Insurance companies generally have to respond to your claim and make a decision within a reasonable time, such 15 to 30 days. In the simplest scenarios, your claim might be paid even sooner—sometimes within a couple of days. But if the company needs to investigate or if there’s a dispute between parties, the process could go on for months.
How Long Does a Car Insurance Claim Take?
The timeline for an auto insurance claim will depend on the specifics of the situation. If there’s a straightforward scenario—perhaps a rock cracked your windshield or you accidentally hit a post in a parking lot—the process might only take a few days or weeks. But more complex situations, particularly when there are injuries or a dispute over who was at fault, could take much longer.
How Long Insurers Have to Review a Claim by State
States set different timelines and requirements for insurance companies.
- Once you submit an acceptable “proof of loss,” your claim form with the required details and evidence, the company may need to acknowledge your claim or make a payment within a specific number of days, such as 10 to 15 days.
- The insurance company may have a similar, or slightly longer, window to investigate the claim and then approve a payment, deny the claim or ask for more information.
- The timeline could be extended if the company needs more time to investigate or if there’s a dispute. It may need to send you an update during specific intervals, such as every 30 or 45 days, but it doesn’t necessarily need to complete the review and pay out the claim during that time.
Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of how long insurance companies have to acknowledge your claim and make a decision if they don’t need to investigate further and there isn’t a dispute.
Some states don’t have specific timelines, but require insurance companies to be “reasonable” or “prompt” in their investigations and payments. The number of days may also be “working days” in some cases, which don’t include weekends or state holidays.
Auto Insurance Claim Response Requirements by State
| State | Timeline for Undisputed Claims |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Alaska | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Arizona | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Arkansas | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 45 days to complete the claim |
| California | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 40 days to complete the claim |
| Colorado | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim in 60 days |
| Connecticut | Must acknowledge and act with reasonable promptness and complete the claim within a reasonable time |
| Delaware | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Florida | 14 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 to 60 days to complete the claim |
| Georgia | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 to 30 days to complete the claim |
| Hawaii | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Idaho | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim within a reasonable time |
| Illinois | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 60 days to complete the claim |
| Indiana | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim promptly |
| Iowa | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Kansas | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim promptly |
| Kentucky | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Louisiana | 14 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Maine | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim within a reasonable time |
| Maryland | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 days to complete the claim |
| Massachusetts | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim within a reasonable time |
| Michigan | 30 days to acknowledge receipt and 60 days to complete the claim |
| Minnesota | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 60 days to complete the claim |
| Mississippi | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 25 to 35 days to pay claims |
| Missouri | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 days to complete the claim |
| Montana | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim in 30 days |
| Nebraska | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 days to complete the claim |
| Nevada | 20 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| New Hampshire | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 10 days to complete the claim |
| New Jersey | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 to 90 days to complete the claim |
| New Mexico | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim within a reasonable time (90 days to complete catastrophic claims) |
| New York | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 days to complete the claim |
| North Carolina | 30 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| North Dakota | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and not attempt to delay the claim |
| Ohio | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 21 days to complete the claim |
| Oklahoma | 30 days to acknowledge receipt and 45 days to complete the claim |
| Oregon | 30 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 to 45 days to complete the claim |
| Pennsylvania | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 days to complete the claim |
| Rhode Island | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 21 days to complete the claim |
| South Carolina | Must acknowledge and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim after a prompt investigation |
| South Dakota | 30 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Tennessee | 30 days to acknowledge receipt and 60 days to complete the claim |
| Texas | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 days to complete the claim |
| Utah | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Vermont | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 to 30 days to complete the claim |
| Virginia | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 days to complete the claim |
| Washington | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 15 days to complete the claim |
| West Virginia | 15 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Wisconsin | 10 days to acknowledge receipt and 30 days to complete the claim |
| Wyoming | Must acknowledge promptly and act reasonably promptly and complete the claim in 45 days |
How to Expedite the Car Insurance Claims Process
You might want to file an auto insurance claim after an accident, natural disaster or other covered incident. Here are some things you can do to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
- Take pictures and notes right away. Once everyone is safe, gather as much evidence as you can. You might want to take pictures of the damage and write down details, such as the location, date, time, weather and what happened. If you were in an accident with someone else, ask for their name, contact, insurance and vehicle information. If there were witnesses at the scene, try to get their names and contact information as well. And if the police respond, make note of the officer’s name and badge number, and ask about getting a copy of the police report for your insurance claim.
- Contact the insurance companies as quickly as possible. The insurance company can’t start working on your claim until you report the incident, so file your claim right away. Try to preemptively include answers to questions that the insurance adjuster might ask. The more details you share, the less back-and-forth you’ll have later.
- Promptly respond to requests. The insurance adjuster may contact you with additional questions or to discuss the incident. Responding quickly can help keep the process moving.
- Get an inspection and start the work. You may need to send more pictures, schedule a time to meet with the adjuster or go to an auto body shop to get an inspection and estimate. Choosing from a list of shops that your insurance company has approved might speed things up. However, you may want to shop around to find out how long the repairs will take at different shops. You also generally have the right to choose any shop, including one that’s not preapproved.
The Bottom Line
Although some car insurance claims are reviewed and paid quickly, disputes and complex situations could extend the timeline significantly. To avoid unnecessary delays, make sure you gather and organize evidence, promptly file a claim and be prepared to answer questions.