How does Sanjeev's request for a lower excess change the contract terms?

Sanjeev's request for a lower excess constitutes a counter offer because it involves a modification to the original terms of the insurance contract. In the realm of contract law, a counter offer is made when one party responds to an offer with terms that differ from those initially proposed. This action indicates that the original offer is no longer valid, and instead, a new offer is being presented that the other party must accept, negotiate, or reject.

In this case, since Sanjeev is asking to alter a specific condition of the contract (the excess), he is not simply accepting the terms already suggested by the insurer. Instead, he is initiating a negotiation process around that term. The insurer now has the opportunity to either accept this modified term, counter again, or reject the proposal, which adds a layer of negotiation to the contract formation process.

While the other options include concepts like a straightforward offer, unconditional acceptance, and general agreement, they do not capture the element of negotiation and change inherent in Sanjeev's request. By making a counter offer, Sanjeev is effectively altering the landscape of the negotiation, indicating that he is seeking a different arrangement rather than simply accepting what was initially proposed.