An insurance company may already have information about your car accident from the police report, claim notice, vehicle damage, witnesses, photographs, medical records, and other available sources. What the insurer knows depends on what you reported, documented, provided, or what it obtained during its investigation. Understanding what information may already be in the claim file can help you prepare before speaking with an insurance adjuster.
Navigate This Page
- How Do Insurers Gather Information About Your Car Accident?
- What Information Can an Insurance Adjuster Obtain About You?
- Can Insurance Companies Access Your Medical Records?
- What Information Does the Insurance Company Have on Your Vehicle?
- Do Insurance Companies See Your Phone Records or Texts?
- Does the Insurance Company Check Your Social Media?
- Steps To Take Before Speaking With Insurance Adjusters
- Get Help With Your Maryland Car Accident Claim
How Do Insurers Gather Information About Your Car Accident?
An insurance company may review several types of information when investigating an accident, including:
- Accident reports and claim notices
- Insurance policy and vehicle records
- Witness statements and photographs
- Vehicle damage and medical records
- Other documents related to the accident
However, an insurance company does not automatically have access to every detail about the accident or your personal life. What the insurer knows depends on what has been reported, documented, provided to the company, legally available, or obtained during its investigation. Under Maryland’s claim-handling rules, insurers must investigate claims based on “all available information.”
What Information Can an Insurance Adjuster Obtain About You?
An adjuster’s investigation may involve contacting people who witnessed the accident, reviewing statements from the drivers involved, and requesting records from businesses or medical providers. If key details are missing, the adjuster may request additional documentation before moving forward.
Once the investigation is complete, the insurance company uses the available evidence to evaluate who was responsible, calculate the losses, and determine whether the claim qualifies for payment under the policy.
Can Insurance Companies Access Your Medical Records?
Medical records could become part of your injury claim if they address your accident injuries and the damages being claimed. Hospital bills, treatment records, diagnoses, and records of ongoing care can help an insurer assess the claim.
However, insurers do not automatically have access to all of your medical records. What they can obtain depends on privacy laws, the authorizations you sign, and the details of your claim. Ultimately, your medical records can help show that your accident caused your injuries and that the treatment you received was related to those injuries.
What Information Does the Insurance Company Have on Your Vehicle?
An insurer can learn a lot about a collision from the damage to your vehicle. Photos, repair estimates, inspection reports, and total-loss evaluations can help document the damage and estimate repair or replacement costs.
In some cases, insurers may also look at electronic data from the vehicle, including event data recorded around the time of an accident. What information is available to the insurer, and whether the insurer can obtain it, depends on the vehicle, the accident, the source of the data, and applicable laws. This information may be reviewed along with other evidence when the insurer evaluates a claim.
Do Insurance Companies See Your Phone Records or Texts?
Phone use, texting, or app activity may become relevant if you are suspected of distracted driving. However, insurers do not automatically have access to every phone record or private message.
Phone-related evidence could come from accident investigations, available records, witness accounts, or other sources. While this information can potentially hurt your case, you should never delete or alter digital evidence that might be relevant to an insurance claim, even if you feel it paints you in a bad light.
Get on the road to recovery with competent legal representation and high-quality medical professionals. Contact our Maryland personal injury lawyer today.
Does the Insurance Company Check Your Social Media?
Insurance companies may review publicly available social-media posts as part of a claim investigation. This process can involve comparing photos, videos, comments, travel posts, or other activity with what a person reports about their accident injuries or limitations.
A social media post showing someone being active does not automatically mean they are not injured. The context of the post and the person’s actual medical condition still matter. Even so, it is usually best to avoid posting about the accident, injuries, treatment, settlement discussions, or disputed details while a claim is pending.
Steps To Take Before Speaking With Insurance Adjusters
Before speaking with an insurance adjuster, take a few steps to prepare for the conversation:
- Gather your documents: Keep copies of photos, videos, the police report, witness information, insurance details, medical records and bills, repair records, and claim-related communications.
- Review what happened: Go over the details of the accident so you can provide an accurate account.
- Stick to the facts: Answer questions honestly based on what you know. If you are unsure about a detail, say so rather than guessing.
- Correct mistakes: If you realize you provided inaccurate information, clarify it as soon as possible instead of trying to fill in missing details.
Keep in mind that the adjuster investigates the claim on behalf of the insurance company, not your interests. Always consult with your attorney before, during, and after conversing with insurers to protect yourself and your claim.
Get Help With Your Maryland Car Accident Claim
Insurance companies will gather information from accident reports, medical records, vehicle data, social media, and other sources when reviewing a claim. If you are unsure what to provide or how to respond to an adjuster, an experienced car accident attorney can explain your options. We offer free consultations, so there is no cost to you for contacting an attorney to review your situation.
If you have been injured in an accident in Maryland, our team at Adam Smallow Injury Lawyers can handle your legal claim and even communicate with insurance companies on your behalf. To schedule your free appointment, call (410) 449-7900 or contact us through our website.
