Colorado Insurance Appraisal Law: HB18-1153 & Your Rights
Colorado handles property insurance appraisal differently from most states. There is no state agency that licenses insurance appraisers or umpires, and the appraisal process is governed by your policy's appraisal clause together with a key Colorado statute — HB18-1153, the conflict-of-interest disclosure law. This guide explains what HB18-1153 requires, what the absence of licensing means for you, and how to protect yourself when you invoke appraisal. To browse professionals now, visit the Colorado insurance appraisers directory.
What HB18-1153 Requires
HB18-1153 was enacted to bring transparency to a process that, in Colorado, has no licensing board behind it. Its central requirement is conflict-of-interest disclosure: an appraiser or umpire must disclose material relationships and financial interests that could compromise their neutrality — for example, a prior working relationship with one of the parties, a contingency arrangement tied to the size of the award, or an ownership stake in a firm that stands to benefit from the outcome.
The practical effect is that neutrality is disclosed rather than certified. No state stamp guarantees an appraiser is independent, so the burden is on you to read the disclosure, ask follow-up questions, and walk away if the answers are evasive. A neutral umpire in particular should have no stake in whether the award lands high or low.
Colorado Has No State Appraiser Licensing
Colorado does not maintain a registry, license, or certification for insurance appraisers and umpires. There is no government database you can check to confirm someone is qualified. That is a meaningful difference from states that publish official license records, and it changes how you should vet a professional:
- Confirm their independence and read their HB18-1153 disclosure carefully
- Look for recognized industry credentials such as IAUA certification
- Ask for a verifiable track record of Colorado appraisal awards and references
- Understand their fee model — flat or hourly is cleaner than a percentage of the award
Because there is no official record to lean on, choosing well matters even more here. Our Colorado guide to choosing an insurance appraiser walks through exactly what to evaluate.
How the Appraisal Clause Fits In
HB18-1153 sits on top of the appraisal clause that already exists in most Colorado property policies. The clause is the contractual mechanism: when you and your insurer disagree on theamount of a covered loss, each side names an independent appraiser, and if the two cannot agree they select a neutral umpire whose decision on disputed items is binding. For a full walkthrough of that mechanism, see the Colorado appraisal clause guide, and for the step-by-step of the wider process see the Colorado insurance appraisal process.
Appraisal resolves valuation disputes — not coverage denials. If your insurer says a loss is not covered at all, that is a different (often legal) question. The line between an appraiser and an advocate matters too; our appraiser vs. public adjuster guide explains who does what.
IAUA Certification: The Trust Signal
With no state license to point to, IAUA certification (Insurance Appraisal & Umpire Association) is the closest stable trust signal in Colorado. It is not a government credential, but it reflects training and adherence to a code of conduct, and it is the signal PropertyUmpire notes on Colorado profiles where available. Treat it as one input among several — alongside the HB18-1153 disclosure, references, and fee transparency.
Related Colorado Guides
- Colorado Insurance Umpires & Appraisers Directory — browse professionals in your area
- Colorado Appraisal Clause Guide
- How to Choose a Colorado Appraiser
- Colorado Insurance Appraisal Process
- All appraisal guides · Frequently asked questions