Legal Question in Insurance Law in Texas

timely auto claim

Is there a specific time line on auto insurance companies accident investigations? I was hit in traffic at the beginning of the week and the other driver was cited. When I called their insurer on Thursday, the insurance co. said they had not begun their investigation yet and that it would probably be another week. They went on to say that a police citation did not necessarily indicate fault. How long should I wait for them to do the honorable thing?


Asked on 2/12/04, 1:09 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Dan Street Street Law Firm

Re: timely auto claim

If you are waiting for an insurance company to "do the honorable thing," I'm afraid you'll be waiting all through that snowstorm in hell. Unfortunately, in Texas, there is no timeline in which the other party's insurance company must act in processing your claim. And, thanks to our current all-Republican Supreme Court, you have no standing to claim bad faith against the other party's insurance company, no matter what they do (or fail to do). In short, the only way to make an insurance company behave is to hire a lawyer and file suit against their insured. Even though that is certainly no "quick fix," it's about the only language an insurance company understands.

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Answered on 2/12/04, 2:06 pm


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