What Should You Not Say To An Insurance Adjuster?

If you were recently involved in a car accident, you should do a few things right away to protect your physical and financial well-being.

If the negligence of someone else caused your accident, you will turn to the at-fault driver’s insurance for compensation.

After an accident that wasn’t your fault, you need enough money to cover your medical bills, property damage and recoup the other costs associated with the accident.

Insurance companies are for-profit businesses, so they do all they can to protect their profits.

The goal of every insurance adjuster is to pay out as little as possible to settle a claim.

That makes securing a fair settlement pretty challenging.

That’s why you shouldn’t do anything that hurts your chances of receiving maximum compensation, including saying the wrong things to your insurance agent.

In the article below, we will go over a few things you should never say to your insurance claims adjuster. 

Don’t Admit Fault

The worse thing accident victims can do for their insurances claim is admitting fault.

And, they don’t have to explicitly say the accident was their fault.

Simply apologizing for the accident or saying something like, “I didn’t see him coming,” could be taken as an admission of fault for the accident.

When the insurance company sends an insurance adjuster to investigate a wreck, the adjuster will work to find ways to reduce the amount of money the company has to payout.

The easiest way to do this is to show that the person filing the accident claim was actually at fault for the crash.

The auto insurance company won’t hesitate to use your words against you and take something as simple as an apology as an admission of fault.

If you were involved in an accident

Instead of accidentally admitting fault, you should always say as little as possible and wait for the investigation to determine what happened and who was at fault.

Getting legal advice from an experienced car accident lawyer will help ensure that this investigation is done correctly.

Don’t Say You’re Okay

If you want your medical expenses covered in a personal injury claim, you should never tell the insurance adjuster you’re okay.

Your insurance company typically wants a quick settlement so you don’t have time to seek proper medical attention and find the full extent of your injuries.

You never want to minimize the damage done to you in a car accident.

Many car accident injuries have delayed symptoms, so you might not know you’ve been injured for days after your wreck.

Telling your insurance company you feel fine right after the accident or downplaying minor injuries will allow your adjuster to reduce the settlement offer and limit liability. 

Don’t Speculate

Personal injury settlements are complicated to begin with, so you should never speculate about the accident or your injuries.

When you speak to your insurance adjuster after your auto accident, be polite, but don’t answer questions when you do not know the facts.

Never speculate or give your opinion about what happened or who you think is to blame.

Speculating about the accident can hurt your case because the adjuster could later use it as evidence that you changed your story.

Conversations with insurance adjusters should be as direct and concise as possible.

Be truthful, but do not give details the adjuster does not ask for and don’t answer questions when you aren’t confident know the answer.

If you don’t know the answer to a question, just don’t say anything.

Speculative statements will almost always damage your claim and reduce your compensation.

what-not-to-say-to-insurance-adjusters

Don’t Give An Official Statement

Insurance claims adjusters will want a recorded statement about the accident.

You don’t have to give them one, especially without talking to an accident lawyer first.

Once you give a recorded statement, you cannot take it back.

Your recorded statement will dictate the rest of the claims process and any possible personal injury case.

Even if your recorded statement is accurate, it could be dissected and used to imply that you weren’t seriously hurt or that you caused the crash.

Adjusters will focus on your injuries or ask detailed questions about the accident.

They will probe for the speculative statements we discussed above that will be used to show inconsistencies in your story.

Any information about your injuries may change as your conditions develop.

You are not legally obligated to provide a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster, and you never should.

Politely refuse to provide one and then refer them to your attorney.

How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help Me After An Accident?

Your personal injury lawyer cannot guarantee the outcome of a case.

But, having a team of accident attorneys negotiate with the insurance company will significantly improve your chances of getting the settlement you need.

Law firms that specialize in accident claims will have the knowledge and experience to win your compensation while you take care of your injuries.

The Atlanta personal injury lawyers at The Mabra Law Firm have the experience necessary to negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.

Our lawyers will have your best interests throughout the settlement process, and they will fight tirelessly for fair compensation.

Contact The Mabra Law Firm for a free consultation.

References:

https://www.shouselaw.com/nv/blog/insurance/top-5-things-you-should-never-say-to-an-insurance-adjuster/

https://www.sherrodandbernard.com/blog/what-should-not-say-to-insurance-adjuster/

https://bruscatolaw.com/blog/what-not-to-say-to-insurance-adjuster/

https://cogburncares.com/5-things-you-shouldnt-say-to-an-insurance-adjuster/