The claim file contains everything the insurer generated or received in handling a claim: the notice, investigation reports, recorded statements, coverage analyses, diary entries, reserve history, evaluations, and correspondence with the insured, claimant, and counsel.
Portions may be protected by attorney-client privilege or work product, but the file created in the ordinary course of investigating a claim generally is not.
Alternative Names:
Claims File, Adjuster File
Why it Matters?
The claim file is the single most important document set in bad faith litigation, and it is frequently produced in full. That reality should shape how adjusters and defense counsel write: evaluations, status reports, and internal notes will be read by a jury assessing whether the carrier acted reasonably. Sloppy or conclusory entries do more damage than the underlying decisions they describe.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Is the entire claim file privileged?
What is the practical guidance for writing in the file?
