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 the circuit court in the county of the property, on request (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 Maryland 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 and the factual causation bound up in it; coverage and exclusions are for the court. Recent federal decisions in Maryland compel appraisal with an itemized award so coverage defenses are preserved, and decline it where coverage itself is disputed.
Everywhere, including Maryland, 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
Appraisal is treated as analogous to arbitration and either party may compel it (Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Insurance Comm'r, 293 Md. 409 (1982)). Awards are final absent fraud or plain error.
Points particular to Maryland
A party can waive appraisal by litigating first. Demand it before, not after, filing suit.
Common losses in Maryland
The disputes we see most often in Maryland arise from:
- Coastal wind and tropical storm remnants
- Water and burst pipes
- Hail and severe thunderstorm
Flood is insured separately, usually through the National Flood Insurance Program, under federal rules rather than Maryland'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 Maryland
Does my Maryland homeowners policy have an appraisal clause?
Almost certainly.
Maryland 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 Maryland?
The policy form (most homeowners forms use 20 days).
Who chooses the umpire in Maryland if the appraisers cannot agree?
A judge of the circuit court in the county of the property, on request (policy form).
Can the appraisers decide whether my loss is covered in Maryland?
Amount of loss and the factual causation bound up in it; coverage and exclusions are for the court.
Recent federal decisions in Maryland compel appraisal with an itemized award so coverage defenses are preserved, and decline it where coverage itself is disputed.
Does demanding appraisal pause the deadline to sue in Maryland?
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 Maryland?
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: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont