What Obligations Do You Have to Insurance Companies After a Car Crash?

April 26, 2016

 

Although being involved in an accident is a harrowing experience, many people find themselves frustrated after dealing with insurance companies. Insurance companies — both yours and the other driver’s — can be ruthless when it comes to working with injured individuals and their families. What you say to them can impact your case, so should you say anything at all? What obligations do you have to these companies, and what rights do you have to say no?

 

Obligations to Your Own Insurance Company

Although you do not have to tell your insurance company how you’re feeling or provide them with the contact numbers of your family, friends or doctors, there are some things that you are obligated to provide after a car accident. Generally speaking, you’ll need to provide them with the basic information about the accident, and you may need to provide them with your medical records. However, avoid giving them full access to  all  of your medical records via a release form. Instead, obtain the records specifically related to the accident and send them to the insurance company yourself.

Obligations to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company

 

Unlike with your own insurance company, you have little to no obligation to provide information to the other driver’s insurance company, although they will likely contact you and attempt to get information from you, including your medical records. You have no obligation to provide any of your medical records to the other driver’s insurance company, and you actually do not have to even speak to their insurance company. The best course of action is to provide them with the contact information of your car accident attorney . Your attorney is better suited to answer the questions that are being asked and can let them know what information is within your rights to decline.

 

Contact the Sarkisian Law Offices Today

 

If you or a loved one have been hurt in a car accident, dealing with insurance companies afterward can be overwhelming. At Sarkisian Law Offices, we are able to work directly with the insurance companies involved in your case, so you can focus on the most important thing: healing. Contact us today for a consultation to learn more about your rights after a car crash by calling 219-942-7171. We are available now to speak with you.

 

Trying to figure out bills after no longer working from accident
By Sarkisian Law Offices • October 6, 2026
If a crash ended your career, Indiana law allows recovery for lost earning capacity. How those claims are calculated, proven, and contested.
Gray child car seat secured on a black car back seat, facing sideways in the rear passenger area.
By Sarkisian Law Offices • September 29, 2026
Children are injured differently than adults in crashes. Pediatric injury patterns, Indiana car seat law, and why early settlements carry real risk.
Semi-truck traveling on a Northwest Indiana interstate highway
By Sarkisian Law Offices • September 22, 2026
A truck crash rarely has one liable party. Learn when an Indiana trucking company is responsible, from negligent hiring to hours-of-service violations.
Attorney reviewing a contract with a client across a desk in a law office
By Sarkisian Law Offices • September 15, 2026
What to ask in a free consultation with an Indiana injury lawyer, from contingency fees and case costs to comparative fault and filing deadlines.
Two cars after a rear-end collision on a Northwest Indiana road
By Sarkisian Law Offices • September 8, 2026
Is the rear driver always at fault in an Indiana rear-end crash? Not always. Learn how comparative fault, brake-checking, and evidence decide who pays.
Front wheel of a black motorcycle parked on a sunlit paved street
By Sarkisian Law Offices • September 3, 2026
Indiana insurers assume riders were reckless before reviewing evidence. See how that bias cuts settlements and what evidence pushes back.
Show More