FL H0947

Establishes licensing requirements for property insurance appraisers and appraisal umpires in Florida, effective July 1, 2011, requiring all such professionals to be licensed by the Department of Financial Services.

Sets application fees at $50 for initial license, reinstatement, and biennial renewal for both appraisers and umpires.

Requires applicants to meet specific qualifications including being 18+ years old, U.S. citizen or legal alien, and completing either 4-40 hours of approved coursework or holding relevant professional licenses (engineer, contractor, architect, accountant, attorney, etc.).

Establishes formal appraisal procedures for residential and commercial property insurance disputes, including selection of appraisers by each party, selection of an umpire from the department's list, and binding appraisal awards when either appraiser agrees with the umpire's conclusions.

Defines ethical standards for appraisers and umpires covering confidentiality, impartiality, reasonable fee structures, record retention for 5 years, and prohibits contingency-based compensation or predetermined outcomes.