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Alternative Dispute Resolution is utilized by the Florida Court System to resolve disputes without judicial intervention.

Mediation is one form of alternative dispute resolution. The process utilizes a neutral, unbiased facilitator (the mediator) to assist the participants in difficult circumstances to resolve matters without the time and expense of litigation or trial. It is an informal and non-adversarial process of helping parties come together to a resolve disputes. In mediation, the decision-making authority rests solely with the parties.

Arbitration is another form of alternative dispute resolution. It is a formal process in which a neutral third party or panel decides a case based on the evidence presented by the parties and their attorneys. Whether or not the decision is binding is determined by the court or the parties in advance of the arbitration proceeding.

Kim Adams is a certified circuit court mediator and arbitrator. Her areas of practice include first party property disputes, third party disputes, insurance coverage disputes, subrogation, bad faith and civil litigation.

Appraisal is a form of alternative dispute resolution that is written in many property insurance policies. Although the language may vary from policy to policy, the appraisal clause in most policies states that, should you and your insurance company disagree, each party will appoint an appraiser, who then agree on an umpire. This forms the appraisal panel. An agreement on the amount of damage between at least two of the three in the appraisal panel is a binding award. The cost of each party’s appraiser is borne by that party and the umpire cost is split equally between the two parties.

Because the result is binding on both the insurance company and the policyholder, it is imperative that both parties choose competent appraisers and that there is a competent, knowledgeable umpire working toward resolution of any given claim.

With Kim’s extensive insurance and damage assessment experience, working on behalf of insurance companies as well as policyholders, she is highly qualified to represent insurer’s as well as insured’s interests as appraiser and to be a fair and impartial umpire.