2023 USAA Insurance Review

In the realm of insurance, USAA stands out not only for its unparalleled customer service in home and auto insurance but also for its distinct clientele. Exclusively catering to veterans, military personnel, and their immediate families, USAA goes beyond the typical insurance offerings to also offer banking, retirement accounts and investment opportunities.

Keep reading our USAA review so you can better understand the various discounts you can receive on your insurance premiums as well as additional perks for being a USAA member.

USAA auto insurance review summary: USAA offers essential auto insurance coverage with an average monthly cost of $157.78. With high J.D. Power rankings in auto coverage, USAA is a solid contender for insuring your vehicles. USAA members will also have exclusive discounts available, like the on-base discount, as well as deals on entertainment and shopping. USAA home insurance review summary: When it comes to overall customer satisfaction, J.D. Power has assigned USAA exceptionally high scores and consistently each year. Homeowners coverage through USAA provides all your basic coverage needs, including dwelling and liability coverage. And while not a part of your home insurance policy, you can opt for flood insurance through USAA’s partnership with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

USAA Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
High ranking in a recent J.D. Power study	Only serves military personnel and certain family members
Low complaint score for auto and home insurance products	Certain discounts may be unavailable in your state
Wide catalog of insurance products for members	SafePilot program unavailable in California, Delaware and New Jersey
Additional non-insurance services available, such as banking and retirement accounts	Some policies are underwritten by affiliated insurance companies, potentially leading to confusing claim/customer service experience
Some coverages extend outside of the U.S.
Has 37,000 employees[1]

About USAA

In 1922, a group of 25 Army officers came together in San Antonio, Texas with a mission to insure one another's vehicles.^[2] What began as a modest endeavor has since flourished into the United Services Automobile Association (USAA), now serving millions within the military community. Since they began, they have issued $2.5 billion in payouts to their members due to weather-related catastrophes.^[3]

Availability

USAA is available nationwide. However, membership is limited to certain individuals and their family members, including:^[4]

• Active service members
• Veterans
• Contracted academy attendees
• Prospective officers
• Current spouses
• Previous spouses and widowed partners
• Biological children and step-children

If one of your parents is a USAA member, you'll need their USAA number. For membership inheritance, parents must be existing USAA members and still alive. Note that USAA membership doesn't extend to siblings or parents of current members.

Coverage

USAA offers a wide variety of insurance options for its members, covering virtually all bases for anyone looking for coverage. We’ve provided a comprehensive list of USAA’s offerings.

Auto insurance	Commercial auto insurance
Pay-as-you-drive insurance	Professional liability insurance
Motorcycle insurance	Cyber insurance
Motorhome insurance	Surety bonds insurance
ATV and UTV insurance	Life insurance
Boat insurance	Individual and family insurance
Classic car insurance	Medicare insurance
Renters insurance	Dental insurance
Homeowners insurance	Annuity
Condo insurance	Long term care
Mobile home insurance	Accidental injury
Rental property insurance	Mobile phone protection insurance
Valuable personal property insurance	Vision insurance
Flood insurance	Pet insurance
Umbrella insurance	Personal cyber insurance
Farm and ranch insurance	Travel insurance
Collectibles insurance	Aviation insurance
Windstorm insurance	Special events insurance
High-value home insurance	Bicycle and electric bike insurance
Small business insurance

Consumer Experience

Line of Business	J.D. Power Score (Out of 1,000)[5][6]	NAIC Complaint Index[7]	NAIC Share of Complaints in U.S. Market[7]
General	N/A	1.72	0.82%
Auto	876	0.95	1.8%
Home	881	0.31	N/A

^{*Score is the average of the 11 regions profiled}

Customer Service

USAA provides specialized customer service numbers for different departments and boasts an extensive FAQ library on their website, supplemented by a chat feature connecting members with live agents. For those on the go, the USAA mobile app for both iOS and Android offers a convenient search function to address insurance-related inquiries.

While USAA did not officially rank in J.D Power studies because the company serves only military families, it received exceptionally high scores when it came to its auto and home insurance products, outperforming all other insurance companies.^[5][6]

On the other hand, USAA’s NAIC complaint index across all its insurance products was 1.72, nearly twice as many complaints that would be expected for a company its size.^[7] Despite this, with the exception of commercial property, USAA still scored much lower across all other insurance products.

Features

USAA offers unique perks oriented toward military personnel. For instance, auto policyholders can potentially receive a 15% discount on comprehensive insurance for garaging their vehicle at a military installation.^[8] No deductible will apply to uniforms damaged due to a covered loss and life insurance policies will not exclude coverage if you die due to acts of war or terrorism.^[9] Your life insurance application will even be expedited to ensure you’re covered before you’re deployed.^[10]

USAA members can also use the USAA mobile app for quick access to their insurance portal. Whether you’re using iOS or Android, you’ll be able to check claim statuses, view online transactions and manage your banking accounts. USAA insurance reviews for both mobile apps ranked well with customers as shown below.^[11][12]

Platform	Number of Reviews	Star Rating
App Store	1.6M	4.8/5
Google Play	196K	4.1/5

USAA members can potentially save up to 10% on their car insurance by enrolling in SafePilot, USAA’s usage-based insurance (UBI) program, which uses telematics technology to record how often and how safely you drive. The less you drive and the better your driving habits, the more you save. It should also be noted that SafePilot ranked highest in the J.D. Power customer satisfaction study when it came to usage-based insurance.^[5]

USAA members will also have access to special deals on entertainment, shopping, car care and more.

Pricing

The average monthly USAA car insurance rate can range from $102 to $237 per month depending on your state, with the national monthly average being $157.78 — just shy of $1,900 per year.^[13]

Other coverages such as renters insurance can be as low as $10 per month.^[14] For more specific pricing, you’ll have to reach out to USAA directly.

Remember that your location, depth of coverage and your deductible amounts will all factor into your home insurance cost and your USAA insurance costs.

Claims

USAA allows members to file claims through the USAA website’s claims portal or through the mobile app. In fact, USAA specifically notes that the mobile app allows members to manage their claims faster and more efficiently.

USAA Car Insurance

A USAA auto insurance policy will meet the coverage requirements mandated by your state. Optional coverages are also available to further protect your vehicle.

What’s Covered

USAA auto policies offer every type of car insurance coverage you need to meet your state’s minimum insurance requirements, as well as add-ons to expand your coverage.

• Bodily injury and property damage liability coverage
• Collision
• Comprehensive
• Underinsured motorist
• Uninsured motorist
• Medical payments
• Personal injury protection (PIP)
• Roadside assistance
• Rental car reimbursement
• Car replacement assistance
• Personal property inside vehicle up to $250^[15]
• Accident forgiveness
• Tax deduction for unreimbursed portion if vehicle is totaled (if you itemize your deductions)

What Isn’t Covered

Common exclusions for USAA auto insurance coverage typically include wear and tear or damages resulting from illegal activities. Racing-related damages, accidents caused by an unlicensed driver or intentional harm to your vehicle are also excluded. In addition, personal property losses inside your car exceeding $250 will not be covered, but this could be covered by the off-premise clause of your homeowners or renters insurance policy.

USAA Home Insurance

Similar to other types of home insurance companies, a USAA home policy will insure your home against various perils and you for personal liability.

What’s Covered

Your USAA homeowners insurance coverage may include a range of options. Some are included as standard, while others can be added as riders or add-ons:

• Dwelling
• Other structures
• Personal liability
• Personal property
• Loss of use
• Medical payments
• Home sharing
• Loss assessment
• Identity theft
• Home protector
• Water backup
• Earthquake
• Personal injury (e.g., being accused of libel, slander, defamation)

What Isn’t Covered

USAA policies typically don't cover damages resulting from earthquakes, landslides and sinkholes. Floods are also excluded from the general coverage. Damage from pests, such as termites and rats or other infestations isn't covered either.

Additionally, if you run a home-based business, losses connected to that business are not part of the standard policy. However, for many of these exclusions, you might be able to secure coverage by purchasing a separate USAA insurance policy.

Additional Policies USAA Offers

Below, we list other types of coverage that USAA offers in addition to its home and auto insurance policies.

Motorcycle

USAA has partnered with Progressive to provide its members with coverage for their motorcycles, with potential savings up to 5%. Motorcycle coverage via a Progressive auto policy provides liability, comprehensive, collision and other coverages for those driving cruisers, dirt bikes and sport bikes. You can also get protection for your golf cart or snowmobile if you choose.

RV

Providing protection for travel trailers, motorhomes, pop-up campers and more, USAA, in partnership with Progressive, offers liability coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, collision coverage and other important insurances for your RV. Yearly premiums can range between $125 to $800 depending on the type of RV being insured.^[16]

ATV

Again, USAA has allied with Progressive to provide USAA members with coverage for their all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs). This type of policy can include coverage for liability, collisions and MedPay coverage in addition to other protection. Discounts can include safety course discounts, good driver discounts and pay-in-full discounts.

Boat

In partnership with Progressive and Markel Specialty, USAA members can enjoy liability, MedPay and uninsured boater coverage for all types of boats. If you’re insuring a yacht or boat valued at over $150,000, then you will not have to pay a deductible if your boat is totaled and there is no depreciation deduction on your claim payout for physical damages.^[17]

Commercial

USAA has convenient coverage for small businesses, including business owners policies (BOP), which include general liability, property coverage and business income insurance. For those looking to expand coverage, you can increase your protection by purchasing professional liability insurance or cyber liability. Businesses with employees will likely need to take advantage of USAA workers’ compensation. For added security, you can beef up your liability limits by including an umbrella plan in your policy.

Commercial Auto

Both owned and non-owned commercial use vehicles can get covered through USAA’s liability, MedPay and cargo insurance.

Renters

USAA renters insurance provides coverage for theft, flood damage, visitor liabilities and even identity theft. There are also specific protections for military gear and uniforms. It also safeguards against natural calamities like earthquakes, as well as man-made incidents such as explosions. Renters policies will not insure your electronics against drops, spills or misplacements, but you can add an endorsement with limits up to $10,000.^[14]

Condo

Condo insurance through USAA covers personal belongings for damage or theft and repairs to your condo's interior. It provides financial protection with personal liability coverage and can cover up to $50,000 for association-assessed damages to common areas.^[18] If a covered event renders your condo unlivable, it assists with temporary living expenses. Additionally, it offers $5,000 for identity theft expenses and medical costs for guests injured in your condo.^[18]

Life

USAA members can purchase term or permanent life insurance for as little as $12 per month.^[19] Term life can be written for 10 to 30-year contracts.^[19] Permanent life can potentially accrue cash value depending on the type of policy you choose.

While other types of insurance policies are reserved only for military personnel, USAA life insurance policies are available to any U.S. citizen or permanent resident.^[20]

Health

USAA has become very much a one-stop-shop when it comes to insurance, going so far as to provide its members with the ability to get healthcare coverage. See the below list for options.

• Medicare plans
• Individual and family plans
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Accidental injury insurance

Other

USAA has several additional insurance types that can benefit their members, including:

• Pet coverage
• Personal cyber coverage
• Travel coverage
• Special event coverage
• Bicycle and e-bike coverage
• Mobile device coverage
• Aviation coverage
• Long-term care coverage

USAA Discounts

There are several discounts made available to USAA members. See the tables below for more details.

Auto Insurance Discounts

Discount Name	Description
Anti-Theft	Devices installed in your car, making it more difficult for thieves to steal your vehicle can be rewarded with a discount
Automatic Payment	Setting up auto payment can result in 3% savings on your auto policy[8]
Garaging*	Vehicles parked at a military installation can receive a 15% discount on comprehensive coverage[8]
Good Driver	Those with a clean driving record for five consecutive years may be eligible for a discount[21]
Good Student	Policies with a full-time student between 16 and 25 years old may be eligible for a discount[22]
Legacy	Those with parents with USAA policies can receive a 10% discount through the MyUSAA legacy discount[21]
Multi-Vehicle	Having more than one vehicle on your policy can lead to a discount on your premium
New Vehicle	Vehicles under three years old may qualify for a discount[21]
Storing	Vehicles not driven and stored in secure locations can receive a 60% discount[21]
Military On-Base Discount	Get up to 15% off if you park your car at a military installation[21]
Telematic	The USAA SafePilot program can result in savings of up to 30%[23]

^{*Discount will instead apply to collision coverage for California residents}

^{Note: Availability will vary by location}

Home Insurance Discounts

Discount Name	Description
Bundling	Get a discount of up to 10% on your home insurance premium when you also hold an auto insurance policy with USAA[19]
Protective Device Credit	Install a monitored fire alarm or home security system to reduce your premium up to 5%[24]
Connected Home Discount	Using a smart home device can afford a 7% discount on your home insurance premium[24]
Multi-Product Discount	Receive a discount of up to 5% on your home insurance premium when you also own policies such as renters insurance, landlord insurance or life insurance[24]
Loyalty Discount	By maintaining a property policy with USAA for three consecutive years, you have the opportunity to reduce your premium by up to 5%[24]
Claims-Free Discount	If you're a USAA homeowners insurance customer and have remained claim-free for five years or more, you can benefit from a discount of up to 15%[24]

How Does USAA Compare to Other Car Insurance Companies?

USAA vs Allied	USAA vs Auto Owners
USAA vs Dairyland	USAA vs Encompass
USAA vs Farmers	USAA vs Liberty Mutual
USAA vs Nationwide	USAA vs Safeco
USAA vs Travelers