After a car accident, if you speak with your insurance agent, stick to the facts and avoid speculating about fault or injuries. While honesty is important, being overly detailed or speculative in your communication with the insurance company can work against you.
Risks of Oversharing
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts for injury claims. If you share unnecessary details about the accident, like admitting fault or making speculative statements, these could be used to reduce or deny your claim.
For example, saying something like, “I might have been speeding,” or, “I didn’t see the other car in time,” can inadvertently suggest liability, even if the other driver was actually at fault. So just stick to the facts and avoid offering opinions or unnecessary explanations.
For example, saying something like, “I might have been speeding,” or, “I didn’t see the other car in time,” can inadvertently suggest liability, even if the other driver was actually at fault. So just stick to the facts and avoid offering opinions or unnecessary explanations.
Protecting Your Privacy
While your insurance company has a right to certain information, they don’t need every detail of your personal life or unrelated events. For example, if an adjuster asks about your medical history following a car accident, you should only provide information directly relevant to injuries sustained in that crash. Oversharing medical details can open the door for insurers to argue that pre-existing conditions - not the accident - are the cause of your injuries, potentially reducing your compensation.
Information to Provide
Provide only the necessary information, such as the date, time, and location of the accident, the parties involved, and any supporting documents like police reports. If you’re unsure about how to answer a question, it’s perfectly fine to say so.
We would recommend you consult with an attorney even before calling your insurance adjuster. Why? Remember, the adjuster works for the insurance company, not for you, and their priority is to protect the company’s bottom line.
We would recommend you consult with an attorney even before calling your insurance adjuster. Why? Remember, the adjuster works for the insurance company, not for you, and their priority is to protect the company’s bottom line.
Alisa Wilkes is a Jacksonville car accident lawyer with extensive experience dealing with insurance companies and their tactics. If you've been injured, call Alisa today.