How Long Will My Homeowners Insurance Claim Take?

Even after they’re accepted, homeowners insurance claims can still take a while to be paid. The maximum time permitted depends on state law, but a general rule is that a claim will be paid between 15 to 30 days after being accepted, potentially less. 

Note that the entire process will take longer, as a company must first process a claim to confirm its validity.

How Long Will It Take to Get a Payout for a Homeowners Insurance Claim?

Different states have different rules in place about how long an insurance company has to pay out an accepted claim. This range is typically between 15 to 30 days, but many states have significantly longer or shorter windows in which a claim can be paid out. Some states have no set time limit at all.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that payment timelines may vary between different insurance companies. While an insurer is almost always going to attempt to meet legally set deadlines, some companies may typically pay closer or farther from those deadlines than others. 

The busier a company is likely to be and the more complex a claim, the more likely one is to receive their payment later. If an area is hit with a natural disaster, an insurance company may receive a large influx of claims they must process. This is likely to cause significant delays.

Timeline of the Entire Claim Process

A claim must first be submitted and accepted before it will be paid. The specifics of this process may vary depending on the type of claim being made. 

For example, in the event of a theft, you will first need to report it to the police, so you can submit a police report to your insurer as part of your claim. Generally, a claim will involve showing a company proof that a loss or damages occurred, and the nature of the event must be covered by your policy. 

You will also need to submit this claim in a relatively timely fashion. Often, the window is six months to a year, but it is better to submit a claim earlier when possible. That way, the evidence needed to support your claim will be easier to gather, and you can receive a payout sooner, assuming your claim is valid.

Manage Expectations

It is important to manage expectations during this process. The process takes time, and a claim will only be paid out if your insurer accepts the claim as valid. 

If your claim is denied, you will not receive a payout unless you can successfully appeal the claim by addressing the points that resulted in the denial. In some cases, you may need to pursue legal action against the insurer if the appeal is also denied. 

How Long an Insurance Company Has to Payout an Accepted Claim by State

State	Time to Pay Out Accepted Claim
Alabama	30 days
Alaska	30 days
Arizona	30 days
Arkansas	10 days
California	30 days
Colorado	30–45 days
Connecticut	30 days
Delaware	No regulated time limit
Florida	90 days
Georgia	10 days
Hawaii	30 days
Idaho	No regulated time limit
Illinois	30 days
Indiana	No regulated time limit
Iowa	30 days
Kansas	No regulated time limit
Kentucky	30 days
Louisiana	30 days
Maine	No regulated time limit
Maryland	15 days
Massachusetts	No regulated time limit
Michigan	60 days
Minnesota	5 days
Mississippi	No regulated time limit
Missouri	No regulated time limit
Montana	30–60 days
Nebraska	15 days
Nevada	30 days
New Hampshire	5 days
New Jersey	30–90 days
New Mexico	No regulated time limit
New York	5 days
North Carolina	10 days
North Dakota	No regulated time limit
Ohio	10 days
Oklahoma	No regulated time limit
Oregon	No regulated time limit
Pennsylvania	No regulated time limit
Rhode Island	30 days
South Carolina	20–40 days
South Dakota	No regulated time limit
Tennessee	30 days
Texas	5 days
Utah	30 days
Vermont	10 days
Virginia	No regulated time limit
Washington	15 days
West Virginia	15 days
Wisconsin	30 days
Wyoming	No regulated time limit

Average Processing Times by Claim Type

There isn’t much specific information available regarding the average processing times of individual types of claims, such as how long fire damage might take to process versus loss as a result of theft. However, as touched on before, it may take longer to process claims if a company has many similar claims being submitted at the same time, such as if a hurricane strikes an area. Anecdotally, it does seem theft claims are at least generally paid out later, as insurers want to wait to see if the items in question are recovered.

Companies will often be slower to process more expensive claims, especially if the expense is the result of a long series of items rather than the loss or damage of a single more expensive one. An adjuster will need to be sent to assess the damage and losses listed in your claim. Assuming they deem some or all items in your claim valid, you will then be paid based on the adjuster’s evaluation. 

This process takes time. The more money that an insurance company stands to pay out, the more particular they are likely to be about the process.

Factors Influencing Homeowners Claim Processing Time

As noted earlier, homeowners claims aren’t all processed at the same rate, even by the same company for clients submitting broadly similar claims. Some key factors that may influence the processing time of a homeowners claim include the following:

When the Claim Is Submitted

A claim can only start being processed once it has been submitted and accepted as valid. If you have a claim, it’s wise to submit it relatively soon after the event to get the process started and ensure you don’t miss any deadlines.

Documentation Provided

Proper documentation is essential to swift claim processing. An insurance company needs evidence that the damages and losses made in a claim are legitimate and relevant to your policy. Good documentation can speed up processing, while weak documentation may get a claim rejected.

Cooperation Between the Homeowner & Their Insurance Company

Naturally, the better a homeowner cooperates with their insurance company, the faster a claim can be processed. Usually, delays of this type will be due to a homeowner, although it is also possible for an insurance company to respond to claims slowly or antagonistically. 

Type & Complexity of the Claim

Some types of claims are more complex and require more time to process. 

Recent Disasters

If a natural disaster has recently struck an area, a company may be processing vastly more claims than usual. This will extend processing times.

What You Can Do to Help 

To speed up the time it takes for your claim to be processed, focus on what you can control. Submit what is needed to your insurance company quickly, and try to be proactive. 

A few days after submitting a claim, call them to confirm they have everything you’ve sent. When a representative from your insurance company tries to contact you, respond promptly. 

By taking some basic steps to help the claim processing proceed smoothly, you can at least ensure you aren’t the cause of any delay.

What Causes Delays in a Homeowners Insurance Claim?

Several things could potentially delay a home insurance claim from being paid out. Some of the more obvious, several of which have been touched on in earlier sections, include the following:

• Waiting to file your claim
• Submitting incorrect, incomplete, or fraudulent documentation
• Filing a complex claim, such as one that involves multiple types of insurance or one that requires statements from third parties, such as contractors
• An especially high total cost for a given claim
• Filing in situations that will affect many claimants at once
• Not having an updated home inventory to simplify which covered items might be lost or destroyed

What to Do if You Believe Your Homeowners Claim Is Delayed

If it has been several weeks and your homeowners claim still hasn’t been paid out, you understandably may wonder if it has been delayed. Take these steps if you think your claim might be delayed:

Contact the Insurance Company

A good practice when dealing with an insurance company, especially after submitting a claim that has yet to be paid, is to stay in consistent contact. Follow up with the company every few days to ask about how the claim process is progressing and if there is anything else needed from you.

Document Every Contact

Document when you contact your insurer, noting the date and time of a given correspondence as well as the individual you spoke with. 

Ideally, you will also want to save the contents of the correspondence. For emails or physical letters, this is fairly easy. Simply save these messages until your claim has been paid. It would be beneficial to keep them longer in case of any complications after payment. 

For phone calls, you can potentially record your conversations with them, but make sure doing so doesn’t violate any laws in your state. At least write a summary of what was discussed in the call.

File a Complaint

If delays are excessive, potentially being made in bad faith, or delaying a processed claim being paid beyond what your state allows, you may want to consider taking more serious action. One option is to submit a formal complaint to your state’s Department of Insurance. 

States will investigate claims of illegal behavior being committed by insurance companies. If your insurer is found to have acted illegally, they may be forced to pay your claim.

Take Legal Action

If you have a valid claim that your insurer refuses to pay out, and you have already tried complaining to the appropriate department of your state, legal action may be your only way to get a claim paid. If your case is strong and your claim is large, the cost and time investment of pursuing legal action may be worth it if it means you might receive a substantial payout that you otherwise wouldn’t. 

Many insurance lawyers work on contingency, which means they take a portion of your final settlement as payment. While this percentage can be substantial, you don’t have to pay them anything if you lose, and if they get you significantly more money, the large settlement offsets whatever portion you have to pay them. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Homeowners Insurance Claim Timelines

The following are some of the most common questions asked about timelines for homeowners insurance claims: