“Pissing In The Wind” Remark Disqualifies Appraiser From Appraisal Panel


How can an appraiser chosen for an appraisal panel grow to be disqualified based mostly on bias? A method seems to be by writing the next to the opposing appraiser in an e mail:

The lawyer is pissing within the wind if he thinks this case is any completely different than the one indicated beneath. Similar service (HOA) and similar endorsement language. They gained’t get a dime extra that [sic] what HOA has already paid, no matter any ‘appraisal award.’

Simply going to spend some huge cash and waste a whole lot of time with none completely different outcomes.

After reviewing the briefs and arguments of the events, the trial court docket then disqualified Kevin Hromas as an appraiser, discovering:

ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Plaintiff Kyle J. McPike’s Movement to Disqualify is hereby in all issues GRANTED. The Court docket particularly finds that Appraiser Kevin Hromas is DISQUALIFIED from performing as an appraiser on this case. The Court docket additional finds Kevin Hromas is biased towards Plaintiff, and its representatives, that Kevin Hromas acted in a biased and unfair method, in violation of the coverage. Primarily based on Kevin Hromas’s bias and based mostly on his unfair and unhealthy religion method to the appraisal, Mr. Hromas shouldn’t be a certified appraiser.1

Kevin Hromas is a well-known insurance coverage appraiser all the time being chosen by insurance coverage corporations. He beforehand was a central character of this weblog in Insurance coverage Firm Consultant Says Merlin Legislation Group Las Vegas Seminar Value $10,000. In that submit, I famous:

In accordance with Kevin Hromas, I’m probably the most precious educator of first occasion property insurance coverage claims on this planet. Hromas is an insurance coverage firm appraiser and adjuster. A pair months in the past, I received numerous textual content messages indicating that he was saying all types of detrimental, and even defamatory, issues about me and our agency throughout a speech in Oklahoma Metropolis. I didn’t assume a lot about it as a result of others informed me that few individuals paid consideration to him. However we observed that he signed up for a public adjuster seminar we’re internet hosting in Las Vegas.

Kevin Hromas and his two-person agency shouldn’t be a serious participant within the insurance coverage claims adjusting business. His apparent bias towards policyholders and his loopy ‘Chip Merlin goes to pay me $10,000 or I’m going to indicate up and power myself into his seminar’ establishes that at the least one insurance coverage firm adjuster assumes that policyholders that suffer losses and their representatives ought to be considered as suspected frauds. Why would I or any insurance coverage firm need this man or these of the identical persuasion at a seminar or need to work with him in resolving an insurance coverage declare? Policyholders want sincere, empathetic, and motivated professionals to totally and promptly pay the whole quantity owed, not derogatory zealots who assume policyholders and their representatives are crooks.

The Texas choose appeared to come back to an identical conclusion.

There are a few vital classes for appraisers and umpires to contemplate from this case.

First, policyholders and insurance coverage corporations deserve sincere, empathetic, and certified professionals freed from bias. Panelists with an agenda to manage claims severity or make a windfall are usually not certified to be a part of the appraisal course of.

Second, professionalism requires respect for the opposite facet. It ought to be proven within the communications between members of the panel.

This case got here to my consideration by studying Steve Badger’s LinkedIn submit. Badger has a whole lot of nice details about present points within the property insurance coverage area to contemplate, even when you don’t agree with him.

Subsequent week, Badger and I’ll debate at an Insurance coverage Appraisal and Umpire Affiliation (IAUA) seminar on the Streamsong Resort. I’m sure this case will come up for dialogue. Right here is the hyperlink for the registration.

Lastly, the briefs by the attorneys for the policyholder and insurance coverage firm have been wonderful. I connect them in your assessment.

Thought For The Day       

We don’t must share the identical opinions as others, however we have to be respectful.

—Taylor Swift

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1 McPike v. Owners of America Ins. Co., No. 2021-70308 (Tex. Dist. Ct. Oct. 20, 2023).

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