How long do you have to File an Insurance Claim? If an incident has occurred that requires filing an insurance claim, only one question persists. That is the question of how long you have to file an insurance claim. Take it from me, you do not have all the time in the world to file your insurance claim. In fact, the earlier you file your insurance claim, the better for you and the less time it will take to be paid.
When it comes to the period of time you have before filing your claim, we are usually talking about auto insurance. You need to know how long after an accident you can file a claim. so as to be on the safe side. However, it is important to note that the timeline typically hinges on your car insurance provider.
How long do you have to File an Insurance Claim?
What is going to be the time limit you have before filing your insurance claim in the case of a car accident? It differs from one insurance company to another. Another thing that you need to keep in mind is that different claim types have different time limits before you need to file. When it comes to an injury or property damage, the time you have to find the claim is different.
Time is always of the essence, so it is probably better for you to file an auto claim immediately after an accident. We will take a look at the benefits of filing an insurance claim immediately after an accident occurs later in this article. Each insurance company has a different claim time limit as well as the one given to them by the state.
Time limits on Insurance Claims by State
As I have mentioned above, there are two sides to the time limit you have before filing your claim. The first side comes from your insurance company’s time limit, for which some insurers give you 20 days after an accident to file a claim. Other insurers might give you more than that, but the state has the overall say on the length of time for filing your claim.
In some states, like West Virginia, you have a minimum of two years to file a lawsuit or a claim for property damage and personal injury. When filing your claim or lawsuit, it is done within your state’s liability time limit. Your state’s liability time limit is known as the “statute of limitations.” It is important to note that each state has its own time limit.
Below is a table showing some states in America and their time limits for filing a claim:
- Alabama for 2 years
- Alaska for 2 years
- 2 years Arizona
- 2 years for Arkansas
- 3 years in California
- Colorado for 2 years
- Connecticut for 3 years
Can you file a claim right after getting insurance?
The answer is yes. You can file a claim as soon as you have gotten your insurance as long as everything has been paid accordingly. If there is no default in payment or any policy violation, you can file a claim as soon as an incident occurs.
This is your right, and it is part of the terms and conditions of your insurance policy. It doesn’t matter if it is a day after getting your insurance, as long as an incident or call is made, you can simply file a claim instantly.
What Happens If You Don’t Report A Car Accident Or Miss The Filing Deadline?
There is a reason why a date is set for you to carry out a certain thing likewise there is a need for you to file your claim before the deadline. If you have missed the deadline for filing your auto claim then you are in for some penalties. One of the worst things that you will face if you miss your claim deadline is no compensation for the accident or injury.
This is because you did not file an accident claim within the deadline, meaning there is no claim and no money or settlement to be made. If you submit a claim after the deadline, it will be denied by the company. Therefore, it is very important for you to file your claim and also make a police report as soon as possible.
The Advantages of submitting your Insurance Claim as soon as possible
There are many benefits to filing your insurance claim as soon as possible. One of the major benefits is that you have your claim settlement paid. That is not all below are all the benefits of having your insurance claim filed ASAP:
- It becomes easy to gather all the evidence.
- The investigation process will be very effective and take less time.
- Memories of witnesses will be fresh.
- The details of the incident and everything that happened will be clear and fresh in your mind.
- Your claim settlement might just get paid sooner than later.
From the above benefits, you now know that it is very important and beneficial to you to file your claim as soon as possible. Anyone that wants to get paid quickly and wants the entire process to be smooth should have their claim filed asap.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I file an auto insurance claim?
To find an auto insurance claim, first of all, you need to properly document the incident and then report it to the police. After reporting to the police, the next step is to simply contact your insurance company concerning the incident and file the claim.
Is there a time limit for insurance claim settlements?
It is generally accepted that the insurance company has about 30 days to investigate your claim and then make payment to you. But the real answer is that each state has its own number of days given to the insurance companies to make payments.
How long does an insurance claim take?
An insurance claim basically takes 30 days, which is the generally accepted time for an insurance claim to be paid to customers. However, this time. from state to state
What Is a Car Insurance Claim Deadline?
This is the amount of time that you have before you will not be able to file an insurance claim anymore. The various states have their own different time limits or deadlines that they place on an insurance claim.
What do you do before filing a claim?
Before filing your claim, you need the below documents:
- Full name
- Phone number
- Insurance company
- Insurance policy number
- Driver’s license number
- License plate number
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Vehicle make and model
