How long does an insurance company have to file a small claims appeal on behalf of their client?

In California, a defendant who appeared and defended may "appeal" a small claims judgment by asking for a new trial in the Superior Court. The defendant has 30 days from the date the small claims judgment is mailed to file a notice of appeal. (See http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/smallclaims/appeal.htm.) The clerk mails the notice of appeal, if one is filed. (See http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms/fillable/sc140.pdf.) You would normally expect to receive a copy of the notice of appeal within 40 days of the date the judgment is entered. If you want to make sure one has not been filed, you may check the court's file.

Where an appeal is allowed from small claims there is no need for the appellant to specify grounds for the appeal. The appellant is granted a trial de novo. See California Code of Civil Procedure Sections 116.710-116.795 116.710(c) The insurer of the defendant may appeal to the superior court “if the judgment exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) and the insurer stipulates that its policy with the defendant covers the matter to which the judgment applies.”