Insurance claim
Also known as: Claim · First notice of loss · FNOL · Claims adjustment
A policyholder's or third party's request for payment after a covered event — collision, theft, fire, damage — which obliges the insurer to investigate it and, if valid, pay.
At Zarv
Claims investigated 34x faster, with more than 15 sources cross-checked by AI.
A claim opens a process: first notice of loss, then adjustment — the insurer checks whether the event is covered, whether it happened as described and what the loss is worth — and then payment or denial. That adjustment is where the real cost of insurance gets decided.
In the US, claims handling is regulated by the states. Most have adopted some version of the NAIC's Unfair Claims Settlement Practices model act, which prohibits practices such as failing to acknowledge communications promptly, refusing to pay without a reasonable investigation, or not affirming or denying coverage within a reasonable time. The companion model regulation sets concrete clocks — acknowledge a claim within 15 days, accept or deny within 21 days of proof of loss — but each state writes its own deadlines, so the rule is always the local one.
The bottleneck is evidence. A crash account, a police report and a few photos rarely suffice to confirm or contest how the event unfolded, and manual investigation takes weeks the deadlines do not allow. Zarv Lens reconstructs the event from location, telemetry and collision physics, cross-checking more than 15 sources and delivering a court-ready report — 34 times faster than manual investigation.
Frequently asked questions
What is an insurance claim?
It is a formal request to an insurer for payment under a policy after a covered loss, such as a crash, a theft or a fire. Filing it starts an adjustment process in which the insurer verifies coverage, how the event happened and the amount of the loss.
How long does an insurance company have to pay a claim?
It depends on the state. Many states follow the NAIC model regulation, which asks insurers to acknowledge a claim within 15 days, accept or deny it within 21 days of receiving proof of loss, and pay within 30 days once liability is affirmed. Check your state insurance department for the exact rule.
What is a salvage title?
A title brand a state applies to a vehicle an insurer has declared a total loss. Insurers report salvage and total-loss vehicles to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, so a buyer can check a vehicle's history before purchase.