A leading nonprofit organization that helps military families secure adequate life insurance coverage recently appointed a longtime military spouse to lead its efforts into the future.
The Uniformed Services Benefit Association® (USBA®), an organization that connects military families to affordable life insurance through a partnership with New York Life Insurance, named Victoria Diamond as its new CEO and president.
Diamond told Military Families Magazine she plans to continue building on USBA’s efforts of more than 65 years to strengthen military households through financial security.
“We’ve afforded military families options for more financial security,” she said. “We’ve also given them peace of mind through compassion, care, and a dedication to our military.”
For Diamond, serving military families is personal. Her husband served active duty for more than two decades, and she found additional ways to support the community by volunteering however she could. But when her husband was ready to retire, Diamond wasn’t sure what her own next steps might look like.
“When I found this position at USBA, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is just amazing. I can do my accounting job, and continue working with the military, and still be connected to a community that I have loved and lived with for 22 years.’”
Diamond’s professional experience and personal connection to the military made her a great fit. Today, she is proud to lean on both, to educate other families about the benefits that USBA services provide.
“USBA sets itself apart by providing its Members with fast, personalized service,” she said. “Most service requests are completed within one to two business days, ensuring timely support when it’s needed most.”
The Kansas-based organization also prides itself on an efficient claims process, designed to ease the stress and uncertainty families experience after losing a loved one.
By streamlining paperwork and expediting payments, she adds, USBA has been able to significantly reduce processing times, with many claims being completed in as little as five days.
“We actively advocate for our Members with New York Life to secure better pricing, enhanced product features, and new insurance offerings tailored to their needs,” Diamond said.
When Members express interest in specific products or features, for example, USBA gathers that feedback and works directly with New York Life to encourage those changes.
Last year, in fact, USBA successfully expanded the age limit for children’s coverage from 23 to 26, while also increasing the underwritten and exchange age for its Whole Life product.
“By listening to our Members and acting on their needs, we continue to deliver improved products and greater value,” Diamond added.
USBA also positions itself as an innovative organization, offering families one of the first joint-level term products of its kind: a single policy that covers both husband and wife.
Here’s how it works: The TWO for ONE policy pays a benefit on whoever dies first. Then, when the dual coverage ends, the surviving spouse can continue their life insurance coverage at the same or lower benefit amount without going through underwriting, which is hassle-free for the surviving spouse.
READ MORE: What military couples need to know about TWO for ONE® policy protection
Products like that are created with individuals – not numbers – in mind. Diamond is keenly aware of the differences between her previous work in the corporate world, compared to that of serving the military.
“Corporations prioritize profits and finding return on investments,” she pointed out. “USBA, however, is dedicated to its mission of providing affordable life insurance and financial products to our military. That’s our focus, every day.”
Diamond says that under her leadership, she will continue to expand on that commitment.
“The last 65 years have been great for offering that piece of mind for our military. And I want the next 65 to be even better — to reach more military families, and to provide them with these services.”
