The wait to receive payment for your auto accident settlement can feel never-ending. Going through the insurance negotiation and resolution processes took long enough – now that you have signed your settlement release, you may hope to receive a check immediately. In general, however, you may still have to wait multiple weeks for a settlement check to reach your lawyer’s office and then come to you. Most insurance companies take their time issuing payments.
3 Months to a Few Years to Resolve Your Case
Before you can wait for your settlement check to arrive in the mail, you must first go through negotiations with an insurance provider. The car insurance settlement process takes around three months from start to finish, on average. Insurance companies in California have strict deadlines by which they must respond to initial claims, complete investigations, decide whether or not to approve the claim, and mail checks. However, your case could take much longer if it has complicated factors.
- Low-quality evidence or minimal proof of liability
- Catastrophic personal injuries
- Uncertain point of maximum medical improvement
- The death of a loved one
- A liability dispute
- Multiple defendants
- Trouble determining damages
If you have to go to trial to fight for fair financial compensation, it could take a year after your crash or longer to reach a resolution. Hiring a Los Angeles car accident lawyer could expedite the claims process wherever possible, potentially cutting weeks or months off your wait time. Only after you sign an insurance settlement agreement or a judge grants you a verdict award will the wait to receive your actual settlement check commence.
On Average: Checks Mailed Within 30 Days
Upon successfully settling car accident claims, most insurance companies will mail out checks within 30 days. The typical wait for a settlement check after the resolution of a claim is one to two weeks. In some situations, however, it could take months for the insurance company to send your check. If the insurance company requires all parties involved to first sign a release, for example, this could lead to stalls in payment. Other factors that could delay the payout of a settlement are medical bill payments, subrogation liens, attorney’s expenses and court costs – all of which the settlement check will need to cover before you receive your portion.
The Answer Depends on Your Case
Although you may be able to get a rough estimate of how long the wait will be before you receive your car accident settlement check based on averages, every case is different. You could receive your payment much sooner or much later than the average claimant in California. Several factors could impact how long it takes to obtain the check. Speak to an attorney for the most accurate timeline based on the elements of your case.
- How many releases the insurance adjuster needs you to sign.
- How long it takes each party to sign the releases and send them back.
- How long it takes an accountant to cut the check and put it in the mail.
- Whether the insurance company is using an out-of-state bank.
- Whether your settlement check has to pay off medical liens first.
- Whether you used an attorney to handle your claim and settlement payout.
A car accident lawyer can navigate these factors on your behalf while keeping efficiency in mind. A law firm can handle your injury claim as quickly as possible by minimizing wasted time. With a lawyer filling out claims forms and gathering evidence on your behalf, you can avoid common mistakes that could make your settlement take longer, such as missing information on the original paperwork.
Hiring an attorney can make the window between getting into an auto accident and obtaining compensation as small as possible. Most attorneys can get settlement money sent to your account as soon as 10 days after receiving your check. Discuss your unique case with a lawyer for more information.
Filing a claim with an insurance company like Progressive can be a troublesome endeavor, especially if your case is not cut and dry. Progressive is like any other business: it wants to retain profits and make money, and in order to maximize that revenue, it does not want to lose money by paying out settlements. This is unfortunate for clients and anyone who seeks restitution from the company, as it means the business will do all it can to keep that money from individuals. Progressive will try and delay handling settlements or ignore the requests for sit-downs; it may even refuse to send out a check for an agreed-upon settlement. For the best chance at receiving a speedy settlement offer from Progressive, contact one of our expert lawyers at Kenmore Law Group in Los Angeles. We will be able to help you get the compensation you deserve as quickly as possible. Clients will often call us with questions about the claim process, though, and we have provided answers to some of these questions:
- How long does Progressive take to process a personal injury claim?
- How long does it take for Progressive Insurance to settle an accident claim?
- How long does it take Progressive to send a settlement check?
- How much time does it take Progressive to settle a case?
- How many months do I have to wait to get paid by Progressive after an accident?
- How long does it take Progressive to pay out a claim?
About Progressive
Progressive has been in business since 1937 and has been providing auto insurance ever since its inception. It became well known for insuring those who have higher risks of accidents. Although it has been touted as being on the cutting edge of innovation, it still falls behind when it comes to caring for its clients and providing timely settlement offers and checks to those who have been hurt in car accidents.
Why File a Claim
The main reason individuals wish to file claims us to receive compensation for injuries and damages they sustained in car accidents. However, it can be difficult to get the necessary compensation – you may find it hard to maneuver around the language of different policies and your evidence might not be as airtight as you could hope.
You may need to have your expenses covered quickly so as not to rack up additional bills and debts. There are various obstacles that could make this hard, though. For example, handling a simple property damage claim may not take Progressive long at all, but if the company is dealing with a wrongful death or faced with paying out a settlement for an uninsured motorist accident, you could be looking at a long amount of time before you receive any offer.
Process of a Claim
At Kenmore Law Group, we get questions from clients all the time concerning the length of time it will take for their claims to be settled. There is a process that must be undergone first, and one of the important parts is the consideration by the Progressive insurance agent. The agent will evaluate the claim and request package and see how your injuries affected you. He will consider how severe and extensive they were, as well as how much of an impact they had on your job. If you could not work for some time because of the damages, or if you won’t be able to pursue similar career opportunities in the future, the compensation offer could rise dramatically. Further, if your injuries took a long time to heal or left you with permanent damages, you could face a larger settlement amount.
The agent will also consider who was largely at fault for the incident, your age and occupation, and other requests you have, such as property damage and emotional traumas. Once he has looked at all of these factors, he will come up with a settlement offer. You can then accept the offer or reject it and try to negotiate a better deal.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements Against Insurance Companies Such as Progressive
$5.5 Million
MOTORCYCLE Accident$3 Million
Truck Accident$2.3 Million
DISPUTED LIABILITY CLAIM$2.25 Million
Personal Injury$2 Million
Auto Accident$1.96 Million
Pedestrian Accident
Time Frames for Claims
It is not usually as simple as filing a claim with Progressive and getting a worthwhile offer within two weeks. It can take a few months or two years or more before you’re met with an acceptable offer. We have provided some answers below to questions.
- How long does it take Progressive to settle a case?
The length of time it takes Progressive to settle a case depends on how complex the case is, how much negotiation is going on, and how aggressive you or your attorney is with keeping the agent on top of the claim.
- How long does it take for Progressive Insurance to settle a claim?
The amount of time it takes Progressive to settle an accident claim can vary. The agent will receive the case in his mailbox or inbox and will consider it, usually within a few weeks. He must give you a reply to the claim within a reasonable amount of time, which can vary from state to state (40 days in California, for example). If he rejects the claim, you’ll have to go through the negotiation process, which can last a long time if the agent is particularly resistant.
- If I only have a damaged car, how long does it take Progressive to settle a claim?
How long it takes Progressive to settle a lawsuit is usually dependent on the negotiation process and case complexity, but in claims where there aren’t any injuries, the process can be much quicker. This is because there are no medical bills that can be debated or large sums of money from emotional damages. Generally, property damage compensation is evidenced by a mechanic’s estimate, and fixing a car is not as pricey as fixing a person.
Similarly, if you suffered lost income because of the accident, you would be more likely to receive reimbursement of your missed wages, as the totals would not be excessive and there would be little room for argument and negotiation.
- How long does it take for an insurance company to pay out a claim?
This can vary from company to company and state to state, but it is important to know that it is illegal for an insurance company to not pay you if a settlement has been reached. This would constitute acting in bad faith, which can be countered and addressed in a lawsuit.
- How long does Progressive take to send a settlement check?
The amount of time it takes Progressive to send a check is much quicker than the negotiation process. In California, insurance companies have 30 days from the settlement to send a check out. Refusal to do so can be grounds for a bad faith lawsuit. You may receive the check directly within a few weeks, or it may be sent to your attorney, who will deposit it and apportion it depending on the fees you accrued.
Essentially, the longest part of the process is the negotiation; once that has ended, you can receive your check soon thereafter.
Reviews from Real Clients
If it hadn’t been for Kenmore Law Group, I wouldn’t have been able to win my claim against Progressive. My lawyer handled everything so well and didn’t rest until the insurance company agreed to a fair payout.
Cassy L.
Kenmore prevented Progressive from taking advantage of me and paying me little to nothing. There is absolutely no way that I would’ve been able to get such a great payout if I hadn’t called my lawyer.
Tim C.
Progressive made my life miserable for a few months up until I got a lawyer. If you are in need of a lawyer, you need Kenmore in your life. They will take care of you.
Rob W.
Thanks to Kenmore, I was able to successfully file my Progressive claim and actually recover a fair amount of compensation. I am so glad that I decided to call Kenmore when I was in need of a lawyer.
Charlie B.
Progressive Handles Uber Accident Claims
Recently, Progressive has been identified as one of Uber’s multiple insurance providers. Progressive is currently providing Uber’s coverage in the following states: California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Ohio. As Uber has become more and more popular, incidents affected Uber drivers, Uber passengers, and unaffiliated third parties have also increased.
What is the process like for Uber accidents? In general, the process is similar to the process already discussed above. The main difference is that parties will need to go through Uber to report the incident and start the claim. In general, Uber representatives will handle the claim working closely with Progressive.
Consider some of the following points regarding Progressive Uber accident claims for different parties:
- Uber drivers – Uber drivers must report the incident to Uber immediately. They can report the incident on the app. They will essentially need to provide all available details and wait to hear back from an Uber representative. It is likely that an Uber representative or an insurance representative will contact the driver to get more information before a decision is made because they will need to determine what coverage, if any, applies to the incident.
- Uber passengers – Uber passengers must report the incident to Uber immediately, also throughout the Uber app. They will need to submit the requested information and also wait to hear back from the insurance company. In general, Uber passengers are always covered by the policy (although coverage can vary), but the insurance company can still refuse to pay.
- Third parties (or car v. Uber cases) – when an Uber driver crashes into another car, innocent third parties are involved. Third parties have to report the Uber accident online via Uber’s website. They will need to submit a claim form with contact information as well as accident details. In addition, they should also report the incident to their own insurance company.
The Uber accident claim process, like any insurance claim process, is supposed to be simple. Unfortunately, however, insurance companies do not want to pay because they suffer significant losses when they do. Uber and Progressive are likely to refuse to pay your claim. Because of this, it is essential that affected parties have competent representation to handle their Uber accident claims against Progressive.
Insurance Bad Faith
An insurance company acts in bad faith when it does not follow regulations and laws regarding its policies. Insurance companies have the duty to provide their customers with assistance and reasonable answers and settlements; if they ignore these duties, they can be sued by our attorneys.
If Progressive has done any of the following, you could have grounds for a bad faith claim:
- Ignored your claim for longer than a reasonable amount of time
- Denied your claim for no reason
- Offered less money than the claim is realistically worth
- Refused to pay a settlement after it has been agreed upon
- Refusing to investigate a claim
- Rewriting policies without the client’s knowledge
- Misrepresenting the law
- Delaying payments and responses
- Not providing requests for documents, proof, and other files relevant to the claim
Our team of expert lawyers at Kenmore Law Group can help you receive the compensation you deserve in a timely manner, and if you were negatively affected by the underhanded tactics of Progressive, we will gladly file a bad faith claim on your behalf.
Why Hire a Lawyer
Hiring a lawyer has numerous benefits. The extent of your injuries could prevent you from leaving the house or make it difficult for you to take care of errands. You may not have ever dealt with an insurance claim before or you might not have the necessary experience to negotiate a worthwhile settlement. Usually, insurance agents at Progressive will not pay as much attention to normal individuals who request better offers; they can usually get away with not returning phone calls or acknowledging claims.
Once an attorney starts to handle the case, though, it becomes a different story. We have the knowledge and negotiation skills required to constantly work with the insurance agent and to make sure your case is being properly handled.
Selecting Kenmore – Highly Experienced in Accident Lawsuits Against Progressive Insurance
To speed up the process of having Progressive settle your accident claim and send you a check, reach out to a skilled attorney at Kenmore Law Group. We will aggressively pursue your rightful compensation and will not stop until we are satisfied with the offer. If we need to bring your case to court to get Progressive to pay out a settlement, we are willing to do so.
Call our law group today to speak with an experienced attorney in a free legal consultation. If you have questions about the time it takes to receive a check or the best method to negotiating a deal, we’ll talk you through the process.
If you hire us to represent you, we’ll give you our zero fee guarantee, which promises that you won’t have to pay any out of pocket expenses throughout the case. We’ll cover the costs and if we win, our fees will be paid by taking the money from the settlement Progressive has agreed to. If we lose, you don’t have to pay us anything at all.
For more information on speeding up an injury settlement with Progressive Insurance, call Kenmore Law Group in Los Angeles.