Texas claim deadline calculator
Turn your notice date into the full set of statutory deadlines — acknowledgment, acceptance, payment, the 60-day backstop, 542A notice and suit limitations — and see which have passed.
Every deadline in the Texas prompt-payment statute
Chapter 542, Subchapter B of the Texas Insurance Code sets a sequence of deadlines for first-party claims. Each is measured from a specific event, and two of them count business days — days other than Saturdays, Sundays and holidays recognized by Texas (§542.051(1)). This calculator applies those rules to your dates.
| Step | Statute | Standard insurer | Surplus lines insurer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acknowledge, begin investigation, request items | §542.055(a) | 15 days after notice | 30 business days |
| Accept or reject in writing | §542.056(a) | 15 business days after receiving all items | 15 business days |
| Accept or reject — arson suspected | §542.056(b) | 30 days after receiving items | 30 days |
| Decide after notice that more time is needed | §542.056(d) | 45 days after that notice | 45 days |
| Pay after acceptance | §542.057 | 5 business days | 20 business days |
| Pay in any event | §542.058(a) | 60 days after receiving all items | 60 days |
| Declared weather catastrophe | §542.059(b) | Claim-handling deadlines extended 15 days | |
Beyond Chapter 542
- Chapter 542A pre-suit notice. For weather claims, written notice must be given at least 61 days before suit is filed (§542A.003). The insurer can ask to inspect within 30 days of receiving it (§542A.004). Use the 542A notice calculator for detail.
- TWIA policies. A Texas Windstorm Insurance Association claim must be filed within one year of the date of damage (§2210.573(a)); the commissioner can extend that up to 180 days for good cause (§2210.205(b)).
- Lawsuit limitations. Many policies require suit within two years and one day after the cause of action accrues. Texas will not enforce a contractual limit shorter than two years (Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.070). Claims under Insurance Code Chapter 541 have a two-year limit (§541.162). When accrual happens is a legal question — the date shown here is measured from the date of loss as a cautious planning date only.
The calculator skips the national holidays in Government Code §662.003(a) and the state holidays in §662.003(b) (Confederate Heroes Day, Texas Independence Day, San Jacinto Day, Emancipation Day, LBJ Day, the day after Thanksgiving, December 24 and 26). Optional holidays are counted as business days. Holidays that fall on a weekend are not moved.
Questions about this tool
Does the 60-day clock start when I file the claim?
Not usually. §542.058 measures 60 days from the date the insurer received all items, statements and forms it reasonably requested under §542.055. If the insurer never asked for anything, the claim notice itself may be the starting point — a fact-specific question.
What is a business day under the Texas Insurance Code?
A day other than a Saturday, Sunday or holiday recognized by Texas (§542.051(1)).
Do catastrophe extensions apply automatically?
Only when the Texas commissioner of insurance has declared a weather-related catastrophe or major natural disaster. Then the claim-handling deadlines in the subchapter are extended by 15 days (§542.059(b)).
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