This has been the worst experience I've ever had with an insurance company. USAA has actually managed to make me cry, and my wife and I are strongly considering leaving USAA entirely.
Firstly, USAA used a 3rd party contractor to do the assessment on my vehicle after my accident. This 3rd party vendor took over a month to declare my car a total loss even though upon receiving the vehicle, USAA trusted partner, Caliber Collision, claimed that it was an "obvious total loss" and that the 3rd party had even missed visible damage. This left me in a rental car for an absurd amount of time while also healing from multiple spine injuries and constant pain.
Once my vehicle was totaled out, I was told that I must wait to receive coverage payment until after USAA spoke with the lien holder, US Bank. This took more than a week. Once I received my coverage money, I was told the lien was taken care off and to no longer worry. I stupidly trusted this statement, bought a new car, insured it with USAA, and went on with my life.
Fast forward a couple of months, and I am applying for financing to purchase a home. I find out that my credit score has dropped 72 points since I purchased my new car. 72 POINTS. Low and behold, that is because I in fact have two car loans out. But I only have one car, I say. But USAA told me to trust them, I say. But no, there it is, in good standing thankfully because of autopay, but slowly sucking on my credit score and my bank account.--$350.07 a month to be exact. $350.07 taken from my family every month for 3 months. 72 points off of my credit score that I need to buy a home for my family.
When I call USAA, they tell me that the check was sent to the wrong place and no one cared to check to make sure it cleared. No one cared to call me and tell me that there was an issue. They call US Bank, the lien holder, and get the new loan amount, apologize, and tell me that they will be refunding me hundreds of dollars LESS than what has been taken out of my account via these payments for a car that NO LONGER EXISTS. The total loss claims adjuster is nice and tells me she will personally appeal to her manager to get me the total amount. A new check is issued to US Bank. And she says she will call me no later than two business days.
Two business days later, I receive a voicemail from an unknown number. It is Curtis, a manager in the total loss department. He tells me nothing of value in his voicemail except to call him back. I do, and he doesn't answer. I leave a voicemail. Another week goes by. I haven't received even the measly amount of money the promised to refund. I call and a rep says that the check will probably clear in a day or two.
Three days later, I call US Bank and find out that my loan is alive and kicking even still. I check the app and find out that the nature of payment portion of the check states it's for my a vehicle under my wife's name. Not mine. We didn't even have the same last name when I purchased that vehicle. I call USAA incensed. I eventually get to talk to someone named Jacob in total loss, because Curtis hasn't called back and still doesn't answer his phone. Jacob calls US Bank, and we sit on hold for 30 minutes together. Finally someone tells us that they have no notes on the loan stating that the vehicle was a total loss. Apparently, USAA was supposed to fill out some paperwork, get it approved as a total loss by US Bank, and then send the amount owed on the loan at the time of the accident. Once that payment processes, US Bank will reimburse me any payments that have processed since the date of the accident--in about 20-25 days. I think great, I will have to make one more payment of $350.07, not optimal but I will get it all back. I will get my money back. Surely, USAA won't be so terrible as to adjust the amount after the experience they have caused me by not doing their job thoroughly.
Boy was I wrong. Sure enough, Jacob says, "Let me just run the numbers really quickly no problem." He gets back on the line and says that they will send hundreds of dollars less than the total amount at the time of the accident, and expect ME to send ~$255 to US Bank, since USAA already paid me. THEY WANT ME TO COVER THEIR MISTAKE. But, Jacob assures me that his manager, Curtis, can wave the difference and have it sent to US Bank so I don't have to pay anymore than what I already have, blood, sweat, and literal tears later.
Except, I already know that Curtis won't answer his phone. Or call me back. Curtis could be a fake person for all I know at this point. He's left me ONE vague voicemail to my probably 18 calls and multiple voicemails. I tell Jacob this. I tell Jacob, "No. Let me talk to him now." Jacob says he will help just a little bit more. I say okay. HE FORWARDS ME TO CURTIS'S VOICEMAIL AND OF COURSE HE ISN'T AVAILABLE.
And, feeling betrayed by Jacob, I just cry on Curtis's voicemail, asking him to just PLEASE CALL ME BACK. read more