If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you know you’ll likely get a call from the other person’s car insurance company. For those who haven’t been in this situation, it’s not unusual. While common, it can feel alarming and a little confusing when they contact you.
Understanding why the other person’s insurance company is calling you and the best way to handle yourself can help make the situation less stressful and ensure you protect your rights.
The Goal of The Insurance Company
Remember that insurance companies are businesses, so their job is to maximize their profits. This means they try to minimize the amounts paid to others involved. So, when the insurance company’s adjuster calls, they will try to get any information from you that will allow them to settle for as little as possible.
They may use a variety of different strategies to do this. They’ll try to gather information allowing them to dispute your claim, reduce the other person’s liability in the accident, or justify why you deserve a lower settlement. That’s why knowing how to handle these phone calls is important.
Tactics Used by the Insurance
The people calling you are trained professionals, so they have specific tactics they’ll use to get the information that’s beneficial to them:
- Asking leading questions to get responses to use against you;
- Downplaying the severity of your injuries or what happened;
- Attempting to get you to admit fault;
- Using friendly conversation to make you feel comfortable revealing information;
- Pressuring you to accept a settlement faster before you understand the full extent of your damages.
Common Reasons for the Call from Other Driver’s Insurance Company
Now that you know the ultimate goal for the other driver’s insurance company, it’s important to know the specifics of each goal.
Gathering Information
First and foremost, the other driver’s insurance company calls to gather information. They’ll ask you things like:
- Your version of what happened
- Details about your injuries
- Information about what damages your car has
While this seems harmless enough information to provide, they will use it against you. They’ll look for any way to twist the story to favor the driver they insure.
Recorded Statement
When the other driver’s insurance company contacts you, they might ask to record the conversation or for you to make an official recorded statement. They’ll likely try to pass this off as a routine part of their call, but you need to proceed with caution because:
- Anything you say can be taken out of context or misinterpreted;
- You might say something accidentally that they can use against you later;
- You might not know everything about the accident yet and give incorrect information;
- They can ask questions that lead you to answer in ways they want you to.
The best thing you can do is decline recording your statement until you can speak with a car accident attorney.
Early Settlement Offer
The other driver’s insurance company will often try to get you to settle early. When they do this, they’re usually offering a law settlement and downplaying the damages caused by their customer. Even though getting to a resolution faster is appealing, you might lose out on a larger settlement, which can be vital when dealing with lost wages and medical bills.
Their insurance adjuster will use this approach because it helps them diminish the other driver’s liability. When you don’t fully understand the extent of the accident and what you could get for your injuries, you can lose out on what you could have received.
Verifying Information
The other insurance company will also try to verify basic information about you. They’ll likely ask for your name, address, medical providers, and your own insurance company. While answering these questions is fine, try not to give anything else outside of the straightforward answers.
How to Handle the Call
Knowing what to be cautious of is just a fraction of what you should know when the other driver’s insurance company calls. How to handle the call is almost more important.
Be Polite but Cautious
When speaking with an insurance adjuster from the other company, you always want to be as polite as possible but cautious. Try to answer their questions without offering additional details or speculating about what you think happened. You don’t want to discuss your injuries in detail or admit fault.
Gather Information
Just as the insurance adjuster will gather information about you, you should gather some about them, too. Some information you might want to get from them includes:
- Their name
- Their job title and company
- Their contact information
- The claim number
Avoid Giving a Recorded Statement
You’re allowed to decline to make a recorded statement. If you want to make one, always speak with your attorney first.
Don’t Accept the First Offer
If the adjuster makes a settlement offer on your call, don’t accept it. They try to minimize the offer by suggesting an early settlement, so always decline and speak with your lawyer.
Consider Legal Representation
Before you speak with the other driver’s insurance company further, consider hiring an experienced car accident attorney, like those at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers. They’ll be able to provide guidance and support as you navigate through reaching a fair settlement.
What a Lawyer Can Do for Your Car Accident Insurance Claim
Why should you hire a lawyer after your car accident? There are several reasons you should.
Protecting Your Rights
A car accident attorney will know how to navigate the legal process and communicate with the insurance company while protecting your rights. They’ll be able to advise you on what you should and shouldn’t discuss with the other driver’s insurance company so you don’t give them a reason to reduce your settlement.
Negotiating a Fair Settlement
Your attorney won’t let you accept a settlement that doesn’t accurately reflect what happened to you. They’ll negotiate a fair settlement based on the following:
- Long-term effects of your injuries
- Current and future medical expenses
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
Handling Communication
The best part about hiring a personal injury attorney after a car collision is that they’ll handle all the communication for you. They’ll deal with the other insurance company, so you don’t have to stress yourself out by potentially saying something they can use against you. Your lawyer will:
- Respond to all information requests;
- Challenge any unfair denials or low settlement offers;
- Provide the documentation to support your claim;
- Negotiate for the best possible outcome based on your damages.
Secure Expert Legal Representation
It’s not unusual for the other person’s insurance company to call after car accidents, but it’s important that you know and protect your rights. Our experienced team at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help guide you through the insurance claim process and support you when dealing with insurance companies.
We’re here to help. We offer a free consultation so you can share your case and then hear our advice on how to proceed. If you need an experienced Chicago car accident attorney, contact us today by calling (888)-424-5757 or filling out our contact form.