How to File a Claim Dispute With the State
2. Gather evidence
You’ll need to submit evidence that the insurance company is breaking state law or treating you unfairly. Depending on what your dispute is about, this might include copies of:
- The name and address of your insurance company, agent and/or adjuster
- Documentation (appraisals, photographs, claim-denial letters and dated correspondence with the insurer, like emails and call logs)
- Your car insurance policy or declarations page (the first page of your policy)
- Claim form and claim number
- Insurance identification card
3. Write a detailed complaint
Along with the evidence, you’ll need to write a complaint letter to the state department. This should be as detailed as possible about what went wrong, how long the issue has persisted and how the company violated the terms of your policy.
However, you don’t want to go on a tangent and get off topic. “When you’re writing this complaint, try to be fact-based and avoid emotional language,“ says DeLong. “Focus on the specific dispute.”
Complaint forms generally also include a “what would you like the insurer to do?” or a similar section. Complete this section by briefly explaining how you want the dispute to be resolved. That said, this doesn’t necessarily mean your ideal outcome will happen.
4. Submit complaint
Some states have online portals that allow you to submit complaints, while other DOI websites reroute you to the NAIC’s complaint form for your state. You might also be able to download the form and send it as an attachment via email, or print it and send it through the mail or fax. Make sure all the necessary attachments are included.
5. Receive confirmation and reference number from the DOI
After the state receives your complaint, you’ll get a confirmation letter from the DOI through the online portal, email or regular mail. The letter will include a reference number for your complaint. If your confirmation letter doesn’t include a DOI contact, you can request one if you have questions or want to follow up, says DeLong.
The state typically sends a copy of your complaint to the insurance company in order to get its response and explanation on the dispute. Some states might allow you to opt-out of this. For example, Nevada lets you mark the complaint as confidential and will not log it in the public system or send it to the insurer. However, the Nevada DOI website warns that this can slow the process down.
6. Wait for response or resolution
Insurance companies must reply to the state insurance department within a certain timeframe, such as seven to 30 business days, but it varies by state. You don’t personally have to let the insurance company know that you filed a complaint, but sometimes it might be beneficial, as the threat of getting regulators involved might compel the insurer to speed up a resolution.
“That’s kind of the best-case scenario, where they get the threat of being held accountable for their misbehavior, it gets them to become a better actor,” says DeLong. “Other times though, they may dig their heels in” and extend the dispute to the insurance regulator.
7. Follow up with the DOI if necessary
How long it will take to resolve the dispute depends on your state insurance department, insurance company and the complexities of the complaint. For example, the California department of insurance says the average time for resolution is 45 days—longer for complex cases and possibly within hours or days for simple cases.
Depending on the state, you might be able to check the status of your complaint online. If it’s been a few weeks or a month, send an email to the state insurance department or follow up over the phone. Provide your complaint reference number when you follow up.
The state DOI might be able to give you a timeframe or an idea of where things are in the investigation. “Remember this is their job. They’re supposed to help you and they’re supposed to be responsible to the constituents,” says DeLong.
What to expect after you file a complaint
After a complaint is filed, the state insurance department will investigate both sides. It will then send you written confirmation of the completion of its investigation, as well as the company’s response. This might be:
- Resolution. A summary of the settlement, or what the company is now agreeing to offer you, depending on what the dispute was.
- Corrective action. A notice of penalties or actions the department is implementing if it found the insurance company broke laws, policy terms or regulations.
- Closure notice. An explanation about why the state is closing the complaint if no violations were found.
- Status update. More time or a request for additional information if needed to further the investigation.
According to the NAIC, the majority of complaints in 2025 (about 69%) resulted in:
- The company’s position being overturned
- A compromised settlement or resolution
- A claim settlement
Only about 4% resulted in the company’s position being upheld.
Complaints against insurers are generally logged with the state by category (such as claim denial complaint, claim delayed complaint), but your personal information is kept private. State insurance departments send data to the NAIC. The NAIC divides a company’s number of closed and confirmed complaints with its amount of business in the state to calculate the insurer’s complaint ratio. These ratios and other information are available through its complaint database.
