In North Carolina, there is no single statute that forces an insurance adjuster to respond to a personal injury demand packet within a specific number of days. In practice, many adjusters acknowledge receipt within a few business days and provide a substantive response (offer, counteroffer, or request for more information) within a few weeks, but timing varies widely. If the insurer says it did not receive the packet, the “clock” usually does not start until you can confirm delivery.
In North Carolina personal injury claims, you are asking how long an insurance adjuster should take to respond after the insurer receives a demand packet, especially where the insurer says the earlier fax was not received and your law firm is resending the packet by email with the claim number in the subject line.
North Carolina law generally expects insurers to handle claims communications and investigations in a reasonably prompt way, but it usually does not set a hard deadline for responding to a settlement demand packet in an ordinary injury claim. A demand packet is part of settlement negotiations, not a court filing, so the response timeline is often driven by practical factors: whether the insurer confirms receipt, whether liability is disputed, whether medical treatment is ongoing, whether records and bills are complete, and whether the adjuster needs supervisor authority to make an offer.
If an insurer delays without a reasonable basis or ignores communications, that conduct can raise separate issues under North Carolina’s insurance claims-handling rules and (in some situations) unfair or deceptive trade practice principles. Those issues are fact-specific and typically depend on a pattern of conduct, documentation, and whether the insurer had enough information to evaluate the claim.
Apply the Rule to the Facts: Here, the key issue is receipt. Because the insurer says the earlier fax was not received, a “usual response time” is hard to measure until the resent demand packet is delivered and logged to the correct claim number. Resending by email to the insurer’s claims inbox with the claim number in the subject line is a practical step that often speeds up internal routing and makes it easier to prove delivery and follow up.
In North Carolina, an insurance adjuster is not usually bound by a fixed number of days to respond to a personal injury demand packet, and real-world response times vary from a few business days (to acknowledge receipt) to a few weeks (for a substantive offer or counteroffer). In your situation, the first priority is confirming delivery since the insurer says the earlier fax was not received. Next step: resend the demand packet by email with the claim number in the subject line and request written confirmation of receipt.
If you’re dealing with a personal injury demand packet that the insurer says it never received—or you’re stuck waiting on an adjuster to respond—our firm has experienced attorneys who can help you document delivery, set reasonable follow-up steps, and protect your deadlines while negotiations continue. Reach out today. Call (800) 333-4444.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about North Carolina law based on the single question stated above. It is not legal advice for your specific situation and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws, procedures, and local practice can change and may vary by county. If you have a deadline, act promptly and speak with a licensed North Carolina attorney.
