USAA vs. Erie: Which Is the Best? (2025)
USAA’s affordable coverage, discounts, and nationwide availability make it the better choice — as long as you have military ties.
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USAA and Erie are insurance companies that target different consumer segments. USAA is a nationwide insurer with very affordable rates, but it’s only available to active-duty military members, veterans, and their immediate family members. Meanwhile, Erie offers an assortment of coverages, but it only serves a few states.
Before buying an insurance policy, it’s a good idea to compare online quotes, coverages, and company reputation to find the best car insurance company for you.
Quick Facts
USAA auto insurance has more car insurance discounts than Erie.
Erie offers unique coverages in its standard policy, such as Erie Rate Lock and accident forgiveness.
Both companies offer a telematics program with lucrative rewards.
USAA vs. Erie: The verdict
USAA outshines Erie in various categories, receiving some of the highest scores for customer service and offering competitive rates with more discount opportunities. In contrast, where USAA falls short, Erie thrives, with Erie having a longer list of additional coverage options.
When it comes to accessibility, the “winning” auto insurance company depends on your circumstances and where you live. To apply with Erie, you’ll need to live in one of the eastern and central states. With USAA, you can qualify for coverage anywhere in the nation, but you need to be military-affiliated.
Factor  | USAA | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| IQ Score | 9.1 | 8.4 |
| Customer satisfaction score | 3.9 | 3.8 |
| Average quote: liability only | $52 | $80 |
| Number of discounts | 10 | 8 |
| Number of states where it operates | 50 | 12 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.
We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.
- Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
- Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 55,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
- Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
- Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
- Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.
USAA
USAA is the fifth-largest auto insurance company in the United States based on 2023 market share data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).[?]
Erie
Erie received an overall rating of second place in the 2023 J.D. Power Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, which ranks companies based on the quality and efficiency of their claims handling.
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USAA SafePilot vs. Erie YourTurn
USAA SafePilot and Erie YourTurn are telematics programs that reward good driving. Both insurance companies use telematics data from a mobile app on your smartphone to monitor your behavior on the road. After you meet driving requirements, the app generates a score, which determines the benefits you receive.
USAA SafePilot: USAA’s SafePilot program rewards you with a 10% discount for enrolling and up to 30% off your personal auto policy based on your driving. One drawback of the app is that requirements apply. Policyholders must drive at least 325 miles and 16 hours to get a score and discount.
Erie YourTurn: Erie’s YourTurn program doesn’t give policy discounts for good driving. Instead, you can redeem gift cards, get cash back, and donate to charity with the points you earn. Erie also enforces minimum driving thresholds. Participants must drive at least 50 miles during each two-week scoring period to qualify for rewards.
USAA vs. Erie: Which is the cheapest?
USAA’s national average rates are slightly cheaper than Erie’s, but both insurers offer cheaper rates than the nationwide average of $100 per month for liability coverage.
Remember, your personal quote varies based on important factors like your ZIP code, driving profile, age and gender, coverage amount, and more.[?]
USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record
Drivers with a clean record pay lower rates because they’re less likely to file a claim. Good drivers can find the cheapest liability car insurance quotes with USAA.
Driver Type | USAA | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $52 | $80 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket
Drivers with a moving violation, such as a speeding ticket, have an increased risk of engaging in reckless driving behavior and causing an accident. If you have a previous speeding violation, you’ll typically find cheaper liability rates with USAA.
Driver Type | USAA | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers with a speeding ticket | $67 | $109 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
USAA: Cheapest for teen drivers
Teen drivers pay some of the highest rates for auto insurance, as new drivers are more likely to cause an accident. Fortunately, young drivers may find cheaper options with USAA. Compare each company’s liability-only rates in the table below.
Driver Type | USAA | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| 18-year-old | $97 | $152 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Erie: Cheapest for senior drivers
Senior drivers who are 70 and older may pay higher insurance premiums as age-related conditions increase the likelihood of an accident. If you’re a senior driver, you may qualify for slightly lower rates with Erie, though both companies have competitive liability-only rates for older drivers.
Driver Type | USAA | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Senior drivers | $40 | $54 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
USAA: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit
Drivers with bad credit experience elevated prices on their insurance bills. If you’re a driver with a low credit score, USAA is best for budget-friendly auto coverage.
Driver Type | USAA | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers with bad credit | $62 | $136 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Compare coverages: USAA vs. Erie
Erie and USAA differ in some of the types of insurance options they offer, but you can purchase basic coverage from both companies. This includes required coverages, such as liability insurance, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Both companies also provide full-coverage car insurance, which includes comprehensive and collision coverage.
Erie customers enjoy more unique coverage options than USAA policyholders. In addition, Erie’s standard policy includes coverages that most of its competitors offer at an extra fee, meaning more value for your dollar.
Coverage | USAA | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Rental car reimbursement | Yes | Yes |
| Roadside assistance | Yes | Yes |
| Accident forgiveness | Yes | Yes (included) |
| New car replacement | Yes | Yes |
| Pet injury | No | Yes |
| Travel expenses | No | Yes |
| Rate lock | No | Yes (included) |
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Compare discounts: USAA vs. Erie
Consider discounts when comparison shopping.[?] An auto insurance policy from USAA already offers low rates to various drivers, and its discount opportunities can lower your insurance rates even more. As the table below demonstrates, USAA has more discounts than Erie:
Discount | USAA | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record | Yes | No |
| Defensive driving course | No | No |
| Multi-policy | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-car | Yes | Yes |
| Low mileage | No | No |
| Telematics (safe driving app) | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-theft device | Yes | Yes |
| New car | Yes | No |
| Military/affiliation | No | No (but offers a discount for keeping your car on a military base) |
| Good student | Yes | No |
| Loyalty | Yes | No |
| Auto-pay | Yes | No |
| Student away at school | No | Yes |
| Homeowner | No | No |
| Alternative fuel | No | No |
USAA vs. Erie FAQs
If you’re trying to decide between USAA and Erie, consider the following additional information about these insurance companies.
What are the disadvantages of USAA?
One disadvantage of USAA is its membership exclusions. Only members of the military community and their families qualify for coverage. It also offers fewer coverage options than several of its competitors.
Which company is USAA’s biggest competitor?
State Farm is USAA’s biggest competitor in auto insurance based on market share. GEICO, Progressive, and Erie (in certain regions) are also major competitors in the car insurance industry.
Is Erie Insurance a reliable company?
Yes. Erie Insurance is a reputable insurer. It ranked highly in J.D. Power’s claims and customer satisfaction surveys and earned an A+ (Superior) rating from AM Best, indicating its solid financial strength.
What are the primary differences between USAA and Erie Insurance?
The primary difference between USAA and Erie Insurance is availability. USAA offers insurance coverage nationwide but only to military personnel, veterans, and their immediate family members. Erie is a regional insurer, but non-military members can buy a policy.
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