After the insurance company approves your claim, depending on the laws in your state, it may take a few days to several months to receive your money.
Liability claims that are expensive or complex can take longer to process than simpler claims for property damage. If your claim is not paid within the period specified by your state, you may file a complaint with your state’s insurance commissioner or seek legal counsel.
According to the insurance laws in your state, here is a breakdown of how long your insurance company must wait before paying a claim.
| State | After accepting a claim, insurers must make payment within … |
| Alabama | 30 days |
| Alaska | 30 days |
| Arizona | 30 days |
| Arkansas | 10 days |
| California | 30 days |
| Colorado | 30 to 45 days |
| Connecticut | 30 days |
| Delaware | No set time limit |
| District of Columbia | No set time limit |
| Florida | 90 days |
| Georgia | 10 days |
| Hawaii | 30 days |
| Idaho | No set time limit |
| Illinois | 30 days |
| Indiana | No set time limit |
| Iowa | 30 days |
| Kansas | No set time limit |
| Kentucky | 30 days |
| Louisiana | 30 days |
| Maine | No set time limit |
| Maryland | 15 days |
| Massachusetts | No set time limit |
| Michigan | 60 days |
| Minnesota | 5 days |
| Mississippi | No set time limit |
| Missouri | No set time limit |
| Montana | 30 to 60 days |
| Nebraska | 15 days |
| Nevada | 30 days |
| New Hampshire | 5 days |
| New Jersey | 30 to 90 days |
| New Mexico | No set time limit |
| New York | 5 days |
| North Carolina | 10 days |
| North Dakota | No set time limit |
| Ohio | 10 days |
| Oklahoma | No set time limit |
| Oregon | No set time limit |
| Pennsylvania | No set time limit |
| Rhode Island | 30 days |
| South Carolina | 20 to 40 days |
| South Dakota | No set time limit |
| Tennessee | 30 days |
| Texas | 5 days |
| Utah | 30 days |
| Vermont | 10 days |
| Virginia | No set time limit |
| Washington | 15 days |
| West Virginia | 15 days |
| Wisconsin | 30 days |
| Wyoming | No set time limit |
Even if your state doesn’t mandate a deadline for a payout of claims, it nevertheless generally mandates that insurers evaluate claims within a set time frame following receipt, typically between 15 and 30 days.
Most states also have laws governing how quickly after receiving a claim, usually between 30 and 45 days, an insurance company must inform the claimant whether the claim has been approved or denied.
For further information on the precise guidelines for processing claims, check the website of your state’s insurance department.
How to speed up the claims settlement process
Legal Grit, a homeowner’s insurance claim attorney, provided us with some helpful processes. Here are some strategies for quickening the claims settlement procedure:
- File your claim as soon as possible. The majority of home insurance policies contain deadlines by which you must submit a claim. Additionally, the sooner you file it, the more recent the occurrence will be in your memory and the more details you’ll be able to give your insurance provider.
- Keep in touch with your claims adjuster regularly. You should be reachable by your insurance provider if they need to get more information about your claim or ask questions. This can entail scheduling a home inspection to determine the damage’s cost. You can submit documents, make appointments, and check the status of your claim online or using the mobile app of many insurance companies.
- Keep track of the costs and payments related to your claim. Keep the receipts for both smaller and larger repairs, as well as any immediate costs you incur after a loss, such as when you need to board up a broken window. Prepare your home inventory.
- Register to get your cash for claim settlement electronically. You won’t have to wait for your check to arrive in the mail this way. Your claim settlement payout could arrive in your bank account as soon as 48 hours after your claim has been processed if you have the choice to do so.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an insurance claim take?
Depending on the complexity of the claim, the company’s policy, and the laws of your state, filing a homeowner’s insurance claim may take a month or longer.
Some states demand that home insurers recognize the claim within a specific time frame and then decide whether to accept or reject the claim after a particular number of days. Other states are less precise, requiring insurers to handle the claim within a “reasonable” time.
How long does an insurance company have to respond to a claim?
According to state law, home insurance providers might or might not be required to respond to a claim within a specific time frame.
States frequently require an insurer to respond within 10 or 30 days. However, the exact time range varies by state.
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