Should I sign a blanket medical authorization for the Georgia insurance adjuster?

· 3 min read

A blanket medical authorization gives an insurance adjuster open-ended access to a person’s entire medical history, and there is rarely a good reason to grant that much. Georgia law does not require a claimant to hand the opposing insurer unlimited access to records that have nothing to do with the crash.

What a blanket release actually allows

A broad authorization typically lets the carrier request records from any provider, for any time period, covering conditions unrelated to the injury at issue. Adjusters often present it as a routine step to “process the claim faster.” In practice it lets the insurer comb through years of unrelated history looking for prior complaints, old injuries, or conditions it can use to argue the current injury is not really from this accident. The form rarely limits the request to the body parts and dates that matter.

Why the scope matters under Georgia’s fault and damages rules

Georgia’s percentage-based fault system under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 means anything that chips away at causation or value can reduce a recovery. If an insurer finds an unrelated back complaint from years earlier, it may argue the current pain is a pre-existing condition rather than crash-related. A narrow, tailored authorization, limited to the relevant providers, body regions, and a sensible date range, gives the carrier what it legitimately needs to evaluate the claim while keeping unrelated history out of reach.

A more measured approach often includes:

  • Limiting records to the injured body parts and the treatment from this accident.
  • Setting a date range tied to the collision rather than a person’s whole life.
  • Providing records directly rather than granting standing access to providers.
  • Excluding especially sensitive categories that have no bearing on the claim.

The legitimate need behind the request

An insurer does have a real interest in verifying injuries and treatment costs before paying. The goal is not to hide relevant records, which usually must be produced anyway if a lawsuit is filed and formal discovery begins. The goal is to match the disclosure to the dispute instead of signing away privacy by default. Records can be gathered and shared in a controlled way that still moves the claim forward.

The bottom line

Signing a blanket medical authorization for a Georgia adjuster gives up more than the claim requires and can hand the insurer material to dispute causation. Providing relevant, properly scoped records is usually enough, and tailoring the release protects unrelated history while still letting the carrier evaluate the injury.

This article is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship, and Georgia law may change. For advice about a specific situation, consult a licensed Georgia personal injury attorney.

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