Wyoming Claims Compliance
Key regulatory requirements, correspondence deadlines, and mandated forms for Wyoming (WY).
Quick Reference
Key Deadlines
Requirements
- Mandated Forms
- Catastrophe Rules
- Separate P&C / Life & Health
- Fraud Warning
- Depreciation Notice
- E-Delivery (with_consent)
Regulatory Authority
Wyoming Department of Insurance
Wyoming Department of Insurance, 106 E. 6th Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82002; Phone: (307) 777-7401; Toll-free: (800) 438-5768; Consumer Affairs: (307) 777-7402; Website: https://doi.wyo.gov/
Bad Faith: Wyo. Stat. § 26-13-124
Lines of Business
Key Statutes
- Wyo. Stat. Title 26, Chapter 15
- Wyo. Stat. Title 26, Chapter 13
- Wyo. Code R. 044-0002-26
Wyoming handles claims correspondence according to specific state regulations. Requirements vary depending on the line of business and specific claim circumstances.
Acknowledgment
Every claim must be acknowledged within a reasonable time of receipt. The acknowledgment should identify the insurance policy and coverage at issue.
Denial
A written denial must be issued within 45 calendar days. The denial must reference the specific policy provisions, conditions, or exclusions relied upon.
Statutory Language
No specific statutory language mandated beyond standard disclosures.
LOB-Specific Requirements
Regulatory requirements for Wyoming, grouped by line of business. Select a chip to filter.
- Unfair Claims Practices Act RefStatutory
- Wyo. Stat. § 26-13-124
- Prompt Payment Statute RefStatutory
- Wyo. Stat. § 26-15-124
- HO Specific RequirementsStatutory
- If an insured provides written consent to use a different roofing product for obsolete shingles in a homeowner's claim, the insurer must retain this consent for not less than five (5) years (Wyo. Code R. 044-0002-26 § 4(b))
- Proof Of Loss RequirementsStatutory
- Insurers must furnish forms of proof of loss upon written request (Wyo. Stat. § 26-15-126); insurers cannot unreasonably delay investigation or payment by requiring both a preliminary claim report and subsequent formal proof of loss forms that contain substantially the same information (Wyo. Stat. § 26-13-124(a)(xii))
Wyoming Case Law
Published decisions that shape claim-handling and correspondence practice in Wyoming. Pair these with the statutory deadlines above.
- Case LawStatus UpdatesCommercial Auto
that a jury may be instructed on the provisions of the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act . If a jury finds that an insurer knowingly or recklessly violated the Act's communication and promptness requirements, they may consider such violations as evidence of common law bad faith .
- Case LawClosing LettersHomeowners
the court discussed how an insurer made a partial payment, closed its file for eighteen months, and then made subsequent payments after purportedly denying coverage . The court found that genuine issues of material fact existed regarding whether the insurer's denial and handling of the claims were unreasonable .
- Case LawReservation of RightsAuto
reaffirmed this principle, noting that unless the personal auto policy itself explicitly contains a provision allowing the insurer to seek reimbursement for defense costs, placing such a demand in an ROR letter is unenforceable .
- Case LawStatus UpdatesCommercial Auto
and reaffirmed in Shrader, "a 'fairly debatable' reason to deny a claim is not a defense against torts that may flow from engaging in oppressive and intimidating claim practices" .
- Case Law
Herrig v. Herrig
1992
Closing LettersStatus UpdatesAutoCommercial AutoHomeownersthat the Act does not create an implied private right of action for claimants . Claimants cannot simply sue an insurer for a statutory violation. However, the Wyoming Supreme Court explicitly held in Cathcart v. State Farm (2005) that a jury may be instructed on the provisions of the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act .
- Bad FaithHomeowners
held that invoking this defense implicitly waives the attorney-client privilege regarding the coverage opinions. If an insurer does not explicitly assert "advice of counsel" as an affirmative defense, the coverage opinions remain protected .
Show 5 more cases
- Case LawBad FaithStatus UpdatesAutoWorkers' Comp
. To prevail, a policyholder must demonstrate both the absence of a reasonable basis for denying a claim and the insurer's knowledge or reckless disregard of that lack of basis .
- Case LawStatus UpdatesCommercial Auto
. McCullough established an objective standard of care for insurers. Under this standard, a plaintiff must prove two elements to succeed on a bad faith claim:
- Case LawBad FaithWorkers' Comp
. The standard for third-party bad faith operates similarly to the widely recognized Stowers doctrine found in other jurisdictions .
- Case LawStatus UpdatesCommercial Auto
. Decades later, the Wyoming Supreme Court formally adopted the tort of first-party bad faith in McCullough v. Golden Rule Insurance Co. (1990) . McCullough established an objective standard of care for insurers. Under this standard, a plaintiff must prove two elements to succeed on a bad faith claim:
- Status UpdatesCommercial Auto
Historical court cases are for reference only and may be superseded, distinguished, or abrogated.
Applicable Letter Templates
No letter templates currently found for this jurisdiction.