Things You Should Avoid Telling Your Insurance Company After A Florida Car Accident

No one wants to be involved in a car accident or have to deal with insurance companies – it can be a frustrating and time-consuming interruption to your day. However, if you were injured in an accident in Florida, dealing with your insurance company becomes much more important, and much more delicate; your benefits are through your insurance, but your insurance company does not want to pay your claim and will look for ways to reduce the cost. Contrary to how it may sound when you’re on the phone with an insurance adjuster, your insurance company is not your friend and they are not looking out for you. They have their own best interest at heart.

In order to avoid paying you the full amount that you deserve for your car accident injury, your insurance company may use statements that you make over the phone against you. Many injured car accident victims are stressed, confused, or frazzled immediately following an accident; if you are not feeling 100% calm, wait until you are more confident and clear-headed to call them.

The Florida Law Group has won millions of dollars in compensation for injured car accident victims. We know exactly how Florida car accident victims should proceed with their claims. We also know some of the ways that insurance companies may use those initial phone calls against you! Here are 5 things you should avoid telling your insurance company following an accident:

1. “It was my fault” (or any expression indicating fault, such as “I’m so sorry” or “I didn’t see…” or “I accidentally…”)

   Never admit fault to your insurance company. Even if you think the accident really was your fault, or if you think it was partially your fault, you don’t have all the information; the other driver may have been texting or distracted and you may not have noticed that, or a part of your car or theirs could have been faulty. The other driver may be responsible or partly responsible, but if you admit fault, you may jeopardize your chance to recover damages at all.

2. “I’m feeling fine” (or any expression indicating that you are not injured, such as “I don’t have any injuries”, or “I feel okay”)

   Directly after an accident, your body may be in a state of shock, and you may not feel all of the injuries that you actually have. Some injuries do not present symptoms right away, but that does not mean that they are not severe. Before you have had a full examination by a medical doctor, do not say anything definitive about your injuries to your insurance company, even if you do not think you are injured. Many people will tell their insurance company that they are feeling fine, because it is just the nice response, but they can use that to deny or reduce your claim. If they ask you to sign anything such as a medical release form, don’t do that until you have spoken with a personal injury attorney in Florida.

3. “Yes, I can give a statement”

   Your insurance company might ask if you can give them a recorded statement about the accident. They present it as harmless, but you are under no legal obligation to do this, and if you say the wrong thing, you might really hurt your chances of recovering the full amount of compensation an attorney could get you. Until you speak with your Florida accident lawyer, you shouldn’t give any formal statements.

4. “I think” or “I’m assuming” or “I’m pretty sure that…”

   It’s okay to say “I don’t know” to the person from the insurance company that you’re on the phone with, and this is actually best practice because it keeps any sure statements (that may not be true and that may decrease your chances of getting a larger settlement) from being made. Don’t guess about the speed you were going, for example, if you aren’t exactly sure.

5. “That’s fine” (when agreeing to a settlement or accepting their offer)

   Never agree to an initial offer without first consulting a Florida car accident attorney. Most often, insurance companies will give you a lower offer than you deserve because they are trying to avoid paying out the full amount – it’s better for them financially if they do not award damages at all, but if there is clearly an injury, they will try to award as little an amount as possible. They will try to convince you that it is a good offer, and you may not know any different or know how to recognize a good offer, which is why we always recommend contacting a personal injury attorney before you call your insurance company.

A personal injury lawyer can walk you through the right things to say and ask when dealing with your insurance company. Personal injury lawyers can also assist you in filing a claim and making sure that you don’t accept a lowball offer. Best of all, personal injury lawyers often use a contingency fee basis to charge clients; that means you don’t pay them anything! Their fees come out of your case settlement. It’s actually less risky financially to hire a lawyer than it is to deal with insurance companies on your own if you’ve been seriously injured!

Contact The Florida Law Group today! We can help you fight for justice and recover maximum compensation for your Florida car accident case.