Shortly after your car accident, you’re going to have to deal with a lot of paperwork to get through the insurance claims process. As part of this process, you can expect insurance adjusters to reach out and request interviews over the phone to do some fact finding that will help them with their settlement offers.
Insurers often want to record any statements you make, but you should be wary of accepting. Giving a recorded statement could damage your claim, especially if you do so without consulting an attorney.
Insurance companies want you to say yes
You must remember that insurance adjusters are not working for you—they’re working for the insurance companies. Their job is to save the company as much money as possible when submitting settlement offers.
Therefore, when they’re asking for a recorded statement, you can trust it’s because it’s in the best interest of the insurance company. The lines of questioning they use can help them isolate points that can either damage the value of their claim or justify their ability to refuse a claim entirely. In addition, if you’re unprepared for an interview, you might make mistakes that could jeopardize your claim value.
You are not under any obligation to give a recorded statement if the adjuster is calling from the other driver’s company. This might be different with your own insurance provider if there is a cooperation clause associated with your policy. Violating such a clause could result in a denial of your claim.
In any case, it’s in your best interest to speak with an attorney before you give any statements to insurance companies. For more information about the best ways to proceed with your accident claim, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL accident lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.