USAA Pannenhilfe

Calling USAA's customer service number isn't particularly helpful unless you are either a member of USAA or eligible to become one. When I dialed the number, I was asked to choose either English or Spanish and then asked to enter my Social Security Number to confirm I was a member. If I wasn't a member, I could press 1 for other assistance.

I hit 1 and was asked what program I was calling about. I decided to ask about insurance and was told I'd need to answer a series of questions to confirm whether or not I was eligible for USAA's auto insurance program.

The system first asked me if I was an active duty member of the military or if I had been honorably discharged from the military. I answered no. The system then asked if I was a new recruit, and I again answered no. The system asked me if my spouse had ever served in the military, to which I again answered negatively.

Next, the system asked if either of my parents had ever served in the military, and I again said no. The system asked if I had previously been married to a spouse who had served, and my answer was again no. Finally, the system asked me if I was a resident of New Hampshire or North Carolina, and I again answered no.

At this point, the system told me that I was not eligible to receive insurance through USAA, but it could connect me to a partner who could find a quote for another auto insurance that I was eligible for. Not needing an auto insurance policy, I opted to end the call at that point.

I later called back to ask about membership requirements but was told I needed to specify which program I was discussing. I chose checks and was told I'd need to give personal details to get information. Not willing to provide those, I hung up there.

Overall, I think USAA has put together a detailed automated system that helps weed out anyone who might waste a representative's time before they have a chance to get on the phone with them. The system goes through every possibility that someone might qualify for the USAA insurance program before offering them alternate assistance if they do not qualify.

I would have liked to see a menu selection for whether someone is eligible or not. It could have been a helpful way for someone to quickly find out if they're eligible for the program without having to go through choosing a certain segment of USAA's offerings. As it is, most people who use this number will know they're eligible anyway, so that might not be as important.

I would only use this number if you think you might be eligible; if you know you have no military history, you'll get no use out of it.