How Long Is an Insurance Check Good For?

If you receive an insurance check, chances are you need access to the funds quickly. But it can be easy to be forgetful. Or, perhaps a family member passed away and had an old check lying around. Can you still cash it? We’ll look at how long an insurance check is good for and if you can cash an old check.

The validity of the check depends on its expiration date. Insurance companies usually print it on any check they issue. An insurance check might read “Void after 60 days” or something similar to that. There won’t be a problem cashing the check if it hasn’t expired and was issued to you.

What If My Insurance Check Has Expired?

Banks don’t usually accept checks that are more than 6 months old. The institution can process an old check if it believes the funds are good, but the laws of the Uniform Commercial Code may prevent the bank from cashing it outright. In certain cases, the bank can choose whether to deposit the check or not. The Federal Reserve allows them the right to do so.

If you find yourself with an expired insurance check, you can:

• Ask for a New One: If the bank won’t cash the check, contact your insurance company and tell them the check was misplaced and has passed expiration. A representative might grant permission to cash the check or issue a replacement.

• See How Old It Is: The bank may be less hesitant if the check is only a few days past the expiration date. A check that expired months ago may be more difficult to cash. Plus, you could be charged returned check fees. You could avoid extra charges by asking the insurer to reissue the check.

• Examine the Check: Is the check damaged? If so, it may need to be reissued, especially if the account number or routing number is missing or illegible. Contact the insurance company to determine the next steps.

• See Who It Was Issued To: If the check says “For Deposit Only” with your name, it must be deposited or cashed by you. You can’t cash a check issued to another individual regardless if it’s still valid or not. To cash an old insurance check payable to someone else, you must have a power of attorney or some other authorization.

Am I Allowed to Keep My Insurance Check?

If you have a check from your auto insurance company, you may be required to sign it over to a lender, the company you leased the vehicle from, or the shop that fixed it. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure the check is processed before it expires. But if you own the car outright and don’t owe any payments on it, you can keep the check and use the funds for whatever you want. 

Call Jacob with Any Additional Insurance Check Questions

Receiving an insurance check isn’t always easy. And there may be rules on how to handle it. Always be aware of how long an insurance check is good for. But if you don’t think your insurer is paying the full value of what your claim is worth, The Law Offices of Jacob Emrani can negotiate on your behalf. We’ve helped many people get properly compensated for accidents and personal injuries. Contact us for your free case estimate or call (888) 952-2952 today to learn more.