At a glance
- Name an appraiser
- Ten days after the written demand (Alaska Stat. § 21.96.035).
- Choose an umpire
- The two appraisers choose an umpire promptly. The statute sets no fixed day count.
- If they cannot agree
- By the appraisers, promptly; if they cannot agree, a court may be asked to appoint (policy form and statute).
- 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 license. The statute calls for a competent appraiser and a competent and impartial umpire.
The clock
- Day 0 Written demand Either party. Certified mail.
- By day 10 Appraisers named 10 days for each side
- By agreement Umpire chosen By agreement, 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 10 Appraisers named 10 days for each side
- By agreement Umpire chosen By agreement, 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 Alaska 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 or actual cash value of tangible property. Each appraiser must state the loss in writing within fifteen days after the umpire is chosen.
Everywhere, including Alaska, 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 license. The statute calls for a competent appraiser and a competent and impartial umpire.
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
The statute makes an award signed by both appraisers, or by either appraiser and the umpire, binding on the insured and the insurer. Appraisal is not arbitration in Alaska (McDonnell v. State Farm, 299 P.3d 715 (Alaska 2013)).
Points particular to Alaska
The ten-day appraiser deadline is the shortest in the country. Have your appraiser chosen before you send the demand.
Unusually, Alaska's statute lets the umpire allocate the costs of the appraisal (other than counsel or adjuster fees) between the parties.
Earthquake and flood are separate coverages and separate claims, and appraisal follows the policy that applies to each.
Common losses in Alaska
The disputes we see most often in Alaska arise from:
- Earthquake (separate coverage)
- Freeze and burst pipes
- Wind and winter storm
Flood is insured separately, usually through the National Flood Insurance Program, under federal rules rather than Alaska'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 Alaska
Does my Alaska homeowners policy have an appraisal clause?
Almost certainly.
In Alaska the appraisal clause is written into state law (Alaska Stat. § 21.96.035), so fire and homeowners policies must include it. You will find it under the policy's conditions, usually under the heading Appraisal.
How long do we have to name an appraiser in Alaska?
Ten days after the written demand (Alaska Stat. § 21.96.035).
Who chooses the umpire in Alaska if the appraisers cannot agree?
By the appraisers, promptly; if they cannot agree, a court may be asked to appoint (policy form and statute).
Can the appraisers decide whether my loss is covered in Alaska?
Amount of loss or actual cash value of tangible property.
Each appraiser must state the loss in writing within fifteen days after the umpire is chosen.
Does demanding appraisal pause the deadline to sue in Alaska?
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 Alaska?
No license.
The statute calls for a competent appraiser and a competent and impartial umpire.
Nearby: California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington