Re: USAA
Here is my impression of USAA as a whole. I started off as a member in 1997 when I joined the military. I'm from San Antonio where USAA has its headquarters, therefore I knew of the company. I knew people who worked there. They loved it and were treated exceptionally well. Back then, being a member or working for USAA was kind of like being a member of an exclusive club.
Since 1997 I've had all my insurance with them and started banking with them exclusively since 2001. They have paid in full 3 automobile claims without any problems or delays. They have also been the ONLY company that hasn't tried to jack up their interest rates for the MasterCard I hold with them.
In late 2008 I opened a ROTH IRA with them and In 2009 I opened a standard Cash Brokerage account.
*** I'd give it a 3 out of 5 stars. I'd give it more stars if they had better charts, faster internet service, and trailing stops.
I should point out that I don't use USAA's brokerage service because they are excellent. Their brokerage setup is rather plain and probably pales in comparison to specialized brokerage services. I use them because I am a loyal customer who has been treated fairly in both good times and bad. I also use them because all my banking is done with them so it's just easier to keep track of the money.
The internet interface is basic and functional. There isn't any trading software and everything is web based. The charts are derived from www.Bigcharts.com and are the same basic charts on Bigchart's website. USAA does have an interactive chart, but I don't use it and it's blocked where I work.
I did have problems getting charged 13.95 instead of 11.95 for trades. I called in and as always, they took care of it and provided a refund. For me, USAA's customer service has always been excellent.
Now the bad... Their website is slow. It's always slow, no matter where I am or what time it is. USAA web pages take about 3-5 seconds to load for every single page. It's almost like having really fast dialup.
That's all I have to say about USAA.
Cheers... JTH
Candlestick crack addict...