# Recorded statement

> A recorded statement is an adjuster's taped interview about how the crash happened and how you were hurt. Who asks for one and why the words matter later.

Canonical page: https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/recorded-statement/  
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team  
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

## Quick answer

A recorded statement is an interview, often by phone, in which an insurance adjuster records your account of how the crash happened and how you were hurt. The recording goes into the claim file, and the insurer may compare it with everything you say later.

## In a car accident claim

Two different insurers may ask for one. Your own insurer can usually require your cooperation under your policy. The California Department of Insurance notes that your insurer may take a written or recorded statement, and sometimes an examination under oath.

The other driver's insurer is in a different position, because you have no contract with it. A consumer checklist published by the District of Columbia's insurance regulator puts it plainly: "You are under no obligation to the other insurance company to record a statement about the accident." You still need to give that insurer enough facts and documents to prove a third party claim.

Early statements matter because the full picture of an injury may not be clear in the first days after a crash. The guide to [recorded statements](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/recorded-statement/) covers what adjusters ask and how people prepare, and [working with the adjuster](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/insurance-adjuster/) covers the wider relationship.

## Example

> **Example:** Two days after a crash, the other driver's adjuster calls and asks to record a short interview. The injured driver says they "feel fine," because the pain has not set in yet. A week later a doctor diagnoses a neck strain, and the adjuster points to the recording to question whether the crash caused it.

## Related terms

- [Adjuster](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/adjuster/)
- [Examination under oath](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/examination-under-oath/)
- [Cooperation clause](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/glossary/cooperation-clause/)

## FAQ

### Do you have to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement?

Generally, no: no policy term requires it, because you are not that insurer's customer. Your own insurer is different, since most policies require you to cooperate with its investigation.

### Can you get a copy of your recorded statement?

You can ask the adjuster for one. If a lawsuit is filed in federal court, the rules say a party or other person can, on request, get a copy of their own earlier statement about the case, including a recording or a transcript of it. State courts have their own rules.

## Sources

- [California Department of Insurance, So you've had an accident: what's next?](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/hadaccident.cfm) — insurers may take written or recorded statements and examinations under oath
- [District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking, Consumer Federation of America's Guide to Navigating the Auto Claims' Maze (checklist)](https://disb.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/disb/publication/attachments/Auto-Insurance-Claims-Checklist-12-14-11.pdf), checked October 29, 2026
- [Cornell LII, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 26](https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/rule_26), checked October 29, 2026