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Panel Declaration Signatures

How signatures work for Panel Declarations.

Intermediate4 min readUpdated 2024-12-06

A panel declaration is the document that formally constitutes the appraisal panel: you, the opposing appraiser, and the agreed-upon umpire. It is signed before the umpire does any work, because all three parties have to agree on who the umpire is and what process they will follow. Nobody is approving an award here, just acknowledging the panel makeup.

That is why the signing flow is different from an award letter. There is no "first then second" review chain because there is nothing to negotiate at this stage. The umpire candidate is named, the process is described, and all three signers simply confirm "yes, this is the panel." Sending it sequentially would just slow things down for no benefit.

Get this signed quickly and you can move to umpire inspection. Drag it out and the whole case sits idle waiting on a formality.

Key Differences

AspectAward LetterPanel Declaration
Signing OrderSequential (1→2→3)Simultaneous (all at once)
UmpireOnly if utilizedAlways included
When UsedAfter award agreedBefore umpire involvement

Required Signers

  • Carrier Appraiser
  • Insured Appraiser
  • Umpire (always required)

Auto-Generate

Enable "Auto-generate Panel Declaration" in settings to automatically create this document when an umpire is selected.
Suggest an editLast updated 2024-12-06
Panel Declaration Signatures | AwardLettr Docs