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How long will it take my insurance company to pay out a claim?

How long will we have to wait for my husband's claim check? He was in an accident about two weeks ago and had to have surgery on his leg. We have already started receiving hospital bills! We live in California if that helps.

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Shannon Martin · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Hospital bills can mount up fast, so it is good that you are staying on top of the claims process! The time frame of the payout can depend on the type of claim and your state.
Most claims are paid out within 30 days.
In California, there are set time frames for accident payouts. Once a report is submitted, the insurance company has 40 days to accept or deny the claim. Once they settle on the amount of the claim, payment will be issued within 30 days.
Bodily injury
and medical payment claims can take longer to process than property damage claims.
Here is what you can do on your end to help the claim process run smoothly:
  • Respond to any correspondence from your
    car insurance
    company immediately.
  • Be upfront and honest with all information you provide.
  • Be proactive! If you have questions or are worried about how long it takes, check in with your claims adjuster.
Most insurance companies want to settle claims right away. Still, if your company is dragging its feet, it may be time to shop for a new insurance provider.
If you decide to look for a new insurance company,
Jerry
can provide you with competitive quotes in under a minute. Swapping is just as effortless. Jerry takes care of all the paperwork and phone calls and even helps cancel your old policy on your behalf.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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