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Committee hears workers, insurers and repair shops on bill to create appraisal right in auto claims
Summary
The Senate Financial Services and Trade Committee heard testimony on SB 5,721, which would give policyholders a statutory right to appraisal in first‑party auto physical‑damage claims and spell out appraisal procedures, timelines and cost‑shifting rules.
OLYMPIA — The Senate Financial Services and Trade Committee heard testimony on SB 5,721, a bill that would create a statutory right to appraisal for first‑party physical‑damage auto insurance claims issued or renewed in 2026 and later.
Committee staff briefed members that the bill would establish time frames to invoke appraisal, require appraisers and umpires to be competent and disinterested, set a process when the two appraisers cannot agree, and require the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to register umpires and identify one if the parties cannot. The bill would make each party responsible for their appraisal costs but contains a cost‑shifting provision: if the appraisal award is at least $500 greater than the insurer’s…
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