What should I do after my insurance claim is denied in California?

Get the denial in writing: California's Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations (10 California Code of Regulations section 2695.7) require insurers to state every ground and cite the policy provisions relied on. Then assemble the full policy and claim file, calendar the policy's suit deadline, and consider a Department of Insurance complaint.

Start by pinning down the reasons. California's Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations (10 California Code of Regulations section 2695.7) require a written denial stating every basis and citing the specific policy provisions, statutes, or regulations relied on, an insurer that denied by phone or with boilerplate can be asked to comply. Next, assemble the record: the complete policy including endorsements, not just the declarations page; every letter, email, and adjuster note; photographs and receipts; and independent repair or replacement estimates. Calendar the deadlines immediately, because property policies commonly require suit within 12 months of the loss (Insurance Code section 2071), tolled while the claim was pending. A California Department of Insurance complaint is free, forces a written response, and builds a record even when it does not reverse the denial. If the denial rests on a disputed valuation rather than coverage, the policy's appraisal process may resolve it faster than litigation. Unreasonable denials support a bad faith action with damages beyond policy limits.

Authority: 10 Cal. Code Regs. § 2695.7