Chances are, the first offer that you get from the insurance company after you have a motorcycle accident will be lower than you wanted. If you feel that the offer is unreasonably low, you have a few options for dealing with it. Among those options is to attempt to further negotiate with the insurance company.

Assess the Offer

When you first receive the offer, it is important that you review it from a legal standpoint and not an emotional one. A professional attitude will help to keep the insurance company engaged in negotiations. If you resort to dramatics, the insurance company adjuster will be less likely to budge on the offer. 

The best way to assess the offer is to talk to your motorcycle accident lawyer. An experienced lawyer will know how to value your claim and can fairly assess your chances of getting more than the offer you received. 

It is important to remember that you do not have to accept the offer, even if your lawyer advises you to. Ultimately, the decision is up to you. However, it would be smart to hear your lawyer's reasoning for why you should or should not accept an offer. 

Send a Formal Response

Regardless of whether or not you take the offer, it is important that you respond to it in writing. If you are refusing the offer, you need to cite in your response exactly why. 

For instance, if you feel that the adjuster did not fairly assess the value of your motorcycle or the injuries you suffered, note it. 

You can also ask the adjuster to explain exactly how he or she reached the settlement amount that was offered. Feel free to ask specific questions of the adjuster. Remember, the answers that you get can help you tailor your counteroffer for your claim. 

Send a Counteroffer

Once the insurance adjuster has replied to your formal response to the offer, you can send a counteroffer. Use the information gleaned from the adjuster's response to formulate your counteroffer. 

For instance, if the adjuster did not have all of the medical records needed to fully gauge how bad your injuries were, include those records with your counteroffer. 

There is a strong possibility that the insurance adjuster will counter with another offer. In fact, you could receive several offers before you are able to finally reach an agreement. If not, your lawyer can help you move to the next step in the process.