6.2 Hawaii Claim Deadlines: 15 Working Days, 30 Calendar Days, PIP, Health Claims & How to Count Days
Key Takeaways
Claim communications from policyholders, other persons including the commissioner, and other involved insurers must receive a substantive response within 15 working days (HRS § 431:13-103(a)(11)(B)).
When liability is affirmed and the amount is determined and undisputed, payment must be offered within 30 calendar days; any claim unresolved 30 calendar days after it was reported needs a reasonable written explanation of the delay (HRS § 431:13-103(a)(11)(F), (G)).
PIP benefits are due within 30 days after reasonable proof and demand; a denial or a request for more documents must also go out in writing within 30 days, and late PIP benefits bear interest at 1.5% per month (HRS § 431:10C-304).
Health insurers must pay uncontested claims within 30 calendar days (paper) or 15 calendar days (electronic), and late payments bear 15% annual interest (HRS § 431:13-108).
Under HRS § 1-29, a deadline is counted by excluding the first day and including the last; if the last day is a Sunday or a state holiday, it is also excluded.
6.2 Hawaii Claim Deadlines: 15 Working Days, 30 Calendar Days, PIP, Health Claims & How to Count Days
Promptness is a legal duty in Hawaii, not just good service. Deadlines appear in the unfair claim settlement practices list (6.1), the commissioner's inquiry rule (5.1), the motor vehicle insurance law, the health claims statute, and the public adjuster contract law. This section puts them in one place and shows how to count them.
The Core Property and Casualty Deadlines
| Deadline | Trigger | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 working days | Receipt of a communication about a claim from the policyholder, any other person (including the commissioner), or another involved insurer | Respond with reasonable promptness, in no case later; the response must be more than an acknowledgment and must adequately address the concerns | HRS § 431:13-103(a)(11)(B) |
| 15 working days | Receipt of the commissioner's written inquiry about a claim, complaint or sales practice | Written, substantive response | HRS §§ 431:2-208(c), 431:13-103(f) |
| 30 calendar days | Affirmation of liability, when the amount of the claim is determined and not in dispute | Offer payment | HRS § 431:13-103(a)(11)(F) |
| 30 calendar days | The date the claim was reported | If still unresolved, give the insured (or beneficiary) a reasonable written explanation of the delay | HRS § 431:13-103(a)(11)(G) |
| A reasonable time | Completion of proof of loss statements | Affirm or deny coverage | HRS § 431:13-103(a)(11)(E) |
What a Compliant Response Looks Like
The 15-working-day rule is not met by an automated "we received your letter" notice. The statute requires the response to adequately address the concerns stated. If a contractor sends a supplement, the adjuster's reply should say whether it is accepted, what is disputed and why, or what information is still needed.
Delay Letters
The statute requires a reasonable written explanation of the delay for every claim still unresolved 30 calendar days after it was reported. It does not prescribe a form or a fixed schedule of follow-up letters. Good practice — and a strong defense in a later bad faith claim — is a letter that:
- states the specific reason the claim is not resolved (for example, an engineer's report or police reconstruction is pending);
- lists any documents needed from the insured; and
- gives an estimated decision date.
Many insurers also send periodic status updates until the claim is resolved.
Hawaii Motor Vehicle PIP Deadlines (HRS § 431:10C-304)
| Event | Deadline | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Insurer receives reasonable proof of the fact and amount of benefits accrued, and a demand for payment | 30 days | Pay the PIP benefits |
| Insurer decides to deny in whole or in part | Within the 30 days | Notify the claimant in writing of the denial and reasons, on a commissioner-approved form, mailed in triplicate. For medical services, a copy also goes to the provider |
| Insurer needs more information to decide | Within the 30 days | Send the claimant an itemized list of the documents required, with a copy to the provider for medical services |
| Benefits still unpaid after the 30 days | Ongoing | Interest at 1.5% per month on the overdue amount |
| Claimant must hire a lawyer to collect benefits found due | — | Insurer pays attorney's fees and costs in addition to the benefits, subject to § 431:10C-211 |
PIP benefits are paid without regard to fault, generally directly to the provider of services, as the benefits accrue (8.2).
Health Insurance Claims (HRS § 431:13-108)
Hawaii's health claims statute applies to comprehensive medical plans, mutual benefit societies, dental service corporations and HMOs. Property and casualty adjusters meet it when coordinating benefits on injury claims.
| Claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Uncontested claim filed in writing | Pay within 30 calendar days |
| Uncontested claim filed electronically | Pay within 15 calendar days |
| Contested, denied or needs more time — written claim | Notice within 15 calendar days |
| Contested, denied or needs more time — electronic claim | Notice within 7 calendar days |
| Late payment | Interest at 15% a year |
Other Hawaii Claim Clocks
| Clock | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 72 hours after a loss is reported | If the insurer pays or commits in writing to pay applicable limits, the public adjuster may not take a percentage fee | HRS § 431:9-244(d) (5.5) |
| 3 business days after signing | Insured may rescind a public adjuster contract in writing; refund within 15 business days | HRS § 431:9-244(f), (g) |
| 3 working days after a nonresident starts work | Insurer, adjusting company or producer files the emergency registration letter | HRS § 431:9-201(b) (5.3) |
| 30 days | Return funds held by an adjuster must be returned unless the owner directs otherwise in writing | HRS § 431:9-230 |
| 60 days | Insurer reports credible information of insurance fraud to the fraud branch | HRS § 431:2-409 |
| 7 working days | Employer reports a work injury causing absence of a day or more, or treatment beyond first aid, to the director of labor and industrial relations | HRS § 386-95 (8.5) |
Counting Days Under Hawaii Law
Computation Rule (HRS § 1-29)
The time for doing an act provided by law is computed by excluding the first day and including the last. If the last day is a Sunday or a holiday, it is also excluded. Saturday is excluded only when rules of court so provide.
Working Days Versus Calendar Days
- Calendar days count every day, including weekends and holidays (subject to the § 1-29 rule for the last day).
- Working days are not defined in article 13, but they are ordinarily understood to exclude Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays. Insurers usually compute them that way.
Hawaii State Holidays (HRS § 8-1)
Hawaii observes the usual national holidays plus three state-specific days, all of which matter for working-day counts:
- Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Day — March 26;
- King Kamehameha I Day — June 11; and
- Statehood Day — the third Friday in August.
Good Friday and general election days (in the county where the election is held) are also state holidays.
Worked Example: 15 Working Days
The Insurance Division mails an inquiry that an adjuster receives on Friday, June 5, 2026.
- Exclude the day of receipt (June 5).
- Count working days starting Monday, June 8: June 8, 9 and 10 are days 1–3.
- Thursday, June 11 is King Kamehameha I Day, a state holiday, so it is skipped.
- June 12 is day 4; June 15–19 are days 5–9; June 22–26 are days 10–14.
- Monday, June 29, 2026 is day 15 — the response deadline.
Worked Example: 30 Calendar Days
A claim is reported on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Excluding July 1 and counting 30 calendar days, the 30th day is Friday, July 31, 2026. If the claim is unresolved on that day, the written delay explanation is due. Had the 30th day fallen on a Sunday or a state holiday, § 1-29 would move it to the next day.
An adjuster receives a contractor's supplement request on behalf of the insured. Which response satisfies Hawaii's 15-working-day communication rule?
No response, because only communications from the commissioner trigger the rule
An automated email confirming that the supplement was received and assigned to a desk adjuster
A phone message left on day 20 promising a decision soon
A written reply within 15 working days that addresses the request
A Hawaii auto insurer receives reasonable proof and a demand for $2,400 of PIP medical bills but decides to deny part of the claim. What must it do?
Pay or deny within 60 days and notify the provider of any denial only by phone
Refer the claim to the Joint Underwriting Plan within 15 days
Send a written denial with reasons within 30 days, copied to the provider
Wait for the tort threshold to be met before responding to the claimant
Counting under HRS § 1-29, a 30-calendar-day period begins with a claim reported on July 1, 2026. On what date does the 30th day fall?
July 30, 2026
July 31, 2026
August 1, 2026
August 3, 2026
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.