This is more or less how insurance companies handle claims at the early stages, in my experience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=j_Jn3aXcVR5ssfBA&v=7udS_kxWS04&feature=youtu.be

Insurance companies are not only gambling with their insureds’ assets when they try to lowball claims. As you point out, the companies are also exposing themselves to large losses. What is most likely, however, is that they have run the numbers and decided that a few headline-grabbing verdicts a year will still result in them paying less overall than adjusting all claims fairly. This is because most claimants settle for a lower offer rather than deal with the hassle or stress of filing suit or going to trial.

If you are upset about enormous verdicts, 90% of the blame goes to the insurance company in my experience.