What is a Property Insurance Umpire?
What is a Property Insurance Umpire?
A property insurance umpire is a competent and impartial professional who solely reviews an entire claim including all documentation compiled to date and makes an objective decision regarding the value of property or the amount of property damage.
What is the WIND Certified Umpire Program?
The WIND Umpire Certification Program® was introduced in 2003 and is the first curriculum devoted to training professionals who serve as umpires in property insurance appraisals. Each year, hundreds of property insurance claims professionals complete the four-hour WIND Certified Umpire® program classes taught annually at the Windstorm Insurance Conference.
Upon completion of the program, professionals further their credentials by successfully meeting the guidelines and criteria to become a WIND Certified Umpire®.
The program, which includes the WIND Certified Umpire workshops and the WIND Certified Umpire Recertification workshop, is a valuable educational resource for those wanting to further their understanding of the property insurance appraisal and umpire process.
What is a WIND Certified Umpire?
A WIND Certified Umpire® is an individual who has successfully completed the four-hour WIND Umpire Certification class and who has successfully met the guidelines, qualifications, and application steps set forth by WIND to be officially recognized as a WIND Certified Umpire. These steps include an application process, state criminal background check, application fee, read and agree to the WIND Umpire Ethical Rules and Terms and Conditions, and current WIND membership. Once these steps are completed, the applicant will be listed in the WIND Umpire Certified Directory.
About the WIND Certified Umpire Workshops
The program, which includes the WIND Certified Umpire class and the WIND Certified Umpire Recertification® workshops, is a valuable educational resource for those wanting to further their understanding of the insurance appraisal process. Both classes are presented at the annual Windstorm Insurance Conference, have been taught to thousands of professionals since 2003. The four-hour WIND Certified Umpire® and WIND Certified Umpire Recertification® classes provide the necessary certification to anyone who wishes to be included in the WIND Certified Umpire Directory, or those wanting to further enhance their professional umpire credentials. The classes focus on ethics and professionalism, process, case law, and the “how to” of acting as an umpire, as well as techniques, forms, awards, and more. WIND Certified Umpires must renew their certification every three years by completing the recertification class.
Both classes provide real-life scenarios are utilized to promote discussion of the duties and responsibilities of the umpire. Common issues and problems that often arise during an appraisal are addressed, as well as effective methods and techniques to facilitate an appraisal from beginning to conclusion. The classes also include a discussion of ethical considerations and changes in case law impacting the appraisal process.
WIND Certified Umpire
Requirements to become a WIND Certified Appraiser include:
Once these qualifications are met and completed, you will be listed in the WIND Certified Umpire Directory, and receive a WIND Certified Umpire certificate and logo to use in your marketing materials.
WIND Professional Umpire Certification
You may apply to be in the WIND Designation Program as a WIND Professional Umpire when you have satisfied the following requirements:
- Must submit a list of 75 claims in which you served as an umpire to include the date, city, and state of the appraisal. The list must also include the amount of the appraisal award. If the amount of the award is confidential or cannot otherwise be disclosed, please simply designate the date, county and state of the appraisal. This information is solely for the use of WIND to verify the experience of the umpire. Click here to download the template to be used to submit the list of claims.
- Must have five (5) years of insurance experience – at least 50% of work related to insurance (i.e. legal, adjusting, contracting, appraisal etc.)
- Must submit CV/Resume and 2 letters of reference regarding your appraisal experience from WIND certified appraisers/umpires.
- Must maintain and be in good standing in any state in which you are professionally licensed. Must not have had any formal disciplinary action against any professional license at any time.
- Must maintain and be in good standing as a WIND member.
- Must have completed both the WIND Umpire Certification and Re-Certification workshops.
- Must have attended and received continuing education credits from at least three WIND annual conferences [Helpful hint: Login to your Florida DFS profile and check your transcript for a complete CE history]
- Subscribe to the WIND Professional Designation Code of Ethics and the WIND Umpire Code of Ethics.
- Pay the Certified Umpire application/renewal fee of $400 and a Professional Umpire application fee of $75. Both are renewable every three years.
Once these qualifications are met and completed, you will be listed in the WIND Certified Umpire Directory, designated as a Professional, and receive a WIND Professional Umpire certificate and logo to use in your marketing materials.
Click here to apply for the WIND Professional Umpire Designation.
WIND Fellow Umpire Certification
You may apply to be in the WIND Designation Program as a WIND Fellow Umpire when you have satisfied the following requirements:
- Must submit a list of 150 claims in which you served as an umpire to include the date, city, and state of the appraisal. The list must also include the amount of the appraisal award. If the amount of the award is confidential or cannot otherwise be disclosed, please simply designate the date, county and state of the appraisal. This information is solely for the use of WIND to verify the experience of the umpire. Click here to download the template to be used to submit the list of claims.
- Must have ten (10) years of insurance experience – at least 50% of work related to insurance (i.e. legal, adjusting, contracting, appraisal etc.)
- Must submit CV/Resume and 2 letters of reference regarding your appraisal experience from WIND certified appraisers/umpires.
- Must maintain and be in good standing in any state in which you are professionally licensed. Must not have had any formal disciplinary action against any professional license at any time.
- Must maintain and be in good standing as a WIND member.
- Must have completed both the WIND Umpire Certification and Re-Certification workshops.
- Must have attended and received continuing education credits from at least three WIND annual conferences [Helpful hint: Login to your Florida DFS profile and check your transcript for a complete CE history]
- Subscribe to the WIND Professional Designation Code of Ethics and the WIND Umpire Code of Ethics.
- Pay the Certified Umpire application/renewal fee of $400 and a Fellow Umpire application fee of $125. Both are renewable every three years.
Once these qualifications are met and completed, you will be listed in the WIND Certified Umpire Directory, designated as a Fellow , and receive a WIND Fellow Umpire certificate and logo to use in your marketing materials.
Click here to apply for the WIND Fellow Umpire Designation.
Become a WIND Certified Appraiser!
WIND Certified Umpire Program classes are offered at our annual conference, held in January/February every year. Be sure to sign up early for this class because the classes fill up quickly.
Certification Requirements
Upon completion of taking the four-hour WIND Certified Umpire class, registrants will have the opportunity to continue to the next steps and be listed on the WIND Certified Umpire directory.