How Long Does an Insurance Claim Usually Take?

If you’ve been in a car accident, chances are you know exactly how stressful it is to file an insurance claim and get your life back in order. While it’s understandable that you need your car fixed as soon as possible in order to go back to work or get on with your life, filing an insurance claim may sometimes be a complicated and tedious process. There are lots of steps an insurance adjuster needs to take in order to get your claim processed, figure out who was at fault and what is covered, and get you the money you need to fix your car.

There are many factors that contribute to how long it will take for an adjuster to process your insurance claim.

What exactly is covered?

Before an adjuster can issue payment or authorization for you to fix the damages on your crashed vehicle, he or she must first verify what the coverage actually covers. Many things can come into play at this time. For example, if the other driver has not paid his car insurance premium, he may not technically be insured. At that point, it may be wise to seek legal counsel to defend your rights.

Who was at fault?

Another important step is determining who was at fault in the accident? This determines which insurance company will cover the damages of the accident. A police report is always helpful at this time; however, in California, police are not required to respond to a car accident unless state property was damaged or someone was injured during the crash. Having evidence that the other driver was at-fault may help you speed up the process. For example, if you happened to own a dash cam that recorded the incident, you may be able to prove who was at fault. Taking lots of pictures of both vehicles after the crash is also a great way to provide evidence. An adjuster can examine these photos and evidence, and determine who caused the accident.

Be patient

It is always best to remember that an insurance claim is filed against the driver who was at-fault for the accident. While you certainly communicate more with the insurance company, it’s easy to forget that they are not your enemy. The insurance representative is there to make sure that the person responsible for the crash is the one who’s also responsible for the damages. Be patient while the process continues, and try to provide as much helpful evidence as possible.