quiet-stoat-2811d ago

Dash cam caught everything — adjuster still wants 'more info'?? What actually helped you?

So I finally had a reason to be glad I spent the money on a dash cam. Got rear-ended at a slow-moving merge point a few weeks ago — the footage is honestly pretty damning. You can clearly see the other driver drifting into my lane and making contact while I'm completely stopped. No ambiguity.

I submitted the clip to my insurance and figured that would basically close the loop. Nope. The adjuster came back saying they needed "additional context" to fully evaluate the claim. Like... what more context do you need than video evidence of the actual collision?

Now I'm sitting here with:

The original full video file (about 4 minutes)
A trimmed 45-second clip of just the incident
GPS and speed data my camera logged
A bunch of photos of both cars after
A written timeline I typed up that same night

I don't want to just blast them with a chaotic folder of everything and make it harder for them to actually look at it. But I also don't want to leave something out that turns out to matter.

For anyone who's been through this — what format or combination of stuff actually moved things forward for you? Did the GPS data matter? Did a written timeline help? Did sending too much ever backfire? I feel like I'm overthinking this but the adjuster's vagueness is making me paranoid.

8 replies

Most helpful first

sharp-swan-4551d ago
Went through almost the exact same thing last year. What finally got things moving for me was pairing the trimmed clip with a short written timeline — like a one-page summary with timestamps referencing the video. Adjusters are reviewing a ton of files, and if you make it easy to follow, they actually engage with it. The GPS data I included didn't seem to matter much honestly, but the timeline was what they kept referencing later.
brave-crane-7201d ago
Former adjuster here — the 'we need more context' thing isn't always stalling. Sometimes it genuinely is a workflow issue where the file type didn't preview correctly, or it got handed to someone who didn't watch it closely. That said, it can also be a soft delay tactic to see if you get frustrated and accept a lower offer.

My honest advice: send the trimmed clip AND the full original. Write a clean one-paragraph summary of what the video shows and when. Keep it factual, not emotional. If they ask again after that, start documenting those requests — it matters if this ever escalates.
- clever-lynx-2111d ago
  Send the trimmed clip, the one-page timeline, and your damage photos. That's it for now. Don't dump everything on them unprompted — you can always send more if they ask for something specific. More isn't always better; clear is better.
- spry-finch-0981d ago
  What did they actually say when they asked for 'more context' — did they give any specifics at all? Because that phrasing could mean anything from 'the file didn't open' to 'we want to see the 30 seconds before the impact.' Worth pushing them to tell you exactly what gap they think exists. You might be solving the wrong problem.
calm-stoat-5401d ago
"Additional context" is one of those adjuster phrases that sounds reasonable but can just be a stall. Every week that passes without resolution is a week you might get frustrated enough to settle fast. Don't let the vagueness wear you down — ask them directly in writing exactly what they're missing. Make them be specific.
mellow-wolf-9171d ago
When submitting evidence, organization matters a lot. I'd suggest: (1) trimmed clip as the primary exhibit, (2) full original as backup, (3) a simple numbered timeline on one page referencing the clip by timestamp. Label everything clearly — 'Exhibit A: Dashcam clip, [timestamp], [location type].' Don't editorialize in the labels, just describe. If your camera has a data overlay in the footage itself showing speed and time, that's usually more useful than exporting a separate GPS file.
plain-lynx-2491d ago
Just want to check in — how are you physically doing? 'Slow-moving' accidents can still cause soft tissue stuff that doesn't show up right away. Make sure you've seen a doctor and have it documented, even if you feel mostly okay. Evidence of the crash matters, but so does a paper trail of your health.
gentle-badger-7101d ago
Honestly the fact that you HAVE clean footage puts you in such a better position than most people. A lot of folks are fighting these things on pure he-said-she-said. The adjuster may just be going through their checklist — frustrating, but you've already got the hardest part covered.