Most wrongful death cases reach settlements without needing trials. A straightforward wrongful death insurance claim takes about one to three months to settle, on average. In California, insurance companies have a maximum of 40 days from receiving a wrongful death demand letter to respond. They may take longer, however, if they need more time for an investigation or claim review. If your claim has complex factors or if insurance settlement negotiations fail, you may need to pursue compensation through a wrongful death trial instead. A trial could take much longer to complete – a year or more on average.