How Long Can You File a Claim After a Car Accident?

Auto Insurance

Each state has its own time limit which specifies how long you have to file a claim or lawsuit and varies depending on the type of claim, such as bodily injury or property damage.

Most states allow you two years to file a car insurance claim, but depending on where your accident occurred, you could have anything between one to ten years.

Even within the same state, time limits can differ depending on the type of claim. A comprehensive claim, for example, may have a different time limit than a bodily injury claim.

StateBodily InjuryProperty Damage
AlabamaTwo yearsTwo years
AlaskaTwo years
Two years
ArizonaTwo years
Two years
ArkansasThree years
Three years
CaliforniaTwo years
Two years
ColoradoThree years
Three years
ConnecticutTwo years
Two years
DelawareTwo years
Two years
District of Columbia
Three years
Three years
Florida
Four years
Four years
Georgia
Two years
Four years
HawaiiTwo years
Two years
IdahoTwo years
Two years
Illinois
Two years
Five years
IndianaTwo years
Two years
Iowa
Two years
Five years
Kansas
One year
Two years
Kentucky
One year
Two years
LouisianaOne year
One year
MaineSix years
Six years
MarylandThree years
Three years
MassachusettsThree years
Three years
Michigan
Three years
Three years
Minnesota
Six years
Six years
Mississippi
Three years
Three years
MissouriFive years
Five years
Montana
Three years
Two years
NebraskaFour years
Four years
NevadaOne year
One year
New HampshireThree years
Three years
New Jersey
Two years
Six years
New Mexico
Three years
Four years
New York
Three years
Three years
North Carolina
Three years
Three years
North DakotaTwo years
Two years
OhioTwo years
Two years
Oklahoma
Two years
Two years
Oregon
Two years
Six years
PennsylvaniaTwo years
Two years
Rhode Island
Three years
Ten years
South CarolinaThree years
Three years
South Dakota
Three years
Three years
TennesseeOne year
Three years
Texas
Two years
Two years
Utah
Four years
Three years
Vermont
Three years
Three years
Virginia
Two years
Five years
WashingtonThree years
Three years
West Virginia
Two years
Two years
Wisconsin
Three years
Three years
Wyoming
Four years
Four years
State Car Insurance Claim Time Limits

What If You Don’t File Your Claim Immediately?

The longer you wait to file a claim, the more likely it is that your insurer will investigate and possibly deny it.

Your auto insurance policy might very well state that you must file a claim immediately or within 24 hours of the damage to your vehicle.

Waiting longer, however, will not prevent you or another driver from filing a claim or lawsuit months or years later — as long as your claim is filed in accordance with state laws. This is due to the fact that some injuries or mechanical damage do not become noticeable until days or weeks after an accident occurs.

Insurance companies may be suspicious if you or another driver waits too long to file a claim. They will frequently investigate whether the damage was caused by the covered accident or if it occurred later. They may deny coverage if they discover valid reasons to doubt your claim.

Is It Necessary To Report a Car Accident?

Reporting may not be required at all in minor accidents where no insurance claim will be filed. Most states require you to report accidents involving injuries or property damage totaling more than $2,000 in value.

Even though, because certain injuries and vehicle damage do not become noticeable until days or weeks later, it is always best to contact the police immediately after an accident. The police report will be used as evidence for all reports filed with the DMV and any claims filed with your auto insurance company.

How Long Are You Given After a Car Accident To Report It?

Most states require you to report an accident as soon as possible, but some allow up to 30 days. It is expected that you will call the police at the scene of the accident in states where you are required to report immediately.

While you may have up to several weeks to report an accident, doing so as soon as possible after the collision will likely speed up the claim process and increase your chances of recovering your losses. Police reports are vital evidence for insurance companies and courts, and having an officer assess the scene of the incident assists insurers in determining clearly who was at fault.


Source:

https://www.valuepenguin.com/auto-insurance/how-long-to-file-insurance-claim#:~:text=Most%20states%20give%20you%20two,from%20a%20bodily%20injury%20claim

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *