Members of the military make many sacrifices in service of their country. Insurers recognize this fact and, in turn, offer special benefits to current and former service members. But which provider is the best option? Our research shows that USAA is the best car insurance company for military members and veterans.

However, just about every insurer has something to offer service members. In this article, we’ll go over all the top-rated companies for auto insurance if you’re on active duty or retired. We’ll also give you some tips on lowering your premium. For a breakdown on the best insurers in the USA, be sure to visit our article on the topic.

Best Car Insurance for Military Members and Veterans: USAA

USAA is the best car insurance company for members of the military, veterans, and their families. It only writes policies for people who’ve served in a branch of the US armed forces.

Here’s who is eligible to join USAA:

• Active duty members of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard
• Currently enlisted Reserves members
• Veterans of the US Armed Forces with an honorable discharge
• Cadets or midshipmen attending a US Service Program, Prep School, or ROTC program
• Family members, including spouses, widowed or un-remarried former spouses, and children who either currently have or have had USAA in the past

USAA sports a high level of overall customer satisfaction. It scored 875 out of 1,000 on J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study and has received excellent ratings from organizations like A.M. Best, Moody’s, and S&P Global.

Another reason to choose USAA is because of its cheap rates. The provider is well-known for having very good prices, especially compared to the competition.

Coverages

USAA has every type of car insurance coverage you’d expect. This includes full coverage and others such as personal injury protection (PIP), medical payments coverage (MedPay), and uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.

Discounts

USAA has many discounts that can help you save on your auto insurance. A few, such as the on-base discount, are unique to service members. Below are some notable discounts you can get from USAA:

• Military on-base. Allows you to save up to 15% when you store your car on-base.
• Vehicle storage. This gives you a discount of up to 60% for putting your car in storage.
• Insurance Bundling. Get 10% off for bundling your auto coverage with homeowners or renters.
• Good student. You can save around 3 to 4% by having a student with good grades.
• Safe driving. You can save up to 30% if you enroll in USAA’s safe driving program, SafePilot.
• Family discount. Your premium is reduced up to 10% if your parents buy a policy from USAA.

The above is just a small sample of USAA car insurance discounts. For a complete list, we recommend checking out our USAA shopping guide.

Second-Best Insurance Provider for Military Personnel: GEICO

GEICO is our choice for the second-best auto insurance company for military members. As a company that began serving government employees, GEICO is very friendly to both active duty and veteran policyholders. It has a good deal of discounts, including some specifically for those who served.

Overall, GEICO’s a great company. It has great customer satisfaction scores and financial strength ratings across the board. For instance, A.M. Best gave GEICO an A++ rating, and J.D. Power scored the insurer 853 out of 1,000.

Like USAA, GEICO also has very competitive rates. Some of the lowest in the nation. And, as a current or past service member, you can save even more by taking advantage of the military-specific discounts GEICO offers.

Coverages

You’ll have no problem getting the auto insurance coverage you need with GEICO. The company offers a wide range of options, including liability, collision and comprehensive, PIP, MedPay, and a lot more.

Discounts

GEICO shines through with the number of policyholder rewards it offers, especially those directly related to military service. Here are some auto discounts offered by GEICO:

• Military discount. Active duty military personnel, National Guard, or Reserves, can save up to 15%. This GEICO offer includes discounts for veterans.
• Emergency deployment. You can get up to 25% if you’re deployed to an imminent danger pay area. You can qualify if you have orders to go to one of these areas or if you store your car while deployed under one of GEICO’s storage protection plans.
• Military affiliation. GEICO will give you a discount if you’re a member of any of these organizations:
  • Association of the United States Army (AUSA)Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA)Navy League of the United States (NLUS)
  • Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU)
• Multi-policy. Bundling your car insurance with a home, renters, condo, or mobile home policy can get you a discount.
• Multi-vehicle. If you insure more than one car with GEICO, you’ll get up to 25% off your coverage.
• Good student. You’ll save up to 15% on certain coverages if you have a student with a “B” average on your policy.

These are just a few of the discounts. Our GEICO shopping guide has a more detailed list of savings you can get with the company.

Third-Best Insurer for Military Members: Armed Forces Insurance

The third-best auto insurance company for military members has been around for over 130 years. Founded in 1887, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) provides auto coverage if you’re on active duty or a vet. The company also has homeowners, renters, and umbrella coverage as part of its long list of coverage options.

One special benefit of Armed Forces Insurance is that it, like USAA, exclusively works with armed forces personnel and their families. If you decide to work with the company, you can take comfort in knowing that its sole focus is people who serve in the military.

You’re eligible to join AFI if you’re:

• A retired or active duty member of any US military branch. This includes the Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserves
• A retired or active employee of the US Department of Defense or US Department of Veterans Affairs
• A retired, former, or active commissioned officer of NOAA or PHS
• A member of the Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Merchant Marine, Military Auxiliary Radio System, and Marine Corps Auxiliary
• Enrolled in an ROTC or Merchant Marine Service Academy
• A spouse, former spouse, or widow/widower of a retired or active duty member of any US military branch.
• A child, parent, or spouse of a current or former AFI member
• A former AFI policyholder

Coverages

AFI offers all the auto insurance coverage you’d expect. This includes but isn’t limited to liability coverage, collision, and comprehensive coverage, PIP and MedPay, UM/UIM coverage, and roadside assistance.

Discounts

AFI doesn’t list any specific discounts on its website. However, this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get any. You may want to get a quote from AFI to get a better idea of how much you’d end up paying with the company.

Honorable Mentions for Servicemember Auto Insurance

USAA, GEICO, and Armed Forces Insurance topped our list of best insurers for military members and veterans. But there are a couple of other major providers that go the extra mile to help the current or formerly enlisted. These are our honorable mentions:

Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual offers a military discount on car insurance to current or former members of the US Armed Forces or Reserves. As Liberty Mutual says proudly on its website, this is its way to thank you for serving the country.

Liberty Mutual doesn’t give a specific percentage this discount saves you. Our research shows you can save up to 10%. You might want to contact this provider or talk to an agent to see what kind of savings you can get.

Farmers

Farmers also offers a car insurance discount to military members and their families. In its “Affinity” category, Farmers includes a benefit for servicemembers. You can qualify if you’re on active duty or a veteran.

The Farmers website doesn’t specify how much it’s military discount lowers your premium. The percentage off your rates could vary by state or by other factors such as the car you drive or how old you are. Reach out to a representative for more information.

Final Ranking

We’ve studied the largest providers in the nation to find the best car insurance coverage for members of the armed forces. Here is our final ranking:

1. USAA
2. GEICO
3. Armed Forces
4. Liberty Mutual
5. Farmers

Other Ways Military Members Can Lower Rates

Auto insurance discounts for military service can save you a ton, but there are other ways to save. Some companies also offer benefits that aren’t listed on their website. Below are some ways you can save:

• Ask about military discounts. Some companies don’t come right out and say they have one. Yours may if you talk to your agent. It never hurts to ask!
• Compare quotes. Some companies may offer better rates than others. Even if you’re content with your current provider, you could save money by testing the market and comparing prices.
• Look for further savings. Insurers offer many opportunities to lower your premium. Ask your agent or look for easy discounts, such as bundling or automatic payments.
• Move to Louisiana. This, of course, isn’t an option for everyone. But the state has an interesting law that requires every insurer to offer a minimum 25% discount to active service members. If you already live there, you likely already have the discount. You qualify if you:
  • Are active militaryLive in LouisianaHave a spouse or dependent who lives in Louisiana while you’re out-of-state
  • Buy your policy in Louisiana

How We Chose Our Winners

We chose the best insurer for military members and veterans by looking at several factors. We compared all the leading national insurance providers and examined the types of benefits they offered to current or past service members. Specifically, we researched:

• Availability
• Coverage options
• Discounts
• Customer service
• Average rates
• Company solvency