USAA’s Membership Claims

Gronk appears to have started to accept that he’ll never become a USAA member. But while USAA offers insurance products “for the military community and their families,” who is actually eligible for USAA membership might surprise you.

That’s because, despite USAA’s tagline – and the woman in the above commercial who says she’s “in” because of her dad, who is wearing a hat with “United States Veteran” on the front – qualifying for coverage is not as simple as having a family member who serves or has served in the military. That family member must also be a USAA member.

Where is this disclosed in the above ad, you ask? For about five seconds, in minuscule print, USAA discloses, among other things, “Eligible former dependents of USAA members may join USAA.” (There’s no explanation for what “eligible” means.)

TINA.org looked into USAA’s membership claims after receiving multiple complaints from consumers. Wrote one consumer:

My father served in the US Army. My wife’s father also served in the US Navy. But we were denied membership to USAA. It turns out that the relative had to be a USAA member in order for you to qualify.

USAA has spent an estimated $12 million on the USAA commercial in which we see Gronk perfecting his gardening skills since it debuted last September, according to iSpot.tv.

What does the law say about all this? According to the FTC, if the disclosure of information is necessary to prevent an ad from being deceptive, the disclosure has to be clear and conspicuous, meaning consumers must be able to notice it, read it and understand it. Is any of that possible here?

TINA.org reached out to USAA for comment. Check back for updates.

Find more of our coverage on ads targeting military members and veterans here.