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USAA

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Well, it will happen this week as soon as they deposit my senior discount into my checking account at NFCU. What is it that will happen you asked? I will un-ass USAA after having been a customer since February 1974 (50 years for you non-math guys – LOL). It all started about a year or so ago when I had fraud on my USAA credit card. When speaking to a very nice woman (always), who was going to issue me a new card. I  was complaining about having to call all the companies that hit that card for recurring payments e.g., utilities, and she recommended I get another card and use it just for those recurring companies, but don’t carry that card with me. What a GREAT idea. She transferred me to another very nice woman (always). I  gave her all the information, and she sent it to the underwriting dept for approval. She came back on several minutes later and told me it was disapproved. Can you imagine the shock? She said they turned me down due to a credit report. I asked for a copy of it and the ONLY thing on the report was that I had three inquiries in the past two years. I refinanced my house three times to get to a 1.75% 30 yr fixed rate VA Loan. The bottomline statement said “There are no derogatory items on this report.” And by the way, my credit score on that report was 831. I wrote Mr. Peacock (President) who always boasts about loyalty. and told him where his loyalty really lies. A snooty woman (no longer nice) called a week later and tried to explain to me that the underwriters had to follow set policy. I asked who sets those policies and she tried to tell me it was the insurance industry. Bullshit, USAA sets the policy. I am a damn  Economist by education and hobby. I finally hung up on the bitch. Anyway, that was the beginning of the end for me and USAA.

Then they had the audacity to add something to my auto insurance policy this year without asking me. Something about “Car Replacement Assistance,” and Rental Car option. I called and talked to a very nice woman (as always, except for Mr. Peacock’s bitch) who said they added that thinking I might want it and that I may have forgotten to add renal car to my policy. I have a separate RV towing policy with another company that also covers rental car.  She removed them from the policy.

A month or so later  called and heard “Welcome to USAA, Press one for English or stay on the line.” Now, if I were in charge of a company who caters to military only like USAA, It would be “Welcome to USAA,” then in Spanish someone would say “Press one for Spanish.” Moot point you say? No it isn’t. I spent 36 years of my youthful life serving and bleeding for this country, and I refuse to deal with any company who asks me to press one for English. This is America and our damn language is ENGLISH! If you are Spanish and that upsets you, tough shit, learn English or get out.

There were other incidents that have caused me to un-ass USAA. But I decided I was going to look for another auto insurer because USAA has gotten way too expensive for my wallet. My policy is to expire on March 25th, and they raised my premium another 5% this coming year which will require me to pay a whooping $2,619.87 for a six month  policy.  Want to hear something funny?  They have the gull to tell me that they have given me $4,661.65 in discounts because of my bride and me being such safe drivers, etc. OK,  so had they not been so kind to give me that discount, my six month policy would have been $7,271.52 or 14,563.04/year. LOL Can you believe that? I can’t. I know I live in FL where no one knows how to drive, no one but me drives the speed limit, because here everyone believes a speed limit means you have to drive at least that fast. I believed all these years that I have lived here that everyone was paying these sort of premiums. Surprise! I did my due diligence and comparing apples to apples have found two reputable companies i.e., Progressive and Traveller’s  who will give me the exact six month policy I have with USAA for $1,687  (-35.6%) and $1,515 (-42.2%) respectively. And I am not done checking other companies since I have till March 25th to decide. Oh, and my cars are not expensive new cars. Nancy’s is a 2015 Lexus RX350 and Mine is a 2022 Mini Cooper

You may be asking what were my bonuses this year. The standard was $77.27 and my Senior bonus this week will be $262.02 for a total of $339.49. But that doesn’t even come close to reducing the upcoming policy to what I can get elsewhere.

So, my advice to all my military brethren, I suggest you do some due diligence on your own. Having spoken to Marine brothers of my vintage I am amazed at the huge number who said, “Hell. I dumped USAA years ago.”

I can’t wait to make this phone call and ask to speak to a Supervisor because the women who answer are always so nice and I do not want to shoot the messenger. Speaking to supervisor might have more of an impact on Mr. Peacock, but I have doubts, he’s a jerk as well. How much will USAA pay for ads on the Super Bowl tonight?

Comments sincerely welcome

24 thoughts on “USAA”

  1. On an Sunday near Butte, Montana I hit some black ice on the interstate and totaled my beloved Honda Element crashing into the center divider. A trip to the ER revealed bruising to 30 percent of my body along with an injured shoulder and leg. Fortunately no fractures. Talked to USAA’s medical adjuster about the medical aspect. Sunday through Tuesday I called USAA left messages and no reply. When I called on Wednesday was informed they were just about to call me. Yeah right! Got my settlement but they refuse to pay for my Oakley sun glass inserts which where torn off the frames when both air bag’s deployed and damaged my sunglasses. The frames were good and I thought it was reasonable to just replace the lenses. So USAA is going to nickel dime a 31 year customer? There customer care used to be the industry standard, but not no more.

    1. Shop around Richard, you will be surprised at their premium as \compared to the rest of the industry. I was shocked!! Shit can them.

  2. I agree Jim. USAA was once good, selective in membership and catered to its members. Now open to every swinging d*** who can pay the premium. Shameful what it has turned into. And I too especially despise the language option crap on the phone… hell, even on calls to the VA!!! WTF!!! SF.

  3. Jim: Great post; I have forwarded a comment from a lifelong friend ( ND in the 50s), an Army veteran of our era, and CPA, who has been engaged with USAA over issues similar to those detailed in your post for the past few years.

    “Suggest you have him review his recent years senior bonuses and their diminishing returns. Also let him know the first financial statement loss since 1922 occurred under Peacock’s watch, the loss was primarily due to poor investments (rather than catastrophic events), the board is handpicked with incompetent choices and those affected negatively the most are the senior members. You may continue by pointing out that USAA is a significant NFL sponsor where taking the knee has become vogue with USAA dollars flying out the door for useless advertising. Further, Peacock is an inbred character having zero financial experience outside USAA. He has been responsible for shifting $millions from the membership to an overblown bureaucracy. Please do forward these comments along to this illustrious gentleman! “

  4. I am with the Farm Bureau insurance for home and auto. My car insurance (very VERY old car) is around $520 a year. If they have Farm Bureau near you check it out. Now I have the very basic insurance to cover other cars and not mine in a fender bender. I’ve never had an accident or ticket.

  6. I’ve been using AARP for years and find they’ve been cheaper than anyone else. Every year I get three quotes. Semper Fi, JB

    2. Sorry John, but I am not a fan of AARP. Dig into their financials as I have done and see where they donate. Their ads are nothing more than a Facade; look under that and I believe you will find they are a POS company. Sorry John.

  7. I did the same thing last month Jim!

    USAA’s insurance rates hiked for reason and no explanation given prior to the increase… I’ve had issues with their credit cards aswell.

    I finally dropped them after a very long time as a customer. They have lost touch with their customer base and their, “mission” as the commercials say… “The mission is you!” Bullshit, their mission is to separate you from your money using any means possible!

    Goodbye USAA

    – Lee Waananen
    Swift.Silent.Deadly.

  8. Col B, I sat here at home with a cold and some congestion in both lungs when I read your post. I laughed so hard reading it, I almost coughed a lung out twice. Having had my share of “Bathurst wire brushings” I could only imagine the wire brushing that “not so nice” USAA rep received! I thought, “he has not mellowed one dang bit”.
    But your situation has caused me to think about shopping around to see if there is better (lower rates) insurance. I have been with USAA since 1977. Honestly, the whole insurance industry is a racket. I may not carry any vehicle insurance at all if it were not for the law (my state requires me to have it). My home is paid for and I may drop the home owners policy as well; not sure why I am hanging on to it.
    But honestly, I cannot picture you in a “mini-cooper”.
    S/F,
    Andy

    1. Ah, come one Preacher, you never experienced any “wire Brushings” from me. Well, maybe when you left those Marines on their post LOL Just kidding of course. They were good days weren’t they? Love ya brother. As for the Mini Cooper. Bought my first one in 2012. It’s what I tow behind the RV. Lost both it and the RV (and Nancy’s Lexus) in hurricane Ian. I loved that mini, had to be a stick shift to tow it four tires down. So I bought another one, only a convertible this time. Damn thing gets 4o-45 MPG, but have to use premium fuel.

    2. Okay, I get it; so the mini cooper is like a 380 back up gun? That makes sense. I never in my entire Marine Corps career ever got a wire brushing I did not warrant. I am just glad I got out with an Honorable Discharge but thanks to Bill Clinton I, as thousands of others, was not given a choice of staying or going.

      You all are never going to let me live down that small insignificant incident of having a few engineers left back as “rear guard” at Monte Romano. LOL!

      Glad to hear you got dug out from under Ian and everything is back to normal, and you are enjoying sunny Florida.

      S/F,
      Andy

      1. Oh that’s right it was the Engineers. I couldn’t remember who they were. I just remember Ranger Joe and his story of how 100 years later someone would discover drawings on the wall of caves retelling their harrowing tales of being left behind. It made for great Wardroom laughter. LOL
        S/F Jim

  9. Thanks Colonel. Sorry to hear of your USAA troubles. Wish otherwise. Chuck sends

  10. I have always found USAA’s rates much higher than most of the rest of the insurance industry. I always shop around when the rates start bumping up and I’ll be looking for a new policy in June of this year. My old policy almost doubled from last year. I know rates for most companies are rising, but some are less than others. Good luck finding decent coverage with a reputable company.

    Semper Fidelis!
    Keith

  11. I dumped USAA after 52 years when I looked into its charitable giving only to find it had given to various woke groups including one that advocates for homosexual and other perverts in our military. Wrote to Peacock—no reply whatsoever.

      1. If more patriots would actually DO something to push back against both our own out of control totalitarian government and these cowardly companies, maybe we could save our nation.

        Sadly, from those Americans I know and read about—including even worse, many Marines—they just can’t be bothered or inconvenienced anymore. Many I am sure even supported the enemies of faith, freedom and decency by obediently watching that debauchery last night in Las Vegas—an appropriate venue for such perversion.

  12. USAA sponsors the Army/Navy football game, yearly. They bring along an Army of credentialed folks roaming every nook and cranny of the place from the field to the rafters. Those insurance premiums are entertaining many. Moreover, with a name like Peacock expect him to give you the bird….!

  13. USAA is no longer the company it used to be, largely because it is no longer controlled by retired military officers. They used to have representatives/adjusters in each city to handle claim services. They’ve gotten rid of those employees and now contract out the USAA function. I have had more than one negative experience, most recently in the storm damage caused by recent storms. I am no longer a pleased customer and will probably drop them after 54 years.

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