Hit-and-run UM claim — how careful do I need to be with my OWN insurance company?

Your gut feeling is right — your own carrier is still trying to pay out as little as possible on a UM claim. Don't let the "we're on your side" framing fool you. That broad medical auth is a fishing expedition. They're hoping to find some old back or neck issue they can point to and call your current pain "pre-existing." Push back hard on the scope of that release. Date-limit it to the month before the crash at the earliest, and specify only the treating providers for this injury.

I used to work claims and I'll be honest — the recorded statement request is pretty standard, but how you handle it matters. If you do it, keep every answer short. Don't volunteer anything. "Yes," "no," "I don't recall exactly" are all fine answers. The problem is people ramble and then say something like "well my neck has always been a little stiff" and suddenly that's in the file forever. Written answers are harder to get approved on the adjuster's end but not impossible to request. Worth asking.

On the medical authorization — you absolutely can negotiate the scope. A lot of people don't realize that. You can cross out language, initial changes, and send it back. Limit it by date range and by provider type. They may push back, but it's not a "take it or leave it" document. Also, do NOT counter their offer until you have a clearer picture of your treatment timeline. If you're still in active care, any number you agree to now is probably going to shortchange your future medical costs. Wait until you're at or near maximum medical improvement if you can.

I went through almost exactly this two years ago, minus the hit-and-run part. My own carrier made me feel like I was the problem for asking questions. I did the recorded statement and honestly I think it was fine because I kept it to just the facts of the crash itself. What I wish I'd done differently was push back on that medical release — I just signed it without reading carefully and later found out they'd pulled records from like five years back. Learn from my laziness lol.

Not legal advice, but a few things worth knowing: in most states, your duty to cooperate with your own carrier on a UM claim does require some participation — full stonewalling can actually create problems. But cooperation doesn't mean handing over unlimited access to your medical history. Narrowing the authorization by date and provider is reasonable and generally accepted. As for timing a counteroffer, most experienced folks will tell you not to settle an open injury — if you're still treating, the full picture isn't there yet.

Please don't rush to settle while you're still in treatment. I've seen patients wrap up a claim thinking they're fine and then need more care months later that they're now paying out of pocket for. If your doctor is already talking about imaging, that means the clinical picture isn't fully clear yet. Give your body — and your claim — time to catch up with each other.

Counter their offer in writing, keep records of everything, and don't sign that broad auth. Simple as that. The first offer is almost never the real offer — it's a starting point to see if you'll just take it. You won't. So don't.

This whole thing sounds so stressful, especially when you're already dealing with recovery on top of it. I hope you have someone helping you keep track of all the paperwork and dates. Even just a notes app log of every call and every document can make a big difference later.

Quick question — did you have any neck or back treatment in the couple years before this accident? I'm not trying to be harsh, I'm just wondering because if there's anything in your history at all, that's probably exactly what they're fishing for with that broad auth. Knowing what they might find could change how you approach limiting the release.