Ross F. Mann | December 9, 2025 | Car Accidents
Understanding how long State Farm takes to settle a claim in Lexington helps you plan after a car accident. State Farm claims timelines vary based on injury severity, liability disputes, and claim complexity.
Simple claims might settle within weeks, while serious injury cases can take months or years.
Kentucky’s Legal Requirements for Claims Processing
Kentucky law requires insurers to:
- Acknowledge receipt of a claim within 15 days of notification
- To start any required investigation within 15 days of receiving proof of loss
- To affirm or deny liability within a “reasonable time”
- For undisputed claims or after liability is accepted, to pay within 30 days of receipt of the proof of loss
State Farm must follow these rules. However, “reasonable time” isn’t defined precisely. This gives insurers some flexibility.
Factors That Affect State Farm Settlement Time
Several things affect how long State Farm takes to settle your claim. Understanding these factors helps you plan for potential delays.
Key factors include:
- How serious your injuries are
- Whether the fault is clear or disputed
- Policy limits and coverage questions
- Number of people involved
- Quality of your documentation
Complex cases with permanent disabilities take longer. State Farm must investigate thoroughly before making offers.
Typical Timeline for Simple State Farm Claims
Straightforward claims with minor injuries and clear liability settle fastest. If you sustained minor injuries in a clear-fault accident with cooperative witnesses, State Farm might settle within 30 to 60 days.
The process for simple claims follows these typical steps:
- Report the accident
- State Farm assigns an adjuster
- Adjuster reviews the police report and contacts the parties
- Initial settlement offer made
- Negotiation and final settlement
However, even simple cases can drag on if you don’t respond promptly to State Farm’s requests. Missing deadlines for providing medical records or repair estimates delays your settlement.
Timeline for Serious Injury Claims
Serious injury claims take considerably longer because the settlement value depends on your full recovery. You can’t know your claim’s true worth until you complete medical treatment. Rushing to settle before understanding long-term impacts means accepting less than you deserve.
Serious injury claims typically involve these extended timeframes:
- Initial medical treatment and stabilization
- Ongoing treatment to reach maximum medical improvement
- Claim evaluation and documentation gathering
- Initial negotiation phase
- Potential litigation if the settlement fails
According to Kentucky’s Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act, insurers must attempt good-faith settlements when liability becomes reasonably clear. However, State Farm sometimes drags out serious injury claims to pressure victims into accepting less.
The Investigation Phase Timeline
State Farm’s investigation usually lasts 30 to 90 days. Complex cases can take longer. Adjusters interview everyone involved and review documents.
State Farm will request your recorded statement, medical records, employment records, photographs, and police reports. Providing these quickly helps move your claim forward. Be careful about recorded statements, though. Adjusters ask questions designed to hurt your claim.
Negotiation Timeline After Initial Offer
State Farm rarely makes fair first offers. Their initial offers usually undervalue claims. They hope you’ll accept quickly without negotiating. The negotiation phase starts when you reject this low offer.
Negotiations involve back-and-forth communication. You provide evidence for higher compensation. State Farm responds with counteroffers or requests additional documents. This process typically takes 30 to 90 days.
When Litigation Becomes Necessary
If negotiations fail, you may need to file a lawsuit. This extends your timeline significantly. Litigation takes months or years. However, filing suit often motivates State Farm to make better offers.
Kentucky’s statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits depends on the type of claim. For many kinds of claims (premises liability, slip-and-fall, product liability, etc.), you generally have one year from the date of injury to file a lawsuit.
For auto-accident injury claims under the state’s no-fault scheme (or when the tort threshold is met), you typically have two years from the accident or last PIP payment to file. Don’t wait until this deadline to reject bad offers. Starting litigation early gives you maximum leverage.
Steps You Can Take To Speed Up Your Settlement
You can’t control State Farm’s behavior, but certain actions help speed claims. Being proactive removes excuses for delays.
Actions that help include:
- Responding quickly to requests
- Organizing documents before submission
- Keeping records of all communications
- Following all medical advice
- Attending all appointments
Request written confirmation of all agreements. This stops State Farm from changing positions later. Consistent follow-through eliminates reasons for State Farm to delay.
A Lexington Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
Understanding these timelines helps you navigate the process. Legal representation provides the expertise needed to maximize compensation while avoiding common pitfalls. If State Farm is delaying your claim or offering too little, contact experienced legal counsel to protect your rights.
If you need help in Lexington, KY, contact Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers today. We offer a free consultation.
If you were injured in an accident in Lexington, and need legal help, contact our car wreck lawyer at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers, to schedule a free case review today.
We proudly serve Fayette County and the surrounding areas.
Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers – Lexington
501 Darby Creek Rd UNIT 48
Lexington, KY 40509
(859) 413-3900
