On 4 Oct 07, my personally owned vehicle (POV) was hit by a minor (under the age of 18). My POV was legally parked on the side of the road in front of my house. The police and parents of the driver both arrived on the scene. The driver admitted guilt and stated he was "playing with his iPod" and not "paying attention to the road." No one was in my vehicle at the time of the accident, nor was anyone hurt. This is a simple case of not watching where you're going and hitting a stationary object.

USAA has handled the above scenario in a shameful manner contradictory to its advertised "professional service and care." My POV, a 1997 Geo Prizm, is considered a total loss. USAA is offering $2563.56 which at first glance felt like a legitimate offer. However, upon doing some research in my local community, that amount of money will not buy me a vehicle of equal or comparable value, use, and purpose. In fact, I would not be able to buy another Geo of the same model at any car dealership or even at a CARMAX outlet! I have asked USAA to compensate us with $3000 for our loss which would allow us some buying "muscle" for another car. Both Kelly Blue Book and NADA value my POV at $2735 and $3100, respectively. Also to note, those are prices for the vehicle in "good" condition, not excellent. Both websites claim that 90%+ of used cars fall in to the "good" category of vehicle health.

USAA's website advertises they can "make the details of a deployment easier to handle with military focused assistance." That quote is straight from their website at the time of this writing (5 Nov 07). I am a military member in the United States Air Force and on active duty. I can say with complete honesty the care I've received from USAA is disgraceful and discreditable. USAA took 26 days to respond to my request for $3000. It was only over the course of several phone calls, a number of emails, and one "official" complaint that USAA responded to my pleas. Of course, they held fast to their original offer. I find it ironic that the difference between their offer and my request is just under $500...the amount of my deductible.

Allow me to add that I am a deployed Air Force member here in the Middle East (for security reasons, I am not able to name my current base; however, I can provide proof upon legal request). My current deployment places me in a "Hostile Fire Area" within a politically unstable region. My concern for my own and my troops' welfare are paramount in my duties. USAA has put me in a difficult position when I have far graver matters to deal with. In the 10 years I have been doing business with USAA, I never would have imagined that they would handle a simple claim so poorly at a time when I needed fair and efficient service the most. I asked them to handle this situation with preciseness and brevity...they have done neither. Both my wife and I, along w/ our four children, will not place any more time with USAA and will recommend to our friends, family and coworkers to NOT seek USAA for any type of auto, home, or financial assistance.

SEAN D., SSgt, USAF


PROPOSED SOLUTION FOR USAA:

I would like USAA to honor our request of $3000 compensation. This is a fair and equitable amount for a vehicle that is completely lost.

My POV has hit out of negligence of the other driver. Not only should he be responsible for his actions, he and his parent's insurance should pay for the loss of my vehicle caused by his driving. Being that they are also under USAA, I would imagine this would be an easy process (it hasn't). In the spirit of customer service and support of the troops, USAA needs to "buck-up" and pay the money requested by me and my wife.