After an auto accident, you will need to call up your insurance company and inform it of your accident. Soon after this initial conversation, you’ll be connected with an insurance adjuster who will be in charge of reviewing your accident and potentially offering you a payout.
Below are some tips to make sure this conversation is as productive as possible and sets you up to maximize your potential payout.
- Be polite: It’s understandable to be angry or emotional in the wake of an accident. You’ll be talking to an insurance adjuster while everything is still fresh. Just remember that your adjuster wasn’t involved in the accident and isn’t at fault, so try to be as polite and calm with them as possible. It does you no favors to be rude to the person who is in charge of managing your claim on the insurance provider’s end.
- Get information: Make sure you have the name and contact information of anyone you speak with, whether they’re from your insurance company or a different provider.
- Stick to the basics: Your insurance adjuster will likely ask you to run them through what happened in the accident. Make sure you only stick to the most basic facts, including where it happened, when it happened, the vehicles that were involved, the identities of witnesses and the kind of accident that occurred. Beyond that, if there is any information that is still pending, make sure you do not provide any further details. An attorney can help you determine what is and is not appropriate to share immediately.
- Take notes: Take notes on all conversations you have, or record them if possible. Keep in mind that your adjuster will likely try to get you to settle as soon as possible for a relatively small amount of money, hoping you’ll want to get the process over with as soon as possible.
To get sound legal advice after a motor vehicle crash in Florida, speak with a skilled Bradenton personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.