My experience dealing with USAA has been great. For me, the bottom line is no longer the premium that I pay (within reason), but the security of the coverage that I have. I know now from experience that USAA is both quick and generous when you have a claim. I have already had a car stolen and totaled, and had a house hit by a tornado. In both cases, the amount of money that USAA gave me was above what I expected and I didn't have to haggle with an adjuster for every nickel and dime. With other companies, I've known friends who spent months fighting with adjusters trying to break even on their claims.

There is something to be said for shopping around though. Every region will have its nuances, and sometimes USAA will not be competitive if you shop around. I could certainly understand why USAA would want to limit its exposure to claims in expensive and hurricane prone parts of Florida, for example. It is just good business sense. As a national company, lowering their rates in FL would mean raising them in the rest of the country, or making more aggressive investments (i.e. AIG ) to make up the difference.

Like most people in the military, every time I move, I'm in for a surprise as to how my insurance rates will change. It's gone both up and down for me. I've shopped around other companies, but right now, I am located someplace where USAA wins the competition hands down.

If I need to get a mortgage or a car loan... Pentagon Federal Credit Union usually has some excellent rates. USAA doesn't seem too competitive there, either, but it is still a great place for my checking account.