So my neighbor had a tree fall on her garage during Hurricane Beryl. It not only crushed in her garage, but damaged her car parked inside. Her insurance company, USAA, is saying her car insurance policy should cover the damage to her car, not her homeowners, and she owes another deductible. Is this standard in such a situation? Anyone here in the insurance business?
On a side note, USAA appears to suck donkey.
My experience has been the diametric opposite.
I only know what she’s telling me, which is they’ve given her the runaround at every turn. I try to look out for her as she’s elderly, recently widowed, and been a great neighbor for 25 years.
I obviously have no reason to believe that her experience is invalid. I’m just telling you they are the lone organization of that type and size that I am actually happy to interact with.
Sadly, her Homeowners policy doesn’t cover her car (and vice versa), so she is stuck eating the two deductibles.
As to claims handling, most/every state has very short time limits for insurance companies to respond to a claim. Her policy likely has a “complaints notice” at the front, which is a hotline to the state department of insurance, who should be able to help.
Thanks. Good to know. Part of her complaint with USAA is how slow they were to respond to her claim. It took them weeks to send an adjuster out, then they tried to farm it out to another company, and only when she complained did they say yeah, we’re not supposed to do that. They finally got someone out after a month, and then this week, two months later and her still with only limited power and no gas (aka hot water), did they authorize a repair. Sounds like they’ll get another deductible out of her.
From my girlfriend who also works in insurance:
Yes that is correct, BUT when a disaster is declared if both the home and auto are insured with the same company they SHOULD do a single deductible
Is that a requirement or just a common courtesy?
To be fair, I have never had to deal with them or any other insurer in the aftermath of a natural disaster. And I lived in South Florida through I want to say five hurricanes. And I was in Nexas as an adult through at least two.
When it comes to business and money, there’s no such thing as common courtesy anymore. Or common decency. Or reach arounds.
USAA is actually usually great with claims
That single deductible only applies if both home and auto are through the same company
They both are.
Just asked. Will let you know what she says.
She says: Common curtesy but it’s pretty standard practice
ETA: she also says: I will say in 17 years in this business I’ve never seen it not done when there’s a disaster declaration
Thanks.
Added a bit to the last post in edit, just so you see it
Natural disasters will stretch the resources of any insurance company in the affected area. Often times this means they will be less diligent in their adjusting (because they’ve met their own deductible and are into their insurance, so they’re paying with OPM) to speed the process.
Doesn’t sound like USAA is doing that though.
I get that natural disasters are a strain on insurance resources. I just want to make sure she doesn’t get screwed over. Her husband took care of most things, and he died last February and so she looks to me for advice. Plus she’s been showering and washing clothes at my house. Which I don’t mind, I’m happy to help, I just want to make sure she’s not taken advantage of.
Tell her to send a note to the claims email address noting late payments and reserving rights under the Chapter 542 of the Texas Insurance Code, the Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act, which ascribes 18% penalty interest for delayed covered payments after certain time periods. The insurance company should then start keeping a separate spreadsheet of penalty interest that they will send her whenever the process an invoice, as long as she keeps pointing it out.
Glad you’re there for her.
Are any of her family alive/living closeby/getting involved?