Stephen Schultz | June 5, 2025 | Personal Injury
If you’ve had to file an insurance claim with State Farm, you’re probably impatient to receive a payout. You may be wondering, “How long does State Farm take to settle a personal injury claim ?”
Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer, and there are several factors that influence your claim timeline. Here’s a closer look.
How Long Does State Farm Take To Settle A Claim?
There’s a significant amount of variation when it comes to insurance claim timelines. Generally, straightforward cases involving relatively low claim amounts will be settled much faster than those involving complex circumstances and large settlement amounts.
On the low end, claims can be settled in a few weeks. On the higher end, you may have to wait three to six months (and sometimes even longer) to receive a payout.
Factors Impacting State Farm’s Claims Timeline
There are a number of factors influencing your claim timeline. These are some of the most influential:
Circumstances Of The Accident Or Injury
If it’s very clear that a single party was responsible, your claim may be approved more quickly. However, a settlement could take longer if multiple parties share liability or liability is contested.
How Long It Takes Your Injuries To Heal
Serious injuries that take a long time to heal will usually delay your claim. Before offering you a settlement, State Farm will want to make sure all of your medical expenses are included.
Most insurance companies want to wait until you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) before paying a claim. If your injuries are complex and severe enough, it may take several months or even years to reach MMI.
Whether You’re Still In Physical Therapy Or Counseling
In a similar vein, State Farm may be hesitant to approve your claim if you are still attending mental health counseling, physical therapy, or both.
State Farm’s Total Workload
If State Farm is trying to process more claims than usual, your claim may take longer than expected. For example, if you file a home insurance claim after a tornado, many other homeowners are likely doing the same, which can lead to major delays.
What If State Farm Acts In Bad Faith?
Sometimes, processing your claim takes longer than expected for legitimate reasons. However, if State Farm continues to delay without a clear reason, it may be acting in bad faith.
When an insurance company acts in bad faith, it prioritizes its own financial interests over its contractual obligations to policyholders. These are some common examples of bad-faith tactics:
- Unreasonable communication delays
- Repeatedly asking for redundant or unrelated documentation
- Deliberately misconstruing policy terms
- Telling policyholders they shouldn’t seek legal support
- Failing to make a fair settlement offer
For instance, imagine you are badly hurt in a highway crash and file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance. You include ample documentation of injuries, but the insurer repeatedly asks for seemingly unnecessary documents. Eventually, it says your claim is approved, but it offers to pay only half of what your medical bills cost.
In this case, the insurer has used two bad-faith tactics — unreasonable delays and underpaying. If State Farm uses these or other bad-faith tactics, an attorney may be able to help you pursue legal action.
Contact the St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyers at Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers
If you believe State Farm is unfairly delaying your claim or acting in bad faith, don’t wait. An experienced St. Louis bad faith attorney can help evaluate your situation, explain your rights, and take legal action if necessary.
Contact Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. We’ll help you determine whether you have a valid claim and fight to hold the insurer accountable.
If you Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation, we proudly serve all throughout Missouri, including St. Louis County and Boone County and we have offices in St. Louis, Ladue, Columbia, Creve Coeur.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Louis Office
1430 Washington Ave Ste 225
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 444-4444
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Ladue Office
9807 S 40 Dr
St. Louis, MO 63124
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Columbia Office
28 N 8th St # 502
Columbia, MO 65201
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Creve Coeur Office
999 Executive Pkwy Dr #205
Creve Coeur, MO 63141
