USAA-was the best, can it come back
Written: May 04 '02
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Pros: One stop shopping for all your insurance needs
Cons: Gradual decline in performance and customer service
The Bottom Line: Used to be the best. Have experienced some disappointments over the past few years; declining performance; diminished quality customer service. Still a competitive solid insurance provider.
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| stevehume's Full Review: USAA Group - Home |
Am an active duty Commander in the US Navy. Have been with USAA for almost 20 years. During this time they have been providers of my homeowners insurance, flood insurance, automobile insurance, and boat insurance. Have even utilized their investment and online brokerage services, their banking services, and have financed a few homes through them in conjunction with PHH Mortgage Services. They made “one stop shopping” so convenient that I never saw a need to look else where for my required services. For the most part I have been satisfied with USAA, the services they provide, and their prompt, professional, knowledgeable, courteous and customer service oriented staff. Their services are not necessarily the ‘cheapest” but I have been willing to pay a premium for the peace of mind and security they have provided me.
During the past 3-4 years however, I have noticed a gradual decline in both the quality of service USAA provides to me, and the quality, focus and attention to detail of their customer service staff. I believe the company’s growth and expansion has contributed to a focus that is more business and profit oriented and less focused on quality service and customer satisfaction. Is there an insurance provider out there that is not every bit as culpable as USAA? I do not know. I do know that I miss the personal attention that USAA used to provide me, and the feeling that they left me with after my dealings with them; like I mattered, was important, was part of a larger family, like they really where there to help. I have several examples from experiences over the past 3-4 years that have left me shaking my head pondering a change to my service provider, but to their credit USAA upon my persistence has ultimately resolved almost every issue.
Most recently, my homeowner’s flood insurance policy was arbitrarily and without notice cancelled by USAA. USAA’s rationale, “we sent the mortgage lender a bill, they did not pay it.” The lender’s reclama “there is no requirement for you to have flood insurance, your insurance provider did not send us a bill, we currently do not escrow your account for flood.” At our closing my wife and I signed paper work directing our bank to escrow for taxes, homeowners insurance and flood insurance. In fact, at closing not only did we pay for our flood policy a year in advance, but the HUD statement verifies that an additional 11 months escrow was collected for flood. We had all the paper work to substantiate our claim, and the bank and USAA finally did resolve the problem. The bank in question is USAA FSB. The mortgage lender is PHH Mortgage Services, a USAA affiliate. It was USAA who arranged the whole loan, prepared all closing paper work etc. Although USAA and PHH Mortgage Services are inextricably linked, they appear to have poor communications with one another. The net result is poor quality care and service to me the customer. USAA did not responded to even one of several requests sent to their on-line customer service requesting explanation of this problem. Being an active duty service member I have frequent opportunity to discuss insurance issues with many of my co-workers. Many rely on USAA in one capacity or another. Several have shared stories that suggest a decline in the quality service USAA is so well known for and has built a reputation on.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
stevehume
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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