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Alright, let's talk USAA. Everyone loves USAA, right? Military discounts, great service... or so the story goes. But dig a little deeper, and you find some interesting skeletons in the closet.
The Katrina Stain
Remember Hurricane Katrina? Twenty freakin' years ago. You'd think everyone would've learned their lesson by now. But nope, USAA is still dealing with the fallout. The Mississippi Supreme Court just declined to rehear a case where USAA got nailed for $10.5 million in punitive damages for denying legitimate claims. MS Supreme Court declines to rehear landmark USAA Katrina insurance case
“USAA’s conduct was egregious,” says attorney Jim Reeves. "Egregious." That's putting it mildly, ain't it? Concealing engineering reports? Intentionally denying claims? Sounds less like a company serving military families and more like a freakin' loan shark.
And get this: they illegally denied claims for years. Years! While people were trying to rebuild their lives after losing everything. Give me a break.
Is that really how you treat the people who literally signed up to defend this country?
Car Insurance: Good, But...
Okay, okay, maybe the Katrina thing was a one-off. Let's look at their car insurance. Reviews are... mixed. 3.5 out of 5 stars? That's like getting a C+ in life.
They boast about below-average costs and good customer service scores from J.D. Power. Fine. But then you see the "higher-than-average complaint rating" with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). So which is it? Are they good, or are they screwing people over?
And who can even get USAA? You gotta be military or related to someone who is. Talk about a niche market. It's great if you qualify, offcourse, but what about everyone else? Are they just SOL?
USAA offers a ton of discounts, I'll give them that. Good grades, safe driving, bundling policies... the works. But let's be real: every insurance company does that. It's not exactly revolutionary.
Plus, accident forgiveness is only available in some states. And they don't offer new car replacement. So, what, you're screwed if your brand new car gets totaled? Thanks for the support, USAA.
Cookie Monster Much?
And then there's the whole cookie thing. I swear, every website these days is just a giant tracking device. USAA's cookie policy reads like freakin' War and Peace. First-party cookies, third-party cookies, strictly necessary cookies, personalization cookies, ad selection cookies... it never ends!
They say it's all to "improve the content and user experience." Right. Because nothing says "good user experience" like being stalked across the internet by targeted ads.
I mean, I get it. They gotta make money somehow. But it's all so... invasive. So transparently manipulative.
So, What's the Real Story?
It's a mixed bag, plain and simple. USAA does some things well. Their rates are competitive, and they seem to genuinely care about customer service... most of the time. But the Katrina case still casts a long shadow. And the cookie tracking? Ugh. Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe they're just another corporation trying to make a buck. But for a company that prides itself on serving the military community, you'd expect a little more integrity. Just a little.