2013 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 59A - Insurance Code
Article 16 - Trade Practices and Frauds
Section 59A-16-21 - Payment of claim by check or draft; failure to pay; interest. (1987)

A.   An insurer shall pay claims arising under its policies with checks or drafts which are promptly paid. Without amending other statutes dealing with checks and drafts, a resident of New Mexico is granted a cause of action for ten percent of the amount of any check or draft that is not paid or lawfully rejected within ten days of forwarding by a New Mexico financial institution, but in no case to be less than five hundred dollars ($500) plus costs of suit and attorneys' fees. The insurer shall not be required to pay such civil damages for delay if it proves that the delay in processing and payment was caused by a financial institution or postal or delivery service, and the check or draft was paid or lawfully rejected within forty-eight hours of actual receipt of the draft or check by the person on whom drawn.   

B.   Notwithstanding any provision of the Insurance Code, any insurer issuing any policy, certificate or contract of insurance, surety, guaranty or indemnity of any kind or nature which fails for a period of forty-five days, after required proof of loss has been furnished, to pay to the person entitled the amount justly due shall be liable for the amount due and unpaid with interest on that amount at the rate of one and one-half times the prime lending rate as determined by the superintendent, for New Mexico banks per year during the period the claim is unpaid.   

C.   Subsection B of this section shall not apply to any claims in arbitration or litigation.