USAA sells auto insurance and other financial services to eligible military members and their families. Though eligibility is limited, USAA’s coverage options and features are wide ranging.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Many coverage bundle options.
- Overseas coverage available.
- High consumer and industry ratings.
Cons:
- Must meet membership requirements.
- Limited online quotes.
USAA car insurance review
Jerry did not give USAA a star rating due to a lack of available data. Each year, Jerry revises its rating system and may rate this insurer in the future.
The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) is a military-focused financial services company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, offering auto insurance in all 50 states and DC. Similar to a credit union, this company is member-owned, meaning members are given voting rights and dividend checks each year based on the company’s earnings and expenses. Even with its membership limitations, USAA is currently the fifth-largest auto insurer in the country by market share, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
In addition to auto coverage, USAA customers can purchase policies for home, renters, life, umbrella, pet and business insurance. While USAA offers basic online quotes to non-members, these are based on generic coverage numbers. Drivers will be asked to confirm membership eligibility and provide their Social Security numbers before policy coverage can be customized and a final quote issued.
USAA membership is limited to active-duty military members, veterans, select federal employees, pre-commissioned cadets, and children and spouses of eligible members. Drivers who aren’t eligible for USAA membership can still purchase coverage through the USAA Insurance agency, which helps connect drivers with other insurers.
USAA holds many top ratings from customers and industry agencies, including an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best, top-five scores on the most recent J.D. Power auto insurance studies and a relatively high average rating from Jerry customers. However, USAA has received more consumer complaints than expected through the NAIC in recent years and earned a CRASH Network grade of D+ for 2025.
Who is USAA best for?
Among membership-eligible drivers, USAA may be a good choice for those who:
- Have a clean driving record.
- Want to bundle multiple coverages.
- Need rideshare gap coverage as a driver for Uber or Lyft.
- Qualify for discounts.
- Need to purchase overseas coverage for a deployment or PCS.
Comparing quotes from multiple companies is one of the easiest ways to decide which insurer is right for you.
USAA car insurance discounts
USAA offers a variety of discounts to help you save money on auto insurance. These may vary by location and coverage type. They include:
- Multi-vehicle discounts when you insure two or more vehicles.
- Bundle discounts of up to 10% when you combine auto and home or renters coverage.
- Safe driver discounts for drivers who maintain a good driving record for at least five years.
- Legacy discounts of up to 10% for loyal drivers who have membership through their parents.
- Driver education discounts for completing an approved basic driver training or defensive driver safety course.
- New vehicle discounts for cars up to three years old.
- Anti-theft discounts if you have certain safety devices installed on your vehicle.
- Deployment or stored-vehicle discounts can save drivers up to 60% when a covered vehicle is stored in a secure location and won’t be driven for an extended period.
Does USAA offer insurance based on driving behavior?
Yes, USAA has two different behavior-based insurance options: SafePilot and SafePilot Miles.
SafePilot is a telematics program that offers a 10% discount when you enroll and up to 30% off your premium at renewal based on safe driving habits. USAA SafePilot Miles is a usage-based insurance (UBI) program that offers a 20% discount for low mileage drivers, variable premiums based on mileage and the potential for another 20% discount for safe driving habits.
Both programs require drivers to download a mobile app that tracks driving habits and data such as mileage, speed, braking, acceleration and phone usage. Drivers who demonstrate unsafe or risky habits could see their premiums increase at renewal time.
USAA car insurance coverage options
USAA offers standard coverage types including collision, comprehensive, bodily injury liability, property damage liability, medical payments, personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
| Coverage | Definition |
|---|---|
| Collision insurance | An optional coverage type that pays to repair or replace your car if it’s damaged in a collision with another vehicle. You can only file an accident-related claim for your vehicle’s repairs if your policy has collision coverage. |
| Comprehensive insurance | An optional coverage type that covers damage to your vehicle caused by non-collision hazards, such as car theft, falling tree branches, hail and other unexpected events. |
| Bodily injury liability (BI) | Pays others’ medical costs in an accident you cause, up to your policy limits. It’s mandatory in most states. |
| Property damage liability (PD) | Pays for repairs or replacements of any vehicles or objects you damage in a crash, up to your policy limits. It’s mandatory in most states. |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Helps cover medical expenses for you and your passengers after a car accident, regardless of who caused it. This is required in some states. |
| Medical payments | Additional coverage outside of PIP that pays for medical care for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of who caused it. This is optional in most states. |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) | Covers you, your passengers and any property damage in a case where the other driver is at fault but doesn’t have insurance, or carries insufficient coverage to pay for your costs. This is required in some states. |
In addition to these standard auto coverages, USAA also offers the following optional insurances.
- Rideshare insurance fills in coverage gaps while driving for companies like Uber and Lyft.
- Classic car insurance can protect an older vehicle. Coverage is provided through USAA’s partnership with American Collectors Insurance.
- Emergency roadside assistance helps drivers get a jumpstart, tire change, fuel delivery, vehicle unlock service or tow when needed. USAA customers may still have access to lower rates for these services if they opt out of roadside assistance.
- Commercial auto insurance protects business-owned and -operated vehicles.
- Rental car reimbursement coverage helps pay for a rental vehicle while yours is in the shop.
Industry ratings of USAA car insurance
Overall, USAA has a good reputation and earns many high ratings across the industry. While the insurer isn’t ranked in J.D. Power’s most recent auto insurance studies, its scores put USAA among the top five insurers in both studies. Its average customer complaint index through NAIC is higher than expected across the last three years, but the insurer also holds the highest possible AM Best financial strength rating.
| Rating | USAA’s score |
| NAIC consumer complaint index | Moderately high. |
| CRASH Network report card | D+. |
| J.D. Power auto insurance shopping study | Unranked; 711 out of 1,000 points earned. |
| J.D. Power auto insurance claims study | Unranked, 726 out of 1,000 points earned. |
| AM Best | A++. |
-
NAIC
-
CRASH Network
-
J.D. Power
-
AM Best
USAA auto insurance customer reviews
Hundreds of Jerry customers who have used and reviewed USAA’s auto insurance have rated the company well.
How to contact USAA
Members can manage their policies and communicate with representatives or claims agents online, over the phone or via the mobile app.
- Get a quote: Quotes are available online or over the phone by calling 800-531-8722.
- Customer service: Customers can reach representatives at 800-531-8722, Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. CT and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Policyholders can use USAA’s live chat and messaging features online or through the mobile app, though availability may vary by department and service need.
- File a claim: Policyholders can file and manage claims through the USAA mobile app, over the phone or on the USAA website.
Methodology
We looked at over 400,000 actual policies quotes from real Jerry customers during 2024 across 24 different insurance companies. The pricing data included both those with clean driving records as well as those with a violation.
How we rate car insurance companies
Jerry’s team of car insurance expert writers and editors analyze real customer ratings and industry reports to get a holistic view of an insurer’s performance. Our rubric emphasizes the shopping and claims experiences, customer complaints and reviews, repair shops’ evaluations of insurers, policy and quote pricing, and state availability.
We regularly reassess insurers’ star ratings and fact-check these reviews to ensure they’re accurate and up-to-date.
These individual factors roll up into one weighting system as follows:
20% Financial strength.
20% Complaints.
20% Industry ratings.
20% Customer ratings.
20% Cost and discounts.
Stephanie Colestock is a seasoned writer specializing in personal finance. With over 14 years of experience, she crafts insightful and accessible content on a wide range of financial topics, including insurance, credit and debt management, banking, investing, retirement planning, and household finances.
Her bylines appear in top-tier publications such as TIME, Fortune, MSN, Forbes, USA Today, Money, Fox Business, and CBS. Stephanie’s deep understanding of complex financial concepts and her ability to communicate them clearly have made her a trusted voice in the industry.
When she’s not writing, Stephanie enjoys helping individuals make smarter financial decisions through her engaging and well-researched articles.
Annie is a writer and editor at Jerry and has more than a decade of experience writing and editing digital content. Before joining Jerry, she was an assistant assigning editor at NerdWallet, where she covered loans. Previously, she worked at USAA and newspapers in Minnesota, North Dakota, California, and Texas. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota.
