FredtheGnome

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.

C212135

Are there any good websites that compare plans and give realistic estimates?

Scout

I too have the "Quarter Century" sticker from USAA. Over the last 26 years I also had a few minor auto claims and two national flood policy claims from Ivan and Dennis. No problems with USAA on how the field agents handled my calims. For over 25 years I banked with USAA, and everything I have was insured with USAA a year ago, now I can't even get contents insurance in Florida. That was the last straw when I was told that because I sold my Florida house they will no longer insure a house or contents if it is in the state of Florida. Having to shop for this coverage has opened my eyes. Not the USAA I grew up with!

GunshipGuy

Albie,

Are you expecting a check from USAA for the amount that's listed in your "Subscriber's Account"? I've been with them for over 20 years and enjoyed great service, but I do need to do some rate comparison that is long overdue. If I were to terminate my USAA account, my reading of the "USAA Subscriber Account" information brochure leads me to believe I should be receiving a check six months later. And the current balance is enough to have a really good weekend in Vegas as well as a Christmas that would help stimulate the economy.

GG

Albief15

Actually, it cover enough to pay for the 20th Anniversary trip to Greece my wife and I will make later this year.

I'd rather them keep it and continue to provide the "old" service, but that just isn't happening...

Box Office

The main benefit to USAA is when it comes to deployments, living overseas and PCSing and the associated challenges they get it. Everytime an issue come up related to one of these things, dealing with USAA was a breeze compared to a nightmare with almost any other company I had to deal with. In case anyone isn't aware, when you are deployed they will reduce your car insurance to virtually nothing (assuming it sits parked the majority of the time) and the same goes for the interest rate on thier credit card.

fdxmd11fo

I had USAA fir 25 years with only 1 minor fender benders totaling less than $4,000, and a broken rear window. My wife was hit, not her fault, by an Oklahoma City cop and USAA told us that OKC self insures. They offered to cover it and get reimbursed from the city and my wife said OK. 2 weeks later they notified me that my rates were going to tripple because we had too many accidents. I told USAA to pound sand and have never looked back.

GunnF16

One of the new hires at Syracuse a month behind me was looking at Homeowner's insurance and it was $1600 from USAA and less than $500 from Progressive and others for the same coverage... Not sure where the disconnect is.

Chris99

They raised auto/home insurance rates across the board in CO too. My homeowners went up 20% this year and I spent a lot of time on the phone with them. In the end, they just told me that's how it has to be. I only stuck with them because the new higher rate was still competitive. That started me looking at my other policies I had with them and I found out I was overpaying on car insurance (exact same coverage) by $200 every six months. So I switched auto insurance. Their landlord policies suck too. I also got a different credit card with better cash back. Their customer service has been really lacking lately as well. They've lost paperwork, haven't returned calls, etc. It's sad as I have been with them over ten years now. The one major claim I ever had with them did go really smoothly--but that was a few years back. Definitely shop around.

FlyBoyd

For Texas...

OPIC


a little clumsy but informative IRT coverage differences...