Just got rate increase from USAA - any competitors to try? (2014, cost)
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I'm a former employee of USAA. Their rates are good for those members who are or were officers'. The dependents not so much. You are in a pool that is called CIC-USAA. I don't remember what CIC means but those rates are much higher than that of the USAA members who are military or former military. So you should shop around. USAA was changing when I separated from them and not for the better. Use to treat their employees great but the CEO retired (he was a great guy) and the next guy was nuts. Anyway, all under the bridge.....Good luck.
By all means, everyone should shop around and compare insurance rates.
However, no one should ever make the mistake of thinking all insurance companies are equal because they are not. The old adage that "get what you pay for in life" is as true when it comes to car insurance as it is to any other product or service.
USAA, AMICA, Kemper, Auto Owners, and the Hartford are good companies that consistently provide good claims service.
Allstate, Progressive, Farmers, and GEICO tend to consistently fight claims or demand unrealistic levels of documentation to pay many claims.
Most other insurance companies are somewhere in the middle. I neither recommend them, nor do I discourage people from insuring with them.
Only real comparable to USAA's level of service/reputation is Amica. But they generally have higher rates.
This. My SIL is an insurance lawyer, and she has told me that, by far, they are the two best companies when/if you make a claim. We are eligible for USAA, but in my area, they were A LOT more expensive than Amica. Amica was actually less than what we were paying Nationwide, and it was better coverage. They are also a mutual company, so you get a dividend check from them every year. They can't guarantee that, of course, but ours are usually about $150. Been very happy with them. We have them for home and auto.
This. My SIL is an insurance lawyer, and she has told me that, by far, they are the two best companies when/if you make a claim. We are eligible for USAA, but in my area, they were A LOT more expensive than Amica. Amica was actually less than what we were paying Nationwide, and it was better coverage. They are also a mutual company, so you get a dividend check from them every year. They can't guarantee that, of course, but ours are usually about $150. Been very happy with them. We have them for home and auto.
We also have Amica for auto/homeowners/umbrella policies. I am eligible for USAA, but whenever I check, Amica is still the best deal for us, especially with those dividend checks. Have not had any claims with them, but their reputation is pretty good.
Kind of funny how Amica is so unknown in some areas. When I told the mortgage lender at my local bank that we would be insuring the home with them, she asked me to repeat myself as she had never heard of them. Guess she thought I was getting insurance from some fly-by-night operation.
The second year I had auto insurance, I went with Mercury Insurance through an agency that was advertised on the local oldies radio station. That was in 1974. I stayed with them until I retired and moved to a different state. That was 2017. So, I was with Mercury for forty-three years.
This was in Southern California, but I think Mercury underwrites in all of CA.
When I retired and moved to Idaho, I could no longer get Mercury insurance. I went with USAA and have been fairly satisfied with their service. Had one not-at-fault accident where my new one-month old car was totaled, (was rear-ended while stationary and waiting for oncoming traffic to clear so that I could make a left turn). They paid for a rental for the time it took to declare the old car totaled and for me to make arrangements to purchase a new, replacement car. Even though I only had 5,000 miles on the car and it was in perfect condition, I figure I lost about $1,500 because they would not reimburse me for the "clear bra" paint protection film, the trailer hitch and wiring, and the window rain-shield vents. They said that those were a "personal choice" options that I added to the car.
I'm not totally unhappy with how they treated me, but my opinion of them and their fabled fantastic customer service and how they take care of their clients went down a notch.
Hmm varies by state maybe, but my policy includes $5,000 of custom equipment coverage. Specifically says actual cash value in a total loss would include that as well.
According to J.D. Power & Associates, USAA had close to the median number of complaints about auto insurance and better than that on complaints about home and life. So, it's not surprising that some people have had a great experience whereas others have had a so-so one.
From experience, it is really hard to beat how USAA handles claims and members. They really try to do it right, which can not be said for many carriers. Progressive and Geico are the worst, with Allstate, Esurance, National General, Farmers, and Travelers close behind.
From experience, it is really hard to beat how USAA handles claims and members. They really try to do it right, which can not be said for many carriers. Progressive and Geico are the worst, with Allstate, Esurance, National General, Farmers, and Travelers close behind.
This type of nonsense is pretty irresponsible. I doubt that you could have had enough claims in your life to know how all of these companies handle their claims.
Erie Insurance, USAA, and Amica are the only ones who scored excellent on claims satisfaction. The tier immediately below that is Auto-Owners and Farmers, a company that you claimed was among the worst.
With kind of average claims handling, we have The Hartford(AARP), Travelers, State Farm, Natonwide, Geico, Allstate, Automobile Club Group, Metlife Auto & Home, 21st Century, American Family, Esurance, Progressive and Safeco.
The bottom rung is made up of Liberty Mutual, CSAA, MAPFRE and Mercury.
It's completely false that Progressive and Geico are the worst. They're just kind of in the middle with the rest of the pack.
At any rate, most people go 17 years between accidents. Claims satisfaction is definitely a factor, but it's hardly the only one. Amica quoted me over $350 a month for car insurance whereas the company I am with (Sublimity) charges me $786 a year, about $65.50 a month. I'm sure Amica has wonderful claims handling, but I'm not paying over 5 times to have someone hold my hand through a claim that I'm unlikely to have.
This type of nonsense is pretty irresponsible. I doubt that you could have had enough claims in your life to know how all of these companies handle their claims.
Erie Insurance, USAA, and Amica are the only ones who scored excellent on claims satisfaction. The tier immediately below that is Auto-Owners and Farmers, a company that you claimed was among the worst.
With kind of average claims handling, we have The Hartford(AARP), Travelers, State Farm, Natonwide, Geico, Allstate, Automobile Club Group, Metlife Auto & Home, 21st Century, American Family, Esurance, Progressive and Safeco.
The bottom rung is made up of Liberty Mutual, CSAA, MAPFRE and Mercury.
It's completely false that Progressive and Geico are the worst. They're just kind of in the middle with the rest of the pack.
At any rate, most people go 17 years between accidents. Claims satisfaction is definitely a factor, but it's hardly the only one. Amica quoted me over $350 a month for car insurance whereas the company I am with (Sublimity) charges me $786 a year, about $65.50 a month. I'm sure Amica has wonderful claims handling, but I'm not paying over 5 times to have someone hold my hand through a claim that I'm unlikely to have.
Nonsense? Ha, ha, ha, ha! I work in this industry. I am glad that you question my experience with customer claims, carriers, and settlement practices without any basis. USAA, Amica, and Erie are the top of handling business professionally, but my other statement stands from experience (and the experience of others). Its too bad that consumers aren't more knowledgeable.
Last edited by Change Request; 08-05-2019 at 10:41 AM..
Do you think you're the only one who works in the industry? A lot of us here do. So what?
It's arrogance on your part to think that the few interactions you've had are representative of all interactions with all insurance companies in all states. Similarly, I could give my impression of the interactions I've had with insurance companies, but the only thing that would tell you is how the insurance company treats people in the 3-4 counties I deal with in one state out of 50.
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