Nobody is ever prepared for a vehicle accident, and navigating the insurance industry may be difficult. How long will it take once you call your insurance agent and file your claim? A week? A month? 3 years? You are not the only person who wants to know how long a car insurance claim process should take. While there may be a few possible bumps along the road, your filing should operate like a well-oiled machine. This is an overview of what to anticipate and how long you can expect a car insurance claim to take.
How Long Should A Car Insurance Claim Take?
A car insurance claim should take a minimum of 30 days. There are outlying factors that may make your insurance claim take longer. Some of those factors include:
- Your car insurance claim is denied.
- The shop that is assessing the damage to your car is busy and is not able to assign a cost to the damage.
- There is missing information in your car insurance claim, which causes a delay.
How Does The Car Insurance Claim Process Work?
What are the steps to the claims process, and how can I assist in making sure it goes smoothly and quickly?
Step 1: Contact Your Insurance
First you have to contact your insurance so they can start the process of filing your car insurance claim. Make sure you provide as much information as possible. Giving your insurance company the information they need to file your claim correctly is so important to making the process effective.
Step 2: An Insurance Adjuster Will Contact You To File Your Claim
Within 24-48 business hours, your insurance adjuster will contact you to compile the remaining information that is needed to file your car insurance claim. On this call, they should guide you in the following steps. If they do not guide you through the next steps, that is probably why you are here.
Step 3: The Body Shop Determines A Cost Estimate For Your Vehicle
Take your vehicle to the mechanic or body shop. Technically the vehicle should have an initial cost estimate within 7 days, but if the body shop is backed up, they may delay when the final cost estimate is delivered.
Step 4: Your Insurance Company Reviews The Cost Estimate
After receiving the cost estimate, your insurance company has 7 days to review the cost and whether or not it should be approved. It might not be approved because the cost exceeds your coverage or the cost exceeds the vehicle’s worth and would result in it being totaled. You can fight for the value of your car if you believe it is worth more than the assessment breakdown.
Step 5: Schedule The Vehicle’s Repair
Once you receive your claim and the end results of your claim, you can schedule and pay for your vehicle’s repair. If your claim is denied, there are a few steps you should go through if your claim is denied. The repair should only take another 5-7 days, but in recent years we have seen a delay in repairs.
Limited Rental Car Timeframe
If the process is delayed by circumstances outside of the insurance company’s control, you may use up all allotted rental car time. If this happens, you can request an extension, but we have rarely seen this granted.
Contact Strickler Insurance For A Clear Claims Process
At Strickler Insurance, we make sure to communicate the timeline and claims process with all of our customers. We want you to be equipped and informed on your insurance coverage, insurance policy, and when you can get back on the road!
