How To Deal With Insurance Companies After An Accident
Posted on: January 5, 2026Here’s how to deal with insurance carriers after a car accident.
In the days and weeks immediately following a car accident, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. But between your injuries, doctor’s appointments, and the stress of what just happened, one task tends to stand out as especially frustrating—dealing with the insurance company.
Since Florida is a No Fault state, many accident victims assume that their car insurance claims will go smoothly. Unfortunately, our experience as personal injury attorneys has shown us that this is rarely true.
How you deal with the insurance company is one of the most important factors in determining the success of your car accident claim. Here’s our advice on how to deal with insurance (both yours and the other driver’s) after an accident.
Tip #1: The Insurance Company Is Not Your Friend
One of the biggest personal injury myths is that your insurance company will quickly and gladly cover all of your expenses following an accident.
In reality, insurers are businesses and their goal is to pay out as little as possible on claims. That’s why you should treat every conversation (with the at-fault insurer and your own) as something that can affect the value of your case.
Wondering if you have a case? Take our quiz to find out.
Other than filing an accident claim, you are not obligated to speak to the other party’s insurance company after your accident.
In some cases, you may be asked to give a recorded statement or to answer additional questions. However, in many cases, this is an attempt to get you to “slip up” and say something they can use to devalue your claim.
And if you’re wondering how to deal with the at fault driver’s insurance company? The answer is simple: don’t.
Under no circumstances are you required to speak to the at fault party or their insurance company. Again, they will be looking for ways to downplay your damages or get you to admit to having some degree of fault for the accident. Don’t make it easy for them to do so!
Tip #3: Watch Your Words
After an accident, it’s very normal for your adrenaline to spike, leaving you agitated or confused. This is not the time to speak to your insurance company!
Instead, wait until the next day to file an accident claim. This gives you enough time to calm down and gather your thoughts. More importantly, many injuries don’t fully show up until later in the day or overnight. If you call from the scene and say that you were not injured, the insurance company will document this and try to use this against you later.
When you do speak to them, here are three key tips to keep in mind:
- Be clear. Don’t use phrases like “I think” or “I assumed.” Stick to the facts, and leave your opinion out. When in doubt, saying “I don’t know” is best.
- Don’t admit fault or use phrases that may be interpreted that way. Even “I’m sorry” or “I accidentally…” can be used as evidence that you were at fault.
- Don’t downplay your injuries. Even saying “I’m fine” can send the wrong message. You can’t be sure that you’re fine until you’ve seen a doctor. Car accident injuries may take several days or more to start showing symptoms.
Tip #4: Don’t Accept the First Settlement Offer
After decades as car accident attorneys, we can assure you that the insurance company’s first offer is never their best.
Instead, the insurance company will often lowball you by downplaying your injuries or arguing that you had a pre-existing condition. When you’re facing lost wages and medical bills, that offer can seem tempting. It is also tempting to put the whole situation behind you and move forward with your life. But that first offer is rarely enough to fully compensate you.
What the insurance company won’t tell you is that you can negotiate this settlement amount, but you should never attempt to do this without legal representation.
A car accident lawyer can give you an idea of how much to expect from your car accident settlement (based on similar cases), negotiate on your behalf, and recognize a fair offer.
Tip #5: Direct Them To Your Attorney
After you have filed your claim and given the initial report of the accident to your own insurance company, any further communications should be directed to your lawyer. (This is their job!)
Whether you are recovering from an injury or you suffered only property damage, having an attorney greatly increases your odds of a favorable settlement. Remember, your attorney does not get paid unless they win your car accident case, and their payment is taken from your settlement amount, not out of your pocket!
Don’t Get Taken For a Ride
The whole point of having insurance coverage is to receive compensation after an accident. Yet whichever insurance company you turn to—yours or the at fault party’s—expect that they will look out for their own bottom line, not yours.
This is exactly why you need a car accident attorney on your side who has the experience required to take on the insurance company and get you the compensation you deserve.
Before starting Beers & Gordon P.A., our attorneys worked on behalf of insurance companies. That experience has given us insight into how the insurance company will treat you and your case. We know how insurance representatives think and can use that knowledge to benefit you and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free consultation with an attorney to see what you can expect from your case.
Jim Gordon
Jim Gordon earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska in 1997, and two years later began working at a firm in Orlando handling insurance defense matters on cases involving vehicle accidents, negligence, product liability, and more. He established Beers & Gordon P.A. with David Beers in 2009 to represent the rights of people injured because of negligence. He is a member of the invitation-only National Trial Lawyers organization and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.