No. You are generally under no obligation to speak with the other driver’s insurance company, and doing so usually helps them, not you. Report the crash to your own insurer, and let your lawyer handle the other side.
Absolutely not in fact we advise our clients not to speak to the other side remember when the insurance company representative for the other party calls you he knows what he’s doing that’s his job his job is to minimize the exposure of the insurance company for the payment of your claim he’s trained to do that and we suggest strongly that you not discuss with them but politely say I think it’d be a better idea if you spoke to my attorney.
Why Talking to the Other Insurer Is Risky
The other driver’s adjuster calls quickly and sounds friendly, but as our attorney explains above, the job is to minimize what the company pays you. Casual questions are designed to produce answers that hurt your claim: “I’m feeling okay” becomes evidence you were not injured; a guess about speed or distance becomes an admission about fault. Recorded statements lock those answers in.
Who Should Deal With Them Instead
Once you have a lawyer, the other insurer contacts your lawyer, not you. Every communication then happens with the full picture of your injuries and the evidence, rather than in the first confused days after the crash. Note the difference with your own insurance company: your policy requires you to report the accident and cooperate with your own insurer, and you should do that promptly.
If They Keep Calling
Be polite and brief: give them your lawyer’s contact information, or tell them you will not be giving a statement at this time. Do not guess at answers, do not agree to a recorded statement, and do not sign anything, especially a medical records authorization or a release. Our guide on recorded statements to the other insurance company covers this in more depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I ever have to give the other insurer a recorded statement?
No. You have no contractual relationship with the other driver’s insurance company, and no law requires it. Politely decline.
What if they offer me quick money?
A fast offer is usually a small offer paired with a release that ends your claim forever, often before your injuries have fully shown themselves. Have any offer reviewed before you sign; our guide to typical car accident settlements shows what full value actually accounts for.
Protect Your Claim From Day One
The Illinois personal injury law firm of Phillips Law Offices has represented injured people and their families for decades. Talk to a Chicago car accident lawyer on our team for free, and pay nothing unless we win.
