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Do home insurers have to settle a claim within a certain amount of time?

"My dad filed a claim on his home insurance recently. He's done everything the insurance company asked of him, but they're taking a long time to settle his claim. Is there a legal time limit by which insurers are required to settle a claim?

"

avatar
Shannon Martin · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
“It will depend on the state that you live in. Some states require the insured to be paid within a “”reasonable”” amount of time, and depending on the complexities of the
claim
, that could be within 30 days or much longer.
In general, once a claim is filed, the carrier has to acknowledge the claim within a certain amount of time—usually 10 to 15 days, but this can vary. Then there will be a timeframe for the carrier to pay the claim, usually 30 to 45 days; this can also vary. But they can file for an extension, and as long as they keep notifying you of the additional time needed, this can go on for a while.
I suggest checking with your state’s insurance department for their requirements so you know what to expect. If the insurer has exceeded the timeframe and is not providing your dad with updates, the state’s insurance department can point you to the next appropriate steps. “
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