Dealing with an accident is a hassle no matter where it happens. But imagine crashing on the way to have an important medical operation in a foreign country where you don't know the language or the customs. Staff Sgt. Eric Brown and his wife were grateful to have the expertise of USAA's Janet Krueger and Phillip Hill to lean on.
The Browns were traveling by car from England to Germany via Belgium so that Staff Sgt. Brown could have an important eye surgery. When their car slid on ice and was badly damaged, they knew they could count on USAA in Belgium or anywhere in Europe.
They contacted, Janet, a claims adjuster in Frankfurt, Germany, who arranged for a tow truck to take the couple and their car from Belgium to Germany so that they could be on time for the eye surgery and even found a repair shop near the hospital.
"USAA goes the extra mile for our members and supports that 100 percent," she said. "That's what member service and member satisfaction is all about."
Janet then turned the claim over to Phil, a claims adjuster in London, England.
"They don't speak English in Belgium, so it was comforting for them to speak to somebody at USAA who can understand and help them," Phil said. "They had an urgent need, like some American movie when you've got 24 hours to get from one place to another. USAA completed the task because that's what we're all about, helping the members."
In the ensuing weeks, Phil walked Staff Sgt. Brown and his wife through the claims process every step of the way to help them navigate the complex world of European insurance, where every country works very differently and in different languages.
"It was a really emotional, devastating experience but your team made it as smooth as possible," Staff Sgt. Brown wrote to USAA. "We just wanted to let you know how much your help means to us as well as how nice it is to know that good customer service is still out there."