Enhancing consumer protections for automobile insurance coverage.
SB 5721 enhances consumer protections for automobile insurance policyholders in Washington state. Beginning January 1, 2026, all new or renewed auto insurance policies that cover physical damage must include a provision for an appraisal process. This allows either the policyholder or the insurer to demand an appraisal to resolve disputes over the actual cash value and amount of loss for a damaged vehicle. The bill outlines a specific procedure for selecting independent appraisers and, if necessary, an umpire to settle disagreements, with costs for the umpire shared equally. This creates a standardized mechanism for resolving certain vehicle damage claims.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 10, 2025
Signed May 20, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Engrossed Bill
→
Passed Legislature
·
5 edits
MODERATE
The bill added a formal certification of enrollment to confirm it has passed both legislative chambers. It modified the insurance appraisal process by clarifying that an agreement between any two parties (appraisers or an appraiser and umpire) is binding, removed a requirement for a $500 loss threshold to trigger reimbursement of appraisal costs, and renumbered the commissioner's rule-making authority from subsection (4) to (3).
TECHNICAL
Added a formal certification of enrollment page to verify the bill passed the Senate and House.
Renumbered the commissioner's authority to adopt rules from subsection (4) to subsection (3) after other sections were removed.
REQUIREMENT
Changed the rule for resolving appraisal disputes to state that an agreement between any two parties is binding, removing the previous specific phrasing about how the loss amount must be determined.
Deleted the requirement that an insurance company must reimburse appraisal costs only if the final loss amount is at least $500 higher than the initial adjusted amount.
Removed the specific sentence listing what costs are included in the appraisal process (attorneys' fees, etc.).
Floor votes · Senate Mar 7, 2025 · House Apr 14, 2025
How they voted
31–20
Passed
Total votes 51
Mar 7, 2025
D
Democratic31
93% Yea
R
Republican20
90% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
31
Key actions
18
Committee
12
May 20, 2025
Signed into law
Governor signed.
executive
Apr 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Speaker signed.
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
President signed.
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed final passage; yeas, 46; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 0.
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in House amendments.
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
lower
Apr 14, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (98-1-1)
house
Apr 2, 2025
Committee
Referred to Rules 2 Review.
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Minority; without recommendation.
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Minority; do not pass.
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
CPB - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business at 1:30 PM.
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Public hearing in the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business at 1:30 PM.
lower
Mar 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Minority; without recommendation.
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Minority; do not pass.
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
BFT - Majority; do pass.
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Business, Financial Services & Trade at 8:00 AM.
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Business, Financial Services & Trade at 8:00 AM.
upper
1 primary · 9 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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