The Florida Appraisal Clause Playbook
Florida courts consistently enforce the auto-policy appraisal clause as written: a written demand triggers a two-appraiser process, and if the appraisers disagree, a neutral umpire decides ACV. Most standard Florida auto policies include a binding appraisal clause — check the Loss Settlement or Conditions section of your policy. Reference: Florida Statute §627.7015 The relevant rule is Fla. Stat. §627.7015 and Rule 69O-166.030.; complaints about non-compliance route to the Florida DOI at 1-877-693-5236. From Miami to the rural counties, the procedure is identical.
Where to send the demand
Mail the demand to the claims office printed on your declarations page (USPS certified, return receipt). Save the green card. Florida's Fla. Stat. §627.7015 and Rule 69O-166.030. governs carrier conduct from that point forward; the 1-877-693-5236 DOI line is the escalation path if the carrier misses its own SLA.
Umpire selection in Florida
Florida umpire selection runs on convention, not statute: senior dealers, retired adjusters, and IADA-trained appraisers form the working pool. Miami draws umpires from across the surrounding counties. Court appointment is available when needed but is the exception.
Timeline expectations
In Florida, expect 44-day cycles when the carrier cooperates and 50–60 days when they slow-walk. The two levers that compress timeline are (1) naming your appraiser in the original demand and (2) proposing three umpire candidates with the appraiser exchange. Miami files we manage typically settle in 39 days.
Who pays what
Cost in Florida is structured by the policy itself: your appraiser is your expense, theirs is theirs, the umpire splits. The relevant comparison is fee versus lift; on the average Florida file we work, the lift is 10–25× the fee.
Three tactics that move Florida carriers fastest
- Document the request: send the demand by certified mail, retain the green card, and email a PDF copy to the adjuster the same day. Carriers regularly claim verbal invocations never happened.
- If the carrier delays naming its appraiser past 14 days, send a follow-up letter referencing the state's unfair claims settlement statute. That single letter often produces a name within 48 hours.
- Request a copy of the actual comparable vehicle window stickers cited in the valuation, not just the line items. Most reports cite trims and options that the comps do not actually have.
Three pitfalls that void or weaken the clause in Florida
- Accepting the carrier's first written offer in any form (signed release, electronic acceptance, deposited check). Once accepted, the appraisal clause is waived.
- Skipping certified mail. A demand sent by regular mail or email-only is a demand a carrier can later claim it never received.
- Letting the carrier apply a "condition adjustment" without inspection notes. Software defaults are not evidence.
Florida appraisal-clause demand letter (copy-ready)
Replace bracketed fields with your claim details. Send certified mail with return receipt to the claims address on your declarations page. Cites Fla. Stat. §627.7015 and Rule 69O-166.030..
[Date]
[Carrier name]
[Claims address from your declarations page]
Re: Claim No. [your claim number]
Policy No. [your policy number]
Insured: [your name]
Loss date: [date]
Loss location: Miami, FL
Governing authority: Fla. Stat. §627.7015 and Rule 69O-166.030.
Regulator: Florida Department of Insurance (1-877-693-5236)
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the appraisal provision of the auto policy referenced above,
and consistent with Fla. Stat. §627.7015 and Rule 69O-166.030., I am hereby invoking the appraisal
clause to determine the actual cash value of my totaled vehicle. Most standard Florida auto policies include a binding appraisal clause — check the Loss Settlement or Conditions section of your policy. Reference: Florida Statute §627.7015
I have appointed [appraiser name, license, contact] as my appraiser.
Please identify your appraiser within ten (10) business days of receipt
of this letter so that the appraisal may proceed. If the two appraisers
cannot agree, they shall jointly select a competent and disinterested
umpire as the policy provides.
Per Florida practice, the resulting ACV shall include the statutory
sales tax and title/registration fees that form part of actual cash value
in this state (Per Fla. Admin. Code 69O-166.030, insurers must include sales tax and title transfer fees in the settlement.). Salvage retention, if elected, is
governed by Florida declares a total loss at 80% of ACV; salvage and rebuilt titles are governed by Fla. Stat. §319.30.
This letter is sent by certified mail with return receipt requested. All
further communications regarding ACV should be in writing. A copy of this
letter will be retained for the Florida DOI file at 1-877-693-5236
if the carrier does not acknowledge within ten business days.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Address, phone, email]This template is a starting point, not legal advice. We'll send a tailored demand on your behalf as part of every Auto ACV engagement in Florida.