Arkansas roof claim deadlines: what your insurer has to do, and by when
After a hail or wind loss the insurer is on a clock. We read the Arkansas rules (Arkansas Insurance Department Rule 43 (Unfair Claims Settlement Practices)) and put each time limit in one table, with the section number so you can check it. Enter your dates to see the days that matter.
Business days skip Saturdays and Sundays only; public holidays are not subtracted, so a real deadline can be a day or two later.
Every clock in Arkansas, with its source
| Who | What has to happen | Deadline | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insurer | Acknowledge the notice of your claim Unless it pays the claim within that time. Telling your agent counts as telling the insurer. |
15 working days | Ark. Ins. Dept. Rule 43 §7(a) |
| Insurer | Furnish proof-of-loss forms, or lose the right to require proof of loss Counted from the day the loss is reported. The rule cites Ark. Code Ann. §23-79-126 for this. |
20 calendar days | Ark. Ins. Dept. Rule 43 §7(a) |
| Insurer | Complete its investigation of the claim Unless it cannot reasonably be finished in that time. Then it must tell you that more time is needed and why. |
45 calendar days | Ark. Ins. Dept. Rule 43 §8 |
| Insurer | Tell you whether the claim is accepted or denied Counted from receipt of properly executed proofs of loss. A denial must be in writing and cite the policy provision, condition or exclusion. If it needs more time it must say so in writing within the same 15 working days, then write every 45 calendar days (§9(a)(2)). |
15 working days | Ark. Ins. Dept. Rule 43 §9(a)(1) |
| Insurer | Mail or deliver the claim check after the claim is processed Counted from the claim being processed, the investigation completed and the file closed and ready for payment. |
10 working days | Ark. Ins. Dept. Rule 43 §9(f) |
| Insurer | Warn you in writing before a policy time limit or statute of limitations may run out (if you have no lawyer and the insurer is still negotiating) For first-party claims, which is a claim on your own policy. |
30 working days before the limit | Ark. Ins. Dept. Rule 43 §9(d) |
Text last checked 2026-10-06. Laws change; confirm on the linked source before you rely on a date.
Why timing matters here: hail in Arkansas
In our NOAA data for 8 covered Arkansas cities there were 305 city-days with hail of 1 inch or larger between January 2014 and June 2026, and the largest stone reported was 5.0 inches. Reports peak in Apr. After a big storm many neighbours file at once, so the first weeks are when the clock for your own claim is easiest to lose track of.
Hail reports by month, summed over the 8 covered cities (NOAA Storm Events, 2014 to June 2026). City-days can count the same storm in several cities.
What to do in the first week
- Photograph the damage and note the storm date. The hail claim checklist lists what to capture.
- Report the claim in writing (email or the insurer's portal) and save the date you sent it. That date starts the first clock.
- Keep a log of every paper you send. The "last paper" date is what starts the decision clock.
- Get a roofing inspection and estimate. Compare the number against the insurer's. Find a Arkansas roofer.
Arkansas cities we cover
| City | Roof age | Hail | Roofers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentonville | How old are the roofs | Storm history | Roofers |
| Conway | How old are the roofs | Storm history | Roofers |
| Fayetteville | How old are the roofs | Storm history | Roofers |
| Fort Smith | How old are the roofs | Storm history | Roofers |
| Jonesboro | How old are the roofs | Storm history | Roofers |
| Little Rock | How old are the roofs | Storm history | Roofers |
| Rogers | How old are the roofs | Storm history | Roofers |
| Springdale | How old are the roofs | Storm history | Roofers |
Other states
Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Minnesota. All states we have checked.