USAA and 30.06

[ralewis]

USAA has been the most valuable benefit I received from military service, except of course the thanks of a grateful nation which is tendered to your widow as the officer hands her the flag removed from your coffin.

I think I have SAVED more in auto and home insurance premium costs in the last nearly 50 years than I MADE the entire time I was in the military, 19 years as a reservist. Earlier this year, I received checks for my share of the distributable dividends declared from last year that totalled MORE than the cost of insuring all our cars. Moreover, the service I have always received has been excellent on every occasion, and occasionally supurb.

I frankly am more bothered by their idiotic voice mail system than the weapons policy. This may be due to the circumstance that I have always called for service and have never actually been in a USAA office other than an auto claim office in San Diego where the delicacy of carrying is mostly moot.

When I see businesses displaying 30.06 signs, it tells me that management is irrational and superstitious, given the undeniable fact that signs only deter the law abiding who pose no threat whatever. USAA needs to work through that.

Completely concur JALLEN. Been a member for 30 years. Though disappointed they post :06, that's likely never to be an issue. I've had probably 1/2 dozen or so claims with them over the years and as far as I can tell they only have a telephone number and web site. I can't envision an incentive by a competing company that would lead me to consider changing.

[atx2a]

That's too bad about the main campus. But, honestly, I've never had reason to go. I'm proud to be a USAA member, and proud of the military heritage that affords me that opportunity. I especially love insurance salespersons calling and promising low rates, etc. Then I tell them I'm a USAA customer and they promptly hang up. It's hilarious.

[cb1000rider]

I've never even bothered looking at USAA given their anti-freedom stance. But are they really that much cheaper, and/or is their customer service really that much better, than the other insurance companies out there?
Yes, we have to compromise sometimes, but only when the benefits are compelling enough to be worth the negatives.

I'm not sure that I'm willing to call it an anti-freedom stance. It's not exactly one issue black and white. They do a tremendous amount to support our service people through their products that are usually better than market and don't take advantage. I'd call supporting the military pretty pro-freedom, even if they post 30.0x at their campus.

Their customer service is traditionally excellent. They don't "weasel" out of claims - generally they've treated me fairly and have even offered up "you know you can claim that with us too" - in incidents that were covered by other parties.

They're certainly financially sound.

Their investment products aren't the best in the market, but they're good. They give service people lots of breaks where other banks and insurance companies would take advantage of the relationship.

Are they the cheapest? Probably not. I haven't shopped for insurance in decades.

My only complaint with them was using their travel product (airline tickets) which was outsourced to a 3rd party and resulted in some sketchy marketing calls, but we got that straightened out.

[JALLEN]

Their investment products aren't the best in the market, but they're good. They give service people lots of breaks where other banks and insurance companies would take advantage of the relationship.

Are they the cheapest? Probably not. I haven't shopped for insurance in decades.

My only complaint with them was using their travel product (airline tickets) which was outsourced to a 3rd party and resulted in some sketchy marketing calls, but we got that straightened out.

They are trustworthy.

As far as cheapest, I've found them to be exceedingly competitive. One story... When my sons were high school age, one of their buddies was the son of a local State Farm agent. He and I were in some parents activities together. At one point he asked me about my car insurance, 4 drivers, 3 or 4 cars, 2 unmarried males under 25, all very good driving records. When I told him, he just whistled, and said something about his commission on policies like that was more than I was paying! Heh, heh, heh!

[Right2Carry]

Love USAA and wouldn't have anything else. I never plan to step inside their building.

[TexasJohnBoy]

I will say it was quite fun to go buy my truck with a check from USAA on a pre approved loan. When I sat down and they tried to offer me financing, I said that I already have it with USAA. The manager/loan guy/whatever literally said "well, never mind then. We can't compete with USAA."

I'm heavily invested, as others have said, and I'm no where near their single branch, but this is a bit disconcerting. I truly had no idea until today.

[minytrker]

USAA has horrible customer service with banking. I thought their insurance was always the cheapest until I started shopping around after having USAA for 10 years. Come to find out there are better deals out there for sure over USAA. My current house they wouldn't insure because their computer says I'm in a "forest fire zone". They even looked up my place on google earth and said I was obviously did not live near any forest or any of the forest fires we had in Texas but said they couldn't do anything about it.

[rotor]

USAA has horrible customer service with banking. I thought their insurance was always the cheapest until I started shopping around after having USAA for 10 years. Come to find out there are better deals out there for sure over USAA. My current house they wouldn't insure because their computer says I'm in a "forest fire zone". They even looked up my place on google earth and said I was obviously did not live near any forest or any of the forest fires we had in Texas but said they couldn't do anything about it.

I got $3,000 back last year from my subscriber account which is worth about $20,000 now. So when you figure cost of insurance you also need to consider rebates. Can't speak about "forest fire zones". I insure and have a bank account with them. Always had good service but always by phone or online. Still hate the 30.0* policy.

[2farnorth]

The service my wife and I have experienced with USAA has been nothing short of OUTSTANDING. After 40 years of GEICO, local banks, and credit unions, I find the USAA experience refreshing. While my experience with GEICO was always okay, the banks and credit unions were not.
Yes I'm disappointed with the 30.06, but I expect that I will never go to that facility. I will write a note of disappointment to them though.

[Goldspurs]

Love USAA and wouldn't have anything else. I never plan to step inside their building.

Been with them for years. Have never had a need to actually step into one of their buildings.

[Soccerdad1995]

I've never even bothered looking at USAA given their anti-freedom stance. But are they really that much cheaper, and/or is their customer service really that much better, than the other insurance companies out there?
Yes, we have to compromise sometimes, but only when the benefits are compelling enough to be worth the negatives.

I'm not sure that I'm willing to call it an anti-freedom stance. It's not exactly one issue black and white. They do a tremendous amount to support our service people through their products that are usually better than market and don't take advantage. I'd call supporting the military pretty pro-freedom, even if they post 30.0x at their campus.

Their customer service is traditionally excellent. They don't "weasel" out of claims - generally they've treated me fairly and have even offered up "you know you can claim that with us too" - in incidents that were covered by other parties.

They're certainly financially sound.

Their investment products aren't the best in the market, but they're good. They give service people lots of breaks where other banks and insurance companies would take advantage of the relationship.

Are they the cheapest? Probably not. I haven't shopped for insurance in decades.

My only complaint with them was using their travel product (airline tickets) which was outsourced to a 3rd party and resulted in some sketchy marketing calls, but we got that straightened out.

I should clarify. When I say anti-freedom, I am speaking only on their position with regard to the right to keep and bear arms. USAA has infringed on this right for their employees and to a lesser extent for their customers. They may well support other freedoms, just not this one.

[Pariah3j]

The Wife and me are currently looking for a local credit union, we've been banking with USAA for over 10 years now, the last 2 have been abysmal. Have had a company (Massage Envy) committing fraud and taking money out of our account for about 6 months now. First time they hit us with a 2000+ charge, obvious fraud so we eventually got that money back. However USAA continues to allow charges come through from Massage Envy, even one that was backdated 3 months before we canceled the wife's bank card. That last charge managed to hit right after rent, so it overdrafted the account, on an account that is supposed to have overdraft protection. Still haven't gotten the money back from that charge or the overdraft fee. Customer service just isn't where it use to be... and apparently this is becoming a thing for them. Had another friend who had to close out his USAA account for fraud recently because someone got ahold of his debit card info and continued to charge it and USAA more or less couldn't or wouldn't stop it. Reading online, this is popping up more and more with them. Sad, because once upon a time I bragged how they were above and beyond any other banks.

[Abraham]

JALLEN,

You posted: "When I see businesses displaying 30.06 signs, it tells me that management is irrational and superstitious, given the undeniable fact that signs only deter the law abiding who pose no threat whatever. USAA needs to work through that."

As usual, you summed it up eloquently.

[Bryanmc]

USAA has infringed on this right for their employees and to a lesser extent for their customers. They may well support other freedoms, just not this one.

That's an interesting way to look at it. You feel that your 2A rights trump their property and business owners rights. The 2nd protects you from the government not allowing you to keep and bear arms, not private citizens on their property. Just my opinion of course.

[Soccerdad1995]

USAA has infringed on this right for their employees and to a lesser extent for their customers. They may well support other freedoms, just not this one.

That's an interesting way to look at it. You feel that your 2A rights trump their property and business owners rights. The 2nd protects you from the government not allowing you to keep and bear arms, not private citizens on their property. Just my opinion of course.

When rights are in conflict, ultimately there is a legal decision as to which take priority. We all know where Texas law makers have settled on the conflict between personal property rights and personal freedoms (RKBA, Free speech, etc). I was not addressing that conflict, and will not take this thread off topic by doing so.

What I am addressing is the fact that USAA has elected to restrict a specific, and I believe extremely important, personal freedom of others which they are legally allowed to do. As a result, I have chosen to not do any business with this company, which I am legally allowed to do.

We could get technical and say that USAA has not kept me from carrying concealed by posting a 30.06 sign. Technically they have just asked the government to restrict my ability to do so on their property, with the accompanying threat of government enforcement through imprisonment, fines, etc. This may be technically true, but the end result is an infringement of my rights.