Iowa Code Title XIII. Commerce [Chs. 505-554D] § 522F.13. Umpires--standards of conduct

1. An umpire shall act with due diligence, including but not limited to demonstrating accuracy, fairness, and timeliness throughout an appraisal process.

3. Prior to beginning work as an umpire, an umpire shall enter into a written contract with all parties to the appraisal that requires the parties and the umpire to comply with this section, and provides that each party shall pay costs as required under section 522F.11.

4. An umpire shall not begin work on a claim until the umpire receives each appraiser's differences in actual cash value and amount of loss of each item of the claim, and written approval from the parties for the umpire to begin work.

5. No later than three business days after receiving notice of selection for an appraisal, an umpire shall send notice to the parties and the appraisers that includes all of the following:

6. An umpire shall address only issues in an appraisal that the appraisers disagree on.

7. An umpire shall review all information submitted by the appraisers and parties related to the dispute, including but not limited to the itemized appraisals or estimates, supporting documents, photographs, and diagrams.  The umpire shall review the differences between what each appraiser submitted and seek agreement by the appraisers regarding the disputed issues.

8. An umpire shall allow each appraiser to a claim a fair opportunity to present evidence and arguments regarding the appraisal.

9. An umpire shall ask questions, or request documents or other evidence, as the umpire deems necessary in the course of an appraisal.

10. An umpire may accept either appraiser's scope, quantity, value, or cost regarding an item in dispute, or develop an independent decision on each item in dispute.

11. An umpire shall decide all matters in an appraisal fairly, and shall exercise independent judgment and integrity.

12. An umpire shall prepare and distribute a written itemized award pursuant to section 522F.16.

13. An umpire shall not visit the claimant's damaged property without consent from all appraisers.

14. An umpire shall not withdraw or abandon an appraisal unless compelled by unforeseen circumstances that would render it impossible or impracticable for the umpire to continue on a claim.

15. An umpire shall not attend or participate in settlement discussions unless requested to do so by all parties.

16. An umpire shall not permit outside influences to affect an appraisal.

17. An umpire shall not delegate the umpire's duty to decide a claim to any other person.

18. Unless reasonable notice and opportunity to participate in a communication is provided to an opposing party and the opposing party's appraiser, an umpire shall not communicate, directly or indirectly, with any party or appraiser regarding a pending appraisal.

19. Unless reasonable notice and opportunity to participate in a communication is provided to all parties, an umpire shall not communicate, directly or indirectly, with any party, a representative of any party, or any other person with a direct or indirect interest in the claim, regarding an issue of fact or law in the appraisal.

20. An umpire shall not act as, or have ever acted as, an adjuster or appraiser on the same claim.