Insurance appraisal in Alabama: how the appraisal clause works

At a glance

Name an appraiser: The policy form (most homeowners forms use 20 days).
Choose an umpire: If the two appraisers cannot agree within 15 days, either party may ask a judge of a court of record in the county where the property sits to choose the umpire.
If they cannot agree: A judge of a court of record in the county of the property, on request of either party (policy form).
Suit deadline paused?: No. Demanding appraisal does not pause the deadline to sue under the policy. Note that deadline before you demand appraisal.
Licensing: No state license for property claim appraisers. The policy requires each appraiser to be competent and impartial (some forms say disinterested), which is why an appraiser paid by a share of the award is open to challenge.

The clock

Day 0 Written demand Either party. Certified mail.
By day 20 Appraisers named 20 days for each side
By day 35 Umpire chosen 15 days, or a judge appoints
On site Inspection Both estimates, line by line
The award Award signed Any two of three
After filing Payment Commonly within 60 days

Day 0 Written demand Either party. Certified mail.
By day 20 Appraisers named 20 days for each side
By day 35 Umpire chosen 15 days, or a judge appoints
On site Inspection Both estimates, line by line
The award Award signed Any two of three
After filing Payment Commonly within 60 days

Appraisal in Alabama begins with a written demand from one party to the other. The deadlines in the table above run from that demand: first the period to name an appraiser, then the period for the two appraisers to agree on an umpire. Send the demand by certified mail with return receipt, and keep a copy with the policy.

Once the panel is complete, the appraisers inspect the property, prepare their estimates and work through the differences line by line. Only what they cannot settle goes to the umpire.

On the deadline to sue: No. Demanding appraisal does not pause the deadline to sue under the policy. Note that deadline before you demand appraisal.

What the panel decides

Amount of loss only. In Rogers v. State Farm (Ala. 2007) the Alabama Supreme Court held that causation is not a question for the appraisal panel. If the carrier disputes whether the storm caused the damage, that part of the dispute is for the court, not the appraisers.

Everywhere, including Alabama, the panel leaves alone whether the policy covers the loss, how the policy language is read, and whether the carrier acted in bad faith. Those are for the courts. An award that strays into them is the one most likely to be set aside.

Who may serve

No state license for property claim appraisers. The policy requires each appraiser to be competent and impartial (some forms say disinterested), which is why an appraiser paid by a share of the award is open to challenge.

Whatever the statute says, the policy standard is the one that decides most challenges: an appraiser must be competent and impartial, or in some forms disinterested. The contractor who will do the work, a public adjuster paid a share of the claim, or anyone employed by a party does not meet it. We are paid a flat fee for that reason.

The award

An award is treated as binding on the amount of loss. Courts set awards aside only on narrow grounds such as fraud, mistake, an appraiser exceeding the authority the clause gives, or a partial appraiser.

Points particular to Alabama

Because causation is off the table in Alabama, it matters that the disagreement is framed as one about price, scope and quantity before appraisal is demanded.

Common losses in Alabama

The disputes we see most often in Alabama arise from:

Gulf hurricanes and tropical storms
Tornado and straight-line wind
Hail

Flood is insured separately, usually through the National Flood Insurance Program, under federal rules rather than Alabama's. Its appraisal clause settles price only, and its deadlines are its own. How a flood claim works

Authorities

Statutes, regulations and case law change. This page was reviewed against official sources in October 2026 and describes the general rule; it is not legal advice about your claim.

Questions about appraisal in Alabama

Does my Alabama homeowners policy have an appraisal clause?

Almost certainly.

Alabama does not require the clause by statute, but nearly every homeowners and commercial property form sold in the state includes one. Look in the policy's conditions section, usually under the heading Appraisal.

How long do we have to name an appraiser in Alabama?

The policy form (most homeowners forms use 20 days).

Who chooses the umpire in Alabama if the appraisers cannot agree?

A judge of a court of record in the county of the property, on request of either party (policy form).

Can the appraisers decide whether my loss is covered in Alabama?

Amount of loss only.

In Rogers v. State Farm (Ala. 2007) the Alabama Supreme Court held that causation is not a question for the appraisal panel. If the carrier disputes whether the storm caused the damage, that part of the dispute is for the court, not the appraisers.

Does demanding appraisal pause the deadline to sue in Alabama?

No. Demanding appraisal does not pause the deadline to sue under the policy.

Note that deadline before you demand appraisal.

Do appraisers need a license in Alabama?

No state license for property claim appraisers.

The policy requires each appraiser to be competent and impartial (some forms say disinterested), which is why an appraiser paid by a share of the award is open to challenge.

Nearby: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia