Insurance paperwork
Organize documents for an accident insurance claim before the adjuster asks.
Adjusters work from paper. The claim moves at the speed of your documents, and it stalls when something is missing or contradictory. Here is how to keep the file in order and in your control.
Records education is available. Accident case evaluation, settlement estimates, and legal representation are not offered here.
On the record
The facts worth knowing
- 01
You can have the records sent directly to a third party you name, such as your attorney or an insurer, with a signed written request. You can also get them yourself first and decide who sees them.[1]
- 02
You have a federal right to copies of your medical and billing records from every provider who treated you after the accident, including the emergency department, imaging centers, physical therapy and your regular doctor.[3]
The guide
What to do, in order
Keep three folders
Medical records and bills in one; every letter, email and claim number from insurers in a second; your own notes and photos in a third. Never edit an original; write notes separately.
Send records deliberately
An insurer can ask for a blanket authorization to pull your entire history. You can instead request the relevant records yourself and provide what the claim actually concerns. HIPAA puts the choice with you.
Match bills to records
For each date of service you should be able to point to a record and a bill. Gaps are where disputes start, so find them first.
Know what we don't do
We don't negotiate with insurers, estimate what a claim is worth, or tell you whether to settle. We get the records, chase them, and deliver them. For the rest, your policy and a lawyer you choose are the right sources.
Your checklist
Your claim file, in order
- 01
Claim number, adjuster name and contact, and the date of every call.
- 02
Every letter or email from the insurer, in date order.
- 03
Medical records and itemized bills for each provider, matched by date.
- 04
Any authorization you signed, with a note of what it covers and when it expires.
- 05
A dated list of what you have sent, to whom, and how.
We send the request, follow up with the provider, and deliver the records to you. Your provider decides how fast they come back; the law gives them up to 30 days, and we post every verified update.
Questions people ask
Straight answers, with sources
Should I sign the insurer's medical authorization form?
That is a decision for you, and often for a lawyer. A HIPAA authorization must say what information it covers, who gets it, and when it expires, and you can revoke it in writing. Many people prefer to request the relevant records themselves and provide those.[2]
Can my lawyer or the insurance company get my records without me?
Only with your signed authorization, or through legal process. The simplest route is a signed request from you naming the recipient, which HIPAA requires providers to honor.[2]
Will MedicalRecords.com evaluate my accident case?
No. We don't evaluate claims, estimate what a case is worth, or refer you to a lawyer. We request your records from any provider, chase them, and deliver them securely to you or to someone you name.[1]
Sources
Where this page comes from
Primary sources only. Each entry says what the source itself states. This is reference material, not legal or medical advice, and the cited guidance controls its own scope and exceptions.
- [1]Individuals' Right under HIPAA to Access their Health Information
HHS Office for Civil Rights · hhs.gov
Covered providers and plans generally must act on an access request within 30 calendar days, may take one 30-day extension if they tell you why in writing, may charge only a reasonable cost-based fee, and must send a copy to a third party you name in a signed written request.
- [2]45 CFR 164.508 Uses and disclosures for which an authorization is required
eCFR (U.S. Government Publishing Office) · ecfr.gov
What a valid HIPAA authorization must contain, including the specific information, the recipient, an expiration, and the right to revoke.
- [3]Your Medical Records
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · hhs.gov
HIPAA gives you the right to see and get copies of your medical and billing records held by covered providers and health plans, with limited exceptions such as psychotherapy notes.