Posted by: LK Lam

EDITOR’S RATING 0 / 5 PROS

• Competitive rates for USAA members.
• Flexible payment plans.
• Easy-to-navigate website and ability to manage policies online or via mobile app.
• Rideshare coverage option.

CONS

• Available only to the military community.
• Complaints about claims support and premium costs.
• Limited coverage options and discounts.

USAA Review Summary: USAA auto insurance is an obvious choice for members of the U.S. military and their families, thanks to competitive rates and discounts tailored for those in active duty. USAA has consistently earned top marks for customer service and is among the most highly rated auto insurers in that regard. Although their list of policy discounts is limited compared to other auto insurance companies, USAA’s vehicle storage discounts can provide military members with significant savings.

Individuals who are not part of the military community are out of luck for auto insurance with USAA, as you must be a USAA member to qualify. And USAA membership is only open to active or former military and their eligible family members.

In the sections below, you can learn more about USAA’s car insurance coverage options, their other vehicle insurance products, and how they compare to top competitors.

Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area Age 16-20 21-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 65+ Currently Insured? Find Insurers USAA Insurance Reviews & Ratings

• WalletHub: 4.2/5 (115 user reviews).
• Better Business Bureau: C+ rating (accredited)
• J.D. Power: 5/5
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC): For 2018, the number of complaints against USAA was slightly below the national median for the auto insurance industry.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: No consumer complaints for USAA’s auto insurance. However, customers have filed complaints about USAA’s banking products.

USAA has earned top marks for customer service and has been among the most highly ranked auto insurers year after year. However, a review of the complaints online reveals that customers are generally unhappy with USAA’s claims servicing and pricing, with some noting that better rates can be found with their competitors in the auto insurance industry.

In terms of financial strength, which is an important indicator of an insurer’s ability to pay claims, USAA has earned the highest possible rating of A++ (Superior) from A.M. Best, a leading credit rating agency for the insurance industry.

Fun Fact: USAA stands for United Services Automobile Association.

USAA Insurance Coverage Options

USAA auto insurance offers all the major coverage options that are commonly required by state laws. These include bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection, uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage. USAA customers can further customize their auto policies with these extra coverage options.

Extra Coverage Options from USAA Insurance:

• Extended Benefits: This supplemental option provides wage earner benefits, death benefits, and essential services disability benefits. To add this to your auto policy, you must have medical payments coverage.
• Roadside Assistance: Covers the cost of towing, tire repairs, battery starts, locksmith services, and fuel delivery.
• Rental Reimbursement: Pays for the cost of a rental vehicle when your car is in the shop after an accident.
• Full Glass Coverage: Pays for the cost of glass repairs and replacements. Full glass coverage is not subject to deductible payment.
• Accident Forgiveness: Protects you from a premium increase after an at-fault accident. To qualify, you must maintain an accident-free record for 5 years while insured with USAA.

Please note that coverage availability and details vary by state.

Specialty Types of Auto Insurance from USAA Insurance:

• USAA Classic Car Insurance for owners of classic or collector vehicles. USAA provides flexible usage options for this coverage in most states. To qualify, the car cannot be your primary vehicle, be used for racing events, and must be stored in a garage. Drivers must also have at least 5 years of driving experience (licensed) and a good driving record for the past 3 years.
• USAA Rideshare Insurance for individuals who use their vehicles to drive for a ridesharing company. USAA provides the rideshare coverage option for as little as $6 a month. Rideshare coverage is not available in all states.

USAA also offers insurance policies to protect motorcycles, mopeds, motor homes, boats, ATVs, jet skis, and aircraft.

Sample USAA Auto Insurance Quotes

Age	Clean Driving Record	Poor Driving Record
21	$216 / month	$263 / month
30	$153 / month	$185 / month
42	$143 / month	$176 / month

Premiums may vary by state and level of car insurance purchased. Learn more about how we obtained these sample quotes in the Methodology section at the end of the review.

USAA Auto Insurance Discounts

• Vehicle storage: Up to 60% discount when you store your vehicle at a secure location – it must not be driven. This discount is not available in Hawaii, North Carolina, and Virginia.
• Military Installation: Up to 15% discount on your comprehensive coverage option when you store your vehicle in a garage on a military base. Not available to New York policyholders.
• Safe Driver: Discount for maintaining a good driving record for more than 5 years. This discount is available for policyholders in Hawaii. The amount of the discount varies.
• Defensive Driving: Discount for completing an approved defensive driving course. The amount of the discount varies.
• Young Driver Training: Discount for drivers under the age of 21 after they complete a basic driver training course – not available for policyholders in Hawaii, North Carolina, and New York. The amount of the discount varies.
• Good Student: Discount when you maintain good grades in school – not available for policyholders in Hawaii, North Carolina, and New York. The amount of the discount varies.
• New Vehicle: Discount for purchasing insurance for a new vehicle (not more than 3 years old). This discount is not available in New York. The amount of the discount varies.
• Multi-vehicle: Discount for insuring more than one vehicle with USAA. The amount of the discount varies.
• Annual mileage: Discount based on how much your drive in a year. Only drivers over the age of 29 may qualify for this discount – not available for those in Hawaii and North Carolina. The amount of the discount varies.
• Family Discount: Up to 10% discount on your policy if your parents are USAA auto policyholders. To qualify, you must be under 25 years old, been insured on your parents’ policy for at least 3 years, and maintain a clean driving record.
• Length of Membership: Discount for choosing to stick with USAA for your auto policy needs. The amount of the discount is based the length of your membership.
• Bundle and Save: Up to 10% discount when you bundle your auto and home insurance.

Eligibility criteria for these discounts vary by state – some restrictions apply. Not all discounts are available in all states.

USAA Insurance vs. Popular Alternatives

Insurer	USAA	GEICO	State Farm	Progressive
Average Annual Premium	$2,183	$3,546	$3,925	$3,422
Customer Satisfaction*	5/5	3/5	3/5	3/5
WalletHub Ranking (total of 46 companies)	2nd	21st	26th	17th
Complaints Score (lower is best) (lower is best)	1.12	0.84	0.59	0.70

*Ratings are from JD Power’s 2018 automotive insurance surveys. Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area Age 16-20 21-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 65+ Currently Insured? Find Insurers

Methodology

In order to determine USAA car insurance’s ranking in the auto insurance industry, WalletHub’s editors reviewed the policies offered by the largest, most popular car insurance companies in the United States. We evaluated the relative strengths and weaknesses of each company, along with the types of drivers each is best positioned to serve.

Specifically, WalletHub’s USAA car insurance rating is based on a combination of factors, which research has shown to be particularly important for car insurance shoppers.

• Customer reviews
• Watchdog ratings
• Coverage options
• Coverage limits
• Claims process
• Customer service
• Cost
• Transparency

To help assess the level of customer satisfaction at USAA and other companies, WalletHub calculates a complaints score for each insurer. This score is the ratio of each insurer’s share of all U.S. car insurance complaints over its share of annual premiums for private passenger auto policies. In other words, the complaints score represents the number of complaints adjusted to the size of the auto insurer. Such an adjustment is necessary, as larger companies tend to receive more complaints.

Assumptions for USAA Auto Insurance Quotes:

Gender: MaleMarital Status: SingleState: CaliforniaCar: Honda AccordComprehensive Deductible: $250Collision Deductible: $500 (waiver add-on included)

Coverage Type	Coverage Limit
Bodily Injury	$100,000/person $300,000/accident
Property Damage	$50,000
Medical Payments	$5,000
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (Bodily Injury)	$30,000/person $60,000/accident

For price comparison, WalletHub obtained quotes from major auto insurers for at least 30 cities in California. We gathered quotes from the state regulator’s database for drivers varying in age and driving record. In the sample quotes, a good driving record assumes no accidents, while a poor record assumes at least one at-fault accident or one traffic violation. California was chosen given that it is the most populous state in the U.S., and it lands in the middle of WalletHub’s price rankings for car insurance.

For more car insurance research, check out WalletHub’s 2019 Cheap Car Insurance Study. And if you have experience with USAA car insurance that you think might help other consumers, you can also write a USAA car insurance review.

from Wallet HubWallet Hub


via Finance Xpress