Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
In the wake of Hurricane Ida, there will be hundreds of thousands of insurance claims. Insurance companies will be overrun, but that’s no excuse for those companies to fail to pay your claims timely. Unfortunately, that’s not always how claims are handled.
You undoubtedly have seen numerous posts giving general advice such as “document every interaction with the insurance company.” That is true and great advice, but documenting every interaction can become burdensome when you are already overwhelmed.
So here’s a quick tip to help achieve the goal of “document everything” by using the phone in your hand. How to record phone conversations with your insurance company:
iPhone Users:
https://www.rev.com/callrecorder is a free app that allows users to record telephone conversations.
Android Users:
Here are several options for Android users: https://www.androidauthority.com/best-call-recorder-apps-android-1001838/
With a press of a button, you will be recording every statement made by your insurance company and its adjusters. So if your adjusters say, “I never said that we would cover …” you can say, “yes, you did, let me play the tape for you.”
Recorded statements will be compelling evidence to use against your insurance company. Let’s hope your claim process goes smoothly. But if things go awry, pulling up those statements and playing them for the insurance company may get your claim resolved quickly!
Can I legally record phone calls?
Louisiana’s laws dictate whether you can record phone conversations. Louisiana is a one-party consent state, which means feel free to record. As long as you (the person recording) consents, you are fine to record phone calls in Louisiana. Other states may require consent from both parties. Check the laws of your state before recording.
What if I can’t use phone apps?
Do not fret if you are not tech-savvy or do not want to record telephone calls for other reasons. There is an old-school way to make sure that you memorialize important conversations.
If possible, take notes while the conversation is occurring. Takedown all of the important information, including:
1. Who you are talking to.
2. Date of conversation.
3. Substance of conversation.
4. All important points were made during the conversation. Such as the adjuster telling you what is or is not covered by your policy.
Do not be afraid to ask the adjuster to repeat their statements so that you have time to take notes.
If you cannot take notes during the conversation, then as soon as you hang up the phone, memorialize your conversation by writing down everything that was said by your insurance company. You can also use the Voice Memos function on your phone to quickly record that information if you don’t have time to write it down.
The main point you should take away from this article is the importance of recording the substance of all interactions that you have with your insurance company for your Hurricane Ida claim. This evidence can be compelling when facing a billion-dollar insurance company. The lawyers at Berniard Law Firm have seen insurance companies lie, cheat, steal, fumble, fall, and just outright mishandle insurance claims. We have helped thousands with their insurance claims when their companies let them down. Hopefully, you don’t need our help, but we are here for you if your insurance company isn’t treating you fairly.