Tl;dr do not use Credit Union 1 if you move out of Alaska.
I had a favorable opinion of Credit Union 1 for the first few years I banked with them. Low interest rates for credit cards and loans, easy to use app and online banking system, generally good customer service.
And then I moved out of state and it all went to hell.
First of all, they closed my checking account with no warning or reason given. I know it isn't against the law for banks to do this, unfortunately, but you'd think they'd at least have the courtesy to let you know your account may be closed and why so you can do something about it.
Secondly, my credit card just stopped working one day without reason. It wasn't expired and it wasn't near the limit, so there's no reason it shouldn't have worked. This was particularly embarrassing as my card was declined at a Taco Bell drive-thru at some ungodly hour. Not the worst thing the employees there have dealt with, I'm sure, but I digress.
Thirdly, a customer service representative sent me an email one day asking me to call/email him because he was "unsuccessful in locating me telephonically" (actual words used, who talks like that?). I replied to the email saying my phone number had changed since I moved out of state. I also mentioned I tried updating my phone number online but the system wasn't saving my information. I assumed he was contacting me about a bill payment that had not yet been received since it was coming from an external account. You know, since they shut down my checking account and all. He never replied. Not so much as a "thank you". So much for the #CU1LUV (what a cringey hashtag).
And lastly, they send me mail every couple of months trying to get me to buy life insurance by saying they paid for the first $1,500 or whatever. No other bank I've had accounts with has done this. I'm an unmarried women with no children, so unless I can list my dog as a beneficiary, there's zero reason for me to pay for life insurance right now. It's particularly annoying because they label the mail like it's something urgent ("open and return within 14 days" or something like that).
Their website says you don't need to close your CU1 accounts if you move out of state, but that's what I'll be doing. I get far better customer service from my new local credit union and USAA. If you're in Alaska, you have other (probably better) options for credit unions. read more