Getting hurt in an accident is stressful enough. Then the phone calls start. An adjuster from the other driver’s insurance company reaches out—friendly, professional, eager to resolve your claim quickly. What they don’t tell you is that their job is to protect the insurance company’s bottom line, not to make sure you’re fairly compensated.
Insurance adjusters are trained negotiators working on behalf of their employer. Understanding how that dynamic works can be the difference between a settlement that covers your losses and one that leaves you paying out of pocket for months. Below are five things adjusters typically won’t volunteer—and what injury claimants such as yourself should know before your next conversation with one.
What the Insurance Companies Don’t Want Accident Victims to Know
1. They Already Know What Your Claim Is Worth
Insurance companies use proprietary software to calculate a settlement range for your claim the moment it’s filed. Their opening offer is almost always the floor of that range—not a fair starting point.
Programs like Colossus analyze injury type, treatment duration, and comparable claims to generate a payout range. Adjusters are trained to anchor the negotiation at the lowest defensible number, knowing that many unrepresented claimants won’t know what that range actually looks like from the other end.
That initial offer may feel reasonable, especially if you’re still dealing with pain, missed work, and mounting medical bills. But accepting it before you know the full extent of your injuries—and before you’ve consulted with an attorney—can permanently close the door on additional compensation.
2. Your Recorded Statement Can Be Weaponized Against You
You have no legal obligation to give a recorded statement to the opposing party’s insurance company, and doing so without preparation can seriously damage your claim.
Adjusters are skilled at asking questions that sound routine but are designed to elicit answers that minimize your injuries or shift blame. Saying something like “I’m doing okay” or “I didn’t see them coming” in a recorded call can be used to argue that your injuries aren’t serious or that you were partially at fault.
This matters enormously in Indiana. Under Indiana’s modified comparative fault rule, if you are found to be more than 50% responsible for the accident, you are completely barred from recovering any damages (Ind. Code § 34-51-2-6). Even partial fault—say, 30%—reduces your damages by that same percentage. A few careless words in a recorded statement can shift that calculation against you.
Before agreeing to any recorded statement, speak with an experienced Indianapolis personal injury attorney at Craven, Hoover & Blazek, P.C. Call our law office today to scheduled a free initial consultation.
3. Quick Settlement Offers Are Not Acts of Generosity
Early settlement offers are designed to close your file before the insurance company knows how expensive your medical treatment will become.
A lowball offer made within days or weeks of an accident might seem appealing when you’re overwhelmed. But many injuries—soft tissue damage, herniated discs, traumatic brain injuries—don’t fully reveal themselves in the first few weeks. Accepting a settlement before your treatment is complete means you’re releasing your legal rights in exchange for a number that may not reflect your actual losses.
Once you sign a settlement release, that’s it. You cannot go back and ask for more money because your recovery took longer than expected, or because you needed surgery that wasn’t anticipated. The insurance company knows this. That’s exactly why the offer comes early.
Indiana’s statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4(a)(1)). You have time to make an informed decision. Use it.
4. You Don’t Have to Sign a Blanket Medical Authorization
When an adjuster asks you to sign a broad medical release, they’re not just requesting records related to your injury—they’re looking for pre-existing conditions to use as leverage.
A blanket medical authorization can give an insurance company access to your entire medical history, sometimes going back years. Adjusters use this information to argue that your pain or limitations existed before the accident, reducing or eliminating the insurer’s liability.
You may have a legitimate obligation to provide records relevant to your injury claim. But that’s a far narrower scope than what a blanket release allows. Before signing any authorization, have an attorney review it. Limiting a release to records that are actually relevant to your injury protects your privacy and prevents the insurer from combing through unrelated health history to build a case against you.
5. Legal Representation Statistically Leads to Higher Payouts
Claimants who hire personal injury attorneys consistently receive more compensation than those who handle claims on their own—often substantially more.
A 2016 Insurance Research Council survey found that nearly half of auto injury claimants hired attorneys, and 22% of those who did hire lawyers cited getting “the highest settlement possible” as their reason. An analysis of nearly one million workers’ compensation claims by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (2024) found that attorney representation increased indemnity payments by $7,700 to $12,400 on average.
Insurance adjusters know this. The fewer lawyers involved, the more favorable the outcome tends to be for the insurer. Adjusters may subtly discourage you from seeking legal counsel or suggest that attorneys will just take most of your settlement. In reality, most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis—meaning they only get paid if you recover compensation—and many claimants walk away with significantly more, even after attorney fees.
Contact our Indiana personal injury law firm at 317-881-2700 to book a free case review and learn more about your rights to recovering compensation for your damages and losses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Indiana?
In most cases, you have two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit in Indiana (Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4(a)(1)). Wrongful death claims carry the same two-year window, measured from the date of death (Ind. Code § 34-23-1-1). Waiting too long—even by a single day past the deadline—can permanently forfeit your right to compensation, so it’s important to act well before that window closes.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Indiana uses a modified comparative fault system. Your damages are reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault. However, if you are found to be 51% or more responsible, you cannot recover anything at all (Ind. Code § 34-51-2-6). This is one reason why recorded statements and early admissions are so risky—they can shift fault percentages in ways that significantly reduce or eliminate your recovery.
How much does it cost to hire a personal injury attorney?
Most personal injury attorneys charge on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs. The attorney’s fee is a percentage of the final settlement or verdict, and you pay nothing if you don’t recover. This arrangement makes legal representation accessible regardless of your financial situation.
I was injured while visiting Indiana—can I still file a claim?
Yes. Visitors injured in Indiana are generally entitled to file a personal injury claim under Indiana law, just as residents are. Similarly, Indiana residents injured in another state may have options in both jurisdictions. An attorney familiar with multi-state injury claims can help you determine the best path forward.
Should I talk to the insurance adjuster at all?
You are required to cooperate with your own insurance company. You are generally not required to give a recorded statement to the other party’s insurer. Before speaking with any adjuster—especially in a recorded format—consult a personal injury attorney to understand what you should and should not say.
Protect Your Claim Before It’s Too Late
Insurance adjusters are professionals who handle hundreds of claims a year. Most injured people navigate the process once in their lifetime. That experience gap is real, and insurance companies rely on it.
Knowing what adjusters aren’t telling you is a start. Getting qualified legal representation is the next step.
If you were injured in an accident in Indianapolis or anywhere in Indiana, our team offers free personal injury claim evaluations with no obligation. We also represent Hoosiers injured out of state and out-of-state visitors injured in Indiana. Schedule a free evaluation today and find out what your claim is actually worth.
Related Post: Handling Insurance Adjusters in Indiana: A Survivor’s Guide