How long can an insurance company take to pay out? I was hit a month ago and the other drivers insurance company has yet to either cut me out a check or have me take my car to a shop. They already did the estimate of the damage but that is all that has been done.
State laws can differ on what is required of an insurance company during the claim process. If a state does not have a set amount of time in which a settlement offer is made or repairs are started than most at least say that the insurance company must do these items within a reasonable amount of time.
To find how long an insurance company has in your state to handle your claim, contact the insurance regulatory body. If there is no set time, see if they can offer you consumer help on how to get the at-fault party's insurance provider to move along at a swifter pace so that you may either get your vehicle repaired or be offered a settlement. You may also want to call the insurance adjuster assigned to your claim to see what he or she says is taking so long for the car to be repaired.
Below are a few examples of what state laws are regarding how long insurance companies may take for claim settlements or repairs:
In New Jersey the insurance company is allowed 45 calendar days to settle your third party claim from the time they receive notice of the loss. However, this time may be extended if the company needs to conduct additional investigation or if you fail to cooperate with them
In Texas there are no specific legal limits for how long the other party's insurance company has to pay out a claim. An insurance company is legally required to act in good faith and pay third-party claims promptly and fairly when liability is reasonably clear though.
Washington state laws say that every insurer shall complete the investigation of a claim within thirty days after notification of claim, unless such investigation cannot reasonably be completed within such time. All persons involved in the investigation of a claim shall provide reasonable assistance to the insurer in order to facilitate compliance with this provision.
