As a veteran, I’ve always used USAA for my auto insurance. They specifically market themselves as the Military Home, Life & Auto provider and I trusted that. That is, until I needed them.
When I needed car insurance, I filed online for their Comprehensive Policy. I printed my proof of insurance and later received my paperwork via postal mail. A USAA representative never called to verify the policy or account.
Just days before Veteran’s Day, I had my first ever car accident. I was rear ended and pushed into the car in front of me while waiting at a stoplight. The car that struck mine never even slowed down. Shaken but luckily unhurt, I checked on the other drivers and filed the appropriate police reports.
The next day I filed out the claims information online. The website prompted me to provide each detail of the incident, contact information, police report, and (of course) vehicle damage.
USAA sent me an email to schedule a follow up phone call to verify the details of my claim. The call was on Veteran’s Day.
My Claims Representative, Curtis Spillman, was apparently unavailable and never returned my calls, so I spoke with his “team member,” a fellow USAA representative. The USAA representative went through each detail captured in the claim filed online in a recorded phone call. The call took about a half hour.
At the end of the call, the USAA representative informed me the Comprehensive policy I had purchased did not cover auto accidents. I was shocked.
What did this “comprehensive policy” actually cover? Just about everything–except car accidents.
Like most Americans, my family’s livelihood requires using my car as transportation to and from work. At the moment the car is drivable, but there is safety-threatening damage I simply cannot afford to have repaired at this time.
Naturally I insisted on speaking to someone in management, but was sent to a nameless voicemail service. I have still yet to speak to a USAA representative who has helped with this issue.
Please help spread the word so other veterans and military men and women do not have the problems I have had with USAA.
If you have any tips for dealing with this issue please comment at www.usaadeceivesceterans.blogspot.com contact me at usaadeceivesceterans@gmail.com.
— HM2 (FMF) Garcia
