USAA

I am insured by USAA and was hit by underinsured driver while stopped at a light. As a result of the collision, I suffered a severe spinal cord injury which required emergency surgery. There was no issue of liability.

My original adjuster was very helpful and told me the other driver's policy limits and that it appeared that she lacked any personal assets to pursue a individual claim against. He also informed me that it was clear that my claim would exceed both her and my insurance policies.

However, I spent over a year out of work, under heavy medication and unable to conduct my personal affairs. During this period, the original adjuster was replaced. When I was eventually able to address my personal affairs the new adjuster refused to confirm the information previously provided. The new adjuster told me that if I provided a list of all my medical expenses, USAA would tell me if my claim exceeded the insurance limits ($100K) of the policies. My medical bills alone were well over the $100K at the time of this conversation.

Once I provided this extensive accounting, the adjuster then told me that they needed a medical release to get all the records before they could evaluate my claim. It was clear that after my family wasted significant time compiling a complete accounting of all medical bills, USAA was just using the request as a delaying tactic. I provided the release with only a few months before the statute of limitations as they were now insisting they needed it. I was told repeatedly not to worry as they would be able to quickly resolve the claim. However, USAA sat on my medical release for a month while the other insurance company received all of the medical documents within days and informed me that my claim exceeded their insurance limits within this period.

With weeks left before the statute of limitations ran and after several conversations, the USAA adjuster told me that there was no question that my injuries were caused by the accident and that they were contacting the other insurance company to have them fax a few more of the bills to satisfy the claim amount. (My initial hospital bill and emergency surgery exceeded $75K.)

With less than 10 days left, I was informed that they still had not reviewed medical documents received weeks before or obtained bills from the other insurance company and the adjuster had taken leave. I was told to talk to her supervisor to find out what they still needed in her absence. However, he refused to tell me how many more bills they would need to complete my claim (so I could fax them myself; the assigned adjuster told me not to fax the additional medical bills because it would be quicker to obtain from the other insr co.) and just kept blaming me for the delay, even though he knew from my file that I was medically unable to conduct personal affairs for well over a year, I had complained they were using delaying tactics and they had not acted on my medical release. He then told me that he was also taking a long holiday weekend and that another adjuster would call me.

When I angrily told him to stop playing the blame game so we could resolve my claim and demanded that he provide me with the name and extension of the person and that they inform me in writing through email what they needed to complete my claim, he left a message on my phone telling me that they would not be able to resolve my claim before the statute of limitations (forcing me to spend several hundred dollars to file in court), that they were now demanding to see every bill and all my medical information for three years prior to the accident or they would completely deny my claim. Additionally, he they would not release any payment until they ensured that any liens (I had federal health insurance) were paid. USAA adjusters are a bunch of liars, who practice unethical delaying tactics, and unfair claim practices. Beware of USAA! You may think they are great -- that is until you have to file a claim!