How Long Does an Insurance Claim Take in California?

A Collision Claim Runs on More Than One Clock

A collision claim in California does not have one finish date. Notice of the claim, proof of the amount, an inspection, a supplement, and payment of a completed repair bill are separate steps. Each step has its own rule in the Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations, California Code of Regulations, title 10, section 2695 and the sections that follow, or in Insurance Code section 560.

The California Department of Insurance publishes a shorter paraphrase of several of these duties in its accident guide. Where that guide and the regulation use different words, this article follows the regulation and says so.

This is general information about California claim-handling deadlines, not legal advice. Your policy, the facts of the loss, and the insurer's coverage decision control what is paid.

Fifteen Calendar Days After Notice of Claim

Notice of claim, in title 10, section 2695.2(n), is any written or oral notification that reasonably tells the insurer you want to make a claim and that a condition giving rise to its obligations may have arisen. A message sent only to report an incident, with no request to make a claim, is not notice of claim. Section 2695.5(f) says the insurer may not require that notice to be in writing unless the policy or an endorsement says so.

Once the insurer receives notice of claim, section 2695.5(e) requires it to act immediately, and in no event more than 15 calendar days later, unless that notice is a notice of legal action. In that period it must acknowledge receipt, unless it pays the claim within the same period. If the acknowledgment is not in writing, the insurer must note the acknowledgment and the date in the claim file. It must also provide the necessary forms, instructions, and reasonable assistance, including the information you must provide for proof of claim, and it must begin any necessary investigation.

A calendar day, in section 2695.2(b), includes Saturdays, Sundays, and federal and California state holidays. If the last day to perform an act required by these regulations falls on one of those days, the time extends through the next calendar day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.

Section 2695.5(b) is a second 15-calendar-day rule. When you send a communication about the claim that reasonably suggests you expect a response, the licensee must answer immediately, and in no event more than 15 calendar days later, with a complete response based on the facts it knows then. That subsection does not require further communication after the licensee receives notice of legal action.

The Department's accident guide, revised December 2024, states the same 15-day acknowledgment and response duties in shorter form.

Forty Calendar Days to Accept or Deny the Claim

Proof of claim, in section 2695.2(s), is evidence or documentation in the insurer's possession, whether you submitted it or the insurer obtained it during the investigation, that provides any evidence of the claim and reasonably supports the magnitude or the amount of the claimed loss. The Department's accident guide describes proof of claim with examples such as a repair estimate or a police report of a theft.

Section 2695.7(b) says that upon receiving proof of claim, the insurer shall immediately, and in no event more than 40 calendar days later, accept or deny the claim, in whole or in part. The amounts accepted or denied must be documented in the claim file unless the claim is denied entirely.

A denial or rejection of a first-party claim, in whole or in part, must be in writing. It must list every basis the insurer then knows, and the factual and legal basis for each reason. If the denial relies on a statute, other applicable law, or a policy provision, condition, or exclusion, the writing must refer to it and explain how it applies. An insurer that denies or rejects a third-party claim, in whole or in part, or that disputes liability or damages, must also do so in writing. The written notice must say that if you believe the denial or rejection is wrong, you may have the matter reviewed by the California Department of Insurance, and it must include the address and telephone number of the unit that reviews claims practices.

The 40-day timeframe has a limit that matters while a car is at a body shop. Section 2695.7(b)(4) says that timeframe shall not apply to automobile repair bills arising from policies of automobile collision and comprehensive insurance subject to Insurance Code section 560. The written-denial rules in subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(3) still apply to those bills.

Section 2695.7(k) can lengthen the 40 days where the insurer has a reasonable basis, supported by specific information the Department can review, to believe the claimant submitted or caused a suspected false or fraudulent claim as specified in that subsection. The period then increases to 80 calendar days. It can be suspended until the Commissioner orders otherwise only if the insurer meets the further conditions in that subsection, including Insurance Code section 1872.4.

A Written Explanation When More Time Is Needed

If the insurer needs more time than section 2695.7(b) allows to accept or deny the claim in whole or in part, section 2695.7(c)(1) requires written notice within that same period. The notice must specify any additional information the insurer requires and state the continuing reasons it cannot make a determination. After that, the written notice must be provided every 30 calendar days until a determination is made or notice of legal action is served. If the determination has to wait for a future event, the notice must advise you of that situation and provide an estimate of when the determination can be made.

Subsection (c) follows the time allotted in subsection (b). It is the status letter for a claim that is still on the accept-or-deny clock. It is a different duty from the payment rule for an automobile repair bill that subsection (b)(4) removes from that timeframe.

Section 2695.7(d) still applies to the investigation itself. Every insurer shall conduct and diligently pursue a thorough, fair, and objective investigation, and shall not persist in seeking information that is not reasonably required for or material to resolving a claim dispute.

When Payment Is Due

Section 2695.7(h) says that upon acceptance of the claim, in whole or in part, and, when a release is necessary, upon receipt of a properly executed release, the insurer shall immediately, and in no event more than 30 calendar days later, tender payment or otherwise perform its claim obligation. The amount to tender is the amount the insurer accepted under subsection (b). The Department's accident guide paraphrases this duty as payment no later than 30 days from the date settlement was reached.

Subsection (h)(1) says that 30-day timeframe shall not apply to automobile repair bills subject to Insurance Code section 560. The rest of subsection (h) remains applicable.

Section 560 is the payment statute for those repair bills. It covers an insurer that issues a policy providing automobile collision coverage or automobile physical damage coverage, as Insurance Code section 660 defines those coverages. If a covered automobile is damaged and the insurer knows the automobile will be repaired by the repairer, the insurer shall pay by check or draft, payable to the repairer or to the named insured and the repairer jointly, or, with the repairer's consent, by electronic funds transfer to the repairer. Payment is due not later than 10 days after receipt of an itemized bill or invoice covering repairs authorized by the insurer which have been satisfactorily completed. The statute also says the section applies if the insured has received actual notice that the repairer is doing the work pursuant to a contract approved by the insurance company, and in that case the payment shall include the name of the repairer.

Section 560 does not limit the right to choose the repair facility, which it describes by reference to Insurance Code section 758.5, and it does not prohibit a decision not to repair the vehicle. If the insured decides not to repair it, the insurer shall not withhold reasonable repair-cost benefits otherwise payable under the policy. The statute does not prohibit the insurer from restricting payment in a case of suspected fraud, from adding a named loss payee or lienholder when the policy permits that payee, or from requiring repair as a condition of payment when the damage is serious enough that safety features of the vehicle's operating systems are compromised.

The 10 days in section 560 run after the insurer receives the itemized bill for authorized repairs that have been satisfactorily completed, and only when the other conditions in the statute are met. That period is a payment rule for completed, authorized work. It is a separate question from approving the estimate or from how long the repair itself takes.

What the Clocks Mean for a Car at the Shop

While the car is at a shop, the day-to-day clock is often the inspection rule in section 2695.8(e)(4).

On a first-party claim, a claim on your own policy, an insurer that chooses to inspect shall, within six business days after receiving the notice of claim, ask that the vehicle be made available and, if it is reasonably available, inspect it. A request for photographs or an estimate instead of a physical inspection is due within three business days and must tell you the insurer may still inspect later. If the insurer then chooses to inspect, the six business days start when those photographs or that estimate arrive.

On a third-party claim, a claim against the other driver's insurer, the six business days run from the time the insurer decides to inspect. If the vehicle is not made reasonably available during that period, the insurer must inspect as soon afterward as is reasonable. The request may go to the shop you chose, and that shop can make the vehicle available.

The Department's automobile-claims glossary, published with its mediation program, describes a business day as each day of the week except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal and state holidays.

These are inspection deadlines. They apply when the insurer chooses to inspect. They do not require the insurer to approve every line on a shop estimate, and they do not set a date the repair will be finished. A separate guide explains why a photo estimate is a starting repair plan, and another explains who pays the deductible and a rental car during the wait.

Where a Supplement Sits on the Timeline

A supplement is later documentation of repair items that were not on the first estimate. It stays on the same claim. It does not start the payment period in section 560. That payment period still depends on repairs the insurer has authorized that are satisfactorily completed, the itemized bill, and the other conditions in the statute.

If the insurer chooses to inspect after a request for a supplemental estimate, section 2695.8(e)(4) uses the same six-business-day and three-business-day structure. On a first-party claim, the six business days run from receipt of the supplemental request. On a third-party claim, they run from the insurer's decision to inspect. A separate MLUX guide covers who requests the supplement, what you still authorize, and what those inspection deadlines decide.

What to Do When the Claim Stalls

Ask for the status in writing. Include the date you believe the insurer received notice of claim, and ask whether it has acknowledged the claim, what information it still needs, whether any part of the claim is accepted or denied, and why any open item is still open. Section 2695.5(b) requires a complete response, based on the facts then known, within 15 calendar days of a communication that reasonably suggests a response is expected. Keep a copy of what you sent and the date you sent it.

If the accept-or-deny period in section 2695.7(b) applies, ask for the written notice in section 2695.7(c): the additional information required, the continuing reasons the insurer cannot decide, and, when a future event is holding the decision, the insurer's estimate of when it can decide.

The regulations do not set a separate supervisor deadline. Asking a supervisor to review the open items is a practical step before a complaint. Put that request in the same writing.

If the claim is still stalled, contact the California Department of Insurance. Its automobile guide says many questions can be answered by phone, and that if the call does not resolve the issue you can file a Request for Assistance by mail or online and attach documents such as the policy and correspondence. Delay in settlement and an improper denial of a claim are two examples the guide lists. The consumer hotline published by the Department is 1-800-927-4357. The Department's Getting Help page is where it collects the complaint forms. A written denial must already tell you that you may ask the Department to review it.

Section 2695.7(o) says an insurer shall not require you to withdraw, rescind, or refrain from submitting a complaint to the Department as a condition of settling the claim.

Some first-party disputes can continue to the Department's Automobile Claims Mediation Program. The Department's mediation page, revised June 2018, limits the program to a personal automobile policyholder who bought collision or comprehensive coverage. Mediation does not apply to commercial automobile coverage or to a third-party liability claim. A qualifying dispute has an overall claim amount exceeding $7,500 and an amount in dispute exceeding $2,000. You complete the Department's complaint process first. The insurer then has 28 calendar days to resolve the dispute before mediation begins. Mediation is voluntary, and the mediator has no power to impose a settlement. The Department refers readers to Insurance Code sections 10089.70 through 10089.83 for the program.

How MLUX Keeps the Repair File Moving

MLUX can inspect the visible damage, explain what still has to be opened, and prepare a preliminary estimate the insurer can review. Send photos tonight, get your preliminary estimate the next business day. Once your repair is approved, MLUX provides photo/text updates every 2 business days, plus an estimated finish date.

Those updates are the shop's repair communication. They sit alongside the insurer's response duties, the inspection clocks, and any payment deadline. Ask which items are waiting on you, which are waiting on parts, and which are waiting on the insurer. The insurer still decides coverage and payment. A preliminary estimate is the starting document for an insurance repair.

Official Sources

California Department of Insurance, So You've Had an Accident, What's Next? (revised December 2024), paraphrased fair-claims deadlines and how to contact the Department: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/hadaccident.cfm

California Department of Insurance, Automobile Insurance guide, Form 101 (revised February 5, 2025), Request for Assistance, including delay in settlement: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/auto101.cfm

California Department of Insurance, Getting Help, consumer hotline and complaint forms: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/

California Department of Insurance, online consumer complaint form: https://cdiapps.insurance.ca.gov/CP/create-complaint-page/

California Department of Insurance, Automobile Claims Mediation Program (revised June 2018), eligibility, the 28-day period, and the business-day glossary: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/AutoMediation.cfm

Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations index, Title 10, section 2695 and following: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/130-laws-regs-hearings/05-CCR/fair-claims-regs.cfm

10 CCR 2695.2, definitions, including calendar day, notice of claim, and proof of claim: https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2695.2

10 CCR 2695.5, acknowledgment and responses to communications: https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2695.5

10 CCR 2695.7, accepting or denying a claim, written delay notices, and payment after acceptance: https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2695.7

10 CCR 2695.8(e), automobile inspection and supplemental-inspection timing: https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2695.8

California Insurance Code section 560, payment of automobile collision repairs: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS&sectionNum=560.