Should I Talk to the Insurance Company After an Accident?

After an accident, it often doesn’t take long for an insurance adjuster to call. They usually sound friendly and helpful — but it’s worth understanding whose interests they generally represent, and what you may want to keep in mind before you say too much.

Remember Whose Side They’re On

Insurance adjusters generally work on behalf of the insurance company, not for you. Their role — even when they’re perfectly polite — often includes limiting what the company pays out. That doesn’t make them villains, but it does mean their goals and yours may not be the same.

Your Own Insurer vs. the Other Party’s

There’s an important distinction worth understanding here — the situation with your own insurance company is different from the situation with the other party’s insurer.

Your obligations to your own insurer can depend on the specific terms of your policy, and your own coverage can involve issues that are very fact-specific. Rather than assuming how to handle communications with your own insurance company, this is one of the things it is often worth reviewing with an attorney.

One reason this can be more complicated than it first appears is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage — often called UM/UIM. If the at-fault driver had no insurance or not enough to cover your injuries, your own policy’s UM/UIM coverage may come into play, which can place you and your own insurer in a more adversarial position than people expect. Because how you communicate with your own insurer can matter in that situation, and because the details depend heavily on your specific policy, this is an area where it is generally worth getting guidance rather than navigating it on assumptions.

Why Recorded Statements Can Be Risky

Early in a case, you may not yet know the full extent of your injuries. If you tell an adjuster you “feel fine,” and a serious injury surfaces days later, that early statement can sometimes be used to question your claim. Adjusters may also ask questions in ways that can lead to answers that hurt your case, even when you’re trying to be honest.

A Few Things Worth Understanding

• Basic factual information — like the date, location, and parties involved — is generally straightforward to share.
• You are typically under no obligation to give the other party’s insurer a recorded statement, and it’s often wise to speak with an attorney before doing so.
• Speculating about who was at fault or how badly you’re hurt can work against you — especially early on, before the full picture is clear.
• Keeping your own records of any communications is generally a good idea.

When to Consider Involving an Attorney

If you’ve been seriously injured, or if fault is in dispute, it is often worth speaking with an attorney before dealing with the other side’s insurer. An attorney can handle those communications for you, so you don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing. To discuss your situation, contact Petrosian Law for a free consultation.