Does a Wildfire Personal Property Appraisal Include Sentimental Value?

No. A personal property appraisal values items at fair market or replacement value, the price a willing buyer would pay a willing seller, not the emotional or sentimental worth an owner attaches to an item. Colorado's wildfire damages framework states this explicitly: contents are measured at market value only, with no sentimental-value component, though noneconomic damages in that state's litigation are capped separately at $1.5 million while economic damages remain uncapped. The same market-based valuation standard holds under USPAP regardless of jurisdiction.

What this means in practice

Sentimental attachment and appraised value don't move together, in either direction:

• Low-value, high-sentiment items, like childhood photos, handwritten letters, or handmade keepsakes, typically carry little or no fair market value even though their loss may be felt the most.
• High-value, low-sentiment items, like vintage jewelry, a musical instrument, or a piece of art an owner never thought much about, can carry substantial documented value whether or not the owner felt attached to it.

Keeping the two separate matters because a report built around market value is what courts, insurers, and compensation programs actually ask for. Ember Wildfire Contents Appraisers values every item against the evidence of what it was and what comparable items sell for, not against how an owner feels about the loss. If you're documenting a household's contents and aren't sure which items carry real market value, request a contents appraisal.