You will be asked by the insurance company that is responsible for paying the claim to give a recorded statement. When that happens, you have to decide whether or not to give that statement. Here’s a bit of information to help you make that decision.

Why Is A Recorded Statement Taken?
If you agree to give a recorded statement, the adjuster will ask you about the facts surrounding the accident and about your injuries. That seems reasonable, right? Well…not really. I say that because the adjuster is not really playing fair with you. The questions the adjuster asks are designed to minimize the insurance company’s exposure. The insurance adjuster will ask you questions and lock you in to an answer. The danger of giving these statements is that you may inadvertently leave out some details or you may not yet know the full extent of your injuries. Keep this in mind when you’re deciding whether to give a recorded statement–the purpose of the statement is so the insurance company can use it against you later.

Be Prepared For The Recorded Statement

If you do decide to give a statement, be prepared. Prior to giving the statement, gather all the documents you have regarding the accident. At this point in the process, those documents may only include the police report and some documents from an emergency room visit. Whatever documents you have, be sure to have them with you at the time of the recorded statement. Also, have a clear understanding of the facts surrounding the accident such as what direction you were traveling and the name of the street you were traveling on.

Here are some topics you can expect to be asked about:

Personal, background information
Descriptions of both vehicles
Occupants of both vehicles
Description of accident
Mechanical condition of vehicle
Weather, road and lighting conditions
Actions just prior to accident
Accident facts such as the points of impact, speed of the vehicles, etc.
Cause of accident
Investigating officers
Who received a ticket, if anyone
Obstructions to visibility
The existence and placement of skid marks
Road surface
Your injuries and the injuries of anyone in the vehicle with you
The impact–what parts of your body hit what parts of the vehicle
Witnesses
Statements made by anyone after the accident

The Bottom Line

Giving a recorded statement gives you no advantage, but gives the insurance company a large advantage. Therefore, if your state does not require you to give a recorded statement, it is usually best not to give one.