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I signed up successfully for NLSD, which I am hoping will let me get through NFCU.
Would NLSD make me eligible for USAA as well?
If so, should I also sign up for USAA?
I ask because I read that USAA really restricts their products for members who are not on active duty?
I am only interested in High yield savings accounts (and credit cards that beat Freedom/Discover IT/Fidelity etc)
What you read about USAA is correct. NLSD is not accepted for full membership to USAA.
What does limited membership to USAA offer?
Would they allow me to open up CD or High yield accounts atleast?
I am not sure if USAA has excellent credit cards that beat what I have already, so great CD or High yield accounts could be very useful
@Anonymous wrote:What does limited membership to USAA offer?
Would they allow me to open up CD or High yield accounts atleast?
I am not sure if USAA has excellent credit cards that beat what I have already, so great CD or High yield accounts could be very useful
They don't. Their cards are rather blah.
Agreed. I am primarily a USAA member for the insurance and brokerage benefits - they had far lower auto insurance rates than anyone else when I was in my twenties. My USAA credit card, on the other hand, has stayed at the same limit since opening in 2012, and they do only hard pulls for CLI.
I am a full member of USAA through my father, who was a military officer many decades ago but didn't serve long enough to retire and draw a pension. Basically anyone who has ever served and honorably discharged from the military, plus their immediate family, is eligible for USAA membership.
Navy Federal has far better credit cards.
We are going to have to wait for some magic loophole to open up or USAA eases the restrictions. My father priced their auto insurance and he was ex-military and found oddly that State Farm's multi-line discount beat USAA's rates. I was stunned. He wouldn't switch so I couldn't get in (at the time he had to have an insurance product with them in order for immediate non-military family members to qualify - not sure if that is still true, but he passed away a few years ago so it is probably a moot point.)
@Anonymous wrote:We are going to have to wait for some magic loophole to open up or USAA eases the restrictions. My father priced their auto insurance and he was ex-military and found oddly that State Farm's multi-line discount beat USAA's rates. I was stunned. He wouldn't switch so I couldn't get in (at the time he had to have an insurance product with them in order for immediate non-military family members to qualify - not sure if that is still true, but he passed away a few years ago so it is probably a moot point.)
State Farm's multi-line discount combined with a multi-car discount is quite strong... due to a 'quirk' I'm getting both with them right now, and I'm not touching a thing until I absolutely have to.
I'm in a similar situation with USAA eligibility myself... my father is eligible, but is pleased with his current setup. I'm not eligible until he buys a policy of some type with them, and due to a past 'snafu' he can't access the full site... and auto quotes are all you can get on the mobile site.
It's the only thing I don't like about USAA... their "partial" membership is quite the hassle to deal with at times. I do have my primary checking with them as well as a Visa card, and I'm quite pleased with both, but moving forward with even getting a quote for an auto policy will be much more complicated than it should be.
Unfortunately they haven't changed their policy regarding membership... my grandfather is a member, but my uncle (his son) never joined, and when he passed away a couple of years back his daughter (my cousin) is now permanently locked out, at least under the current rules. I'm really hoping they do something about that eventually.