USAA, or the United Services Automobile Association, is the fifth-largest U.S. auto insurance company by market share.1 USAA offers coverage to veterans, active-duty military members, and their qualifying family members. Army officers founded the company more than 100 years ago in San Antonio, Texas.
Today, the insurer and financial services company sells property, business, pet, life insurance, and more coverages in addition to vehicle insurance. Since USAA only offers services for the military community, many drivers can’t take advantage of its competitive rates. But for those who can, USAA offers discounts catered toward service members and a popular telematics program that can save drivers up to 30%.
Here’s what to know about USAA as you shop for car insurance.
How USAA compares to other insurance companies
USAA beats out or measures up to its competitors in nearly every way, Insurify’s research finds. The company has some of the lowest rates available, according to Insurify data. While USAA doesn’t offer as many discounts as other insurers, active-duty military members can get discounts for garaging their car on a military base or storing a vehicle during deployment.
Here’s how USAA compares in a few categories.
How USAA rates compare to competitors
USAA offers extremely competitive rates and is often the best and most affordable option for veterans, active-duty military members, and qualifying family members.
USAA is among the cheapest car insurance companies, and only a handful of regional insurers beat USAA’s full-coverage rates, according to Insurify data. COUNTRY Financial, NJM, Auto-Owners, Erie, and Root have cheaper average full-coverage rates, but none sell insurance in all 50 U.S. states like USAA.
Here’s how USAA’s national average full-coverage rate compares to the rates of other national insurance companies.
Average cost of USAA auto insurance
USAA’s average auto insurance rates are less than half the national average for full-coverage and liability-only insurance. Even the insurer’s rates for higher-risk drivers — like teens and drivers with a speeding ticket or DUI on their record — are relatively low. For example, teen drivers on their own insurance policy pay about 52% more for a USAA auto insurance policy versus 64% more for a State Farm policy.
Here’s how USAA’s average monthly liability-only rates compare to the national average for a few different driver profiles.
USAA car insurance cost by state
Several factors affect your car insurance premiums, and your location is one of the big ones.2 Your state insurance market, regional inflation, and local severe weather like hail or hurricanes can influence your rates. Drivers in urban areas also tend to pay more than rural drivers, given the increased risk of theft and accidents in densely populated areas.
USAA prices are still among the cheapest for eligible drivers in most states. These are the average monthly liability-only insurance quotes for USAA in each state, compared to the overall state average liability-only quote.
USAA car insurance discounts
It’s important to consider car insurance discounts when choosing the right insurance company since savings vary and insurers offer different options. USAA, for example, has a few discounts for military personnel on base or during deployment, as well as others like new car, multi-car, loyalty, and safe driver discounts. Add them up, and discounts can lower your premium significantly.
Always ask about what discounts you’re eligible for since not all insurers automatically apply them and you may have to provide documentation.
How customers feel about USAA
Like most insurers, USAA’s online reviews are mixed, but many drivers seem satisfied with USAA’s coverage and affordability. USAA has consistently high scores in industry customer and claims satisfaction. Still, USAA has a score of 1.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot, and some reviewers report a slow claims process and frustrating price increases.
These are a few sources to consider to learn how policyholders feel about their insurers.
USAA customer reviews
Insurify asks consumers to rate their insurance companies and collects the information so shoppers can hear from people directly about their experience. These are all real, verified USAA reviews, and more policyholders report their experiences every day.
USAA ratings
Industry ratings can help you understand an insurance company’s business reliability and how it scores for customer satisfaction. Global credit-rating agency AM Best rates insurer’s financial strength and credit. A higher score indicates an insurer has good risk management and can reliably pay claims.
Consumer insights agency J.D. Power measures customer and claims satisfaction among auto insurers, and USAA scores the best or among the top scores in recent studies. The insurer’s National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) company complaints index score will tell you how that company’s number of complaints compares to the industry standard for a company of its size.
USAA car insurance coverage options
USAA offers standard coverage options, including liability coverage that meets state-minimum insurance requirements, collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages. Drivers can also purchase optional coverages like USAA roadside assistance, accident forgiveness, and rental reimbursement.3
To get an accurate quote, be sure to have information about your or your family’s military affiliation, your government ID, and your Social Security number since USAA uses them to confirm your affiliation.
Other options for USAA customers
USAA offers many other types of insurance, and auto insurance customers could save by bundling with other USAA policies. A few more coverages you can get from USAA include:
Vehicle insurance: USAA will insure your motorcycle, ATV, boat, bicycle, classic car, and more.
Property insurance: USAA sells renters, homeowners, condo, landlord, mobile home, and personal valuables insurance.
Travel insurance: This protection will cover unexpected medical expenses and extends to children younger than 17 if they’re traveling with an insured adult.4
How USAA SafePilot works
The USAA SafePilot program is USAA’s telematics car insurance program, which uses a mobile app and other sensors to track your driving. It’s an optional discount program. Drivers get up to 10% just for enrolling and can earn up to 30% on renewal if they practice safe driving habits.
The app maps your trips and monitors your driving, tracking things like phone usage, hard braking, and overall mileage. USAA logs your trips and delivers a driving score and potential discount. The app will also detect if you’re in a crash and help with the next steps. The information it collects could expedite related claims.
Enrolling in SafePilot won’t make your insurance go up. It’s only used to calculate a discount. If you’re a confident, safe driver, or committed to practicing safe driving habits, telematics insurance could help you lower costly premiums significantly.
SafePilot is different from USAA’s usage-based program, in which your monthly rate is adjusted based on your mileage or safe driving, and can result in savings of up to 20%.