Navigating Recorded Statements

Introduction

After a car accident, the at-fault driver's insurance company will often call you and ask for a recorded statement. Their goal is to find inconsistencies in what you say that they can use to reduce your settlement. You're not obligated to provide one — and you shouldn't.

Mighty's AI handles communications with insurance adjusters on your behalf, so you don't have to take these calls in the first place. But if you do, here's what to know about recorded statement requests.

Why the insurance company wants your recorded statement

When the at-fault party's insurance company requests a recorded statement, their main objective is to minimize their payout. They meticulously analyze each word you utter, attempting to identify inconsistencies or admissions that can reduce their liability.

Providing a recorded statement poses a risk: minor inaccuracies or misinterpretations can significantly impact your claim. A seemingly innocent remark can be construed as an admission of fault or downplay your injuries, jeopardizing your rightful compensation.

How to decline politely

You're under no legal obligation to provide a recorded statement to the at-fault party's insurance company. Politely declining is your right.

You can decline as straightforwardly as: "I choose not to provide a recorded statement at this time. All necessary details are in the police report and have been provided to my insurance company." If the insurance company insists that processing requires a recorded statement, that's a pressure tactic — not a real requirement. Stay informed and unfazed. Communicate through emails or online claim portals instead.

Insurance company insistence can be stressful. Despite their claims of urgency, maintaining your resolve matters. Written communications — emails or online claim portals — keep your correspondence clear and traceable.

Mighty's AI handles adjuster communications on your behalf — so you don't need to take the phone calls or compose the email responses yourself. The case file documents everything, and the insurer receives professional written correspondence in the format they expect.

What to do with your own insurance company

Cooperating with your own insurance company is different from cooperating with the at-fault party's insurance. Your policy likely requires your participation in your insurer's investigation, and non-compliance can complicate or even deny your claim.

Still, exercise caution. Provide a well-considered written statement through your insurer's online claim portal. Written statements convey your version of events accurately and eliminate the chance of unintentional misstatements that happen in spoken conversation.

Mighty's AI prepares your written statement for your own insurance company too — capturing the facts in your case file and submitting them through the appropriate channels. You stay in control; Mighty handles the communications.

Should you hire a lawyer for your claim?

Open the claim — but use Mighty to do it. Mighty's AI builds your case file, opens your claim with the insurance company, negotiates a settlement for you to approve, and routes you your payment if the offer is fair. For most accident claims, that's all you need — and you keep 100% of your settlement.

Only hire a lawyer when you need one, which is rarely in the first month or two after an accident. Waiting has two big advantages. First, you may not need one at all, in which case avoiding their fees leaves you with 33% to 40% more of your settlement. Even if you do need one, waiting until you have more information about your case — including an offer from insurance — gives you leverage to negotiate the lawyer's fee down from the standard rate.

A lawyer is genuinely necessary when injuries are serious, liability is disputed, multiple parties are involved, or the insurance company refuses to engage. For those cases, Mighty's marketplace helps to match you with a vetted lawyer who only gets paid on the increase to your existing offer.

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