What should I expect from State Farm after an accident?

By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.

Beverly Law is not affiliated with State Farm.

How State Farm is organized

State Farm says it was founded in 1922 by George J. Mecherle as “a small mutual insurer in Illinois,” and that it “is owned by its policyholders, not stockholders” (State Farm history). State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company lists its address in Bloomington, Illinois. The company explains that a mutual insurer “has no shareholders” and that policyholders are considered members (State Farm on mutual insurers).

State Farm is a large share of the market in two of the three states, according to regulator data for 2025:

• Texas: 17.85 percent of private passenger auto premium for all coverages, second among insurance groups (TDI market report).
• California: 12.84 percent of private passenger auto liability premium (CDI market share report).

Reporting the claim

State Farm’s auto claims page lists 800-SF-CLAIM for filing by phone and also takes claims online and through its app, where you can check status, upload photos and documents, and set up direct deposit (State Farm auto claims). It describes five steps: you tell State Farm what happened, it checks it out, you get an estimate and repairs, it pays the shop, deposits the money in your account or sends a check, and you get back on the road. For a rental, State Farm says to look for an “R” in the coverages line of your insurance card (State Farm claims).

If a State Farm customer hit you, know what the company tells that customer. Its liability page says State Farm “will conduct an investigation to assess any allegations” and tells customers to avoid “voluntary payments, obligations, or admissions of liability/fault” (State Farm liability claims). Do not expect the other driver to admit fault on the phone. Build the fault case with photos, witnesses and the police report, and read our page on comparative fault to see how shared blame is counted.

When State Farm is your insurer: the deadlines

California. After proof of claim, State Farm has 40 calendar days to accept or deny, and a denial must list every basis in writing. If it needs more time, it must say so in writing within those 40 days, explain what it needs, and repeat the notice every 30 days. Once it accepts, payment is due within 30 days (10 CCR 2695.7).

Texas. On a first-party claim, the insurer must acknowledge and begin investigating within 15 days, decide within 15 business days after it receives everything it asked for, and pay within 5 business days after saying it will. If it delays payment more than 60 days after receiving the items it requested, with no other statutory deadline, it owes 18 percent annual interest and attorney’s fees (Ins. Code 542.055 to 542.060). Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou.

Washington. The insurer must acknowledge within 10 business days (WAC 284-30-360), finish the investigation within 30 calendar days unless it reasonably cannot, with written status notices every 30 days after that (WAC 284-30-370), and tell you within 30 calendar days after notice of the claim whether it accepts or denies it, or give you its reasons in writing if it needs more time (WAC 284-30-380). Those deadlines took effect on October 18, 2026. A policyholder unreasonably denied coverage or benefits can sue for actual damages, and the court may raise the award to as much as three times actual damages and must award attorney’s fees, after 20 days’ written notice to the insurer and the Insurance Commissioner (RCW 48.30.015).

Underinsured motorist claims: two court rulings

When the at-fault driver’s limits run out, your claim turns to your own underinsured motorist coverage. Two State Farm cases show how courts handle disputes over it.

In April 2025, in a case brought against State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, the Texas Supreme Court held that a trial court should have paused the insured’s extra-contractual claims and blocked a deposition of State Farm’s corporate representative while the underinsured claim itself was pending. The court wrote that inquiry into extra-contractual matters “is improper before an insured has established her entitlement to UIM benefits” (In re State Farm).

In 2017, the Washington Supreme Court ruled in an underinsured motorist dispute that the Insurance Fair Conduct Act “does not create an independent cause of action for regulatory violations” and affirmed judgment for State Farm (Perez-Crisantos). A violation of a claims rule alone was not enough to sue under that act. See making a UIM claim for the steps.

Statements, medical records and the defense medical exam

No law we found requires you to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement. Your own policy is a contract, so read what it says about cooperating before you talk to your own adjuster, as our page on calling your own insurer explains.

A medical authorization should be read before signing. Federal privacy rules require it to state when it expires and that you may revoke it in writing (45 CFR 164.508).

If a lawsuit is filed, the defense can seek a defense medical exam. In California, the defense may demand one physical exam in a personal injury case (CCP 2032.220), and your attorney may attend and record it by audio (CCP 2032.510). Texas and Washington require a court order based on good cause (Tex. R. Civ. P. 204.1; CR 35).

For a totaled car in California, an insurer may base the cash offer on the average cost of two or more comparable cars and must itemize and explain it in writing when it makes the offer (10 CCR 2695.8(b)).

Where to complain

• California Department of Insurance: 1-800-927-4357 (CDI)
• Texas Department of Insurance: 800-252-3439 (TDI)
• Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner: 800-562-6900 (OIC)

What this means for your case

Keep a log of every contact with State Farm: date, name, what was asked and what you sent. The deadlines above run from specific events, so the log is how you prove a delay. If State Farm insures you and the other driver, two adjusters may handle the two claims, and each one’s job is different. If State Farm offers to settle, read what happens if you reject a settlement offer before you answer.

Common questions

Related pages

Injury law FAQs

Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 7, 2026.