USAA vs. Safeco Insurance

USAA vs. Safeco: What You Need to Know

USAA is an organization founded by military members for military members and their families. USAA was founded in the 1920s, during a time of social and political change. In San Antonio, Texas, 25 army officers met to insure each other’s vehicles and named William Garrison as the first president. This tiny group of men would later turn into one of the largest insurance companies, serving millions of members and becoming a fully integrated financial services organization. In 1923, the group expanded membership to include Navy and Marine Corp officers. In the 1930, membership grew despite the financial crisis, called the Great Depression, and several natural disasters that only exasperated an already desperate situation. By 1931 membership doubled from 15,000 to 30,000. The first annual report to members was published in 1932, and it highlighted financial success and commitment to the organization’s members. During World War II, USAA automatically renewed auto insurance policies, making things a little easier for those who were deployed abroad. In 1946, the organization became an industry leader in technology with its new automated office machines. In 1948, membership was opened to Air Force officers after the National Security Act of 1947 created the department. In 1952, USAA opened an office in Frankfurt, Germany, the first office outside of Texas. In 1961, USAA changed its bylaws so that officers no longer lose their membership after resigning from service. In 1962, they opened an office in London, England. In 1969, USAA formed their first disaster response team which is stationed in the Gulf Coast tending to members impacted by Hurricane Camille.In 1973 USAA opened offices in Tampa, Colorado Springs and San Diego and established their headquarters in San Antonio. In 1978, they began offering toll-free phone service to members. In 1983, the USAA Federal Savings Bank opened its doors and in the same year USAA Volunteer Corps was created to help with employee volunteerism in their communities. In 1990, the USAA Educational Foundation was set up to help consumers get free information on financial management, safety concerns and more. In 1991, USAA began offering roadside assistance and travel benefits. In 1991, they made electronic funds transfers available to members and in 1996 they formed the USAA Ethics Office as a commitment to ethical business conduct. In 1996, they began accepting enlisted as members. By 1999, members could conduct business online. In 2001 USAA provided special deployment assistance for the fight on terrorism. In 2006, they began offering ATM reimbursement and allowing members to deposit checks from home. In 2008, USAA expands eligibility requirements to include military retirees as well as the spouses and children of members. In 2009, all men and women who serve in the U.S. military and their families became eligible for membership. That same year, USAA became a sponsor of the Army-Navy Football Game and launched their mobile app. In 2010, USAA opened financial centers throughout the country while partnering with hundreds of UPS stores to service members. In 2011, USAA became the official Military Appreciation Sponsor of the National Football League. In 2016, they were the first bank to offer mobile app check deposit for visually impaired members. By 2017, USAA had 12 million members and a net worth of $31 billion.

In 1923, Hawthorne K. Dent founded the General Insurance Company of America. Most insurance activity during that time was taking place in the Northeast, so its Seattle location made “The General” a pioneer not only geographically but also with their competitive prices and great service. Today, however, “the General” is called Safeco, and they offer insurance to people across the country. It was in 1953 that the General Insurance Company of America created a subsidiary called Selective Auto and Fire Insurance Company of America (SAFECO). It was intended to compete with the national companies using computer automation tools, which allowed them to enter the life insurance business. By the end of the 1960s, the company also began offering mutual funds and commercial lines of credit. It became so successful that the changed the name entirely to Safeco. In 1997, Safeco began expanding east by acquiring American States Financial Corporation, doubling its agency in size. They soon became a leading insurer for small to mid-sized businesses. In 2002, the company’s dedication to automated technology helped the company recover from the slump of the late 1990s. In 2004, Safeco sold its life and investment division to refocus on surety bonds and its property and casualty lines of insurance. In 2008, Safeco was bought by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, a change that allows Safeco to focus solely on personal insurance lines today.

Below is a list of average rates, rankings, products and discounts for the two companies. For full company overviews, you can visit USAA Overview and SAFECO Overview.

USAA vs. SAFECO: How much are the Average Rates?

USAA vs. SAFECO: Rates by Number of Vehicle

USAA vs. SAFECO: Rates by Homeownership

What is USAA and Safeco Insurance Rating?

Which car insurance company is better? We've made it easy to compare companies side by side. See how USAA and Safeco ranked among the industry ratings.

USAA or Safeco: Insurance Products Offered

What coverage is available through USAA and Safeco? Both insurance companies offer Auto, Commercial, Condo, Home, Motorcycle, Pet, Renters, RV, and Umbrella Insurance. Additional products from USAA insurance also includes Farm, Health, and Life Insurance. Considering these two top insurance providers? Check out the list below. To view a full list of products that are available, visit USAA and SAFECO Insurance page.

USAA or Safeco: Ways To Save

Safeco offers a wide range of discounts to its policyholders, including Accident Prevention, Diminishing Deductible, and Distant Student discounts. USAA also offers a few discounts that Safeco doesn’t including Premier Driver, New Vehicle, and Multi-policy discounts. Start taking advantage of discounts offered by insurance providers like Safeco and USAA insurance and save yourself some money. You can review the full list of discounts that these two companies offer below.

USAA or Safeco Mobile Apps Options

The USAA Mobile app is available for iOS and android. It gives users convenient and secure access to their accounts to manage finances, investments, insurance and more. The Safeco Insurance mobile app is available for iOS and android. This insurance concierge gives you access to your policy 24/7. This mobile and tablet friendly app helps you pull up your ID cards, make a payment, manage your policies and file a claim as well as submit accident photos.

USAA & Safeco Contact Info

Methodology
The statistics listed on this page are from our own in house reporting. We track and record quotes that carriers have provided based on various criteria. The rates and averages shown on this page should only be used as an estimate.