Insurance adjusters often contact car accident victims during vulnerable moments—while they are still recovering, stressed about medical bills or worried about lost income. During these challenging times, knowing what information to protect becomes essential to preserving your claim’s value. Oversharing key details can sometimes hurt your pursuit of fair compensation for your injuries.
Never discuss fault or apologize
Insurance adjusters will likely try to get you to admit you caused or contributed to the crash. You may feel like apologizing out of instinct or politeness. This is a mistake.
Under Indiana’s comparative fault law, if a court or jury finds you more than 50% at fault, you get no compensation at all. Admitting minor faults, such as saying “I’m sorry,” can be used later to assign a percentage of blame to you.
Generally, it is advisable to give only basic facts, such as your name and contact information. Refrain from talking about the mechanics of the crash, especially without seeking legal advice first.
Avoid discussing the details of your injuries
When speaking with adjusters, avoid saying you feel “fine” or “okay,” regardless of whether you feel better than yesterday. You might not yet know the full extent of your injuries.
Whiplash, herniated discs and many other injuries take days or weeks to show their true severity. If you minimize your pain early on, the insurance company will use that statement to argue your eventual, more serious diagnosis is either fake or not caused by the accident.
Simply state that you are receiving medical care for injuries sustained in the accident and refer them to your doctor for documentation.
Refuse a recorded statement
Insurance representatives will often pressure you to give a recorded statement right away. You have no legal obligation to grant this request.
Giving a recorded statement is very risky because it locks you into one version of the story before you know all the facts of the case. Adjusters may ask pointed questions that try to catch inconsistencies or lead you toward damaging answers.
Consider politely declining the request and saying you prefer to have your attorney handle all future communication.
Protect your rights to compensation
Insurance adjusters handle claims daily and know exactly what to ask to limit company payouts; you do this once. Seeking proper support and guidance can level the playing field and help ensure your rights stay protected throughout the claims process. That level of protection is crucial in securing the compensation you need to recover.
