OT: Insurance - USAA, what happened?

Ozzie_Isaac

Since I have no other online community I participate in, you folks get to suffer through another OT post

I have had USAA for over 20 years.  I have always had good luck with them and never bothered to check their premiums.  If you had USAA you had the best premiums and service, other insurance people agreed.

Well, I recently got a used ATV and went to put it on my USAA insurance.  No tickets, no accidents, married, yada yada yada .... they quoted me 20% of the ATVs price every year for premiums!!!  This is more than any sport bike I have ever insured.  It is a recreational vehicle used less than 200 miles on the road.

Well, I decided to check Geico and State Farm, for all of my insurance needs.  Geico's yearly premium for cars is 50% less per year than USAA for the same coverage and deductibles.  State Farms housing insurance was 30% less per year!!  Amazing how things change over 20 years.

I called USAA and they said, you gotta do what you gotta do.  If you leave you can always come back.

dmchicago

I have a friend that's a Farmers agent. He tells me that USAA policies are low hanging fruit.

I had State Farm for decades and he saved me $1200/year and INCREASED my coverage.

Ozzie_Isaac

dmchicago said:

I have a friend that's a Farmers agent. He tells me that USAA policies are low hanging fruit.

I had State Farm for decades and he saved me $1200/year and INCREASED my coverage.

I can believe it now!  I will add Farmers to my list of insurers to review.

thetrim

I still use USAA for auto, but I haven't checked others.  There's lots of scuttle butt around that they're a crock!  

maso

I think it's worthwhile to search every few years to make sure you're getting a good rate. However most homeowners insurance is too complicated for the online quotes but I guess it's a place to start. 

Also speaking some experience make make sure your agent knows what the hell theyre doing or risk being hosed on a loss. And document document document! Not just your belongings but any communication with your agent on policu coverage. I won't do any business over the phone without having them email me exactly what we talked about so I don't end up in a he said she said again. 

Photo Egg

We have USAA as well. Only reason we started using them is because the previouse owners of our house also used USAA. Other local insurace companies did not want to insure any more houses on the Island. This was 20 years ago.
I called to have a motorcycle added 2 years ago and they bumped me to Progressive for the bike.
I really should shop around as the few times I haved needed help from USAA with claims they were absolutly terrible and wasted so much of my time due to their lack of insurance knowledge and common sense. Both home and auto service was terrible.

nolaegghead

You don't want to be hit by anyone who has USAA insurance.

Photo Egg

nolaegghead said:

You don't want to be hit by anyone who has USAA insurance.

Or have USAA and be hit by someone with no insurance. We have full coverage and cant get any money from USAA for medical bills untill we sign complete release and wave any further claims.

Spaightlabs

USAA covered my house when it burned down.  Amazingly simple claims process and we were exceptionally well cared for.  

USAA covered my truck when I got smoked by someone who doesn't know what a solid white line means.  Fixed my truck and subrogated agains the other insurer.  Easy as pie.

USAA covered my utility trailer when it got totaled by hail.  Had a check within a week.

HeavyG

Consumer Reports still lists USAA in the top tier for Car (#1) and Homeowners (#2) insurance.

"USAA was one of five top-rated home insurers. This 5th-largest U.S. home insurer also earned top scores across-the-board for ease or reaching an agent, simplicity of the claims process, prompt response and attentiveness, damage estimate, agent courtesy and professionalism, and timely payment. Only five percent of claimants said the amount paid by this carrier was “less than expected,” better than the nine percent of all survey respondents who said the same thing and second-best among 15 insurers on this measure. This San Antonio, Tex., based insurer has also demonstrated impressive consistency: USAA was among the highest scorers in seven of eight home insurance surveys we've conducted since 1989. "


I notice that none of the weighted categories in the CR ratings matrix deal with "Premium Costs". The way so many insurance companies screw around with policyholders when it comes time to make a claim perhaps premium price isn't always the number one concern when you find a company that appears to respond to customers as is described above about USAA.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

USAA is Cadillac insurance. Always has been. They are expensive but generally money when you need them. We have it and have been very well taken care of. That said, they are squeezing me pretty good with 2 young male drivers and a few hail storm claims. 

Botch

I went with USAA when I joined the military.  A week after I turned 25 I bought my first Saab, and the rate they quoted me was horrendous.  I reminded them I'd just turned 25, but they said since I just renewed the policy on my Rustang while I was still 24, I would be charged at the same "under 25" rate for the Saab.  I told them I'd cancel the policy on the Rustang over the weekend, then re-sign for the Saab on Monday as a 25-year old.  She replied, in a VERY snotty voice, "Oh, you can't DO that, we keep track!"  
I approached State Farm about a 5-month policy; they said they could do that, but then showed me what they charge regularly, and it beat USAA handily; this was in 1985.  Their homeowner's insurance also covered my band equipment on the road, which USAA did not, again for less money.
When I called USAA on Monday, luck would have it I got the same snooty b*tch on the phone; thoroughly enjoyed cancelling everything.  
I've re-checked rates every 5 years or so ever since, nobody could beat State Farm.  And (long story which I won't bore you with) they covered me in a really bad situation in 2002, when legally they didn't have to; they have a customer for life in me.  

nolaegghead

We have it and haven't had any issues, but I know people that have been super frustrated with USAA settling claims caused by their insured drivers.

Woodchunk

Serious difference there. Good reminder to check prices. Some are using your fico score to quote prices, better score, better price and ability to pay

Smoker317

Timely post!!!  Looked over my USAA home owners policy for no particular reason last week and have realized that it has just shy of doubled over 12 years and we have had zero as in none/no claims.  WTF???  I live in Indiana, we don't have hurricanes and the chance of hail, wind, tornado, damage is not huge in comparison of other parts of the U.S.  Guess it is time to start checking out some other insurance companies...

DoubleEgger

I was a State Farm lifer. I called Farmers and saved a mint. Loyalty doesn't pay anymore. 

Spaightlabs

My wife just got a different car a couple weeks ago.  The dealership owner's daughter is a personal lines agent and they pretty much beg you to let her quote the vehicles they well.  She was $800 high compared to USAA.

Legume

We had AAA for 20 years. When our kids started driving, they wanted to double our rates so we shopped and ended up at Geico and have absolutely loved dealing with them, through many kids accidents.  Still cheaper, we check every few years.

milesvdustin

Usaa sucks. Had to hire a lawyer to send them a certified letter to pay up on something that was covered 10 times over in my policy. I am with Country now, usaa can suck it. Way expensive! 


I went from state minimum coverage with usaa to really good coverage plus a large umbrella and life insurance and saved a few hundred a month. 

SkinnyV

USAA here , and I was hit by a USAA driver. 
Havent had any issues yet , but still getting some treatments. I'll post an update but I don't plan on waiving or releasing anything until I feel 100% .

as far as insurance , I have not noticed anything negative and feel good about having everything with them for now.

dmchicago

Sounds like insurance is like airlines. The worst one is the one you just flew on.

Ozzie_Isaac

One small issue that has also bugged me is the 3rd party company USAA had calling me 3x a week to review my policy, even though I had just done it a few months prior.

Thats just me yelling at kids to get of my lawn though.

etherdome

Very timely. I have been insuring with them for 17 years with unbeatable service and prices.  My car and home policies have had significant increases over the past few years and when i inquired they just said "yes, we had to raise the rates. Sorry."  I had no claims or tickets/accidents.  Did some investigating and as of this coming Sept 13, will be leaving them for Travelers.  saving $950/year.  significantly better policies. 

Eggcelsior

nolaegghead said:

We have it and haven't had any issues, but I know people that have been super frustrated with USAA settling claims caused by their insured drivers.

This. I was hit by a USAA driver and it took forever to get a claim paid. Geico(my insurance) stepped in took care of me, then had to file suit against USAA to get the claim money back. That was a fun 2 weeks, to say the least.

fishlessman

one claim in 37 years with the good hands people and the cost jumped from 1100 to 3800 plus for a 2005 and an 1989. add 60 plus days to receive the payoff check.

back when i bought my wheeler in 2008,  i could not even find an insurer in massachusetts. i was only covered under homeowners if in the yard with a plow on it

Kcheves

I've been with AAA for 20+ years.  While I've been generally happy with the claims experience, they've dramatically increased our homeowner rate in the last 5 years.

But when I look at our total policy expenses (4 cars, home, umbrella) they still beat USAA and others by hundreds of dollars.  I check every year hoping for different results.