If you get into an accident, there’s a chance you might receive a call from the other driver’s insurance company, regardless of who was at fault for the collision. If this happens, it’s important to be cautious about the types of information you share with them.
You Aren’t Legally Required to Talk to the Other Insurance Company
First, you should know that you aren’t legally required to speak with the other driver’s insurance company. Should you speak with them, though? This is a little more ambiguous and depends on the circumstances surrounding the accident. In general, you shouldn’t talk to the other company when anyone involved in the accident (you, the other driver, or your passengers) may be making a claim for serious personal injuries. It’s also not recommended to speak with them if you can have an attorney or adjuster from your own insurance company speak with them on your behalf.
When Should I Speak to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company?
In some cases, though, it may actually be a good idea to speak to the other company. One example would be if the accident was clearly the other driver’s fault and they’ve refused to speak to their company or have lied about the circumstances surrounding the accident. In this case, the other insurance company may have no idea who was at fault or the extent of the damage or injuries of either party. In a situation like this, it’s best to speak with the other insurance company because it may take a long time to receive a settlement check. In some cases, if the company has little to no information to go on, you may not receive one at all.
It’s ideal to have your insurance company’s attorney or representative speak to other company, but this isn’t always practical, particularly with minor collisions. If you do find yourself speaking to the other company for any reason, you’ll want to be careful about what you say to them.
Things to Keep in Mind
The most important thing to keep in mind when speaking to the other driver’s insurance company is that, like all insurance, their goal is to pay out as little money as possible. Therefore, they don’t have your best interests in mind. The company would like to find evidence that you were at fault for the accident and that any damage or injury that occurred was minor. Even if this appears to be the case, not all injuries are immediately apparent and some that appear minor initially can end up being more serious over time.
The second thing to keep in mind is that anything you say to the other company could be used to deny you compensation or reduce the value of your claim. For this reason, you should never volunteer any additional information or agree to have your statement recorded over the phone or in writing. This locks down your version of the events – including the extent of your damages or injuries. And since these could be different than what you initially notice, you want to be sure to have some wiggle room.
When talking about what happened during the accident, don’t try to guess or speculate on what happened during the accident. If you’re not sure, it’s alright to tell the insurance company that. If you’re asked to discuss more than just the objective details (like the date of the accident, where it happened, names of witnesses or officers at the scene), request an insurance adjuster from your company to join you on the call or provide them with detailed information and have your adjuster speak to the other company directly. This can prevent potential issues from saying the wrong thing or providing more information than you need to.
Overall, if you’re positive that any of the injuries or damages that occurred were minor and that the other driver was at fault, your best course of action may be to speak with the other driver’s insurance company. Just make sure you don’t give them a reason to question who was at fault or the extent of your injuries or damages. If you’re not sure who was at fault, or you have reason to believe your injuries or damages are more serious, it’s best to avoid speaking to them or to have legal representation first.
