Don't Sign the Medical Release — What the Insurance Company Won't Tell You

The call goes something like this: the insurance adjuster is friendly, sympathetic, and “just needs you to sign a medical authorization so they can process your claim.”

It sounds reasonable. It isn’t.

What the Medical Release Actually Does

The “medical authorization” the adjuster sends you is typically a blanket release — meaning it gives the insurance company access to your entire medical history. Not just the records from your accident. Everything.

That means every doctor’s visit, every prescription, every therapy session, every pre-existing condition, every mental health appointment — going back years or even decades.

The insurance company will comb through those records looking for anything they can use to argue your injuries existed before the accident, you have a history of similar complaints, your current treatment is excessive, or your pain is related to something else.

You Are Not Required to Sign It

Arizona law does not require you to sign a blanket medical release for the other driver’s insurance company. They have no legal right to your full medical history just because they’re evaluating a claim.

When you have an attorney, medical records are obtained through proper legal channels — with appropriate limitations on scope and timeframe. Your attorney controls what gets released and ensures only accident-related records are shared.

What to Do Instead

Do not sign the form. Politely tell the adjuster you need to review it with an attorney first.

Do not let them pressure you. Adjusters may say the claim can’t move forward without the release. This isn’t true. Claims progress through negotiation, demand letters, and — if necessary — litigation. None of those require you to hand over your entire medical history on the adjuster’s terms.

Contact a personal injury attorney. Your attorney will handle all communication with the insurance company, obtain the necessary medical records through proper channels, and ensure your privacy is protected while still providing the documentation needed to support your claim.

The Bigger Pattern

The medical release request is part of a broader strategy insurance companies use in the first days after an accident: call quickly, sound friendly, get a recorded statement, get a medical release, and offer a quick settlement — all before you’ve spoken to a lawyer.

Every step in that sequence is designed to give the insurance company leverage and limit what they pay you.

Protect Yourself

If the insurance company has asked you to sign a medical release, call (833) DTF-IGHT before you sign anything. The consultation is free, and we’ll tell you exactly what you’re being asked to give up.