Countering a Low Insurance Settlement OfferState that the offer you received is unacceptable, refute any statement in the adjuster's letter that is inaccurate and detrimental to your claim, reestablish an acceptable figure, explain why your counteroffer is appropriate, including the reasons behind your claims for damage. If, after thinking about the reasonableness and limit of the policy, you still think that the offer you have is too low, you can decline it. Always decline an offer of agreement in writing. Write a letter to your contact at the insurance company stating the reasons why you think your offer is too low.
Support these reasons with concrete evidence attached to the letter. Finally, make a counteroffer of a sum that you deem most reasonable. A personal injury lawyer can also help you avoid common mistakes when negotiating with insurance adjusters. Agreeing to give a recorded statement early in your claim, for example, can give the insurance company information to use against you.
The law does not require you to give a recorded statement. Politely refuse to do so and contact an attorney for help with negotiations. A lawyer can quickly and effectively reject the agreement under and respond with a realistic counteroffer to resolve your claim as quickly as possible and for as much money as possible. You can be sure that you will get a fair result with the help of an attorney.
Your lawyer will draft a formal response to the offer notifying the insurer that you reject the offer. As the letter is drafted, you or your lawyer are likely to point out erroneous assumptions that the insurance company you relied on in making your initial offer so low. Even experienced lawyers who negotiate personal injury settlements every day will tell you that no amount of negotiating prowess will give you a gigantic settlement that will place you in a giant mansion for life. Lawyers practically always put that contract in writing into a “settlement agreement” that sets out the rights and responsibilities of both parties.
If you are represented by a personal injury lawyer for your injuries and they have already sent you the initial demand letter for your claim, you may receive a low settlement offer from an insurance company or the law firm representing the at-fault party. If you pass this test by not settling for the low bid and making a counter offer, you are likely to be rewarded with a higher settlement amount. In a car accident settlement negotiation, the insurance company and the victim often start with very different views on what constitutes a fair and reasonable outcome. When the time comes for you (or your lawyer) to negotiate a personal injury settlement, the adjuster may make a settlement offer that is excessively low, perhaps as a negotiating tactic to see if they understand the value of your claim.
By “speaking the language of settlement negotiations” and protecting you from the tricks and tactics of defense and insurance lawyers, the lawyer evens the playing field between you and the insurance company, which in turn increases your chances of receiving the money you deserve. When you add the emotional trauma of car accident injuries to these economic costs, a low settlement offer for your personal injury claim from the at-fault party's insurance company feels nothing more than an insult. It's common for the insurance company to drop a single figure in the hope that an amount will be enough to trick you into a cheap deal. When you receive the initial settlement offer in writing, examine the reasons the insurance adjuster has given for the low settlement amount.
An attorney can also handle communications with claims adjustors, including filing settlement counteroffers and negotiating. By withholding the money from its settlement for a longer period of time, the insurance company essentially earns income from the money that rightfully belongs to it and, in essence, is mitigating its own payment. An experienced car accident resolution lawyer will provide you with legal advice on factors that may influence your choices and choices. In any negotiation with an insurance company related to a personal injury settlement, it is up to you and your personal injury lawyer to know how to respond to a low initial settlement offer and to prepare an informed and firm counteroffer.
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