What Should I Do If an Insurance Adjuster Calls Me?

Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough. The last thing you need is an insurance adjuster to add more stress to the equation.
But that’s exactly what an adjuster will likely do in the aftermath of a car accident. An adjuster for another driver’s auto insurance company may contact you and use different tactics to convince you to admit fault in your car crash OR accept a low-ball settlement before you know the value of your case.. This could lead to you panicking and playing right into their hands.
Instead, take these steps to avoid admitting anything that could stop you from filing a successful insurance claim or taking legal action against another driver.
THE SAFEST BET IS TO SPEAK WITH AN EXPERIENCED PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY BEFORE SPEAKING WITH ANY INSURANCE ADJUSTER.
Steer Clear of Saying Too Much
If you’ve never been called by an insurance adjuster before, you might expect it to be a scary and intimidating experience from the start. But in reality, many insurance adjusters will turn on the charm when contacting you.
This could make you feel uncomfortable about telling them you would prefer not to talk. But the more you speak with an adjuster, the greater your chances of saying something they can try and use against you.
Politely decline to speak at length with an adjuster. Let them know you will have a car accident attorney reach out later if they would like to discuss your case further.
Say “No” If Asked To Provide a Recorded Statement
After an insurance adjuster exchanges pleasantries with you at the start of a phone call, they may ask whether you’d be willing to provide a recorded statement. No matter how nice they might sound, this is never a good idea.
You might not see much harm in sharing your side of the story while an adjuster asks for more details about your accident. You might think you’re strengthening your position by giving a full account of what happened. However, adjusters are often trained to phrase questions in ways that might make you second-guess your version of events.
This is another instance in which you should decline to continue conversing with an adjuster and refer them to your lawyer. Your legal representative can communicate with an adjuster as necessary.
Avoid Admitting Fault
Whatever you do, don’t admit any fault regarding a car accident while speaking with an insurance adjuster. Adjusters work to determine liability in car accident cases, so they might try a few different techniques to convince you to admit fault.
Limiting the time you spend talking to an adjuster can reduce the risk of saying more than you should and admitting even a little fault in your accident case.
Reject Any Settlement Offers
By the time an insurance adjuster calls you, they will have spoken with their policyholder who was involved in your accident. They may have also already appraised this policyholder’s vehicle and calculated how much your accident will cost an insurance company based on the deductible.
This may result in an adjuster making you a settlement offer. More often than not, it will be a lowball offer that you should reject right away.
At the very least, speak with a car accident lawyer about any settlement offers that come your way before taking action. A personal injury attorney can handle communicating with an adjuster on your behalf while also pushing to collect adequate compensation for you.
Contact Us for Help Communicating With an Insurance Adjuster
A phone call from an insurance adjuster may make your stress levels soar. Let Lyons & Snyder set you up with an auto accident lawyer in Florida who can bring them back down. Call us at 954-787-1819 for legal guidance in a car accident case.