How to File a Complaint Against USAA

What is it? You’re not allowed to sue USAA in most courts or join existing USAA lawsuits, but you can use small claims court. This gives you an opportunity to go before a local judge and present your case. Every small claims court has different limits on how much compensation can be asked for and what type of compensation you get. Most small claims court limits range from $2,500 to $10,000. So, if you are asking for compensation beyond that limit you might not be able to file with small claims court. Additionally, you can only ask for monetary compensation, so if you are looking for equitable compensation, you might have to use another route. 

When to try it:  If you have a lot of time and energy to go back and forth to your local Court and make your case known, this is a good option.

What you need to do: You have to find your small claims court based on where you live and follow the procedures they have in place. You can usually find this information online through your local courthouse. You have to follow all of the procedures precisely or they will throw your case out. However, it’s usually simpler than regular lawsuits.

What to expect: If you follow all the steps precisely and have a strong claim against USAA, there’s a good chance you’ll get compensation. If you are lucky, USAA may even offer you a settlement in exchange for dropping the civil suit against them.

What is it? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) is a federal government agency that regulates much of USAA’s business. The CFPB provides an informal channel for consumers to submit claims and complaints against USAA. You can read about the internal procedures of the CFPB here. These procedures determine what happens next. 

When to try it: If you are frustrated and want to make your complaint available to the government and the public this is a good option, but a CFPB complaint is not going to get compensation.

What you need to do: File an informal complaint on the CFPB’s public website by following the instructions here.

What to expect: When you file a complaint it gets shared in an online public database. The CFPB might use it to get a response from USAA or create regulations for them in the future.

What is it? The Better Business Bureau (“BBB”) and its local chapters are private organizations which collect customer complaints against different companies, update their ratings based on those complaints, and give USAA a chance to respond accordingly. 

When to try it: When The USAA BBB page shows that it is actively responding to complaints you have a higher chance of getting a response yourself. Or, alternatively, when you want another way to get your dissatisfaction out there for others to read, regardless of whether it brings compensation you can post at any time. 

What you need to do: Go to USAA’s BBB profile and follow the instructions for submitting a complaint.

What to expect: This depends on whether the USAA responds. They can choose to ignore you or respond directly to you about fixing the issue.

What is it? Remember how your contract prevents you from joining lawsuits against USAA? Well, it also allows you an alternative in the form of independent arbitration. This is where you go before an independent arbitrator and present your case. It costs USAA money so they tend to offer a settlement quickly when they are put on notice. 

When to try it: Any situation in which you believe USAA intentionally misled you, violated their contract with you, or violated the law can be pursued through arbitration. 

What you need to do: Fill out our form below or start your claim against USAA.

What to expect: For more details about arbitration against USAA, click here. (For a list of companies we process complaints against, start here.) Share your complaint with USAA today!