# Ohio — How long an insurer has to acknowledge, decide and pay a claim, by state: statutory and regulatory claim-handling deadlines

For Ohio, obligation is notify of need for more time; deadline is within the twenty-one day period; day type is days; clock starts from is receipt of properly executed proof(s) of loss; citation is OAC 3901-1-54, recorded from its source on 2026-08-11.

- **State:** Ohio _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Obligation:** notify of need for more time _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Deadline:** within the twenty-one day period _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Day type:** days _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Clock starts from:** receipt of properly executed proof(s) of loss
- **Citation:** OAC 3901-1-54
- **Instrument:** regulation _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Applies to:** property and casualty claims arising under insurance contracts or certificates issued to residents of Ohio

## What the source says

> If more time is needed to investigate the claim than the twenty-one days allow, the insurer shall notify the claimant within the twenty-one day period, and provide an explanation of the need for more time.

## Sources disagree

More than one authority states this, and they do not state the same
thing. Both are reproduced with the source each came from.

### Deadline

codes.ohio.gov says deadline is **within the twenty-one day period**, as of 2026-08-11.

> If more time is needed to investigate the claim than the twenty-one days allow, the insurer shall notify the claimant within the twenty-one day period, and provide an explanation of the need for more time.

Source: https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-3901-1-54

codes.ohio.gov says deadline is **at least every forty-five days**, as of 2026-08-11.

> If an extension of time is needed, the insurer has a continuing obligation to notify the claimant in writing, at least every forty-five days, of the status of the investigation and the continued time for the investigation.

Source: https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-3901-1-54


### Clock starts from

codes.ohio.gov says clock starts from is **receipt of properly executed proof(s) of loss**, as of 2026-08-11.

> If more time is needed to investigate the claim than the twenty-one days allow, the insurer shall notify the claimant within the twenty-one day period, and provide an explanation of the need for more time.

Source: https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-3901-1-54

codes.ohio.gov says clock starts from is **an extension of time is needed**, as of 2026-08-11.

> If an extension of time is needed, the insurer has a continuing obligation to notify the claimant in writing, at least every forty-five days, of the status of the investigation and the continued time for the investigation.

Source: https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-3901-1-54


## Source

- https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-3901-1-54

Last verified: 2026-08-11. Review by: 2026-12-09.
Part of [How long an insurer has to acknowledge, decide and pay a claim, by state: statutory and regulatory claim-handling deadlines](https://referencesource.org/insurance-claim-handling-deadlines/).