Residential Mediation - A dispute must be $500 or more after the deductible is applied. The dispute must be a disagreement over what caused the damage or if you do not agree with the amount the company offered to repair the damages.
If the dispute does not meet the eligibility requirements, yet the parties agree to participate in mediation, written documentation is required for the Department to proceed. The insurance company pays the entire cost ($350) of the mediation, unless you fail to appear at the conference and want to reschedule the mediation. You must pay the rescheduled mediation costs ($350) prior to the conference being rescheduled.
Automobile Mediation - Claim disputes for property damage claims in any amount or for bodily injury claims up to $10,000, caused by the ownership, operation, and use or maintenance of a motor vehicle. Claims against your insurance
company and claims against the other party’s insurance company are both eligible for mediation. The program is voluntary. The insurance company pays the entire cost ($200) of the mediation, unless you fail to appear at the conference and want to reschedule the mediation. You must pay the rescheduled mediation costs ($200) prior to the conference being rescheduled.
Neutral Evaluation - A sinkhole report must be issued by your insurance company. If your insurance company confirms there is structural damage to a covered building that is consistent with a sinkhole loss or if it cannot determine
the cause of the structural damage, the law requires it to engage a professional engineer or a professional geologist to conduct testing and issue a sinkhole report. Neutral Evaluation is mandatory if requested by you or your insurance company. The
Neutral Evaluation is non-binding, and both parties retain their right to pursue legal action. Your insurance company is required to pay the reasonable costs associated with the Neutral Evaluation program.
Commercial Residential Mediation - This program is available for policies in which a Condominium Association, Cooperative Association or Homeowners’ Association are the policyholder. A dispute must be $500 or more after the
deductible is applied. The dispute must be a disagreement over what caused the damage or if you do not agree with the amount the company offered to repair the damages. If the dispute does not meet the eligibility requirements, yet the parties agree
to participate in mediation, written documentation is required for the Department to proceed. The insurance company pays the entire cost of the mediation, which shall not exceed $5,000.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (“CCRS”) Mediation - Available for residents of Continuing Care Retirement Communities for disputes other than challenges involving increases in monthly maintenance fees. The cost
of mediation ($250.00) shall normally be paid by the provider. If a resident elects more than one mediation in any 12 month period, the cost of the second and all subsequent mediations in that 12 month period shall be borne by the resident. If a resident
elects more than three mediations in any time period, the cost of the fourth and all subsequent mediations shall be borne equally by the resident and the provider.
The following types of claims are not eligible for Residential and Commercial Residential mediation:
- Claims arising from a commercial lines policy
- Claims arising from a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy
- Claims that involve liability coverages
- Claims currently in litigation or appraisal
- Claims that an insurance company suspects involves fraud
- Claims that arise from a cause of loss not covered in the policy