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A low-ball offer is an unreasonably low bid from an insurance adjuster. Some adjusters have chosen to use that rather unfair tactic. Some want to see how well the claimant appreciates the value of his or her particular claim.
Suggested actions for claimant that has received a low-ball bid
Call the adjuster and ask for an explanation. Seek the reasons why the adjuster has come forward with such an unreasonably low number. Be sure to take notes, as the adjuster offers the reason for the exceedingly low bid.
Consider the points made during that call to the adjuster’s office. Compose a letter that speaks to each point. Present an argument that seeks to invalidate the adjuster’s reasoning. Personal Injury Lawyer in Sudbury will conclude by stating a demand. That demand might be a bit lower than the one in the demand letter. Still, it should not be much lower. Smart claimants do not want to demonstrate a willingness to acknowledge the message in a low-ball offer.
Make clear to the recipient (adjuster) that you expect to receive a response in a short amount of time. By then, you have already spoken with the source of the unacceptable offer. That call should have already started the adjuster’s mind thinking a bit more seriously about what a fair compensation ought to be.
Adjusters’ possible actions, after receiving a plaintiff’s new demand
Some adjusters could appreciate the wisdom behind issuing a timely response. Each of them would include a counteroffer with their response. That counteroffer should be well above the level of the exceedingly low bid. Thus, it would work to keep the negotiations going.
Other adjusters might try to exploit their tactic further. Any one of them might sit-on their response. Still, their action should not be viewed as one that has to result in creation of a deadlock. The claimants should appreciate the fact that all adjusters have a supervisor. Hence, any dissatisfied claimant has the right to notify the supervisor. In fact, that notification could even include a sharing of the letters that were sent to the supervised employee (the adjuster).
The contacted supervisor would realize that the unhappy claimant could have grounds for filing a lawsuit. Insurance companies dread becoming the target of a lawsuit. Consequently, the adjuster would be told to proceed with the negotiations. Now, understand that the pressure from above would not guarantee the emergence of a fair settlement. Still, any settlement would certainly be better than the measly amount of money that had been mentioned initially.
That is why personal injury lawyers suggest the action that has been described above. It frees the negotiating process from an unwanted deadlock. It provides claimants and lawyers with the chance to introduce more thoughts.