Insurance Laws by State
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed January 17, 2024
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Insurance law includes a vast expanse of statutes, codes, rules, and regulations. And to make matters a little more complicated, each state makes its own laws to regulate the insurance industry operating within its borders, though there are federal insurance laws as well.
Many insurance laws are meant to protect consumers. For example, states require insurance companies to investigate and process claims in a timely manner, either by giving specific timelines to approve, deny, or pay a claim, or by prohibiting unnecessary delays. Additional types of consumer protection laws include prohibitions on deceptive marketing practices and discrimination in selling and pricing insurance policies.
What’s Covered Under State Insurance Laws?
Other laws pertain to a certain type of insurance, like health insurance or homeowners insurance. With health insurance, federal and state laws are intertwined and constantly changing, thanks to the hot-button nature of health care in the political arena. For example, while federal law currently regulates much of the health insurance industry, individual states can choose whether or not to accept additional federal funding in order to expand Medicaid eligibility in their state.
Another area of insurance law that affects many of us is car insurance. With the exception of New Hampshire, all states require you to have car insurance, but to varying degrees. For instance, some states only require liability insurance, while others also mandate uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) and personal injury protection (PIP). State insurance laws also specify the minimum amounts of coverage required. For example, a given state might require all liability policies to carry at least $25,000 of coverage for bodily injury or death to any one person in an accident, $50,000 for bodily injury or death per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. In the statute or code, these numbers are listed as “25/50/25.”
Breaking Down State Insurance Laws
The table below lists timelines for the payment of certain insurance claims, whether the state has adopted the Medicaid expansion, and the basic auto insurance requirements for each state. Since there are exceptions to every rule, and laws are constantly changing, it’s always best to consult with an insurance law attorney who can advise you on the particulars of your case in your state.
Claims Processing Timeline in General and for Life Insurance |
Health Insurance – Medicaid Expansion |
Automobile Insurance Requirement |
State Codes and Statutes |
|
Alabama |
Life: per the policy, but not more than two months to approve, deny, begin investigation Property: 30 days |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25 |
Title 27; 27-15-13; 482-1-124; 482-1-125.07; 32-7A-4; 32-7-6 |
Alaska |
Generally: 30 days Life: per the policy, but not more than two months |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
50/100/25 (certain areas exempt) |
|
Arizona |
Generally: 30 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
15/30/10 (or self-insure with bond of $40,000) |
|
Arkansas |
Generally: 15 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25 |
|
California |
Generally: 40 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
15/30/5 (low income may qualify for 10/20/3); or self-insure with bond of $35,000 |
2695.7; 10172.5; 16430 et seq.; 16451; 16056.1; 11629.7 et seq. |
Colorado |
Generally and Life: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/15 |
|
Connecticut |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
20/40/10; UM, UIM also required |
|
Delaware |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
15/30/10; PIP also required |
|
District of Columbia |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10; UM also required |
|
Florida |
Generally: 30 days |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
10/20/10 (or self-insure); only property liability and PIP required |
|
Georgia |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25 |
|
Hawaii |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
20/40/10; PIP also required |
|
Idaho |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays Life: per the policy, but not more than two months |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/15 |
|
Illinois |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays Life: per the policy, but not more than two months |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/20; UM, UIM also required |
215-5-154.6; 215-5-229(k); 625-5-7-601; 625-5-7-203; 215-5-143a |
Indiana |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25 effective 7/1/2017 |
|
Iowa |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
20/40/15 |
|
Kansas |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10; PIP also required |
|
Kentucky |
Generally: 30 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10 (25/50/25 effective 1/1/2018); PIP also required |
304.12-235; 304.39-010; 186a.065; 304.39-080; 304.39-110; 304.39-020 |
Louisiana |
Generally: 30 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
15/30/25 |
|
Maine |
Generally: 30 days |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
50/100/25 (plus $2,000 for medical payments); UM also required |
|
Maryland |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
30/60/15; PIP, UM, UIM also required |
|
Massachusetts |
Auto (fire, theft, comprehensive): seven days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
20/40/5; PIP, UM also required |
|
Michigan |
Generally: 60 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
20/40/10; PIP also required |
|
Minnesota |
Generally: 30-60 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
30/60/10; PIP, UM, UIM also required |
|
Mississippi |
Accident & Health: 25-35 days |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25 |
|
Missouri |
Generally: No unreasonable delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10 |
|
Montana |
Generally: 30 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/20; UM also required |
|
Nebraska |
Generally: No unreasonable delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25; UM, UIM also required |
|
Nevada |
Generally: No unreasonable delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
15/30/10 |
|
New Hampshire |
Generally: 30 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
Auto insurance not required if prove financial responsibility; 25/50/25 if insurance is purchased (plus $1,000 for medical payments) |
|
New Jersey |
Generally: No unreasonable delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
Standard policy: 15/30/5 PIP, UM, UIM also required |
|
New Mexico |
Generally: 45 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10 |
|
New York |
Generally: No unreasonable or unfair delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10; PIP, UM also required |
2601; 311 et seq.; 341; 345; 3420(f)(1) |
North Carolina |
Generally: No unreasonable delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
30/60/25; UM, UIM also required |
|
North Dakota |
Generally: No unreasonable delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25; PIP, UM, UIM also required |
|
Ohio |
Generally: As soon as possible |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25 |
|
Oklahoma |
Generally: Prompt, fair settlements |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25 |
|
Oregon |
Generally: No unreasonable delays; Life: 30 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/20; PIP, UM, UIM also required |
746.230; 743.192; 806.010; 806.080; 806.070; 742.450; 742.520; 742.502 |
Pennsylvania |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays; 15 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
15/30/5; PIP also required |
|
Rhode Island |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25 (or single limit policy of $75,000) |
|
South Carolina |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25; UM also required |
|
South Dakota |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25; UM, UIM also required |
|
Tennessee |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/15 (or single limit policy of $60,000) |
|
Texas |
Generally: 15 days |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
30/60/25 |
|
Utah |
Generally: In a timely manner; |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/65/15 (or single limit policy of $80,000); PIP also required |
31a-26-301; R590-191-4 et seq.; 31a-22-302; 41-12a-301; 31a-22-304; 31a-22-307 |
Vermont |
Generally: 30 days |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10; UM, UIM also required |
|
Virginia |
Generally: No unreasonable or arbitrary denials or delays |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/20; UM, UIM also required |
|
Washington |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10 |
|
West Virginia |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays |
Has adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/25; UM also required |
|
Wisconsin |
Generally: 30 days |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/10; UM also required |
|
Wyoming |
Generally: No unreasonable denials or delays Property: 45 days |
Has not adopted Medicaid expansion |
25/50/20 |
Get Help Navigating Your State’s Insurance Laws
We all depend on our insurance policies to come through for us when we need them most. While the statutes above give a basic sense of a few insurance laws in each state, there are many more state and federal insurance laws, each with its own exceptions and qualifications. Additionally, the way courts interpret these statutes affect both your obligations and your rights under the law. And of course, insurance laws are constantly changing at both the federal and state levels. With so much at stake in a given insurance policy, it’s important to speak with an experienced professional if you’re having any issues. Learn more about pertinent insurance laws in your state by contacting a local insurance attorney today.
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