How to Handle Lowball Offers from Maryland Insurance Companies

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Maryland or Washington, D.C., you can expect one thing with absolute certainty: The insurance company’s first offer will almost always be a lowball offer. This is not an accident. It’s a strategy and it’s especially common in Maryland, where the harsh 1% Rule gives insurers enormous leverage to deny or discount your claim. Whether your accident occurred in Baltimore City, Montgomery County, PG County, Howard County, Baltimore County, or D.C., understanding how to respond to a lowball settlement offer can mean the difference between walking away with thousands vs. pennies.

This guide explains:

• Why insurance companies make lowball offers

• How to know if the offer is unfair

• What steps to take

• What NOT to say

• How a lawyer forces insurers to pay full value

Let’s break it down.

Why Maryland Insurance Companies Make Lowball Offers

Insurance companies in Maryland have two huge advantages:

1. The 1% Rule - If they can blame you even 1%, they owe you nothing. This allows them to scare you into accepting less.

2. They expect you don’t know your rights - Most injured people: • Don’t know how to calculate case value • Don’t know how to reduce medical bills • Don’t know what evidence matters • Don’t realize they can say NO • Don’t understand insurance tactics • Want to settle quickly because they’re stressed Insurers count on this.
   

What Lowball Offers Look Like

A lowball offer may:

• Barely cover your medical bills

• Ignore your pain and suffering

• Dispute some of your treatment

• Claim your injuries were “minor”

• Offer less than your wage loss

• Ignore long-term pain

• Suggest your treatment was “excessive”

• Pressure you to accept quickly

Sometimes it’s shockingly low, like:

• $1,500 for months of treatment

• $5,000 when your bills are $12,000

• “Medical bills only” offers

This is not a good-faith negotiation — it’s a tactic.

How to Know If the Offer Is Too Low

A settlement offer is likely unfair if:

• It doesn’t cover ALL of your medical bills

• It doesn’t include lost wages

• It ignores your pain & suffering

• It blames you for part of the crash

• It claims your injuries are “pre-existing”

• It questions the necessity of treatment

• It comes before all records are gathered

• It arrives before your treatment ends

Lowballing is standard practice in Maryland.

What to Do When You Receive a Lowball Offer

Here are the exact steps we use to neutralize aggressive Maryland insurers. Step 1: Do NOT Respond Emotionally Low offers are designed to:

• Frustrate you

• Exhaust you

• Push you to settle fast

Responding with anger or panic harms your case.

Take a breath.

Let your lawyer respond.

Step 2: Do NOT Accept or Reject the Offer Immediately

Never say:

“This is ridiculous.”

“I’ll take it just to get it over with.”

“I need the money now.”

“I don’t care anymore.”

Every statement you make is added to your claim file.

Step 3: Strengthen Your Evidence Package

Insurance companies raise their offers when they fear your evidence.

This includes:

• Surveillance footage

• BWC video

• 911 calls

• Crash data

• Witness statements

• Medical documentation

• Lost wage verification

Stronger evidence = stronger negotiation power.

Step 4: Fix Any Gaps or Weaknesses in Your Medical Treatment

Insurance companies attack:

• Missed appointments

• Delayed care

• Inconsistent treatment

• Early discharge from therapy

These issues allow them to undervalue your pain.

Your lawyer may recommend:

• Continuing treatment

• Seeing a specialist

• Getting imaging (MRI, CT, X-ray)

• Addressing flare-ups

• Following through on referrals

Consistency boosts settlement value.

Step 5: Reduce Your Medical Bills to Increase Your Net Recovery

A lowball offer feels even worse when your bills are high.

But medical bills can often be reduced by:

• Negotiating liens

• Requesting provider write-offs

• Using PIP strategically

• Leveraging health insurance

• Eliminating duplicate charges

This increases your take-home amount even when the insurance company is being difficult.

Step 6: Push the Case Toward Litigation

Nothing scares insurance companies more than a lawyer ready to file suit.

When we file:

• Adjusters lose control

• Insurance companies face legal expenses

• New adjusters or attorneys get involved

• Pressure shifts to the defense

• The case value often increases dramatically

In Maryland, filing suit is a powerful tool.

Step 7: Reject the Offer Professionally and Counter With Evidence

A strong counter includes:

• Liability analysis

• Medical summaries

• Pain & suffering arguments

• Wage loss documentation

• Future treatment needs

• Expert opinions (if needed)

The stronger the counter, the faster the offer grows.

When You Should Consider Rejecting a Lowball Offer

You should almost always reject an offer when:

• Treatment is ongoing

• Bills are higher than the offer

• They haven’t reviewed all records

• Liability is clear

• Your injuries are permanent

• The adjuster refuses to negotiate normally

Insurers in Maryland expect you to accept peanuts — you don’t have to.

Why Accepting a Lowball Offer Is Dangerous

You can never reopen your claim — even if:

• You’re diagnosed with a herniated disc later

• You end up needing surgery

• You experience chronic pain

• You miss more work • Your injuries worsen

Fast money today = massive regret later.

How Falodun Law Forces Insurance Companies to Pay Real Value

We fight lowball tactics by:

✓ Gathering powerful evidence early

✓ Securing 911 calls, surveillance footage & BWC

✓ Prioritizing medical documentation

✓ Demonstrating full liability with the 1% Rule in mind

✓ Negotiating medical bill reductions

✓ Preparing every case as if it will go to trial

✓ Filing suit quickly when necessary

The insurance company will treat you differently the moment we get involved.

Serving Car Accident Victims Across Maryland & D.C.

We represent clients injured in:

• Baltimore City

• Baltimore County

• Howard County

• Montgomery County

• Prince George’s County

• Charles County

• Anne Arundel County

• Washington, D.C.

  
  

Contact Falodun Law — Never Face a Lowball Offer Alone

You don’t have to accept an unfair settlement.

We protect your rights, increase your leverage, and fight for your full compensation.

Call: (301) 289-7737

Visit: www.falodunlaw.com

Free Consultation — No Fee Unless We Win