Every insurance company is trying to make money by paying out as little as possible on injury claims. However, some insurance companies seem to routinely pay less than others. These are the main offenders:

1. Allstate: My dealings with Allstate have generally been pleasant. Most of the adjusters are good to work with and don’t play games. However, when it comes to paying out claims, Allstate takes the cake for being the biggest tight wad. If you refuse to settle on their low offers, they won’t lose any sleep over a lawsuit.

2. American Family: This one comes in a close second. In fact, they may just leap frog Allstate for the top spot shortly. You can never talk to a real person on the phone and you consistently have to leave messages that never get returned. My feelings are that the adjusters use this technique to frustrate you in to settling for less than you want to because you are so fed up with their costumer service.

3. Geico: Best known for their Gecko and Cavemen commercials, Geico may soon be known for being one of the cheapest insurance companies. It is really hit or miss with Geico and depending on the adjuster assigned to your claim, you may get a really low offer.

4. USAA: The way that USAA differs from the rest of the group is by attacking the charges of your medical providers. They audit every charge that comes in the door, and if they feel the provider charged even one dollar too much, they discount it. The problem is, the provider isn’t on contract to write off the balance like they would be with a health insurance company. This leaves you with unpaid bills that eat into your settlement.

5. Farmers: Certainly not the tightest of all insurance companies, but quickly gaining a reputation as one of the top five. Farmers seems to be modeling their policy after Allstate, which is a sure fire way to make it to the top of our list. If Farmers continues to tighten up their settlements, don’t be surprised to see them higher on this list in no time.

Had any dealings with these companies or any other insurance company? Let us know how you made out?