Social Media Monitoring by Insurance Companies
After a car accident, you may feel compelled to go on your Facebook account and post photos of the crash. Or maybe you want to go on Instagram and let everyone know you’re OK. But you should refrain from doing so, and here’s why.
Insurance companies aggressively monitor the online activity of car accident victims to find material that can reduce or deny claims. Even innocent posts or photos taken out of context can be used to challenge injury severity, credibility, and emotional distress claims.
This may seem unfair but it is a common tactic used to avoid payouts. Insurance companies are not your friends. They lose money when they pay claims, so they will find every reason not to do so. And because billions of people use some sort of social media, it has become easy to find incriminating information.
Why Insurance Carriers Monitor Social Media
- To dispute injury severity. A photo of a claimant smiling at a family gathering can be twisted to suggest they are not in pain.
- To challenge disability claims. Videos of walking, lifting, or traveling may be used to argue the claimant is physically capable of work.
- To undermine emotional distress damages. Posts showing social activity may be used to claim the victim is not suffering from anxiety or depression.
- To detect inconsistencies. Any post that contradicts medical reports or deposition statements becomes ammunition for defense counsel.
Insurance investigators and defense law firms often screenshot and archive content to introduce at deposition or mediation. They monitor all public online platforms, including the following:
- Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter)
- Snapchat, Threads, Reddit, YouTube, LinkedIn
- Fitness tracker apps
- Tagged posts from friends and family, even if the claimant’s own account is private
Insurance Companies Are Sneaky
Think your accounts are private? Think again! Insurance companies are sneaky and will gain access to incriminating photos and information by:
- Public profile scraping using surveillance software.
- Tracking hashtags, location check-ins, and comments.
- Reviewing tagged photos from friends or family.
- Sending friend requests through fake profiles.
- Subpoenaing account activity if the case goes to litigation.
Once litigation begins, insurance defense attorneys will use this information to their advantage. They may:
- Present screenshots as evidence to challenge credibility.
- Argue that the claimant misrepresented pain levels or limitations.
- Use timestamps to claim the person was more active than claimed.
What You Can Do
Accident victims should:
- Immediately tighten privacy settings.
- Avoid posting about physical activity, travel, or hobbies during claim. Better yet, avoid posting anything online altogether.
- Do not discuss the accident, injuries, recovery, or legal case online.
- Ask friends and family not to tag or mention you.
- Never delete posts after a claim is filed, as this can be viewed as destroying evidence.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
What you say and do following a car accident can and will be used against you. Avoid posting anything on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites.
A Houston car accident attorney from The West Law Office, PLLC can help you understand the do’s and don’ts after a crash. We understand the stress and hardships involved, but we can make the process easier. Call (281) 347-3247 or fill out the online form to schedule a consultation.
Source:
propertycasualty360.com/2025/04/04/nearly-half-of-disputed-claims-are-flagged-by-social-media-surveillance/?slreturn=1760286331660
