After being involved in an auto accident, you’ll begin the process of recovering compensation for damages, such as medical expenses. As part of this process, your insurance company will examine the crash and evaluate evidence to determine the amount of the compensation.
During the claims process, your insurer may ask you to give a recorded statement. This statement will be considered with the rest of the evidence from the accident. But, are you required to provide this statement?
Read on for the answer to this crucial question about car accident insurance claims.
Do I Have to Give a Recorded Statement to the Insurer?
In short, it depends!
You are not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance carrier after a car accident.
However, you may be required to provide a recorded statement to your own insurance carrier as a condition of your policy to obtain benefits under the policy. However, if you have an attorney, or if you plan to hire an attorney to represent you (which we strongly suggest that you do if you were injured by someone else’s negligence), then you should have the insurance carrier coordinate the recording statement with your attorney’s office. Your attorney should attend (typically via telephone) the recorded statement with you.
Insurance companies want to pay the smallest possible amount for your claim. With this in mind, the insurance adjuster generally is not looking out for your best interests. Anything you say in the recorded statement could be used to limit the compensation that you ultimately receive.
Additionally, in recorded statements, the adjuster will likely ask you questions that don’t have an obvious answer. This can undermine your statements about the accident.
What to Do if You’re Asked to Give a Recorded Statement
If the other insurance company contacts you to give a recorded statement, you can say no. Whether its the other insurance company, or your own insurance company, you can instruct them that you are hiring legal counsel and they can discuss that request with your attorney.
At this point, consider contacting an experienced Florida auto attorney. An attorney can correspond with the insurance companies directly while looking out for your best interests.
At Weldon & Rothman, PL, we’ll ensure you receive the maximum compensation after an auto accident in Florida. Reach out to us today for a free case evaluation!