If you filed an insurance claim in Nevada and the insurance company has gone quiet, you probably have questions about how long it can take. Insurance companies in Nevada are required by law to investigate claims within specific deadlines, but many claimants never learn what those deadlines are until the process has already stalled. Once you know the timeline, you can spot when an insurer is breaking the rules and when it is simply doing its job.
This guide covers what happens at each stage of the process and what you can do if your claim is being delayed. If your insurer is stalling, call Drummond Law Firm at (702) 366-9966 for a free consultation.
What Are Nevada’s Deadlines for Insurance Claim Investigations?
Nevada law sets specific deadlines for every insurance claim investigation, starting from the moment the company receives notice. These rules apply to auto insurance, property insurance, and liability claims, among others. The deadlines are measured in working days, not calendar days, which means the actual timeline is longer than most claimants expect. Thirty working days translates to roughly six calendar weeks once weekends and holidays are factored in.
The total timeline from filing to payment is approximately 80 working days, or roughly three to four calendar months. That window can grow longer if the insurer requests extensions or if your claim involves complex liability disputes.
What Happens at Each Stage of the Claims Process?
The Nevada insurance claims process moves through three distinct phases, each with its own deadline and requirements. Each phase has a clear deadline, and if the insurer misses one, that failure becomes part of the record and may strengthen your legal position later.
Acknowledgment and Claim Forms
Under NAC 686A.665, the insurer must acknowledge your claim within 20 working days of receiving notice. During this period, the company is also required to provide you with all necessary claim forms, instructions, and guidance to comply with the policy terms. If the insurer fails to acknowledge your claim within this window, it is already falling short of Nevada’s fair claims handling standards.
Investigation
NAC 686A.670 requires the insurer to begin its investigation within 20 working days of receiving notice and complete it within 30 days. During this phase, the adjuster reviews medical records, police reports, witness statements, and any other evidence relevant to your case. If the insurer needs more time to finish, it must notify you in writing and explain why additional time is needed. A vague explanation or no explanation at all often signals that the delay is strategic rather than legitimate.
Decision and Payment
Once the insurer receives your completed proof of loss, it has 30 working days to accept or deny the claim under NAC 686A.675. A denial must be in writing and must cite the specific policy provision, condition, or exclusion that supports the decision. If the claim is accepted, payment must follow within 30 days. Late payments trigger interest at the rate established under NRS 99.040, which creates a financial incentive for the insurer to pay on time rather than hold your money.
Can an Insurance Company Extend the Investigation?
Yes. If the investigation cannot reasonably be completed within the standard 30-day window, the insurer can request additional time. The company must provide a written explanation within 30 working days after receiving your proof of loss. It must continue sending updates every 30 days for as long as the investigation remains incomplete. This requirement is codified in NAC 686A.675(3) and exists to prevent insurers from leaving claims open indefinitely without accountability.
Legitimate reasons for an extension include complex liability disputes involving multiple parties, outstanding medical records, or ongoing law enforcement investigations. These situations require additional time that the standard 30-day window does not allow. Repeated extension requests that lack clear justification or that cite the same vague reason each time can signal delay tactics rather than a genuine need for more information.
Does the Timeline Differ for First-Party and Third-Party Claims?
The statutory deadlines under NAC 686A apply to first-party claims, which are claims you file with your own insurance company under your own policy. When you are the policyholder, the insurer has a contractual obligation to handle your claim within the timelines Nevada law requires.
Third-party claims operate differently. A third-party claim is one you file against the at-fault driver’s insurance company after an accident. Because you do not have a contract with that insurer, the specific deadlines in NAC 686A.665 and 686A.675 do not apply in the same way. The at-fault driver’s insurer still owes a duty of good faith under NRS 686A.310, but in practice, third-party claims often take longer because the company has less regulatory pressure to resolve them quickly.
After a car accident in Las Vegas, this gap shapes how quickly your claim moves and how much pressure you can apply. A first-party claim against your own insurer carries clear deadlines and built-in enforcement mechanisms. A third-party claim against the other driver’s insurer carries a good faith obligation but no fixed calendar.
For example, if another driver ran a red light and caused the crash, you would file a third-party claim against that driver’s insurer. That company has no contract with you and no regulatory deadline forcing it to respond within 20 or 30 working days. The adjuster may take weeks to return a phone call simply because there is no rule saying otherwise. Having an attorney involved early can prevent the other driver’s insurer from using this gap to stall your claim indefinitely.
What Are the Signs of an Unreasonable Delay?
Some delays in the claims process are legitimate, but others are designed to frustrate you into accepting less than your claim is worth. If you settle too early or miss your window to take legal action, you lose your ability to fight back permanently.
Repeated requests for documents you have already submitted is one of the most common delay tactics. Long periods of silence from your adjuster, unexplained changes in who is handling your file, and vague responses to direct questions about the status of your investigation are also red flags. An insurer that issues a lowball offer without completing a full investigation may be trying to close your claim before the evidence supports a higher payout. Another warning sign is an adjuster who verbally agrees to a timeline but never confirms it in writing, which makes the commitment impossible to enforce.
If your insurer has not provided a written update within 30 days of the last communication, that silence may itself be a violation of NAC 686A.675(3). Insurers that miss this update requirement create a documented record of noncompliance that can support a formal complaint or legal action.
What Is Insurance Bad Faith Under Nevada Law?
Insurance bad faith occurs when an insurer acts unreasonably and with knowledge that there is no reasonable basis for its conduct. Bad faith goes beyond a dispute over dollar amounts. It means the insurer knowingly ignored the evidence, misrepresented your policy, or deliberately delayed a payment it knew it owed.
NRS 686A.310 is Nevada’s Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act. This statute defines the specific insurer behaviors that qualify as bad faith. They include failing to conduct a reasonable investigation, misrepresenting policy provisions, and refusing to pay a claim without a proper basis for denial. The law applies to both first-party and third-party claims.
If your insurer engaged in bad faith, you may be entitled to recover compensation beyond the original claim amount, including the financial losses you suffered because of the delay itself. In cases involving especially egregious conduct, punitive damages may also apply. Nevada courts have also awarded attorney fees and costs in bad faith cases, which means pursuing accountability does not have to come at your own expense. The frustration of watching your claim stall while your bills pile up is real, and Nevada law gives you real options to push back.
What Can You Do If Your Insurance Claim Is Being Delayed?
Document every interaction with your insurer from the moment you suspect a delay. Write down the date, the name of the adjuster you spoke with, and the substance of every phone call. Follow up every verbal conversation with an email summarizing what was discussed so there is a written record.
Request written explanations for any delays and keep copies of all correspondence in a dedicated file. If the insurer cannot provide a clear reason for the holdup, that absence of justification strengthens your position.
You can file a formal complaint with the Nevada Division of Insurance if you believe the insurer is violating the state’s claims handling regulations. The Division has the authority to investigate and impose penalties on insurers that fail to meet their obligations. Complaints can be filed online or by phone, and the Division tracks patterns of noncompliance across insurers statewide. Even if your individual complaint does not trigger immediate action, it adds to the regulatory record that holds insurers accountable over time.
A personal injury attorney who understands Nevada insurance law creates the legal pressure that internal complaints and phone calls alone cannot generate.
What Sets Drummond Law Firm Apart?
Most law firms tell you to call an attorney when your insurance claim stalls, but few explain what happens once you do. At Drummond Law Firm, the first step is a preservation and demand letter sent directly to the insurer. This letter puts the company on notice that legal counsel is involved and creates the documented paper trail that supports a bad faith claim if the delay continues.
We enforce every statutory deadline in your case and pursue every available remedy when the insurer falls short. When an adjuster misses an update window under NAC 686A.675 or fails to provide a written reason for a delay, we document it and add it to your file.
Our founding attorney’s background as a former JAG officer means our firm approaches insurance disputes the way a military operation approaches a mission: with a clear plan, defined objectives, and zero tolerance for delay. Many insurers accelerate their investigations once a trial-ready firm is involved, because further stalling only increases their legal exposure.
How Drummond Law Firm Can Help
Drummond Law Firm holds insurance companies accountable when they delay, underpay, or deny valid claims in Nevada. Our attorneys have handled insurance disputes across Las Vegas and Clark County. We understand the tactics adjusters use to stall claims and pressure claimants into accepting less than they are owed.
Craig Drummond, a former U.S. Army Captain and Bronze Star recipient, brings military discipline and a proven trial record to every insurance dispute his firm handles. He has secured multi-million-dollar results for clients throughout Nevada, and his willingness to take cases to trial is what keeps insurers from treating your claim as an afterthought.
Our Reduced Fee Guarantee ensures we will never take more than the client receives in a settlement. You will not pay a fee unless we win your case, so call the Captain today at (702) 366-9966 to schedule a free consultation.
