Saved by USAA - the best!
Written: Apr 16 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Prompt, fair claims and reasonable rates
Cons: None to speak of
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| led_zec's Full Review: USAA Group - Home |
My family has had various forms of USAA insurance for decades, ever since my father serve a stint as an officer in the Air Force. Currently, we have USAA insurance for both our home and our cars, although we only added the cars recently. It is too bad that USAA is not available to non-military people, as it is a great company and great insurance.
Fortunately, since I have owned a home (about seven years) we have had to file a homeowners claim with USAA only one time. Unfortunately, that one time was a doozey of a claim -- it resulted from the mammoth 1994 earthquake in Los Angeles. I remember the quake vividly. They never really bothered me before this one, which was so violent and destructive I literally thought the house would collapse around us. Once the quake was over, we surveyed the damage and it was considerable. Mostly cosmetic (no severe foundation damage, etc.) but extensive and costly.
I had elected (against my wife's wishes - "we'll never need it") to get the optional earthquake insurance offered through USAA. Unlike most other insurance companies that had at least a 10% deductible for earthquake coverage, USAA has only a 5% deductible. Obviously, with Southern California home values being what they are, this can be a LOT of money, and it saved us a lot in this case.
USAA's phone service and overall customer service has always been exceptional, with few waits on hold or difficult menus to maneuver. USAA was extremely prompt in sending out a claims adjuster from a special, dedicated on-site location they opened up promptly after the earthquake. I spent almost five hours going over the house and the grounds from top to bottom with a fine tooth comb with the adjuster, who was a very pleasant and professional woman. She recorded every detail and accepted our list of damaged items, damaged property and valuations. We were able to select a contractor from an extensive list of recommended people to come out and do an estimate on the cost of the repairs. Because we selected a USAA recommended person, no second opinion was required.
USAA covered all the damage, incidental costs (relocation, living expenses, out of pocket expenses), etc., minus the 5% deductible and cut us a check very promptly and without our asking or pushing them along. We are talking a near six figure settlement that would have had most insurance companies kicking and screaming before they paid. We knew a number of other people with other insurance companies that had much more difficult claims settlement procedures and much longer times before they were paid. They never required verification that the repairs were done as quoted or anything. Simply amazing.
USAA's rates, as far as we can tell, are extremely competitive -- most insurance quotes we received were much higher. I don't know if there is some sort of subsidy involved because of the military connection, but it appears that they run a very tight ship and still provide excellent service. The payment plans offered by USAA for insurance are excellent and involve little or no financing cost, even if you pay over an extended period of time.
Customer service, whether calling for additional services or answers to questions, is always pleasant and prompt. USAA also offers a large number of other services (loans, purchasing services, much more).
All in all, USAA is a great insurance company and I recommend them highly.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
led_zec
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 96
Trusted by: 38 members
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