Complaint Review: USAA Auto Insurance

In May of 2005, while waiting at a stop-light, I was rear-ended by an intoxicated man. Not only was he arrested for drunk driving, but a police officer witnessed the accident.

The driver's insurance paid immediately. The ironic part of this is, MY insurance isn't so willing. Let me give a little background to make this clearer.

Several years ago, while on my way to work, I was involved in a four-car accident; I was the front car. Through the process of dealings with insurance companies, I learned what was needed/not needed to get the claim settled. After that accident finalized, I increased my PIP (personal injury protection) and UIM (under-insured motorist) to assure that, in the future, everything would be covered.

While serving in the military in 1997, I hurt my back. I had some bulging discs (the largest at 3 mm). In April of 2005, I had another MRI done that showed the discs still at 3 mm.

Now, less than a month after being hit by the drunk driver, I was administered another MRI since the pain had gotten unbelievably worse and was having problems controlling my bladder (I was only 32). This time, the discs (five of them) were at 7 mm! What else could have caused this huge jump?

It's so bad now, my nine year old daughter has to help me get dressed each day. Since the drunk driver only had the mininum insurance ($20,000), all of my medical costs aren't even closed to being covered. Surgery is a definite must.

So now, I made a claim against my UIM (which is $75,000) last year since I can't afford surgery on my own (I'm not allowed to work and have no health insurance). It has been eighteen months and I'm still waiting. USAA asked for the most ridiculous documents, several times! At one point, they asked for my military commendations. Why? What difference does it make what medals I received in the military eight years prior?

My attorney stated that he had never seen an insurance company ask for such meaningless paperwork before; he was dumbfounded. Now, we are forced to sue for the very thing I pay to use. In the meantime, I'm forced to pay for my own medication and doctor's appointments until USAA settles with us.

Here's the odd part. If anyone can figure it out, please tell me. At the end of 2005, USAA told my lawyer they were giving me no UIM and closing the case. All of the sudden, a month later, a different person from USAA calls and says they are re-opening the case. Now that it's reopened, BECAUSE OF THEM, why are they stalling and making excuses? I don't get it.

We pay premiums so that, if, god forbid, an accident occurs, we have peace of mind knowing we are covered. But, the moment it happens, they run for the hills and make us feel like we're asking the ridiculous. I don't know what to do anymore except sit and wait for USAA to do what's obvious and pay. I guess that's just a pipe dream.

Concerned Policy Holder
Dallas, Texas
U.S.A.