Auto Insurance Claim Facts

Why does it matter what my reason for travel was at the time of the accident? Whenever I ask the question "What was your reason for travel at the time of the accident?" this is inevitably the question that I get in return. I generally explain that there are a lot of different variables that go into an auto insurance claim and this is one of them. The general response is that I'm a nosy auto insurance adjuster, but I disagree and here is why.

Let's start out with Scenario #1: Driver #1 is driving home and is in the right lane and wants to change to the left lane and says that they didn't see anybody in that lane. Driver #1 changes lanes and strikes Driver #2 who they didn't see until the impact occurred. Driver #1 states that they never saw Driver #2 and Driver #2 must have been changing lanes at the same time. Driver #2 states they were in that lane the entire time.

This auto insurance claim seems to be headed into doom and gloom with very little chance at determining fault until asking this question. If the auto insurance adjuster asks the question and Driver #1 answers with the response "I was going home from a nightclub after the club closed." The auto insurance adjuster starts to piece it together. Nightclubs close at about 2 or 3 am. Nightclubs serve alcohol. Is it possible this person didn't see the other driver because they were a bit inebriated?

Now, the claim starts to move a bit in favor of Driver #2 as the driver states they were on their way home from their job. However, it can take an entirely different spin if Driver #1 states they were on their way home from getting milk at the grocery store at 12:30 pm. No reason to look into that part of the claim any further and the auto insurance adjuster moves on.

This claim can make or break the auto insurance claim, or it can have no impact whatsoever. The only way the auto insurance adjuster knows the answer is by asking the question. Don't get too worked up about it if they ask you, get worked up if your response is argued and called false. Auto insurance adjusters will ask a lot of questions, just answer and move on!