I thought USAA was supposed to be the best auto insurance company, I was quite wrong. I am a disabled veteran and was not aware of the strict time limitation (Dec 31 of the year following the date of your military separation) on becoming a member; however, I called them up in August and was relieved to learn that "former dependents of USAA members" are eligible. Jackpot - my ex-husband was a USAA member and that got me accepted. Great pricing, I was very pleased with the whole thing.
Fast forward to today (29 January), I get a letter in the mail from "Tanya L. Petersen" stating that "Your Automobile Policy was issued based on the information you gave us when you applied. It has since come to our attention that you are not eligible for Property and Casualty insurance with USAA". Ok - None of my information has changed since that date. So now I'm curious as to why I am now "ineligible". So I read a little further and see "In order to be eligible for Property and Casualty insurance, a person must be a military officer, an enlisted member of the armed forces, or a former dependent of a USAA member." Note that it clearly states former dependent of a USAA member. I am the ex-wife (former dependent) of a USAA member (he has had several policies with this company and has a USAA member ID number).
So I call them up and the first girl I speak with is confused, she can't find a reason listed on my account as to why I am now "ineligible". I explain to her that my ex-husband is a member and that I myself am a disabled veteran and would be happy to fax over my DD-214 if she'd like. She says she'll talk to her manager and have her call me back.
Several hours later, the manager calls me and says that the phrase "former dependent of a USAA member" actually means "person listed on a USAA member's policy that must be active during the time of their marriage". WTF? Nowhere does it say anything about having to be listed on the policy of my ex-husband, and it certainly does not imply that he had to have an active policy during the time I was married to him for me to be eligible. I tell her that if that's the case - why was I allowed to sign up? I gave all of his information - which was looked up and verified - at the time I requested my initial policy!
I ask her a few more questions, and she tells me she'll be happy to take it to "higher levels" but that she's doubtful "an exception" will be made for me. I also asked for a copy of the "bylaws" that dictate this nonsense about an active policy during the time of the marriage - and guess what? She can't find anything and isn't sure she'll be able to get that to me. Strange that such a large company wouldn't have anything in writing about it's eligibilty guidelines, isn't it?
I'm pretty ticked off at this point, so I look at everything I've ever recieved in the mail from them and sure enough - no copy of eligibilty guidelines. Although - I DID find something interesting in the packet I initially received from them. It states in 2 different areas of the packet that "if the policy period is other than one year, WE will have the right not to renew it or continue it only at the anniversary of its original effective date." Hmmmm... Very interesting, considering that my policy is a 6 month (other than one year) policy that became effective on August 28. So, wouldn't that mean that they have the right to not renew it ONLY on or after August 28?
I don't know if they are simply trying to "cut back" on the number of policies or what, but what they are doing to me is not ethical and I find it to be morally reprehensible. Especially considering the fact that my ex-husband's children will be eligible (if he ever has any) and so will their children, and theirs, and so on; but I am now suddenly "not eligible". I went through boot camp just like he did, I served my country the same as he did, and I am 40% disabled as a result - and these people are going to cancel my insurance policy because of a bylaw that they can't even provide in writing.
What's more - they have deleted my online account information now, so I can not issue payment for the remaining months of my policy. I would think that when a company is "cleaning house" and dropping paying customers because of petty technicalities not mentioned or written anywhere, that they would at least leave me the option of paying them. I still owe them about $200 on this policy and they have now taken away my only convenient method of paying them. Fantastic service, huh?
Amy
houston, Texas
U.S.A.
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