Insurance Appraisal Laws by State: The Complete 50-State Guide
Every state handles insurance appraisal differently — from whether the award is binding, to who picks the umpire, to what the appraisers are allowed to decide. Whether you're on the policyholder side or the carrier side, use this guide to understand the rules in any state at a glance, or click through for the full breakdown.
42
States with Binding Awards
6
Conditional Binding
2
Non-Binding States
14
Allow Causation (Full/Limited)
Showing 50 of 50 states
| Scope of Appraisal | Umpire Selection | Who Can Invoke? | Key Statute | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Ala. Code § 27-14-2 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Alaska Stat. § 21.42 | |
| Arizona | ✅ Yes | Amount of damage, not coverage | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party under standard form | A.R.S. § 20-1503 |
❌ No | Amount of loss by agreement | No | Per policy and voluntary agreement | Only by voluntary agreement | Ark. Code § 23-79-203; AID Bulletin 19-89 | |
| California | ✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | ⚠️ Limited | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Cal. Ins. Code § 2071 |
| Colorado | ✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | C.R.S. § 10-4-110.3 |
| Connecticut | ✅ Yes | Actual cash value and amount; legal coverage separate | ⚠️ Limited | Standard form: appraisers select; court appoints after a 15-day impasse | Standard form: either party after failure to agree on actual cash value or amount of loss; issued clause controls | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 38a-306-308 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Del. Code tit. 18, § 4104 | |
| Florida | ✅ Yes | Amount of loss + causation when intertwined | Yes | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Fla. Stat. § 627.7015 |
| Georgia | ✅ Yes | Value and amount, not liability | No | Policy-specific two-appraiser and umpire process | Per policy wording | O.C.G.A. § 33-32-1; Rule 120-2-19-.01 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 431:10C | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Idaho Code § 41-1818 | |
| Illinois | ✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | 215 ILCS 5/143.1 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Ind. Code § 27-1-22-9 | |
| Iowa | ✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Appraisers agree or Iowa Insurance Division selects under Chapter 522F | Either party under the policy and Chapter 522F | Iowa Code §§ 515.109, 522F.14–.16 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | K.S.A. § 40-908 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | KRS § 304.14-120 | |
| Louisiana | ❌ No | Amount of loss only | ⚠️ Limited | Appraisers agree; court selection may be available after impasse | Either party under covered policy provisions | La. R.S. §§ 22:1311, 22:1892(G) |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 24-A, § 3002 | |
| Maryland | ⚠️ Conditional | Amount under issued clause; legal coverage separate | ⚠️ Limited | Per issued policy; cited forms use appraiser selection and judicial fallback | Either party when the issued policy permits | Issued policy; Insurance § 19-210 is not appraisal authority |
| Massachusetts | ✅ Yes | Amount or sound value; legal defenses preserved | ⚠️ Limited | Cross-nominated referees select a third; Commissioner appoints after statutory impasse | Either party under an applicable reference provision | M.G.L. c. 175, §§ 99–101E |
| Michigan | ✅ Yes | Amount or value after category-specific liability is admitted | ⚠️ Limited | Appraisers select; circuit judge may appoint after a 15-day impasse | Either party under qualifying statutory or policy language | MCL § 500.2833 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Minn. Stat. § 65A.01 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Miss. Code § 83-13-7 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 379.140 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Mont. Code § 33-24-105 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-501 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | NRS § 690B.010 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 407-C:3 | |
| New Jersey | ✅ Yes | Actual cash value and amount; legal liability reserved | ⚠️ Limited | Appraisers select; judicial appointment after the statutory 15-day impasse | Either party after a qualifying valuation disagreement | N.J.S.A. § 17:36-5.20 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | N.M. Stat. § 59A-18-11 | |
| New York | ✅ Yes | Value, extent, and amount; not coverage | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints after statutory impasse | Either party after a covered loss | N.Y. Ins. Law §§ 3404, 3408 |
| North Carolina | ✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-44-16 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | N.D. Cent. Code § 26.1-39-20 | |
| Ohio | ✅ Yes | Policy-defined value or amount; legal coverage stays with courts | ⚠️ Limited | Per the issued policy; no universal statewide mechanic | Either party when the issued clause permits | Policy terms; no general appraisal statute |
| Oklahoma | ⚠️ Conditional | Amount of loss; policy terms remain | ⚠️ Limited | Two appraisers select; court procedure depends on policy | Check policy; some forms require mutual agreement | 36 O.S. § 4803(G) |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | ORS § 742.243 | |
| Pennsylvania | ✅ Yes | Actual cash value and amount after relevant liability is accepted | ⚠️ Limited | Statutory fire form uses appraiser selection, then judicial fallback after 15 days | Either party when applicable policy conditions are met | 40 P.S. § 636 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-5-3.1 | |
| South Carolina | ✅ Yes | Amount of loss, not liability | No | Per policy; Harwell used two appraisers and court-appointed umpire | Per policy wording | Policy terms; S.C. Code § 38-75-20 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | S.D. Codified Laws § 58-10-13 | |
| Tennessee | ⚠️ Conditional | Valuation within the policy or express submission | ⚠️ Limited | Per the issued policy; no universal statutory Tennessee procedure | As authorized by the issued clause after genuine disagreement | Issued policy; § 56-7-803 is not appraisal authority |
| Texas | ✅ Yes | Amount of loss + causation when intertwined | Yes | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Tex. Ins. Code Chapter 1813 |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Utah Code § 31A-21-312 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Vt. Stat. tit. 8, § 3661 | |
| Virginia | ⚠️ Conditional | Actual cash value and loss; coverage remains separate | ⚠️ Limited | Appraisers select; circuit-court appointment after statutory impasse and notice | Either party after disagreement under an applicable clause | Va. Code § 38.2-2105 |
⚠️ Conditional | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | RCW § 48.18.520 | |
⚠️ Conditional | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | W. Va. Code § 33-17-9 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Wis. Stat. § 631.83 | |
✅ Yes | Amount of loss only | No | Two appraisers select; court appoints if they disagree | Either party | Wyo. Stat. § 26-15-129 |
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Compare States Side by Side
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What Industry Professionals Need to Know About State Appraisal Laws
Most states treat appraisal as binding on the amount of loss. The majority of states with standard appraisal provisions in their policy forms make the award binding on both parties. However, "binding" means different things in different jurisdictions — some allow broader grounds for challenge than others. Both policyholders and carriers should understand the finality of the process before invoking it.
The scope question is the biggest variable. The sharpest divide between states is whether appraisers can consider causation. States like Florida have developed extensive case law allowing appraisers to address causation questions when they're intertwined with amount of loss. Other states draw a harder line, limiting appraisers strictly to dollar amounts. This distinction shapes strategy for both the policyholder side and the carrier side on hail, wind, and water damage claims.
Either party can typically invoke appraisal — and either party may have strategic reasons to do so. In most states, the appraisal clause gives both the policyholder and the insurer the right to demand appraisal. Carriers may invoke appraisal to resolve amount disputes efficiently and avoid litigation. Policyholders may invoke it when they believe the carrier's estimate understates the loss. Understanding when appraisal serves your position is as important as understanding the mechanics.
Umpire selection is more consistent than you'd expect. Most states follow the same basic framework: the two appraisers try to agree on an umpire, and if they can't, either party can ask a court to appoint one. The differences are in the details — which court, what standard the court applies, and how long the process takes.
Watch for states with recent legislative or case law changes. Appraisal law is not static. Several states have seen significant court decisions or legislative amendments in the last 2–3 years that have changed the practical landscape for both carriers and policyholders. We update this guide regularly — last updated February 6, 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Insurance appraisal laws change frequently. While we make every effort to keep this information current, we recommend consulting with a licensed attorney, public adjuster, or claims professional in the relevant state for advice specific to your situation. Last updated: February 6, 2026.