Report: Disputed Property Claims Settled 43% Above Insurer Estimates

Final settlements in a study of disputed property claims were typically 43% above insurer valuations, according to a new report.

Finch Claims’s Q3 2026 State of the Claim Report examines estimates, settlements and payment timelines from a database of 9,333 property insurance claims with data through Sept. 1.

According to the report from Finch, which provides claims analysis tools for public adjusters, in 43 claims where the insurer’s figure appears alongside the public adjuster’s request, the final settlement landed typically 43% above the insurer’s figure. On 134 claims in which the insurer made no payment for six months, the final amount was typically 29% above the insurer’s earliest valuation.

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In a separate analysis of 21 large, disputed claims with itemized estimates from insurers and public adjusters, differences in pricing accounted for more of the estimate gap than omitted repairs. The median gap was $76,000, according to Finch.

The report shows insurer estimates for plumbing were 83% below public adjuster estimates, while labor estimates were 73% lower. Heavy equipment, labor and permits and fees accounted for 42% of the total dollar difference.

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The estimated median time from intake to final payment was 318 days. Claims under $50,000 took a median 160 days, compared with 538 days for claims above $1 million. Fire claims took the longest by cause of damage, at 379 days.

Business income losses met or exceeded policy limits in 42 of 99 claims with both loss and limit information. The typical claimed loss used 72% of the available coverage.

The report also examines geographic differences in claim duration. Delaware and Georgia had the longest typical timelines at 395 days, followed by Tennessee at 387 days. Louisiana had the shortest duration (149 days), followed by Massachusetts (161 days) and California (178 days).

Vehicle impact claims were resolved the fastest at an average 143 days. Flood (188 days) and outside water damage (231 days) followed.