What are the Georgia insurance regulations around claims?
Short answer. Georgia's main claim regulation is the Insurance Commissioner's Rule 120-2-52-.03, Standards for Prompt and Fair Settlements of First Party Property Damage Claims. It sets 15-day deadlines to acknowledge a claim and send proof of loss forms, requires written notice with reasons when an insurer needs more time, generally caps the time to accept or deny at 60 days from notice, and requires payment within 10 days once the amount is no longer in dispute.
How the rule plays out on a roof claim
- Day 0. You report the storm damage. Notice given to your insurance agent counts as notice to the insurer.
- By day 15. The insurer acknowledges the claim and sends any proof of loss forms with an explanation of how to use them.
- Investigation. The adjuster inspects. If the insurer needs more time than the rule allows, it must tell you in writing why and roughly how much longer.
- Decision. The total time to accept or deny generally should not exceed 60 days from notice, unless the claim file shows the insurer is waiting on information it asked you for.
- Payment. Within 10 days after coverage is confirmed and the amount is not in dispute.
Two details homeowners miss
- The waiting-on-you exception. If the insurer requested photos, a signed proof of loss, or receipts and has not received them, the clock can stretch. Answer requests quickly and keep proof of what you sent and when.
- Written denials. A denial based on a specific policy provision, condition, or exclusion must reference it in writing. A phone call saying "it's wear and tear" is not the end of the process.
Where the rule stops
The regulation governs process, not price. It will not make an insurer accept your roofer's number, and it does not create a right to sue; violations are reported to the Commissioner. For scope disputes, see roof supplements and the appraisal clause. For the full sequence from storm to final check, see the Georgia roof claim timeline.