Insurance appraisal in Illinois

At a glance

Name an appraiser

Twenty days after the written demand.

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.

Suit deadline paused?

The standard fire policy suit clause is twelve months, but 215 ILCS 5/143.1 tolls it from the date proof of loss is filed until the carrier denies the claim.

Licensing

No license. The statutory clause calls for a competent and disinterested appraiser.

The clock

Appraisal in Illinois 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: The standard fire policy suit clause is twelve months, but 215 ILCS 5/143.1 tolls it from the date proof of loss is filed until the carrier denies the claim.

What the panel decides

Amount and scope of the damage. In Zhao v. State Farm (2025 IL App (2d) 240723) the court held appraisers may decide the extent of damage even where that involves deciding what was storm-caused versus pre-existing, while coverage and legal questions stay with the court.

Everywhere, including Illinois, 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 statutory clause calls for a competent and disinterested appraiser.

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

Binding on the amount of loss, on the usual narrow grounds for review. Where the dispute is about amount, Zhao holds that appraisal is mandatory and the trial court must compel it, and that policy defenses such as late notice do not defeat the right.

Points particular to Illinois

Illinois has an unusual cost rule: under 215 ILCS 5/397.05, if the policyholder's full appraised amount is upheld, the carrier pays the policyholder's appraiser and umpire fees.

Hail and wind roof claims in Illinois often turn on scope: whether to repair or replace, and how much of the roof. Zhao makes clear that is appraisable.

Common losses in Illinois

The disputes we see most often in Illinois arise from:

• Hail and wind
• Tornado
• Freeze and burst pipes
• Water backup

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

Authorities

• Zhao v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 2025 IL App (2d) 240723
• 50 Ill. Adm. Code 2301 (standard fire policy)
• The general guide to insurance appraisal

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 Illinois

Nearby: Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin