Insurance appraisal in Washington
Washington requires fire policies to follow the 1943 standard form, which carries the appraisal clause, and its claim-handling rules limit how a carrier may use appraisal. A carrier may not push you into appraisal by offering far less than it owes, must try to settle in good faith first, and may not tell an appraiser to change the numbers. Those rules were updated effective October 18, 2026.
At a glance
- Name an appraiser
- 20 days after the written demand, under the standard fire policy form that WAC 284-20-010 adopts.
- Choose an umpire
- 15 days for the appraisers to agree on a competent and disinterested umpire.
- If they cannot agree
- A judge of a court of record in the state where the property is located, on request of either side.
- Does appraisal pause the deadline to sue?
- We found no Washington rule that pauses the suit deadline for appraisal. State law only sets a floor: a policy cannot give less than one year from the date of loss (RCW 48.18.200), and most use exactly that. A notice under the Insurance Fair Conduct Act tolls the period for its 20-day window.
- Who may serve
- No license for the role. Washington law says an appraiser or umpire acting under an appraisal clause is not an adjuster (RCW 48.17.010), and the clause calls for competent and disinterested people. More below
Deadlines in Washington
The clock
- Day 0Written demandEither party, in writing
- By day 20Appraisers named20 days for each side
- By day 35Umpire chosen15 days, or a court appoints
- On siteInspectionBoth estimates, line by line
- The awardAward signedAny two of three
- After the awardPaymentStandard form: 60 days after proof of loss and a filed award
Either side starts appraisal with a written demand when you and the carrier cannot agree on actual cash value or the amount of loss. Each side then names a competent and disinterested appraiser within 20 days. The appraisers have 15 days to agree on an umpire, and after that either side can ask a judge to pick one.
Washington's claim-handling rules sit on top of that clock. A carrier that invokes appraisal must first have made a good-faith effort to settle the claim (WAC 284-30-330(18)). It may not use appraisal or litigation to force you to take less by offering substantially less than what is later recovered (WAC 284-30-330(7)). It may not drag out appraisal or add cost by sending in out-of-area appraisers unless the loss is unusual or local appraisers are scarce (WAC 284-30-330(17)). Under the version effective October 18, 2026, it also may not require an appraiser to change the actual cash value or loss figure during the process (WAC 284-30-330(22)).
What the panel decides
Amount of loss, not coverage
Appraisal in Washington fixes the dollar value of the damage. In Keesling v. Western Fire Insurance Co., 10 Wn. App. 841 (1974), the Court of Appeals described appraisal as a way to set the value of a loss, upheld the clause as consistent with RCW 48.18.200, and kept the question of coverage with the courts.
If the carrier says part of the damage is not covered or was not caused by the storm, appraisal does not settle that, and a court will. We found no Washington appellate decision that says whether a pure cause dispute can go to the panel, so raise it before you demand appraisal.
Who may serve
Washington does not license appraisers or umpires. RCW 48.17.010 defines an appraiser as someone chosen by the insurer or the insured to value or estimate the loss under an appraisal clause, defines an umpire as someone chosen by the appraisers or, failing that, by the court, and says neither is treated as an adjuster. The clause itself asks for competent and disinterested people, and the contractor who will do the work or an employee of either side does not fit that test.
The award
Under the standard form, a written, itemized award signed by any two of the three and filed with the carrier sets the actual cash value and loss. Washington courts treat the appraisal clause as valid and enforceable. In Keesling, the court held that a suit filed while appraisal is pending should be stayed until appraisal is complete, not dismissed, and that appraisal does not by itself produce a judgment. We found no Washington statute that lists the grounds for vacating an award.
Points particular to Washington
WAC 284-30-330 was amended by the Insurance Commissioner (WSR 26-17-089) and the new version took effect October 18, 2026. The appraisal items are (7) no compelling appraisal or suit by offering substantially less than is later recovered, (17) no delay or added cost from out-of-area appraisers without need, (18) a good-faith effort to settle before invoking appraisal, and new (22) no requiring an appraiser to adjust a valuation, though the carrier may still apply policy conditions to a finished award.
Washington's Insurance Fair Conduct Act, RCW 48.30.015, lets a policyholder sue in superior court over an unreasonable denial of coverage or payment. Before filing, the policyholder must give the insurer and the Insurance Commissioner written notice at least 20 days ahead. A court that finds the denial unreasonable, or a violation of the listed claim-handling rules, may award actual damages, up to three times those damages, and attorney fees and costs.
A suit filed during appraisal is stayed, not thrown out (Keesling). The deadline itself still comes from the policy and RCW 48.18.200.
Washington's 2025 law on appraisal, RCW 48.18.620, and the commissioner's umpire registry rule, WAC 284-20-310, apply to automobile physical damage coverage only. They do not apply to homes or businesses.
Common losses in Washington
Each one links back to how we look at that kind of loss.
Questions
Does my Washington homeowners policy have an appraisal clause?
Almost certainly. Washington requires fire policies to follow the 1943 standard form, and an alternative form must be no less favorable to the insured. Look in the conditions section under the heading Appraisal.
How long do we have to name an appraiser in Washington?
20 days after the written demand under the standard form. Check your policy in case it gives more time.
Who chooses the umpire in Washington if the appraisers cannot agree?
After 15 days without agreement, either side can ask a judge of a court of record in the state where the property sits to select the umpire.
Can the appraisers decide whether my loss is covered in Washington?
No. Appraisal sets the dollar value of the loss. Coverage questions stay with the courts. If the carrier disputes cause or coverage, raise that before you demand appraisal.
Does demanding appraisal pause the deadline to sue in Washington?
We found no rule that says so. A policy cannot give you less than one year from the date of loss to sue, and most give exactly one year. If you file while appraisal is pending, Washington courts stay the case rather than dismiss it. Note the deadline before you demand appraisal.
Can the insurer make me go to appraisal in Washington?
A carrier may invoke the clause, but it must first make a good-faith effort to settle, and it may not use appraisal to force you to accept substantially less than you are owed. Those limits are in WAC 284-30-330(7) and (18).
Before you decide anything
Has a claim in Washington stalled on the number?
Tell us what happened and where. We'll read the policy and tell you plainly whether appraisal fits.
When you write to us
- We read the policy, the estimates on both sides and the letters that came with them.
- We tell you plainly whether appraisal fits the disagreement, and if it doesn't, who can help.
- If it fits, we confirm next steps in writing before anything starts.
Reviewed against the sources listed, October 2026. General information, not legal advice.