What is a personal property appraisal engagement?
The same diamond ring can have a replacement value for insurance far higher than what it would fetch at auction. Most appraisal disputes come from that gap: the client wanted one kind of value and the report gave another, or a report written for an insurer ended up in a divorce or a tax filing. An engagement letter settles the purpose, the type of value and the date of value before the appraiser starts work.
This template lists the items and where they'll be inspected, including desktop appraisals from photographs. It records the purpose, such as insurance, an estate, a donation, a divorce or a sale, the type of value and the effective date, including a past date for estates. It covers careful, non-destructive handling, and a flat or hourly fee that by express terms does not depend on the values found. It also sets out what the report will contain, who may rely on it, and the limits: an opinion of value, not an authentication or a guarantee of price.
- Best for
- Jewellery, fine art, antiques and collectibles appraisers
- Signed by
- The appraiser and the client
- Value types
- Replacement, fair market, marketable cash or liquidation
- Length
- About 2 pages
When to use a personal property appraisal engagement
- Scheduling an engagement ring and watch on a home insurance policy
- Valuing an estate's art and silver as at the date of death
- Fair market value of a painting before a charitable donation
- A desktop appraisal of collectibles from photographs
- Dividing household antiques in a separation
What you fill in
18 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: appraiser, client.
1 The parties
- Appraiser (your business)*
- Your phone or email*
- Credentials and standards followed (optional)
- Client*
- Client phone or email*
2 The items
- Items to be appraised*
- Where the inspection takes place* at the Appraiser's office · at the Client's home or premises · at a bank vault, storage facility or gallery chosen by the Client · from photographs and documents only (desktop appraisal)
3 Purpose and value
- Purpose of the appraisal* insurance scheduling or coverage · dividing or distributing an estate · a sale or consignment decision · a charitable donation · a divorce or separation · a loss or damage claim · general information
- Type of value* replacement value · fair market value · marketable cash value · liquidation value
- Effective date of value* the date of inspection · a past date (retrospective appraisal)
- Past date of value (if retrospective)
- Intended users besides the Client (optional)
4 Fee and report
- Currency*
- Fee basis* a flat fee · an hourly rate
- Flat fee or hourly rate*
- Deposit on signing (optional)
- Report delivered by (expected)*
- Governing law*
5 Who signs
- Appraiser signature and date, job title · The appraiser or appraisal firm.
- Client signature and date · The person or organisation ordering the appraisal.
What the personal property appraisal engagement covers
- The items
- Purpose and type of value
- Inspection and handling
- Fee
- The report
- Limitations
- Confidentiality and general
Using the personal property appraisal engagement, step by step
1 List the items
Describe each item and choose where it will be inspected, or that it's a desktop appraisal from photographs.
2 Purpose and value
Choose the purpose, the type of value and the effective date. For a past date, such as a date of death, enter it. Add any other intended users.
3 Fee and report
Choose a flat fee or hourly rate, add an optional deposit and the expected report date.
4 Send
Add your credentials if you like, and the governing law, then send it to the client to sign.
Tips before you send it
- Ask who will read the report before you accept. A report for an insurer and one for a tax authority need different values.
- Only name a professional standard in the credentials box if you actually report to it.
- Photograph items when you receive them. It backs up your receipt and the report.
- For estates, ask the executor or their lawyer to confirm the date of value in writing.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Personal property appraisal engagement: frequently asked questions
Why does the fee have to be separate from the value?
A fee based on a percentage of value gives the appraiser a reason to inflate it, which undermines the report with insurers, courts and tax authorities. The template says the fee doesn't depend on the values found or any outcome.
Is an appraisal the same as authentication?
No. Unless the report says otherwise, it's an opinion of value, not a guarantee that an item is genuine, and not a title or tax opinion.
Can someone other than the client rely on the report?
Only the intended users named in the letter, such as an insurer or executor, unless the appraiser agrees in writing.
What is a desktop appraisal?
A valuation from photographs and documents without seeing the items. The template notes that values then depend on the accuracy of what the client provides.
Is the template free?
Yes. It's free with FileIt eSignature, and the client signs from the email link without an account.