Do insurance companies have a time limit in which they have to settle suffering or wrongful death claims?

I was in a car accident in which the other driver crossed into our lane. 1 killed 3 in hospital. several witnesses and video saw it all. The insurance companies are dragging their feet. Doesnt the law require them to act by a certain time ?

Settlements must happen before the statute of limitations for bringing a lawsuit runs. That could be as little as one year, or as many as three. A lawsuit has to be filed before that, and generally an insurance company will settle a case if there is no question that their insured is liable or if liability is questionable. If a suit is not filed in time, the insurance company is off the hook.

If the suit IS filed on time, the insurance company can still settle. That can go on for years or as long as it takes to go to trial. The closer to trial, the better it may be for the plaintiff, assuming there is a good case. It works the other way if there is not. Settlement usually happens before trial in this situation. If it doesnt, there is a verdict one way or another.

Absent an appeal in a judgment in plaintiff's favor, the insurance company will cash out within a couple of weeks.

In your case, there is probably a lot of negotiation with respect to who gets how much. With a death involved, there may not be enough insurance money for everyone. Usually, in the best case, the insurance is for 300K. With a death, that's probably not even enough for the deceased. They are probably trying to work a deal to apportion the proceeds.

wow!!!!!!!!!! idk

No, however long it takes them.

i think 6 months they have at least in MA that is how it is