Rules of Appraisal

The first rule of appraisal is that there are no rules, or at least it seems that way. Florida Insurance Policies usually allow each party to name its own appraiser and often will allow a court to select the umpire if the appraisers cannot agree on one. But rarely does the policy language address procedures for the appraisal. The insured and the insurance company will either need to work together and agree to rules in a memorandum, or ask the court in setting the rules for the appraisal.

This is why it is paramount for a homeowner to choose an appraiser who is an industry expert in the particular area involved in the dispute. This is why it is always best to retain a licensed Florida Public Adjuster. For typical appraisals with disputes involving a single type of damage, the appraiser’s expertise will become very evident as he understands the entire scope of the loss. For Large, complex insurance claims, however, often involve many different types of expertise. In those cases, an experienced appraiser has the benefit of consulting another expert who will be utilized to assist the appraiser in any specialized area of damages.

Unlike real estate appraisers, appraisers of property insurance losses are not governed by any industry standards of care. So, you must be very careful when choosing who to hire to represent you as an Appraiser in the State of Florida.