USAA is trash and wouldn’t pay out my insurance.

I I own a property that I do not live in, and it is currently occupied by tenants. In February, we were contacted because the HVAC system had completely shut down in the middle of winter, in one of the coldest states in the country.

I immediately reached out to USAA. As always, they were polite, but they informed me that an inspection would be required. I explained the urgency of the situation right away, and the agent I spoke with agreed, allowing us to proceed with just submitting photos.

We had an HVAC company come out to inspect the unit, and they advised that it should not be repaired but fully replaced. Based on their professional recommendation, we moved forward and paid approximately $6,000 out of pocket. Thankfully, we had savings to cover it.

Weeks later, USAA requested to inspect the old unit. Fortunately, the HVAC company was cooperative and allowed access for inspection. After more weeks passed and multiple follow ups on my end, they eventually scheduled another inspection. Throughout this process, there was little to no sense of urgency or concern.

Now, after nearly two months, they have issued a check for only $200. I called immediately, and their explanation was that they should have inspected the unit before it was replaced. I am still trying to understand how that would have been possible given the urgency of restoring heat for my tenants. They also claim the unit could have been repaired, which directly contradicts the licensed technician’s assessment that it was completely beyond its life expectancy.

I am sharing this to caution others about doing business with USAA. At this point, I am also trying to understand what my options are moving forward.