult with a licensed professional about your specific situation.

Do everything

you can to make sure the

report is accurate. 


“This report becomes the foundation of your claim - and often starts out far too low. Getting it right now can save you months of delay and tens of thousands of dollars later.”

-Chris Mooney, California Licensed Public Adjuster

This visit usually happens early - sometimes a week or two of your loss - and the site inspection may take 1–3 hours.

Once it’s written, the insurer may treat it as “final,” so you want to be ready before they show up.

HOW YOU GET

UNDERVALUED

Insurers tend to undervalue homes in similar ways:

Quality of Finishes

  • They may assume you had cheaper materials (vinyl vs. hardwood, laminate vs. stone).

Check the “finish grade” in their estimate:

  • Builder grade = basic, lowest cost

  • Mid-grade = average quality

  • High-end/custom = premium materials

Layout

  • They may miss features like windows, bathrooms, or closets.

  • Compare their floor plan to your old plans, appraisal, or listing to ensure every space and feature is counted.

  • Literally count windows, doors, cabinets, these things are often undercounted

Square Footage

  • They may exclude finished or converted space that was insured.

  • Compare their number to appraisals or tax records, and provide proof (photos, permits, inspection reports) if it’s missing.

Pro TIP:

When you describe your home, make sure you capture the special qualities in your house.

Type of wood flooring, crown molding, built-in sound system, etc. They may also ask you where you shop.

You are setting the value of your claim by the answers that you give.

SET YOURSELF UP

TO WIN

To set yourself up to get the best appraisal, have these things prepared:

1. Your old square footage

  • Get it from your PostFire user profile, then double-check it against the public records (sometimes these can be out of date, so it’s important to double-check) 

  • Note any unpermitted finished space you had. 

    • If your insurer knew about it, gather proof: emails, photos, inspection reports, policy notes. You have a folder called “PROOF OF INSURER AWARENESS” in your Google Drive where you can save these for easy access. 

NOTE: You’ll need to show they were aware of converted, unpermitted square footage when writing your policy or renewal if you want to make an argument that it should be counted in their estimate.


FLOOR PLAN

 Find or sketch a floor plan

  • Use old architectural plans if possible.

TIP: If you are having  get ahold of your plans, try a company that prints Blueprints. They are excellent at tracking them down. 

  • If you don’t have any old plans that reflect what your layout was at the time of the fires, sketch your best memory of the layout, including the number of rooms, bathrooms, and features like French doors or big windows (this can just be on a piece of paper and doesn’t have to be perfect). 

  • Here are a few websites and apps that make creating floor plans easy: 

GOOGLE EARTH

MEASUREMENTS

Use Google Earth for measurements

  1. On a desktop, search your address, use the Ruler tool to trace your roof, and get the footprint size, and multiply that for each story. If you’d like detailed instructions on how to do this, click here. 

  2. Use Historical Imagery to check pre-fire views if the current image just shows debris.

  3. Save this to your folder called “LAYOUT/SQUARE FOOTAGE” which lives inside the folder “MY OLD HOUSE” on your Google Drive.

PRE-FIRE

PHOTOS

Gather pre-fire photos and videos

  • Here’s where the folder of documentation you and your loved ones have assembled comes in handy. If you used our folders template, you should have this in your Google Drive (to find this, open your Google Drive and search “MY OLD HOUSE”). 

  • Focus on finishes (floors, countertops), layout, appliances, built-ins, door and window quality, and outdoor features. Anything that shows the quality of your finishes will go a long way.

DECLARATION PAGE

Print your insurance declarations page

  • Keep it handy to check coverages (Coverage A, B, C, etc.) during the inspection.

UPGRADE/REMODEL

RECEIPTS

Collect receipts or upgrade records

  • Gather any photos of the before and after of your remodel

  • If you happen to have remodel receipts on hand, grab them. If that will be hard to gather, you can wait to see if your insurer is going to give you an unreasonable or unrealistic appraisal before you go to the trouble. 

If you do need to go that route:

  • Look for anything that shows you invested in higher-quality materials: hardwood floors, stone countertops, premium appliances, etc.

  • If you don’t have receipts, try to find product photos or credit card statements.

  • Save all of these to your “REMODEL RECEIPTS” folder in your Google Drive.

WORKSHEET

In your Google Drive, in “MY OLD HOUSE”, you’ll find a document called “What my house had”. Fill it in, print it, and bring it to your site visit. 

Every single thing about it will contribute to your rebuild cost, and providing this to your field adjuster will ensure they know about it. 


BRING BACKUP

If you feel unsure or easily intimidated, bring backup 

  • A contractor, builder, or knowledgeable neighbor can help confirm details.

  • They can be present or provide a written statement.

RED FLAGS

Red Flags During the Walkthrough

  • Adjuster moving quickly or describing your home incorrectly

  • Saying something was “Builder grade” or “standard” when yours was a higher grade.

  • Ignoring site-specific costs like retaining walls, septic, or hillside work.

  • An out-of-State adjuster who doesn’t understand pricing in California.

KNOW YOUR

RIGHTS

Know Your Rights

  • You can request the full written scope (line items + costs).

  • You can submit corrections and supplemental scopes more than once.

  • You have the right to bring your own expert (licensed contractor, independent estimator, or public adjuster).

WALK WITH THEM

If you can handle it emotionally, walk the property with the field adjuster.

You’ll catch mistakes in real time and ensure they see the features and finishes that matter most. We’ll teach you how to do that safely in the next step. 

GET YOUR OWN ESTIMATE

Getting an independent estimate for your rebuild is crucial to ensure accuracy and counter any lowball insurance offers.

We’ll guide you through the process.