After getting into a car accident, the insurance company responsible for paying the claim will ask you to give a recorded statement. However, if done improperly, this recorded statement can greatly reduce the amount of money the insurance company pays out. Read on to learn why this happens, and how to prevent it from happening to you.

What is a Recorded Statement?

Simply stated, a recorded statement informs the insurance adjuster of the facts about the car accident, including your injuries, in order to properly evaluate and award your claim. Although that sounds reasonable, the sad truth is that by doing this, the insurance company is not playing fair.

Any questions asked during the recorded statement are purposefully designed to minimize the insurance company’s pay-out. Once the insurance adjuster asks you the questions, you are bound by your answers. There are two dangers in this. First off, you may accidentally leave out some pertinent details of the accident the insurance adjuster did not ask about. The second is that, at the time the statement is taken, you may not yet know the full extent of your injuries. Keep these two potential pitfalls in mind as you decide whether or not to give a recorded statement, and remember: the purpose of the statement is for the insurance company to use it against you later.

Prepare for the Recorded Statement

If you decide to give the statement, make sure you fully prepare for it. Before giving the statement, gather all your documents about the accident. At this point, these should include the police report and documentation of your injuries from the emergency room or your doctor. Make sure you have these documents with you at the time of the recorded statement. In addition, be sure to have your facts straight on all the details, such as the name of the street where the accident occurred, and even which direction you were traveling.

To make your preparation easier, here are some topics you can expect to be asked about:

- Your personal information
- Descriptions of every vehicle involved in the accident
- Names of the vehicle’s occupants
- A description of the accident
- The condition of your vehicle
- The road, weather, and lighting conditions
- Your actions leading up to the accident
- Accident facts such as the points of impact, speed of the vehicles, etc.
- Cause of accident
- The names of the investigating officers
- Who received the ticket, if anyone did.
- Any obstructions to visibility
- The existence and placement of skid marks
- Your injuries, along with the injuries of anyone in your vehicle
- Details of the impact, meaning which parts of your body hit which parts of the vehicle
- The names of any witnesses and their stories
- Any official statements made after the accident

The Bottom Line

A recorded statement only gives an advantage to the insurance company responsible for the claim. Always check to see if your state laws require a recorded statement. If not, it’s always in your best interest to avoid giving one.