New York’s personal injury law firm
Click For Your Free ConsulationPosted in Car Accidents on January 29, 2024
State Farm is the largest car insurance company in the United States, responsible for 16.8% of all auto policies sold. Therefore, if you are injured in a car accident, it is likely that you will be dealing with State Farm.
It can take State Farm several weeks, months, or longer to settle a car accident case in New York. Various factors can affect the settlement timeline, but working with an experienced car accident lawyer can help you expedite your claim with State Farm.
First, it is important to understand that insurance companies like State Farm are subject to laws of the states where they offer policies. In New York, there are various deadlines that can apply after a car accident, including:
New York is a no-fault state for car insurance, so you will first file a claim with your own insurer for coverage. You must report your accident within 30 days of the accident occurring.
After a car accident and your report of the accident to the insurance company, the insurance company has 15 days to acknowledge the claim.
You have 60 days to provide State Farm with the proof of loss forms they send you.
The insurance company has 15 business days to reject or deny your claim after receiving your proof of loss forms. If the insurance company needs more than 15 days, it must provide a written communication to the claimant stating this and why more time is needed.
If the decision has still not been made whether to reject or deny the claim, the insurance company must send a letter to the claimant within 90 days of sending the previous letter. The insurance company must continue to send such communications every 90 days until a decision is reached.
If the insurance company decides to accept the claim, the insurance company must send a letter stating this and the amount offered. If the claim is rejected, the insurance company must notify the claimant in writing and cite any applicable policy provision limiting the claimant’s right to sue them.
Once the insurance company has agreed to settle the claim, it must provide the settlement check within five days.
There are various factors that can affect how long State Farm or other insurance companies might take to resolve your claim, such as:
Your car accident lawyer’s job is to expedite your claim as much as possible while trying to help you recover the maximum amount of compensation available for your claim.
In some cases, insurance companies may engage in bad faith tactics. New York law prohibits insurance companies from engaging in unfair practices when dealing with claims.
It may be a sign of bad faith if the insurance company:
If you have encountered these tactics, reach out to a skilled car accident lawyer.
Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can make sure that your claim is resolved more quickly, including:
Keep all communications you receive from the insurance company and provide them to your lawyer so they can respond on your behalf.
Being involved in a car accident is stressful. You have enough to deal with without worrying about an insurance company like State Farm trying to resolve your case for as little as possible.
A personal injury lawyer can help prepare your case, communicate with the insurance company, and expedite your claim with State Farm.
If you need legal assistance, contact the New York City car accident lawyers at Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation.
We have two convenient locations in New York:
Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers – New York City Office
450 7th Ave #1605
New York, NY 10123
(212) 564-2800
Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers – Brooklyn Office
26 Court St Suite 2511
Brooklyn, NY 11242
(718) 802-1600