The insurance appraisal process requires that the independent appraisers for each party must mutually agree upon the insurance appraisal umpire within the first 15-days. Many times it becomes difficult for the appraisers to agree on this very first task of the process. Usually each appraiser has concerns that the chosen umpire will truly be neutral and unbiased when it comes to reviewing documents and rendering decisions. This should never be the case, however, it's often the appraisers first disagreement and dispute before the process has even begun. Unfortunately their fears are real.

The appraisal process calls for independent and unbiased appraisers to choose a competent, disinterested, neutral, and unbiased umpire. However, many appraisers recommend umpires that favor their position or that sway more favorably to one side or the other. In fact, the process can quickly become scarred by gamesmanship and manipulation that it can be a bigger catastrophe than the loss itself.

Another frustration independent appraisers face is that many insurance appraisal umpires are unfamiliar with the appraisal process. As an individual who has acted as an independent appraiser for both insurance companies and policyholders; it can become extremely frustrating when an umpire has very little understanding about the appraisers job, the umpires duties, and the true nature of the process. Appraisal is not an arbitration, mediation, or legal proceeding. However, the appraisal clause clearly states that an appraisal umpire must be "competent" This means they have first hand knowledge of the dispute they are about to influence. They should be competent on the appraisal process, competent on the damages being disputed, competent on the damages caused by the particular peril, competent on contents damages, and competent on replacement and building processes of the damaged property.

We provide Insurance Appraisal Umpire services for the insurance appraisal process and insurance claims and disputes.