Author Topic: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance  (Read 12414 times)

captainawesome

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5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« on: May 21, 2014, 05:43:45 AM »
For those of you out there that have USAA, they are now offering a 5% discount per car if you sign up for a pilot research program.  It involves plugging in a recorder to your car (similar to Progressive Snapshot I assume) and driving as you normally would.  I believe it is only being offered in certain states right now, but I can't seem to find the link to which ones (VA is one of them). I just happened to come across it when adjusting my auto policy yesterday, and decided to click through and read about it. In their agreement they state that your insurance will not increase regardless of your driving while participating, so I took that as a way to earn 5% off of our can insurance for the foreseeable future.  My only question is how it will work if I continue to ride my bike everyday and the car sits in the garage?
« Last Edit: May 21, 2014, 07:38:52 AM by captainawesome »

Emilyngh

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2014, 07:03:34 AM »
For those of you out there that have USAA, they are now offering a 5% discount per car if you sign up for a pilot research program.  It involves plugging in a recorder to your car (similar to Progressive Snapshot I assume) and driving as you normally would.  I believe it is only being offered in certain states right now, but I can't seem to find the link to which ones (VA is one of them). I just happened to come across it when adjusting my auto policy yesterday, and decided to click through and read about it. In their agreement they state that your insurance will not increase regardless of your driving while participating, so I took that as a way to earn 10% off of our can insurance for the foreseeable future.  My only question is how it will work if I continue to ride my bike everyday and the car sits in the garage?

Awesome!   I live in Va and will look into it.   

Although I don't understand how 5% off each car = 10% of car insurance?   Unless I'm missing something, 5% off each car is 5% off car insurance.

captainawesome

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2014, 07:38:30 AM »
Clearly I wasn't able to think while typing this morning, not enough coffee yet.  You are correct, still an easy to sign up for deal with no consequences (at least that I can see) Thanks for the catch @emilyngh

Falke401

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2014, 09:00:19 AM »
I will have to check into it.  Our rates are pretty good as they are now.  I just worry about them having some ammo to use against me in the future. 

CheapskateWife

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2014, 09:34:28 AM »
I worried about that too, but the only vehicle we have that is compatible with the program is our 2006 minivan :D  Not exactly a speed demon in that thing...

captainawesome

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2014, 09:37:42 AM »
I feel like since this is a test program that they wouldn't be out to get anyone down the road, at least I would hope not. I've had USAA for a long time and never known them to be anything but honest and customer service oriented, no reason to stop trusting them yet

CheapskateWife

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2014, 10:41:59 AM »
We carry all of our personal insurance and a large chunck of investments with USAA as well.  When we are in a bind, they are there, and with fantastic customer service to boot.  Might not be the cheapest auto insurance out there, but they have taken really good care of us.

Thanksgiving eve, three years ago, we were on the road headed to see DH's kids in SC...3 hours into a 7 hour drive, the alternator crapped out on us and left us stranded in a little bitty town and no options.  USAA paid to tow us all the way home....it was about 180 miles.

Just awesome!

Milspecstache

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2014, 11:37:22 AM »
Awesome post, thanks!

Bateaux

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2014, 11:32:35 PM »
Not in Louisiana.   crap

Rural

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2014, 03:31:17 AM »
Why would allow that level of intrusion for such a small amount of money? It seems to defeat the whole purpose of mustachianism to me. Aren't we planning to use money to buy freedom?  So why sell a piece of it, especially for so little?

captainawesome

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2014, 05:51:33 AM »
I would say that mustachianism is optimizing your life to free yourself from the burdens of consumerism and afford you the opportunties to do what you want.  To me, if they want to give me free money, and it doesn't require me to alter my current habits at all, then I would say how is it not mustachian? I personally don't find it to be a level of intrusion that would bother me. To each their own.

Now if they wanted to install a dash camera, whole different story. Unless it was google, and the car drove itself. Then I would deal with it.

secondcor521

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2014, 08:23:01 AM »
My car is too old.  Maybe I should go buy a new car so I can get the discount ;-P

lisahi

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2014, 12:36:16 PM »
Awesome! Available in Texas! Also, the fine print states that the information the device collects cannot be used to raise your premium or in any negotiation for renewal of services.

CommonCents

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2014, 01:20:59 PM »
Does it also prohibit the use of the data if you are in an accident?  (They may not be able to do that.)  Just one more thing to consider.

Nords

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2014, 11:58:34 PM »
In their agreement they state that your insurance will not increase regardless of your driving while participating, so I took that as a way to earn 5% off of our can insurance for the foreseeable future.  My only question is how it will work if I continue to ride my bike everyday and the car sits in the garage?
Well, for starters you'll never exceed a speed limit or roll though a stop sign. 

https://www.usaa.com/inet/pages/auto_insurance_driving_research_discount_main?SearchRanking=1&SearchLinkPhrase=recorder
Quote
Members with an active USAA auto policy in Arizona, Idaho, Texas, Virginia or Washington can participate.

Once you get the device, I'd let them know that you rarely drive the car.  Otherwise they might think their gear is broken.

AlmostIndependent

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #15 on: May 24, 2014, 01:41:11 PM »
Members with an active USAA auto policy in Arizona, Idaho, Texas, Virginia or Washington can participate.

Damn. My insurance rate is already beyond cheap. I suppose I should just be happy with that.

captainawesome

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #16 on: May 25, 2014, 07:03:50 AM »
"What should I do if the vehicle won't be driven for an extended period of time?
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We recommend you remove the device since it requires a small amount of power from the battery and could affect the vehicle's ability to start. USAA and the device manufacturer are not responsible for any battery issues that may result due to a vehicle's prolonged inoperability or a battery's old or weak condition.
If we notice your vehicle has not been driven for more than 15 days, we may contact you to confirm the device is still working and you are still participating in the program."

Looks like they would contact me anyway to make sure it was still functioning.

austin

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #17 on: May 25, 2014, 02:20:17 PM »
I've had mine for about a month. It gets delivered within a week and is super easy to install.

coffee_sipper

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #18 on: May 25, 2014, 03:35:18 PM »
Coming from Progressive, I am certainly happy that USAA is considering this type of device to push further savings to its members. Sadly I am in DC, so I'll have to wait to see if a future rollout occurs.

DLVT

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #19 on: May 27, 2014, 02:04:19 PM »
Thanks for the notice!  I just went on to my USAA account and signed up.

Nords

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Re: 5% discount on USAA Auto Insurance
« Reply #20 on: May 27, 2014, 11:10:43 PM »
Coming from Progressive, I am certainly happy that USAA is considering this type of device to push further savings to its members. Sadly I am in DC, so I'll have to wait to see if a future rollout occurs.
It looks like Progressive already offers a telematics policy:  http://www.progressive.com/auto/snapshot/

I think USAA still views telematics with skepticism.  There's far more savings to be found from member service, and it may be more difficult to equate "fewer accidents" with simply driving at the speed limit.  I haven't been able to get an answer from the company either way, even though they've been rolling out the program. 

Telematics may be flawed logic.  I think that following the speed limits is a great way to get rear-ended by someone who's too busy with important cell-phone communications...