The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) is one of the top ten property and casualty insurers in the United States in terms of size, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). Serving only members of the military and their families, USAA offers several insurance products, as well as banking, retirement, and investment services. Based in San Antonio, Texas, the company operates in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Our USAA auto, homeowners, and renters insurance guide has detailed overviews of its coverages and discounts. We also look at rate factors and the claim filing process. Finally, we explore company information, including its financial strength, customer service rating, and more.

USAA Auto Insurance

Auto is USAA’s primary insurance product. Despite exclusively serving military service members and their families, it’s the fifth-largest auto insurer by market share in the United States. It’s also known for having a high level of customer satisfaction. J.D. Power doesn’t include the company in its rankings, but they indicate that it has an above-average score of 875 out of 1,000.

In our own rankings, we list this as being the third-best auto insurer in the country.

Auto Coverages

USAA offers several types of auto insurance to eligible customers. These include liability, which states require, and others like collision and comprehensive, for when your lender requires full coverage. You can also add extra coverages like rideshare and roadside assistance.

There are a few popular coverages USAA doesn’t offer, including guaranteed asset protection that’s replaced by a proprietary auto coverage it calls car replacement assistance, which works similarly to gap. Another is Mexican auto coverage. To get that, you’ll need to contact a provider in Mexico.

Below is a complete list of auto coverages provided:

Liability

Liability is the most basic form of coverage that almost all states require to drive. It covers any property damage or injury costs you cause in an at-fault accident.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive covers random disasters or “acts of God” that could wreck your car. These include events such as:

• Severe weather e.g., hail, wind, or floods
• Theft
• Vandalism
• Hitting an animal
• Fires
• Riots and civil disturbances

Collision

Collision covers damages to your car from an accident, regardless of fault. Your vehicle must have been in a crash with another object. Collision coverage also includes one-car accidents.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist (UM and UIM)

If you get into an accident with someone with insufficient or no coverage, UM and UIM step in to cover costs. High medical expenses and vehicle repair costs make this often voluntary coverage essential.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Medical Payments (MedPay)

Many states require you to carry PIP or MedPay on your policy. These coverages pay the medical bills for you and your passengers after a car accident without regard to fault.

Umbrella

An umbrella policy helps when your liability coverage doesn’t fully cover an accident’s expenses. In this case, you’d have to pay the remaining amount out-of-pocket. An umbrella policy adds extra liability coverage to protect you from spending your own money.

Rental Reimbursement

If an accident puts your car in the shop, rental reimbursement will pay for a rental in the meantime.

Rideshare

You won’t always have protection when you drive for a rideshare company like Uber or Lyft. USAA offers rideshare insurance coverage to help protect you whenever you’re logged into the app and waiting for a gig.

Car Replacement Assistance

Car replacement assistance will add an extra 20% in actual cash value if it’s declared a total loss. It helps you get a larger settlement after the fact. While this doesn’t replace guaranteed asset protection (Gap), it still helps lessen the blow of a totaled vehicle.

Classic Car Insurance

USAA has partnered with American Collectors Insurance to provide coverage for customers with classic and exotic cars. You’ll find agreed-value coverage and a mileage plan you need to maximize protection while keeping costs low.

A wide variety of antique and collector vehicles qualify, including:

• Antique and classic cars
• Modified vehicles
• Exotic and luxury cars
• Military vehicles like jeeps
• Farm tractors
• Antique motorcycles

Accident Forgiveness

After five accident-free years, you can qualify for accident forgiveness. With this, your first at-fault accident won’t cause your rates to increase. Accident forgiveness isn’t available in CA, CT, DE, NC, and NY.

Roadside Assistance

USAA offers roadside assistance coverage to drivers across the United States, including internationally in Canada, Germany, Italy, and England. 24/7 roadside services from include the following:

• Towing
• Flat tires
• Battery jump-starts
• Locked cars
• Fuel deliveries
• Cars stuck in mud, snow, or ditches

The easiest way to begin using these services is to add roadside assistance coverage to your auto insurance policy. However, you can also utilize these services without adding it. To do so, you’ll need to pay a special rate for each service. The website mentions that its prices are often lower than other traveler breakdown providers.

How to Contact Roadside Assistance

To get immediate roadside assistance service, USAA asks customers to go on its website or use the mobile app. Alternatively, try calling the roadside assistance number, (800) 531-8722.

Policy Term Length

USAA has two term lengths for customer auto policies. The shortest term is six months. However, 12-month policies are also available. You won’t be able to get a short-term or temporary policy.

High-Risk Auto Coverage

High-risk drivers may be able to get auto coverage. These are drivers with severe violations, such as a DUI, or several tickets and accidents on their records. USAA will also help you file an SR-22 or FR-44 form if your state requires it.

Salvage Titles

No insurance company covers cars with salvage titles. The reason is that salvages were declared a total loss by their insurer. Companies like USAA typically deny coverage for salvage vehicles because they’re unsafe and illegal to drive.

Rebuilt Titles

USAA insures vehicles with rebuilt titles that meet its safety standards. However, you may end up paying as much as 20% more for coverage because the car was totaled before being restored. The reason is the additional risk that insurance companies factor into the premiums of rebuilt salvage vehicles.

How to Get a Quote

To buy auto insurance from USAA, you’ll need to get a quote. There are three easy ways to request one:

• By visiting USAA’s website and filling out the form on the front page
• Calling (800) 531-8722
• Contacting an agent

Be ready to provide some personal information. Don’t be alarmed by how much you have to tell about yourself. It may seem like a lot, but it’s necessary for an accurate and personalized rate. And none of it is banking information.

Below is a list of personal details USAA needs to complete a quote:

• First and last name
• Sex
• Marital status
• Address and ZIP code
• Phone number and email address
• Driver’s license number of each driver you want to insure
• Make, model, and VIN of each car
• Desired coverage and limits
• If there have been any tickets or accidents on your driving record, especially in the last five years

Note: you won’t typically get a final rate by just getting an online quote. Chances are, you’ll end up talking to a representative to get a complete idea of what you’ll pay.

Auto Rates

USAA offers cheap auto insurance rates to military families. In fact, we ranked it as the best company for military members and their families. Despite this, the rates you pay depend on several different factors. These are seemingly small details that form a larger picture of how risky you are as a driver and customer.

Below are a few of the most common rate factors:

• Yearly mileage
• Driving history
• Credit history
• The car you drive

Another major rate factor is where you live. USAA may quote you differently depending on the state you call home. The state with the highest rates is Louisiana, with customers paying an average of $256 per month. Meanwhile, Maine residents pay the lowest rates in the country, with customers paying an average of $94 per month.

Auto Discounts

USAA has a reputation for being one of the Nation’s cheapest auto insurance providers. Even so, discounts can tick your lowest-in-the-industry rates a bit lower. However, this carrier’s discount selection isn’t very large. Plus, they don’t lower rates much. But every bit counts toward getting you the cheapest rates.

Here’s a complete list of USAA’s auto discounts:

Driving Behavior and History

USAA provides drivers with many ways to save based on driving habits and safety. Just drive safe, keep out of accidents, don’t get tickets, and take an easy online class. How much you save will be up to you.

Safe Driving

To qualify for the safe driving discount, you must stay safe on the road and avoid accidents for at least five years.

Driver Training

Beef up your skills and get a defensive driving course discount on your policy. USAA has partnered with SafeDriver.com and their online defensive driving education program. It’s a basic driving curriculum that won’t take much of your time or money. Most people complete this 100% online course in four to six hours.

To qualify, go to SafeDriver.com to sign up.

Your savings begin once you:

• Register and complete the online defensive driving course
• Send your completion certificate

The defensive driving class costs $39.95 for each person. Not available in every state. Savings vary.

Storage

If you’re deployed or need to store your vehicle for any reason, ask about the storage discount. It’s a big one, too, with savings of up to 60%. To qualify, you must store the car in a secure place.

If you garage your vehicle on a military base, take another 15% off your comprehensive coverage. One less thing to worry over!

Not available in HI, NC, and VA.

Annual Mileage

Annual mileage savings applies to vehicles driven less than 12,000 miles in a calendar year. It’s not exactly a low mileage discount, but it works similarly.

Not available in Hawaii and North Carolina. Other restrictions apply.

Pay As You Drive

Pay As You Drive is USAA’s usage-based auto insurance program or UBI. It’s not a discount in the classic sense. Instead, it’s a new way of setting rates. Instead of paying one for rate each six- or 12-month policy period, your premium is determined by how much your drive. Your driving style will also affect your rates.

Rate factors include:

• Mileage – fewer miles save more money
• Smoothness – speed and braking
• Focus – phone usage (even hands-free)
• Road Choice – where you drive can affect rates
• Time of Day – night driving is more dangerous than daytime

Available in AZ, CO, LA, MD, OH, NM, PA, and TX.

Pay As You Drive app download links:

• Apple
• Android

SafePilot

SafePilot is USAA’s safe-driving telematics program. That’s a lot of jargon, so let us explain. Simply put, telematics allows auto insurance companies to set your rates by gathering data about how, where, and when you drive. A mobile app collects this information and stores it. Eventually, if the data indicates that you practice safe driving, you could see savings of up to 30%!

Download the SafePilot App from an app store and sign up to begin. Boom! You just saved 10% immediately just for joining.

Download links:

• Apple
• Android

You don’t need to launch the app when you hit the road. It’ll automatically record these actions:

• Time of day
• Location (GPS)
• Passenger or driver
• Phone handling, including hands-free or hand-held calling
• Harsh braking
• Annual mileage

At policy renewal time, your history will inform your rates for the new term. The best, safest drivers can achieve up to 30% savings. If that’s you, it’s worth it.

Unsafe drivers who score poorly over their policy period may not get any additional discount. But you still get the 10% for signing up! USAA states that it won’t raise your rates if you score poorly. But let’s face it, drivers with bad driving habits will undoubtedly get a ticket or crash their car. Poor driving is its own reward. Insurers don’t need fancy scoring to find out how bad a driver you are.

SafePilot is currently available in 37 states to current policyholders. Our research found that USAA has the third-best telematics program because of its high savings.

Good Student

Good student discounts provide a way for teen drivers that do well in school to save money. Exactly how you save isn’t published. But many estimates say you save about 3% or 4% on your premium. Less than any other major insurer for this type of reward.

Even so, why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of your kid’s good work at school? To qualify, your student must first be:

• Licensed to drive
• A full-time student in high school, college, or vocational-technical school
• Between 16 and 24 years of age

That’s not all, of course. Your student must also get good grades. To qualify for the good student discount, students must attain one of the following:

• Upper 20% of the class
• 3.0 or “B” GPA. If the school doesn’t average grades, then no grade can be below a “B”
• Honor Roll, dean’s List, or equivalent

USAA requires verification student grades to receive this discount. Acceptable forms include:

• Grade transcripts,
• Report cards
• Letters from the dean or similar

You are required to verify grades each school term. You must submit a new good student discount application each year.

Not available in Hawaii and North Carolina.

Vehicle-Based Discounts

These discounts apply when you have certain features and devices in your car. Newer cars can also get in on the action. Check with your agent for details.

Anti-Theft Device

Cars with security systems and devices may qualify for the anti-theft discount. Restrictions apply and you may need an annual certification. Not available in all states.

New Vehicle

Those new car payments just got easier thanks to the new vehicle discount. Your new car must be no older than three years to qualify. Restrictions apply.

Not available in Puerto Rico or on Touring policies.

Loyalty Discounts

Auto insurance companies love it when you remain loyal. USAA is no different. It offers several customer loyalty discounts to long-time policyholders and those with more than one thing to insure.

Bundling

You can claim the 10% bundling discount when you combine your auto coverage with either a renters or homeowners policy. A lot of other insurers offer better savings and more opportunities to bundle. But consider that USAA is already the cheapest auto insurance option out there.

Family

You’ll qualify for the family discount and save up to 10% on your premium if you meet the following requirements:

• On parents’ policy for at least three years.
• Your driving record is clean
• You’re under 25

As always, restrictions apply.

Multi-Vehicle

if you have two or more cars covered by one policy, you may qualify for the multi-vehicle discount. Restrictions apply.

Filing an Auto Claim

If you find yourself in an accident, especially one with injuries and severe damage, you’ll likely need to file a claim. USAA’s claims process is simple and shouldn’t take you very long. You can file online, with their app, or on the phone at (800) 531-8722. When you file a claim, you’ll need to follow these steps:

• Give an account of what happened in the accident
• Provide photos of the damage
• Locate an auto repair shop and rental car

After your claim is reviewed, your car will receive an inspection. Then, you’ll receive payment in the amount necessary to repair your car.

It’s also easy to file a claim if you don’t have a policy with them. This would only happen if you ended up in an accident with a USAA-insured driver. In this case, you’ll need to explain what happened and await an investigation. Then, they’ll decide who’s at fault in the collision.

USAA Homeowners Insurance

USAA also provides home insurance to its customers. This will help protect your home from unforeseen disasters. In J.D. Power’s 2021 homeowners study, the provider got an impressive score of 882. J.D. Power excludes USAA from their ranking against other insurers, but this score would’ve been the highest among all companies.

Homeowners Coverages

Buying a homeowners policy from USAA will get you a lot of protection. There are nine main home insurance coverage types for you to choose from. These cover just about everything you can think of.

Here’s a list of USAA’s homeowners products:

Dwelling Coverage

This covers the physical structure of your house from covered perils, such as fires or severe weather. The physical structure includes parts of your home like your walls, roof, and floors.

Personal Belongings

This protects your personal belongings, in and out of the house. Note that this only replaces or pays for your items if a covered disaster destroys them.

Loss of Use

A disaster could make your house uninhabitable. If this is the case, loss of use coverage will pay for any living expenses while your house receives repairs.

Personal Liability

Liability protection pays for any damages or injuries you or other household members cause. For instance, if your kid breaks your neighbor’s window, personal liability coverage will pay for it.

Home Sharing Coverage

If you plan on renting out a part of your house, this will cover you and any tenants should any damage or injuries occur. This coverage isn’t available in all states. Be sure to ask your agent whether your state offers home-sharing coverage.

Other Structures Coverage

While dwelling coverage protects your house, there may be other structures on your property that need protection. This will cover other structures, such as:

• Swimming pools
• Gazebos
• Sheds
• Fences

Earthquake Coverage

Most homeowners policies don’t include earthquake coverage. But with USAA, you can add it to your policy if you live in Washington or Oregon.

Homeowners Discounts

There are a few different ways to lower your home insurance rates with USAA. There are a handful of discounts that could knock a big percentage off of your premium. Here’s a look at what discounts they offer:

• Bundling your policies. Buying home and auto coverage with USAA can save you up to 10% on your policy.
• Setting a high deductible. When you set a higher deductible, you take on more financial risk. This will lower your rates. Only do this if you can afford to pay the deductible in the event of a disaster.
• Protective device credit. Installing an ADT home security system will get you a discount.
• Claims-free discount. Going five or more years without a homeowners claim can get you a discount of up to 10%.

Extra Homeowners Coverage Options

A standard homeowners insurance policy covers a lot, but many hazards are not covered. That means there will be gaps in your coverage from certain events like floods and windstorms. Luckily, USAA has your back when these disasters strike, too.

If you’re a sports memorabilia enthusiast, rare coin collector, or have a taste for expensive jewelry, USAA offers additional coverages with higher limits to protect them. Just about anything can be insured. If you’ve got something special you worry about losing, talk to your agent about available coverages to put your mind at ease.

Below is a list of USAA’s additional homeowners products to personalize your homeowners coverage:

• Umbrella coverage. This adds extra liability insurance to protect you from expensive claims that could go over your limits.
• Computer coverage. Covers computers and tablets from accidental drops and spills. This coverage comes with a $250 deductible.
• Valuable personal property (VPP). Raises coverage limits for specific valuable items, such as jewelry, art, or guns.
• Cell phone coverage. USAA and ProtectCELL protect your phone if you lose it or if it accidentally gets destroyed.
• Flood insurance. This coverage protects you from water damage. This is a good idea if your house is at risk of heavy rain or floods.
• Windstorm insurance. A few high-risk states, like Florida, don’t cover windstorms. You can add this to your policy to protect against severe wind storms.

Homeowners Rate Factors

Your homeowners rates depend on several factors. These factors are details about you that tell insurers how much money you could cost them as a customer. Below are common homeowners rate factors:

• Where you live
• Home’s value
• How high or low deductible is
• How much coverage is purchased
• Claims record
• Credit history

Filing a Homeowners Claim

With USAA, you can file a homeowners claim on the USAA website, app, or at (800) 531-8722. Whichever method you choose, you’ll need to be able to provide info about the accident or disaster. Filing a homeowners claim includes these steps:

• Give a detailed account of the incident.
• USAA reviews your loss.
• You receive the claim payment.
• The necessary repairs to your home can begin.

USAA Renters Insurance

Tenants can protect their finances with renters insurance. J.D. Power gave USAA an 893 out of 1,000 for customer satisfaction in the renters portion of their 2021 homeowners study. The insurer wasn’t part of the rankings against other companies. But this number would’ve been the highest among all other providers.

Renters Coverages

Renters insurance covers your belongings and protects you from liability. USAA’s renters policies do both. Here are the coverages available:

Liability Protection

Liability protects you from any injuries or damage you’re liable or responsible for paying. For example, if someone slips and falls inside your rental unit, liability protection should cover that.

Personal Property Coverage

With this coverage, your personal belongings will receive protection. If a covered disaster damages them, you’ll get help with repairs or replacement.

Earthquake and Flood Coverage

Unlike some insurers, USAA’s renters policies include earthquake and flood protection.

Renters Discounts

USAA doesn’t offer too many renters insurance discounts. But there are a few that can help you pay less each month. Below are renters discounts offered:

• Bundling. All you need to do is buy renters and auto insurance from USAA to save up to 10%.
• Home security system. Buying and installing an ADT home security system will get you a discount on your renters policy.
• Claims-free discount. If you stay free of any renters claims for five years or more, you get a discount of up to 10%.

Extra Renters Coverage Options

Your renters insurance policy may not be enough to cover everything you love. Luckily, insurers offer extra coverage options, such as endorsements, to fill coverage gaps. These can ensure you have enough protection for your rental unit and belongings.

Below are the extra coverage options:

• Electronics coverage. This coverage protects your computer, phone, and tablet from drops and spills. It comes with a $250 deductible.
• Valuable property. If you own expensive items, such as jewelry, renters coverage could be insufficient. This coverage raises limits on those items so that they’re protected.

Renters Insurance Rate Factors

When you buy a renters insurance policy, your rates will depend on many factors. These factors help assess your risk as a customer and tenant. Below are common factors used to determine your rates:

• Where you live
• Claims history
• Credit rating
• How much coverage do you buy?
• How high or low is the deductible

Filing a Renters Claim

Filing a renters claim is an easy process. You can do so on their mobile app, or website, or by calling (800) 531-8722. Once you begin filing your claim, the process will go like this:

• You detail the damages and describe the incident.
• Your claim is reviewed and assessed to determine the damage extent.
• You receive payment to repair or replace possessions.

USAA Company Information

USAA owned 3.17% of the property/casualty industry in 2021, per a National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) report. In that same year, the insurer wrote more than 25 billion premiums.

Below are some more facts about the company:

• Revenue: $37.470 billion
• Net worth: $40.1 billion
• Number of employees: about 37,000
• CEO: Wayne Peacock
• Headquarters: San Antonio, TX

History

The United States Army Automobile Association was founded in 1922 by 25 Army officers as an auto insurer. In 1924, the company changed its name to the United Services Automobile Association when it began serving officers of other military branches. It remains the official company name today. However, most people know it simply as USAA.

USAA employs a direct marketing business model. That means it primarily does business via methods like mail or phone. Until the 1960s, it conducted most business by mail. Now, it mainly operates on the internet and over the phone and uses employees rather than agents, which sets it apart from other companies.

USAA is well-known for its low rates, high-quality customer service, and its range of products. Today, it offers various insurance products, banking, and investment services and is a well-known name in the industry.

Customer Satisfaction

Based on its excellent ratings from several sources, it’s clear that USAA prioritizes customer satisfaction.

The following are up-to-date USAA customer satisfaction ratings:

• A.M. Best Rating: A++ (Superior)
• S&P Global: AA+
• NAIC Complaint Index: 2.27

USAA also scores highly on J.D. Power’s annual auto, homeowners, and renters insurance shopping studies. J.D. Power rates companies on a scale of 1,000 points. It divides the auto study into the four largest states and seven regions. The homeowners and renters studies show customer service ratings for the whole country.

Likely because of its military exclusivity, USAA didn’t meet the criteria to be in J.D. Power’s auto, home, and renters studies. Despite this, J.D. Power provides customer satisfaction scores for the provider. Overall, the scores were well above average and usually surpassed the top companies in each study

Below are USAA’s J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores for auto, home, and renters insurance:

• Auto: 881 (average across each state and region)
• Homeowners: 882
• Renters: 893

Types of Insurance USAA Offers

Vehicles

• Auto
• Motorcycle
• ATV
• Motorhome and RV
• Classic and collector car
• Boat
• Personal watercraft
• Aviation

Property

USAA also provides coverage options for just about any type of property you can think of, including:

• Homeowners
• Renters
• Condo
• Landlord
• Valuable personal property
• Flood
• Mobile home
• Farm and ranch
• Collectibles
• Cell phone protection

These aren’t the only types of coverage available. There’s also life, health, pet, and dental, to name a few.

Claims Process

USAA makes it easy for customers to file a claim. You can do it online, with the Mobile App, or over the phone.

The claims process is generally the same for auto, home, and renters insurance. Here’s what to expect when you file an auto or property claim:

• You must provide an account of what happened
• You must upload applicable photos and documents
• The claim process takes about ten minutes
• You may need to find a repair shop or get a rental car (for auto claims)

If your claim is accepted, you’ll be on your way to getting your home or car the repairs it needs.

These are important links for filing claims:

• File a claim
• Track a claim
• Auto claims FAQ page
• Home and property claims FAQ page

USAA claims hotline: (800) 531-8722

Cancellation Process

How to cancel your policy: Call their customer service number (located down below) or log in to your account on the website.

Mobile Apps

The USAA Mobile App lets you access your insurance all in one place. Downloading it allows you to:

• Talk to an in-app assistant that answers general questions
• Chat with a representative
• Pay bills or transfer funds
• Access digital ID cards
• Request roadside assistance
• File and track claims
• View an accident checklist

Download links:

• Apple
• Android

SafePilot

USAA’s SafePilot program provides a way to save up to 30% on your car insurance. To use it, you must enroll in the program and download the SafePilot app. After that, it’ll automatically log your drives and give you a score based on your driving habits. It may include data like starts, stops, braking, and driving speeds. You’ll receive a safe driving discount if you consistently perform well.

Download links:

• Apple
• Android

Contact Information