How Long Does an Insurance Claim Take?
Written by Team Clearcover
If you’ve recently experienced an auto accident and filed a claim, you might be asking yourself, How long does an insurance claim take to process? Dealing with a car accident can be stressful, but your insurance claim experience doesn’t have to be.
In this guide, we’ll help break down some popular questions about insurance claim processing times, common car insurance claim delays, ways to speed up the process, and more.
Things That Can Impact How Long Your Car Insurance Claim Might Take
There are a few factors that influence how long your claim will take, including:
The type of accident, damages, or injuries involved
The type of car insurance coverage you carry
Your insurance company’s claims process
Whether you’re filing your claim digitally or through traditional processes
Your response times to requests for additional information
The number of people and/or property involved in the accident
Your state’s insurance laws will determine the requirements around how long your insurance company has to pay out your claim. Usually, this can be anywhere between a few weeks to several months, but the exact length of time it will take to process your car insurance claim depends on the unique specifics of your claim.
At Clearcover, most claims are paid in under a week and we can pay certain eligible claims within 30-minutes or less. Our current record is 7 minutes—really! We harness the power of AI to process eligible claims faster, making car insurance smarter and easier to use.
Learn more about how digital car insurance claims work here.
6 Common Reasons Insurance Claims Can Take a Long Time
There are a few reasons that car insurance claims can take a long time. Reasons could include:
Lack of clarity around your insurance coverages
Delays in paying your deductible
Insufficient communication—or miscommunication—between parties
Weather-related incidents or damages from a natural disaster
Issues with your car’s repairs or general repair delays
The complexity of your car insurance claim
Let’s dive into the details of each below.
Lack of Clarity around Your Insurance Coverages
One of the most common reasons that insurance claims can take more time is a misunderstanding around what’s covered in your policy between you and your insurance company. If you disagree with your insurance company about something, resolving these disputes could slow the process.
So, how can you prevent this issue in case you ever need to file a claim?
If you’re not sure what’s covered in your policy, it’s a great idea to proactively talk to your insurance agent or your insurance company. This can help you get a solid understanding of what is and isn’t covered in your car insurance policy, leaving you more prepared and informed in the event of an accident.
Once you have a solid understanding of what’s covered in your policy, make sure you have the coverages (and coverage amounts) that you need and want on your policy. If you need to add or increase your coverage, now’s the time!
Not sure if you have enough coverage?
We can help you find the right coverages for your unique needs—and understand how they work if you’re in an accident in the future. See real stories about what it’s like to work with Clearcover.
Failure to Pay Your Deductible
For some types of car insurance claims, like a claim that falls under your comprehensive or collision coverage, you’ll need to pay your deductible before your claim can be resolved and paid.
In some cases, if your vehicle is in an accident and is being repaired, you may owe your deductible directly to the body shop. And if you delay paying your deductible, it can cause a lag in getting back on the road.
If you feel your deductible is too high, you can always shop around for car insurance quotes and choose a deductible that better suits your needs. Remember, you can switch your car insurance company at any time, but any new coverages you purchase or deductible changes you make will not apply to any currently pending claims).
Insufficient Communication—or Miscommunication—between Parties
Sometimes communication delays can impact your claims processing time.
If your car insurance company asks you for additional evidence or requests an additional action, delaying either of those steps on your end can—of course—delay your claim. That’s why it’s so important to keep up with any notifications, calls, or messages from your car insurance company while you’re waiting for your claim to be decided.
At Clearcover, we like things to be fast, easy, and hassle-free. We’ll stay on top of any communication about your claim and will be transparent with you throughout the entire claims process. Plus—you can track your claim’s progress and contact Clearcover support at any time, all within our award-winning app.
Weather-Related Incidents or Damages from a Natural Disaster
If your vehicle has been damaged in a storm or needs to be replaced after a natural disaster, like a wildfire, you may experience delays in your area if many people are affected.
Additionally, local weather-related incidents can cause pushback in assessments and repair shop times, simply due to the high volume of drivers needing help in the area.
Does car insurance cover storm damage? Find out here.
Issues with Your Car’s Repairs or General Repair Delays
Some car insurance companies will have preferred repair shop providers, and choosing one that’s high volume could delay repairs. If a repair shop that’s approved by your insurance company is all booked up, the delay in your repairs may be out of your control.
On the other hand, if you have any issues with the work the shop has done on your vehicle, you could experience delays in your claim if you decide to dispute the repairs.
At Clearcover, we take the hassle out of getting your car repaired by letting you select any shop you’d like! (As long as it’s licensed).
The Complexity of Your Car Insurance Claim
Some car insurance claims can be more complex in nature, which can lengthen the time it takes to resolve them. A few examples of complex car insurance claims could include:
An accident that involves bodily injuries. It can take time to get medical treatment, collect medical evidence, and more, which can increase complexity.
The types of damages and repairs needed for the vehicles involved in an incident. (For example, serious electronic repairs or a damaged steel-bodied vehicle can take longer to repair than other types of damages).
Bodily injury claims tend to be the least common and most expensive claims filed, according to Bankrate.com (1). While it may seem obvious that car insurance claims involving injuries can be a bit more involved, they aren’t the only complex claims—property damage claims can get a little complicated, too.
In some states, you have up to five years to file certain types of claims. And the longer you wait to file your claim, the more difficult it can be to gather sufficient evidence and the reports you need to complete it. This can add to your claim’s complexity and processing time.
To minimize delays, make sure to take any additional steps your insurance company needs you to!
Here’s How to Help Speed up the Claim Process
First things first: We admit, we’re a little biased. Clearcover has one of the fastest claims processing times in the auto insurance industry, and filing a digital car insurance claim through our easy-to-use app is one of the best ways to experience lightning-fast, hassle-free car insurance claims.
However, if you’re not with Clearcover and your car insurance claim was filed with another insurance company, or if you’ve filed a more complex car insurance claim, there are a few things you can do on your end to help your claims process flow a bit more smoothly.
File your car insurance claim digitally whenever possible
Communicate digitally with your insurer, if that’s an option
Communicate consistently with your insurance company
Provide detailed documentation of your accident for your claim
File a Claim Digitally, If Possible
One of the best ways to help your car insurance claim along is to file your claim digitally—if that’s an option through your current insurance company.
By filing your claim digitally, right after an accident, you can start the claims process instantly. And if you’re a Clearcover customer, you can file a digital car insurance claim in the app with just a few taps.
Communicate Digitally, If Possible
Even if you filed your claim over the phone or through a more traditional process, communicating digitally with your insurance company after you initiate your claim can still save time.
If your insurer doesn’t have an easy-to-use app where you can manage your claims, opting for digital email notifications may help you avoid long gaps in correspondence that you might experience if you choose to communicate through the mail or exclusively through back-and-forth phone calls. (No one likes phone-tag).
Communicate Consistently
Providing your car insurance company with anything they need in a timely manner can play a big part in moving the car insurance claims process forward.
If your insurance company is asking you for additional information, it’s because they need it in order to continue processing your claim.
Make sure to take whatever action is needed as soon as possible so there are no unnecessary delays to your claim on your end.
Provide Detailed Documentation
Giving thorough and detailed information to your insurance company can also help speed up your claims process.
Documenting what happened during the accident—including the time, date, location, and people or property involved—and providing photos or police reports related to the accident can help move the process along more smoothly.
What If My Claim Is Taking Too Long?
If you feel your car insurance claim is taking too long—even after you’ve followed the steps above—there are a few things you can do.
Contact Your Insurance Company Directly
If you haven’t contacted your insurance company yet (digitally or via phone), now’s the time to reach out.
As a Clearcover customer, you can check the status of your claim 24/7 in the app. You also have the option to call your Clearcover Claims Representative at 855-444-1875 whenever you need to ask them any questions you may have about your claim.
Give Your Insurance Agent a Call
Most agents won’t have direct insight into the specifics of your claim and do not process claims to completion themselves, but they can be a great resource to point you in the right direction or answer more general questions.
Your insurance agent can give you additional information about the car insurance claims process and can help you understand any communication you’ve received from your insurance company.
Get Alternate Transportation
If your car is going to be in the shop for repairs—or if your claim is taking longer than expected—finding alternative transportation (like a rental car) can help you get back to your normal routine while you wait.
Alternate transportation coverage can be a big help toward any unexpected expenses you could incur while you’re waiting for your claim to be finalized.
If you have alternate transportation coverage with Clearcover and have followed the recommendations above for your eligible covered claim, Clearcover will provide you with funds to use toward a transportation method that works best for you, such as a rental car, or public transit, Uber credits, or another rideshare company.
Speed Up Your Car Insurance Claims with Clearcover
Playing the waiting game with your car insurance company can be lengthy and frustrating, but at Clearcover, we’re committed to making your claims process lightning-fast, easy, and hassle-free.
We have one of the fastest claims payments in the business—most claims are paid within a week and eligible Clearcover claims can be processed AND paid in as little as 30 minutes! (Currently, our fastest processing on record is just 7 minutes!)
And with our easy-to-use app and dedicated team of Clearcover Customer Advocates, we’ll keep you informed every step of the way.
Take control of your coverage and see what you can save with Clearcover today.
