Should I Give a Recorded Statement to the Other Driver’s Insurer?

Short answer: Usually no, at least not early and not without advice. You generally have no obligation to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company. Your own insurer is different: your policy likely requires you to cooperate with it, and refusing can put your own benefits at risk.

A day or two after a crash, the phone rings. The caller is friendly, says they are handling the claim, and asks if they can record a few quick questions “to get your side of the story.” Before you say yes, it helps to know who is calling, what they want the recording for, and what you actually owe them.

First, Figure Out Who Is Calling

Two different insurers may contact you after a Utah crash, and they are not on the same side.

• Your own insurer handles your personal injury protection (PIP) benefits, and possibly your collision, uninsured or underinsured motorist claims. You have a contract with this company.
• The other driver’s insurer handles the liability claim against its own customer. Its duties run to its own customer, not to you, and you have no contract with it.

Ask the caller directly which company they work for and whom that company insures. Write down the name, the claim number, and the date.

Your Own Insurer: The Duty to Cooperate

Auto policies typically include a cooperation clause requiring you to report the crash, provide information, and sometimes give a statement or submit to a medical exam in connection with your claim. The exact terms are in your policy, so read the conditions section or ask for a copy.

Cooperating does not mean giving up your rights. You can ask what the statement is for, ask to schedule it rather than doing it on the spot, and have a lawyer present. That matters most when your own insurer is also on the other side of a claim, as in an underinsured motorist claim, where your company may argue about the value of your injury.

Your PIP benefits are yours regardless of who caused the crash, including at least $3,000 in medical expenses and part of your lost income (Utah Code 31A-22-307). See is Utah a no-fault state for how those claims work.

The Other Driver’s Insurer: No Contract, No Duty

The at-fault driver’s insurer has no contract with you, and there is generally no rule requiring you to give it a recorded statement. Declining does not end your claim. The insurer can still evaluate the claim from the police report, photos, its own driver’s account, and your medical records and bills when the time comes.

In fact, Utah law now spells out what a policy-limits demand in an auto claim must contain: a description of the crash and injuries, the basis for liability, the damages, and copies of the medical records and bills that support the claimed medical expenses (Utah Code 31A-22-323(1), effective May 6, 2026). The information the insurer legitimately needs reaches it in writing, on a schedule that makes sense for your claim.

Why the Recording Matters

What you say in a recorded statement can be used against you later. Under Utah’s rules of evidence, a party’s own statement offered against that party is not hearsay (Utah Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)). A casual remark to an adjuster in week one can become an exhibit in year two.

The problem is not lying. It is that early answers are incomplete. You may not know yet that your neck pain is a disc injury, or that the other driver’s speed was visible on a nearby camera. Fault is shared by percentage in Utah, and your recovery shrinks by your share and ends at 50% (Utah Code 78B-5-818). A phrase like “I didn’t see him” or “I’m doing okay” can be quoted back to support both a fault argument and an injury argument.

What Adjusters Typically Ask

• How fast were you going, and when did you first see the other car?
• Were you on your phone, eating, or talking to a passenger?
• How are you feeling? Did you go to the hospital that day?
• Have you ever hurt this part of your body before?
• What do you do for work, and what do you do for fun?
• Where were you coming from, and were you in a hurry?

Each is designed to fill a spot in the insurer’s file: fault, the severity of the injury, preexisting conditions, and activities that suggest you are fine.

Watch the Medical Authorization Too

Along with the request for a statement, the other insurer may send a medical authorization form. Many are broad, allowing the insurer to collect records from any provider, for any period. That can open up years of unrelated history the insurer can use to argue your pain came from something else.

You do not have to sign it. A common approach is to provide records related to the crash yourself, or through your lawyer, when the claim is ready to be evaluated. If you have already signed one, it may be possible to revoke it in writing going forward.

What to Say Instead

A polite, short answer works:

“I’m not going to give a recorded statement right now. I can confirm my name, contact information, and my insurance company. Please send any requests in writing.”

If you have a lawyer, add: “Please direct all communication to my attorney.” You can also report the basic facts needed to open a property damage claim for your car without discussing your injuries.

If You Already Gave a Statement

Do not panic. Many claims succeed after a recorded statement. Write down what you remember saying, request a copy of the recording or transcript, and do not give another one. A lawyer can review it and plan around anything that needs context. Our guide to what evidence helps a car accident case covers how to build the rest of the record.

Talk to a Utah Car Accident Attorney

If an adjuster is asking for a statement or a signature, that is a good time for a free consultation. We can tell you what you owe each insurer and handle the calls from there. Our Salt Lake City car accident attorneys work with injured people across Utah.

Hurt in Utah? Call (801) 921-5134 or send us your case for a free consultation. No attorney fees unless we win. Hablamos Español.