appraisal News

Ala. Supreme Court Rules Appraisal Isn’t Arbitration, Dismisses Insurer’s Appeal

A petition to invoke appraisal is not the same thing as a motion to compel arbitration, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled Friday. The high court dismissed an appeal by Great American Insurance Co. that sought to overturn a trial court’s …

Art Dealer to Rich and Famous Faces Millions in Fraud Claims

A high-profile New York art adviser with outposts in Tribeca and London is accused of withholding millions of dollars worth of artwork and cash from her clients, leaving collectors and galleries to line up in a court case to recover …

Viewpoint: Defining the Doctrine of Prevention in Texas

Property insurance claims involving disputes about whether the insured is entitled to replacement cost value (RCV) typically involve whether the insured has actually repaired the damaged property. This is in large part because replacement cost provisions typically restrict an insured’s …

ALJ Order Raises Question: Must Appraisers Be Licensed?

A public adjuster that has been vilified by insurers for disrupting and delaying property inspections could soon be suspended for two years following a recommended order by an administrative law judge. But state regulators’ recommendations in the case have raised …

Fla. Supreme: Public Adjuster with Contingent Fee Agreement Cannot Act as Appraiser

A public adjuster cannot act as an appraiser for a homeowner they represent when the insurance policy specifies that the appraiser must be “disinterested,” the Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The high court affirmed a 2nd District Court of Appeal …

Viewpoint: Tennessee’s Emerging Trend of Enforcing Appraisal

The long-established law of Tennessee is that the appraisal process does not resolve questions of causation or coverage. This principle, espoused in the case Merrimack Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. Batts, 59 S.W.3d 142, 152-53 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001), remains …

Auto Repair Backlogs Continuing as Shops Struggle with Labor Shortage, Scarce Parts

Auto collision repair backlogs, first noted this summer, aren’t getting any better and will likely continue next year, according to a new report by CCC Intelligent Solutions. CCC said that 85% of the collision repair shops that use its technology …

PLRB Speakers Praise Appraisals, Remind Adjusters About Ethics

PHOENIX — Claims adjusters may groan at any mention of “going to appraisal.” But insurance defense attorney Andrew P. Rock sees the process as an opportunity. He says appraisals are another form of alternative dispute resolution. “If I look at …

Insurer That Denied Appraisal Can’t Seek Declaration That it Made the Right Choice

If an insurer wants confirmation by a court that an appraisal is inappropriate, it needs to file a request for declaratory judgment before denying the appraisal request, an Illinois appellate panel ruled Monday. A panel with the 3rd District of …

Insurers Challenging Awards When Appraisers’ ‘Disinterest’ in Question

Insurers created the appraisal process to provide an efficient way to resolve disputes outside of the courtroom using disinterested experts, but lately insurer skepticism about appraiser impartiality has become a new source of litigation. Insurance defense attorneys are increasingly likely …