3408. Fire insurance; appraisal of loss; procedure for selection of umpire on failure to agree. (a) Whenever application shall be made for the selection of an umpire pursuant to the provisions relating to appraisals contained in the standard fire insurance policy of the state of New York it shall be made to a justice of the supreme court residing in the county or to a county judge of the county in which the lost or damaged property is or was located. The application shall be on five days' notice in writing to the other party. Any such notice in writing, when served by the insured, may be served upon any local agent of the insurer.
(b) The court shall, on proof by affidavit of the failure or neglect of the appraisers to agree upon and select an umpire within the time provided in such policy, and of the service of notice pursuant to subsection (a) hereof, forthwith appoint a competent and disinterested person to act as such umpire in the ascertainment of the amount of such loss or damage.
(c) In the event of a covered loss, whenever an insured or insurer fails to proceed with an appraisal upon demand of the other, either party may apply to the court in the manner provided in subsection (a) of this section for an order directing the other to comply with such demand. An appraisal shall determine the actual cash value, the replacement cost, the extent of the loss or damage and the amount of the loss or damage which shall be determined as specified in the policy and shall proceed pursuant to the terms of the applicable appraisal clause of the insurance policy and not as an arbitration. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, an appraisal shall not determine whether the policy actually provides coverage for any portion of the claimed loss or damage.
Last modified: February 3, 2019