---
title: HB 1419. Insurance; timely claims processing in supplemental estimates for repairs under motor vehicle liability insurance policies; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1419
cite_as: HB 1419, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1419
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1419.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1419/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73473
date: 2026-02-25
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1419.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1419
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-20
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
  - Lehman Franklin
  - Ron Stephens
  - Jason Ridley
  - Joseph Gullett
  - Matthew Gambill
  - Matt Barton
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1419/2025
upstream_id: 2121445
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - auto insurance
  - car repair claims
  - insurance regulation
  - consumer protection
  - unfair claims practices
---

# HB 1419. Insurance; timely claims processing in supplemental estimates for repairs under motor vehicle liability insurance policies; provide

## Text

House Bill 1419
By: Representatives Franklin of the 160th, Stephens of the 164th, Ridley of the 6th, Gullett of
the 19th, Gambill of the 15th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapters 6 and 34 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to unfair trade practices and motor vehicle accident reparations, respectively, so as to provide
for timely claims processing in supplemental estimates for repairs under motor vehicle
liability insurance policies; to provide for unfair claims settlement practices; to provide for
written explanations; to provide for definitions; to provide for rules and regulations; to
provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 6 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to unfair trade
practices, is amended by revising paragraphs (15) and (16) in Code Section 33-6-34, relating
to unfair claims settlement practices, as follows:
"(15) Failure to comply with any insurer requirement in Chapter 20E of this title, the
'Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act,' including:
(A) The failure to designate whether the healthcare plan is subject to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 29 U.S.C. Sec.
1001, et seq.;
(B) The failure to directly pay the provider or facility within 15 working days for
electronic claims or 30 calendar days for paper claims any moneys due under Code
Section 33-20E-4 or 33-20E-5; or
(C) The failure to pay a resolution organization as required under Code
Section 33-20E-16; <del>and
</del> (16) Failure to comply with any insurer requirement relating to emergency services or
care in Article 4 of Chapter 11 of Title 31, Article 1 of Chapter 20A of this title, Chapter
20E of this title, Chapter 21A of this title, Code Section 33-24-59.27, and Chapter 30 of
this title; <ins>and
(17) Failure to comply with any insurer requirement relating to timely claims processing
and supplemental estimates under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy as provided
under Code Section 33-34-10."
</ins> SECTION 2.
Chapter 34 of said title, relating to motor vehicle accident reparations, is amended by adding
a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"33-34-10.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Appraiser' means any person evaluating motor vehicle damage and determining the
cost of parts and labor required to repair such damage.
(2) 'Claimant' means either a first-party claimant or insured or a third-party claimant who
asserts a claim for payment, benefits, reimbursement, or damages under a motor vehicle
liability insurance policy arising out of, based on, or in any way related to a motor vehicle
collision, loss, ownership, maintenance, or use. Such term includes any assignee,
subrogee, or legal representative of a first-party claimant or third-party claimant to the
extent such assignee, subrogee, or legal representative asserts the claim.
</ins>
<ins>(3) 'Motor vehicle liability insurance' means motor vehicle insurance that covers the use
of a motor vehicle and its operating equipment; covers liability, collision, comprehensive,
personal injury protection or medical payments, or uninsured or underinsured motorist
protection; or provides the mandatory minimum limits required under this chapter for the
personal use of a private passenger automobile. Such term includes coverage provided
through an approved plan or certificate of self-insurance to the extent recognized under
state law as satisfying such minimum limits.
(4) 'Repair facility' means a motor vehicle dealer, garage, body shop, or other
commercial entity which undertakes the repair or replacement of parts of a motor vehicle,
including, but not limited to, frames, doors, bumpers, and paint.
(5) 'Supplemental damage' means additional physical damage to a motor vehicle that was
not visible or reasonably ascertainable at the time of the original inspection or appraisal
and is discovered after the initial insurance claim or estimated repair cost is filed.
(6) 'Supplemental estimate' means a written estimate for supplemental damage prepared
by an appraiser.
(b) An insurer providing coverage under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy shall
promptly acknowledge and investigate claims of supplemental damage submitted by a
repair facility or claimant by meeting at least the following requirements:
(1) Within one business day of a notification of supplemental damage and supplemental
estimate, the insurer shall assign an appraiser to inspect the damaged motor vehicle in
person or review the supplemental estimate; and
(2) Within three business days of a notification of supplemental damage and
supplemental estimate, the insurer shall complete an inspection of the damaged motor
vehicle in person or review the supplemental estimate and provide a written response;
provided, however, that the time for inspection or review may be extended for an
additional three business days if unforeseen circumstances make inspection or review
within three business days impracticable, provided that the insurer notifies the repair
</ins>
<ins>facility and claimant of the specific unforeseen circumstance that necessitates such
extension.
(c) Within ten business days of receipt of a notification of supplemental damage and
supplemental estimate, an insurer shall provide a repair facility and claimant with a written
decision indicating the line items, parts, or operations that are approved and authorized for
payment; those that are denied, reduced, or altered from the supplemental estimate; and a
written explanation for such denial, reduction, or alteration, including, but not limited to,
policy coverage limitations, prior payment, duplication, or unrelated to loss. No insurer
shall issue payment or settlement for a supplemental estimate without such written decision
and explanation.
(d) A violation of this Code section that occurs with such frequency as to constitute a
general business practice shall be a violation of Article 2 of Chapter 6 of this title, the
'Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act.'
(e) The Commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this
Code section, which may include, but shall not be limited to, prescribing uniform
supplemental estimate and written explanation forms."
</ins> SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

House Bill 1419 would set strict deadlines for auto insurers to respond to supplemental damage estimates from repair shops after a car crash, and would make repeated violations an unfair claims practice under Georgia law.

### Plain-language summary

When a repair shop finds additional car damage after an insurance claim has already been filed, current Georgia law does not set clear deadlines for how quickly the insurer must respond to that added, or 'supplemental,' repair estimate. House Bill 1419 would add a new section to Georgia's motor vehicle accident reparations law (O.C.G.A. § 33-34-10) requiring insurers to assign an appraiser within one business day of being notified of supplemental damage, and to complete an inspection or review and give a written response within three business days (extendable by three more days for specific, disclosed unforeseen circumstances).
Insurers would then have ten business days to send the repair facility and claimant a written decision spelling out which repair items are approved, denied, reduced, or altered, with reasons such as policy limits or duplication. Insurers could not pay or settle a supplemental claim without issuing that written decision. The bill also adds this new requirement to the list of practices that count as unfair claims settlement practices under O.C.G.A. § 33-6-34 when done repeatedly as a business practice, and lets the Insurance Commissioner write implementing rules, including standard forms.

### What it does

- Requires insurers to assign an appraiser within one business day of being notified of supplemental vehicle damage after a claim is filed.
- Requires insurers to inspect or review the supplemental estimate and give a written response within three business days, with a limited three-day extension allowed for disclosed unforeseen circumstances.
- Requires insurers to send a full written decision within ten business days explaining which repair costs are approved, denied, reduced, or altered, and why.
- Bars insurers from issuing payment or settlement on a supplemental estimate without first providing that written decision.
- Adds failure to follow these new timelines to the list of practices that count as an unfair claims settlement practice (O.C.G.A. § 33-6-34) when done repeatedly as a business practice.
- Authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to write rules and regulations, including standardized supplemental estimate and written explanation forms.

### Who it affects

Georgia drivers filing motor vehicle insurance claims, auto body shops and repair facilities that submit supplemental damage estimates, insurance companies that write motor vehicle liability policies, appraisers who inspect vehicle damage, and the Georgia Insurance Commissioner's office, which would enforce the new rules.

### Why it matters

Repair shops often discover hidden damage only after disassembling a vehicle, and delays in insurer responses can leave cars sitting unrepaired and claimants without answers. Setting firm response deadlines and requiring written explanations could speed up repairs and give drivers and shops clearer, faster answers on what their insurance will cover.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 33-6-34 to add failure to meet the new supplemental claims timelines as an unfair claims settlement practice when it happens repeatedly as a business practice.
- Section 2 creates new Code Section 33-34-10, defining key terms including 'claimant,' 'repair facility,' 'supplemental damage,' and 'supplemental estimate.'
- Subsection (b) requires insurers to assign an appraiser within one business day and complete inspection or review with a written response within three business days, extendable by three days only for disclosed unforeseen circumstances.
- Subsection (c) requires a full written decision within ten business days detailing approvals, denials, reductions, and the reasons, and bars payment or settlement without that decision.
- Subsection (d) ties repeated violations to the 'Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act' (Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 33).
- Subsection (e) directs the Insurance Commissioner to adopt implementing rules, including possible standard forms.
- Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-02-20)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-25)
- Sponsors: Lehman Franklin, Ron Stephens, Jason Ridley, Joseph Gullett, Matthew Gambill, Matt Barton
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73473

> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1419.md?full=1