USAA Homeowners Insurance

At that point I did not see the value (it was manufactured in 2012/2013), nor cared about claiming it again. I only inserted the laptop because I was told to make a list of EVERYTHING affected by the fire. During the claim USAA became fixated on the laptop. Despite saying I did not want to claim the laptop which is why it was the only item on my list without a price, they would not exempt it from the claim. They stated that in order to process my claim I needed to provide a receipt indicating I fixed the computer after the claim from years ago. Since I do not keep receipts from repair work done I could not provide it. While I tried to rectify the issue multiple times, even had documented proof that the company would need a Repair number to pull up the past repair, USAA would not listen.

On January 3rd they denied my claim and upon appealing it with a 17 page letter showing the extent of fire damage in my home and that we never intended to claim the laptop, they denied us again within two hours of receiving the information. We have been a member with USAA for over 30 years. We have multiple products through them – Banking Accounts, Retirement Accounts, Investment Accounts, College Accounts for my children, Credit Cards, etc.. I have had multiple loans through them which I always paid on time and paid off years early.

Despite being a loyal customer, USAA chose to deny our entire claim over the receipt of one item. They stated while there is no dispute that there was a fire, that the claim in its entirety had to be denied over one item that we never intended to claim. All because one receipt. They couldn’t just accept that we didn’t want coverage for that computer and approve the other items that we actually put values on. To add, after experiencing a traumatic event and then fighting with an insurance company, we were ultimately dropped from our coverage due to being denied.

After this experience I will never do business with USAA again. Imagine losing your home, losing all your valuables in your home and every receipt you may have saved to prove past purchases. How would you go about filing a claim? Should you be denied coverage solely because you can’t proof purchase or repair over EVERYTHING in your claim? While I did not lose my entire home, I did experience a fire, and my claim was ultimately denied over not being able to provide ONE receipt out of over 30 items that I did have receipts for.

However, my wife and I, along with several other homeowners in our neighborhood, eventually discovered that our tiled master bathroom showers began to leak and show signs of mold. Two of my immediate neighbors filed claims with their own non-USAA homeowner insurance providers and they quickly received the help they needed for repairs. As for me, USAA immediately denied coverage stating that they do not cover any home damage due to "poor workmanship." Upon appeal, rather than consider that workmanship was adequate but the materials used had failed, they simply chalked the bathroom damage up to "poor maintenance," which they also conveniently do not cover.

Now, I don't claim to be the world's smartest person, but it doesn't take rocket science to determine that barring obvious catastrophic damage, any damage to a home can always be blamed on "poor workmanship" or "inadequate maintenance." In the end, my wife and I had to pay more than $20K out of pocket for repairs. Extremely disappointed with USAA homeowners insurance. I'm just glad that my neighbors got the help they needed from their non-USAA homeowners insurance companies for the very same problem we had.

Lot of out-of-pocket for me and the project is just getting started. Additionally, for one aspect of the original project I got two different stories from the reconstruction company representative and from the USAA insurance adjuster concerning coverage. Not sure how much of this was miscommunication or USAA cutting costs.

During this time I was already going through and dealing with some very stressful situations like my slum landlord trying to evict me for legal reasons and on top of that I was also breaking up with a girlfriend at the time. I tried to address all these these matters and how the adjuster her investigator was treating me and what they were asking was almost impossible, but my agent and her supervisor basically told me I had to do it. Investigator said if I could provide what he was asking for my claim would be tonight.

The manner in which USAA treated me was so awful that I Noticed it was triggering my PTSD. I mentioned That comment and Lucia treat me was triggering my PTSD and I informed her/them of the different symptoms I was starting to feel. One of them being severe depression which I knew suicidal thoughts Were Going to be coming on, I was absolutely shocked when they showed absolutely no signs of sympathy or empathy and continued with their bully like tactics. It was getting so bad now I was being so stressed out that I wasn’t really able to focus on everything that you’re requesting me and I had asked for extensions multiple times when I was coming up to the Time limits.

They agreed to give me an extension but I received a denial claim letter shortly after that. While I was arguing and fighting with him about that I got into a car accident where the paramedics stole all my jewelry and a backpack with very expensive computer in it. I was in my car, so I have filed another claim. Then like a year later while I was still fighting the first two claims department was broken into a new store or damage pretty much everything I owned. So I had to file another claim but by now their treatment was so bad that when it came down to just listing all the stuff that was stolen or damaged I didn’t. My PTSD was full and full fat. No matter how hard I try to focus on filling out these forms, I couldn’t.

I had to reach out request help because when I explained this to my adjuster, she acted like she wanted to help and she literally said this when I started going over my first claim, which I was still within the deadline of two years limit, it was like they used this to their advantage and they denied everything. “No let’s start with most recent and work our way back to the first.”. She insisted, because they wanted to pass that two year deadline. She didn’t try to help me at all.

They bullied me just like they have been. Do you like to do everything over the phone or via online forms so when I asked For a copy of those forms and any phone conversations that they had they said I had to get a lawyer to request those. They knew because he denied my claims that I was left out or anything I ended up having to move out of my place and start living out of car on the streets of San Francisco. I knew I could afford a lawyer and I’ll be had me pants down over a barrel. USAA is a giant charlatan which just takes advantage of military members.

Well there is no point in getting the interior fixed before the exterior or more damage will occur... So I had to grind (this is during the start of Covid) to save up over 10,000 to get a new roof, which during the hard times took over a year. I finally was able to afford to fix my roof. So I went back to USAA for the internal damage. This time around they told me they probably wouldn't cover it because it's been too long, but I can get quotes anyway. Left it completely up to me to find quotes...

So I call around, no one can give me an estimate because it's all "hidden damage" behind the walls/ceiling. To get an accurate number, they have to start busting into the walls and ceilings which will cost money. So I went to USAA to try and tell them I can't get a good estimate without work starting.. they refused to agree. They said I need an estimate.

TL;DR - USAA said they would cover something that would get re-damaged if something else wasn't fixed first. So I had to save myself for a year to fix that something else, and then USAA said it's been too long and they won't cover anything. Also they expect you to do all the leg work for estimates on repairs and when the only way to get an estimate is to start work they refuse to help you.. Complete "figure it out yourself, we will do anything we can to get out of ever forking over a dime to anyone in need" mentality at USAA. Think Twice before you trust them as a military member... they are just as greedy and cruel as any other corporation.