After 20 years, I am going to ditch my State Farm agent. The amount of unnecessary headache I have went through is wearing thin on me.

I am looking to change to a different car insurance carrier and a coworker recommended I look at USAA. So I did. I did an online quote in August, Sept and just now with the same set of parameters and keep getting a different six month amount each time. I am entering the same information each time, and there is about a $20 difference each time, and the best I have gotten is about $30 higher than the September quote.

If you have insurance with them, and have shopped around, are they really that much cheaper than a local agent? Have you used their claims service? What do you think overall, and do you have a different direction that I should look at?

Thanks,

Jones

I did but I ditched them for State Farm shortly after moving to Florida. Then I ditched State Farm for Progressive.

USAA service is great. Made one claim with them and it was easy and painless. They were great to deal with.

But we are careful drivers and I have an old car that isn't worth much. I felt that I could sacrifice the stellar service for a lower premium.

But from what I understand, it really depends from state to state depending on coverages each state mandates.

Would I use them again? Not living in FL because their rates were significantly higher than State Farm and Progressive.

I had them for 20+ years.

Ditched them last year for Geico. Saved about $75 a month (2 regular adults and an 18 year old driver with 2 older cars).

USAA was AWESOME up until about 10 years ago. Now they are just too big to do what they used to do so well.

And if you think the online Auto Insurance app is a pain, just WAIT until you talk to their online reps. When I was trying to cancel with then it was worse than talking to a used car salesman. I will say their claims were always pretty easy but the rates went up and up and up over time (also in Florida).

I still have bank accounts with them since I'm really too lazy to move them and their banking department is still ok.

I have USAA as does my whole family. They advertise service. Never price. I don’t need to be addressed by my retired rank or any of the other bullshit they like to do.

I’ve been pricing insurance for a new car which I’ve yet to pull the trigger. My driving record is spotless but USAA is always one of the highest quotes. I may be switching soon if they can’t compete.

Had them for 40 years. Nothing but great service. However, your rates are going to based on your credit rating, number of collisions in the state, un-issured motorists and # of claims. So USAA is really no different than the other, with the exception of the service they provide.

Roger that, fellas.

Thank you!

I’ve been with them for 30 years.
Had one home owners claim, two totaled cars, five other accidents. They’ve been great for me. They may be a little more in premiums but service is great.

I’ve been with USAA for nearly 50 years, cars and homes.

I’ve been very satisfied, and I usually get a healthy dividend check each year as my member account has grown. I believe I now get a supplemental check as a legacy member or something. One year, those checks were more than my auto premium.

I figure what I have saved over the years has been the most valuable reward for military service, other than the thanks of a grateful nation, of course.

I still laugh to recall a State Farm agent who was on the ball teams with my sons telling me, when I had 4 cars and two teen aged drivers to insure, that my USAA auto premium was less than his commission would have been on my business!

I joined when I was going through ROTC around 1984 or so.

I have had excellent experiences with them every time I've needed their services. I have not looked around for another company as I am very satisfied.

My father was grumbling about his rates, and a coworker of mine recommended USAA. I got a quote for him and it was almost double what he's paying now.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
My father was grumbling about his rates, and a coworker of mine recommended USAA. I got a quote for him and it was almost double what he's paying now.

That's what it is for me, I check around regularly and USAA is always more than double anyone else.

Wife first had USAA prior to us getting married, and then we both had it for all autos and home. Decided to shop around for a lower premium and went with State farm for home and autos. When we moved, State Farm annoyed me when we wanted coverage for our new house but kept them anyway. Then we had to make a claim with State Farm and they royally picked me off. Cancelled them next day. Switched to USAA. Had to make a claim with USAA, their service was too notch and actually a pleasure to deal with. For me the service outweighs a lower payment.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
I had them for 20+ years.

Ditched them...

Same for me - I ditched them several years ago when on a whim I got a few quotes. USAA wasn't even in the ballpark of other major carriers.

When they opened up their pool they lost what made them unique and added a ton of liability to their risk pool. They had to raise their rates to compensate. They are no longer a good deal or even competitive...At least in my area with the coverages I need.

I switched from farmers to USAA about 4 years ago. Farmers was a pita with different issues. I don’t mind that USAA is higher than what I may be able to get.

USAA is pretty cheap for me with home and auto. I'm an adjuster for a major carrier so I see homeowners premiums all the time, mine is a deal, ymmv.

At any given time, rates will fluctuate based on what has been going on in the state with major loss events, how the carrier handles their funds and re-insurance and when they decide to "take rate" (raise premiums). They all have to raise premiums at some point, do it early and lose customers first, but when all the other carriers finally have to, you get a lot back because you positioned ahead of time.

Anyway, the wife and I really like USAA for our insurance and banking and wouldn't ever consider switching unless the premiums really jumped up for no reason.

I’m a long time USAA customer. Yeah, some may be cheaper, so far USAA has treated me well.

I’d shop around some, look 2 years out, not just ‘teaser rates’.

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
I had them for 20+ years.

Ditched them...

Same for me - I ditched them several years ago when on a whim I got a few quotes. USAA wasn't even in the ballpark of other major carriers.

When they opened up their pool they lost what made them unique and added a ton of liability to their risk pool. They had to raise their rates to compensate. They are no longer a good deal or even competitive...At least in my area with the coverages I need.

That is what it appears to me. They are quite a bit higher than what I currently pay with State Farm.

We do. Haven't shopped around for anything else because their service has been fantastic the couple times we had to use them.

They gave us (I think) very fair payouts when my wife totaled her van 10 yrs ago and just recently when my son totaled (what was to be) his van.


Rick

Long ago changed from GEICO to USAA.

Was considering shopping this year but having dealt with a totalled vehicle (not at fault) with bodily injuries involved USAA managed the claim exceptionally well & smoothly.

The other driver had GEICO. I'll not go into details on how incredulously ridiculous GEICO has been in the process, but it's been so beyond bad that I'm embarrassed to have been a customer of theirs. Litigation continues as a result so if you want to know more, message me.

Progressive as a company lives up to their name. They are major corporate donors of their profits from premiums to progressive candidates across the country. They will not get my money.

Given the service, and the savings combining with homeowners, the aforementioned annual check, etc, I'm staying with them.

They are not the cheapest but their service is top notch. I took my VR-4 off my policy because they were increasingly high and put it on a collectors plan for $500 less a year.