Glossary
Release (settlement release)
The document you sign when you settle. It usually ends your right to claim more for the same crash, so read it carefully.
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.
Quick answer
A release is the document you sign when you settle a claim. In return for the payment, you give up the right to claim more from the people and insurers it names for the same crash. Cornell's legal dictionary describes a release as essentially a waiver of the right to sue, given in exchange for something of value.
In a car accident claim#
The release is usually the last step before the money is paid. Once it is signed and the payment made, the claim is normally closed for good, even if the injury turns out worse than expected. That is one reason many people wait to settle until treatment is finished or their doctors can describe future care.
Insurers write releases, and the wording varies. People often check three things: who is released (only the driver and insurer, or "all other persons"), which claims are covered (injuries, property damage or both), and whether the release makes them responsible for repaying a Lien. A legal claim on part of your settlement by someone who paid for your care, such as a hospital, health plan or Medicare. Glossary out of the money. The guide to settlement negotiation walks through these points, and who pays medical bills explains the repayment claims that often follow.
Under a model regulation many states draw on, an insurer may not put language releasing the insurer or its policyholder from all liability on a check for a partial payment, so that a check for, say, car repairs does not quietly settle the whole claim. States adopt their own versions of that rule.
Example#
Related terms#
Questions people ask
Can you undo a release after you sign it?
Rarely. Courts may refuse to enforce a release obtained through fraud or misrepresentation, but a signed release is generally treated as a binding contract. Questions about a specific release are for a licensed attorney in your state.
How long after signing a release are you paid?
It depends on the insurer and the state. In Pennsylvania, once a lawsuit has settled, a court rule gives the defendant 20 days after receiving the signed release to deliver the funds.
Sources
- Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute, Release — meaning of a release, waiver of the right to sue, grounds for refusing to enforce one
- NAIC, Unfair Property/Casualty Claims Settlement Practices Model Regulation (Model 902), Sec. 5F — as of October 2026
- Pennsylvania Code, 231 Pa. Code Rule 229.1(c) — as of October 2026
Last reviewed October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team. Found an error? Tell us.
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