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SB5721 • 2026
Enhancing consumer protections for automobile insurance coverage.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Automobile insurance
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
0 • Consumer Protection & Business
Plain English: 5721.E AMH CPB H2128.1 ESB 5721 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Consumer Protection & Business ADOPTED 04/14/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
1001 • Abbarno
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 5721.E AMH ABBA MULV 584 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Requires the insurance company to cover the costs of reasonable appraiser professional charges not to exceed $500 if the appraisal process determines the amount of loss to be $500 or more than what the insurance company adjusted prior to the appraisal process.
995 • Peterson
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 5721.E AMH PETE MULV 582 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Reinstates a provision from the original version of the bill which requires the insurance company to cover the costs of the appraisal process if the appraisal process determines the amount of loss to be $500 or more than what the insurance company adjusted prior to the appraisal process.
134 • Stanford
Plain English: 5721 AMS STAN S2097.1 SB 5721 - S AMD 134 By Senator Stanford ADOPTED 03/07/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
Effective date 7/27/2025.
Automobile insurance
AN ACT Relating to enhancing consumer protections for automobile 1 insurance coverage; and adding a new section to chapter 48.18 RCW.2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 48.18 4 RCW to read as follows: 5 (1) Every automobile insurance policy that includes first-party 6 coverage for physical damage issued or renewed effective on or after 7 January 1, 2026, must include a provision for the right to an 8 appraisal to resolve disputes between the insurer and the insured 9 regarding the actual cash value and amount of loss on the damaged 10 automobile. The appraisal clause must include the following language, 11 or corresponding language that in the opinion of the commissioner is 12 at least as favorable to the insured: 13 "If . . . (the insurance company) . . . and . . . (the 14 policyholder) . . . are unable to agree as to the amount of loss, 15 either party may make a written demand for an appraisal, and within 16 10 days each party shall select a competent and disinterested 17 appraiser and notify the other party of its selection.18 The selected appraisers shall appoint a competent and 19 disinterested umpire. If the appraisers do not appoint a competent 20 S-0850.1 SENATE BILL 5721 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senators Stanford, Valdez, Hasegawa, Riccelli, Alvarado, Nobles, Orwall, Slatter, Trudeau, and Wellman Read first time 02/10/25. Referred to Committee on Business, Financial Services & Trade. p. 1 SB 5721 and disinterested umpire within 10 days, either appraiser may notify 1 the commissioner, and the commissioner shall identify a registered 2 competent and disinterested umpire that will be used according to the 3 process that the commissioner specifies by rule. 4 The appraisers shall then each appraise the loss, make separate 5 findings regarding the amount of loss for each element of loss, and 6 exchange their completed appraisals. If the appraisers are unable to 7 agree on the losses, they shall submit their differences to the 8 umpire. 9 The amount of loss must be determined either by agreement of the 10 appraisers or by agreement of one appraiser and the umpire.11 Each party is responsible for their appraisal expenses, and each 12 party is equally responsible for the cost of the umpire.13 If the amount of loss determined through the appraisal process is 14 greater than the amount of loss . . . (the insurance company) . . . 15 adjusted before the appraisal process was invoked by an amount of 16 $500 or more, . . . (the insurance company) . . . will 17 reimburse . . . (the policyholder) . . . for the costs incurred for 18 the appraisal process. 19 The appraisal process costs include reasonable appraiser 20 professional charges, reasonable attorneys' fees, and other necessary 21 actual costs." 22 (2) Neither party may demand an appraisal until 10 days after the 23 insurer receives notification of the claim. 24 (3) For purposes of this section, the following definitions 25 apply: 26 (a) "Appraiser" means a person selected by the insurer or the 27 insured to place a value on or estimate the amount of loss under an 28 appraisal clause in an insurance contract; 29 (b) "Competent" means the person has subject matter expertise, 30 relevant training, and experience to make decisions and valuations 31 relating to the amount of loss; 32 (c) "Disinterested" means the person does not have a direct 33 financial interest in the outcome of the appraisal process; and34 (d) "Umpire" means a person selected by the appraisers 35 representing the insurer and the insured, or, if the appraisers 36 cannot agree, by the commissioner, who is charged with resolving 37 issues that the appraisers are unable to agree upon during the course 38 of an appraisal. 39 p. 2 SB 5721 (4) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to implement 1 this section. 2 --- END --- p. 3 SB 5721