How To Talk To Car Insurance Companies After An Accident

This video features Tyler D. Bailey, Esq., a Criminal Law attorney based in South Carolina.

Attorney Tyler Bailey | 888-981-0034 | Free Consult

"You need to be very careful what you say to an insurance company after a wreck, because the insurance company is going to try to tie you in to what you say."

Wondering how to talk to car insurance companies after an accident?

Tyler Bailey is an injury attorney with Bailey Law Firm in Columbia, South Carolina. In this video, he explains why you should let your attorney do the talking when dealing with car insurance companies. The insurance companies may take an opportunity to give you false information or use your information against you. You need someone in your corner who can seek correct answers and resolutions.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-981-0034 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you never owe any out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Key Takeaways From Tyler Bailey:

The insurance company will always be invested in giving out the smallest payouts they can, and they will try to catch you in your words—or refute your later statements that you may have changed—in order to secure that low payout. You should be careful, says Bailey, because you do not have the same amount of expertise as they do, and you may not know how to answer many of their questions.

An insurance company may try to use your answers against you.

For example, they may ask you how fast the other vehicle was driving at the time of an accident, or ask you to give detailed information regarding injuries you or others have sustained—questions that are often very difficult or impossible to answer precisely. Because of this, if you answer incorrectly or are unsure of your answer, the company may try to use this as evidence that your statements are wrong or untruthful.

Bailey says you should not try to guess the answers to questions you don’t know. You can always tell the insurance companies that you will inform them of more specific details and answers later on. In regards to injuries, Bailey says that you can say that you have been injured (and are being treated for injuries in more serious cases), and you should tell them that you will provide further details in the form of medical records and medical bills after you finish treatment. As with other questions, you should not attempt to give specific or definitive answers.

You must give SOME information to your insurance company if it is in your insurance contract.

You are usually obligated to give your insurance company some information about the accident, but they generally will not ask for many specific details if you are not at fault. However, you are under no obligation to speak to the other driver’s insurance company or give them information about the accident. You can tell your insurance company that injuries and vehicle rentals are being handled, and you will speak about claims later on.

The other insurance company will most likely attempt to low-ball you in the case of an immediate settlement.
If the other driver is at fault and their company approaches you with a settlement, it may sound like a tempting offer. However, they will often try to offer you a lower amount of money than you could obtain by negotiating through your attorney. Discuss the offer with your lawyer before deciding to settle. You may receive more money by pursuing litigation than by accepting the first offer that comes your way.

Find an attorney as quickly as possible.

While recovering from the immediate effects of the accident, you should research and hire an attorney as quickly as possible. The further in the past the accident is, Bailey says, the more likely it is that evidence may be destroyed, recollections will become more clouded, and the case will be less in your favor. Getting an attorney quickly allows you to focus on fresh details and have a higher likelihood of winning your case.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-981-0034 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you never owe any out-of-pocket attorney fees.

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