Founding Attorney · Former Licensed Claims Adjuster
If an insurer's first offer feels low, that's because it usually is — by design. Here's what's happening behind that number, and how to move it.
Why the first offer is low
Adjusters open below the claim's real value to leave room to 'concede' later and still settle under budget. The offer is anchored to an early reserve set with limited information — not to the full extent of your loss. Accepting it quickly is exactly the outcome the process is built to produce.
How to push back effectively
- Never accept or verbally agree to the first number — anchoring cuts both ways.
- Document everything: full medical costs, future care, lost earnings, and non-economic harm.
- Present damages in the format carriers respect — organized, sourced, and specific.
- Make it clear you understand the claim's real value and are prepared to pursue it.
The number isn't a measure of your loss. It's a measure of how much the carrier thinks it can pay — and that can be moved.
Because I spent two decades setting and negotiating these numbers from the inside, I know where the discretion lives and how to press the right pressure points.
Sitting on a settlement offer that feels too low? I know where carriers keep room to move — and how to make them use it.
See how I fight undervalued claims→Think this applies to your situation?
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