USAA

The organization was originally called the United States Army Automobile Association. In 1924, the name was changed to United Services Automobile Association, when commissioned officers of other U.S. military services became eligible for membership. The company opened offices in Frankfurt, Germany, and London, England, early in its history. The company was formed based on a meeting of twenty-five United States Army Officers on June 20, 1922, at the Gunter Hotel to discuss the procurement of reliable and economical auto insurance.

USAA is headquartered in northwest San Antonio, Texas, occupying 286 acres (116 ha) (a former horse farm).[11][12]

USAA is a pioneer of the concept of direct marketing; most of its business is conducted over the Internet or telephone using employees instead of agents. Until the 1960s the bulk of its business was conducted via mail. In the late 1960s, USAA began a transition from mail to phone-based sales and service. A toll-free number was launched in 1978, and Internet sales and service were launched in 1999 via its website.

The organization started offering homeowner's and life insurance in the 1960s, and brokerage and investment management services in the 1970s, and banking services in the 1980s.

USAA offered restricted membership to civilians between September 2009 and August 2013. This membership provided access to USAA's investment products, most bank deposit products, and life insurance. Auto and property insurance policies were not included for non-military members due to eligibility restrictions.[13]

On July 26, 2019, the Charles Schwab Corporation announced it would acquire USAA's investment and brokerage accounts for $1.8 billion.[14]

USAA's mission statement indicates its focus to serve its niche market, which consists of members of the U.S. military and their immediate families. To that end, the association has always marketed directly to members of the U.S. military. USAA membership is offered to officers and enlisted personnel, including those on active duty, those in the National Guard and Reserve, Officer candidates in commissioning programs (Academy, ROTC, OCS/OTS) and all those who have served in the aforementioned categories and who have retired or have been discharged honorably.[21][22] Children of USAA members are also eligible to purchase USAA's P&C insurance products, and former members of USAA are allowed to resume membership at any time (without an age limit).

Eligibility can be determined using its website; however, the site does not contain a comprehensive statement of eligibility.[23] USAA has, in the past, published a list of other eligible persons including special agents of the FBI and Secret Service, agents of the various military investigative services (NCIS, OSI, CI and CID), U.S. Foreign Service Officers, and officers from a variety of other smaller agencies.[24] Recently, USAA has been sharpening its focus on members of the military. So, people working for certain non-military agencies that were accommodated in the past may find that they are no longer eligible.[25]

Historically, only U.S. military officers (among certain other federally sworn officers) were eligible to join USAA, with descendants of USAA members able to purchase insurance from USAA-CIC. It did not matter if one was an active duty or retired officer; one could join at any time. In 1973, membership was opened to members of the National Guard and Reserves, and in 1996, eligibility was expanded to enlisted members of the armed services. As the number of persons who have served on active duty in an enlisted status in the U.S. Armed Forces is quite large, USAA chose to limit the establishment of eligibility to those who were currently on active duty or who had recently separated. The same time limit on establishment of eligibility was then applied to military officers. In 2008, USAA expanded membership eligibility to all military personnel and retirees, and all veterans who separated after 1996.[21] In November 2009, USAA expanded eligibility requirements to offer coverage to anyone who has ever served honorably in the US Military.[22]

Auto and property insurance and some banking services require that the customer meet membership eligibility criteria. USAA investment products[26] as well as deposit-only banking services[27] are available to non-members.[28]

One of the characteristics that allows USAA to operate differently than most other Fortune 500 companies is that it is not a corporation. The United Services Automobile Association is an inter-insurance exchange, the establishment of which is provided for under the Texas Insurance Code.[29] This insurance exchange is made up of current and former military officers and NCOs who have taken out P&C policies with USAA; thus they simultaneously are insured by each other and, as a group, own USAA's assets.

Normally, in the event of a catastrophe threatening the solvency of the exchange, each member could be held completely responsible for all the losses of all the other members. However, the Texas Insurance Code added a provision (Section 942.152) which stipulates that an inter-insurance exchange can, by agreement of the subscribers, limit member liability only to the premiums or premium deposits that the subscribers have paid to USAA.[30]

Other insurance services are provided by a variety of wholly owned subsidiaries. Adult children of USAA members and U.S. military junior enlisted personnel make up a group known at USAA as "associate members" insured through a subsidiary called USAA Casualty Insurance Company (USAA CIC). This is a subtle nuance but is important concerning the return of profits – described below. Non-standard-risk drivers are insured by subsidiaries like USAA's County Mutual Insurance Company or USAA-General Indemnity Company. USAA also insures members in Europe through its subsidiary, USAA Limited.[31] It is uncommon for a U.S.-based insurance company to provide international P&C coverage, but USAA does so because so many military families are stationed out-of-country.

Led by USAA Chairman of the Board Admiral Tom Ford, USN (Ret.), USAA's board of directors named Wayne Peacock CEO-elect in January 2020 to succeed former CEO Stuart Parker after his retirement in February 2020. Peacock became CEO in February 2020 and is the first USAA CEO not to be a veteran of the armed forces. He has been with USAA since 1988, serving in various leadership positions including President of the Property and Casualty Insurance Group.

USAA experienced much growth under its former CEO, retired Air Force brigadier general Robert F. McDermott. The USAA building was constructed under his tenure, and McDermott was behind USAA's shift from service-by-mail to service-by-phone.[35] He was succeeded as CEO by retired Air Force General Robert Herres.[36] It was under Herres that USAA expanded its services to enlisted members of the military and developed Internet based financial services.[37] Following General Herres as CEO was Robert G. Davis, a former Army officer[38] who came to USAA with experience in a variety of financial services companies. Davis is said to have changed the culture at USAA; during his time at USAA, membership, assets and net worth grew significantly.

His tenure, however, was not without controversy. Davis oversaw USAA's first layoffs and by some reports had a confrontational style of leadership. Davis had indicated to USAA employees that he intended to continue to lead USAA until 2010; however, he retired in December 2007.[39] The nature of his retirement seems to have been precipitous, as USAA CEO Josue Robles has stated that upon assuming the role of CEO, "I thought I was just going to be a temporary CEO and (the board) said, 'Guess what? The permanent CEO is you'."[40]

On Glassdoor.com, claims adjusters reported satisfaction at 3.5 on a scale of 1–5.[41]

USAA president and CEO Stuart Parker retired on February 1, 2020, and USAA has chosen his replacement from within: Wayne Peacock, the company's president of property and casualty insurance. Wayne Peacock is currently the CEO of USAA.

USAA employs more than 32,000 people at its offices throughout the world.[42]

USAA's Colorado Springs location

Besides its headquarters in San Antonio, USAA has a second major office in Phoenix, Arizona, and other operations in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Chesapeake, Virginia; Tampa, Florida; Highland Falls, New York; London, England; Frankfurt, Germany;[43] and Plano, Texas.[44][45] [46][47]

• Official website