Best Car Insurance For Veterans And Active Military

If you are searching for the best car insurance for veterans and military families, we are here to help those who have served. Whether you served in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, or another area of the Department of Defense, it is important to have the best car insurance at the best price.

In this article, we take a look at several auto insurance companies that offer military discounts, international options, and other special accommodations. We’ll also take a closer look at the top five insurance providers for military members and veterans based on our industry research.

In order to make sure you get the best deal when you shop for car insurance, it’s smart to compare coverage options and quotes from a few providers. Use our free tool below to start comparing personalized car insurance quotes from top providers in your area.

In evaluating the top car insurance companies in the industry, we found several insurance providers that stood out for offering the best car insurance for veterans and active-duty service members.

Another provider to consider is Wawanesa auto insurance. Because the Wawanesa coverage is only available in Oregon and California, we did not include it in our list of the best car insurance for veterans and military personal. This provider is still a good choice if you live in those areas, as it offers varying military discounts.

To determine which company fits your needs, you should consider several aspects. First, you should look at the provider’s reputation. You also want to examine customer service rankings and the cost of a policy. From there, it’s good to research the available car insurance discounts and look at the additional perks. We’ve done the work for you and found these five car insurance providers have the best car insurance for veterans.

#1 USAA Insurance: Best Overall Military Car Insurance

Even though USAA doesn’t give service members a discount at all times, it’s still the most popular car insurance for veterans and military families. That’s because rates from USAA tend to be cheaper than rates from other companies, even those that offer military discounts. With USAA, you also have the advantage of working with people who know what veterans need and want out of their insurance. USAA has an A++ financial strength rating from AM Best, so you know the company is on solid financial footing.

USAA also stands out for its customer service. The company has a Consumer Reports Reader Score of 92 – the highest out of any property and casualty insurance company. It also got a score of 890/1,000 in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, and a score of 875/1,000 in J.D. Power’s 2022 Insurance Shopping Study.

That means a majority of customers are satisfied with USAA’s claims process. You can file claims online or in the USAA app, and you can also call a phone number for immediate assistance. The USAA app has a Photo Estimation Tool that you can use for certain types of claims, too.

Another thing we like about USAA’s car insurance for military members is that the company provides helpful information on joining the military, deployment, changing stations, and leaving the military. Available tools include:

• Military pay calculator
• Personalized military timeline
• Deployment frequently asked questions
• Permanent change of station (PCS) moving checklist
• Military separation checklist
• Military separation assessment

These resources show that USAA has a knowledgeable staff that can help members of the military in a variety of situations, which is one of the reasons we’ve named it the best car insurance for veterans. Of course, USAA’s product offerings extend beyond vehicle coverage and include financial planning, renters insurance, investing, life insurance, mortgage services, and more. The company’s life insurance options, in particular, include specialized options for service members.

To join USAA, you’ll need to provide your basic contact information and details about your military service or that of a family member. If you have an immediate family member who has had a USAA auto or home policy, you are also eligible for coverage.

#2 Geico Insurance: Best Military Discount

While Geico doesn’t offer as steep of a discount when you’re on deployment, the company does give you a 15-percent discount for having served. You can get this discount for as long as you have coverage with Geico, which is pretty nice. Overall, Geico tends to cost a bit more than USAA, but the military discount can definitely help with that, which is why it’s a top pick for car insurance for veterans.

Geico wrote over $37 billion in premiums in 2021 according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Compared to other companies in the industry, it’s the second-largest car insurer in the U.S. Geico also has a financial strength rating of A++ from AM Best, which means it’s fully capable of managing its assets.

The only downside of Geico’s car insurance for military and veterans is that the company only gives you a 25-percent discount during deployment. Also, to get that discount, you have to be deployed to an imminent danger pay area or store your vehicle under an approved storage plan.

If you’re deployed somewhere else, you won’t be able to get that discount unless you can store your vehicle. You do also have the option to downgrade your policy so that you don’t have a break in insurance coverage.

Here are some more discounts you can get with Geico that can lower your insurance premium:

• Discounts for being a good driver and/or a good student
• Discount for passing a defensive driver course
• Discounts for air bags, anti-theft devices, and anti-lock brakes
• Multi-policy and/or multi-vehicle discounts
• Federal employee discount

That last discount is something to keep in mind, since many veterans go on to work for the federal government. If you do so, you could take advantage of both the military discount and the federal employee discount.

Geico also performed well in the J.D. Power Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. According to the study, many customers had positive experiences when filing a claim with Geico. The average time to close a claim in 2019 was 13 days, but Geico customers may experience shorter times. Customer satisfaction with Geico’s shopping experience isn’t as high – participants in J.D. Power’s 2022 Insurance Shopping Study rated it as below average.

#3 Liberty Mutual: Best Money-Saving Features

Liberty Mutual car insurance for military members includes a military discount that applies to active, retired, or reserved U.S. Armed Forces personnel. One impressive money-saving feature that all Liberty Mutual customers have access to is the RightTrack^® program, which monitors customers’ safe driving habits to qualify for auto insurance discounts.

More ways to save money on Liberty Mutual car insurance for veterans include:

• Save if you purchase your auto insurance policy online
• Bundling your Liberty Mutual home and auto policy can help you save
• Liberty Mutual Deductible Fund^® helps you pay the cost of your deductible for covered repairs after a collision
• Accident forgiveness insurance is available after five claim-free years

When it comes to the best car insurance for veterans and military families, it’s important to choose a provider that can be relied on. Liberty Mutual is accredited and maintains an A+ rating from the BBB. This is a positive indication that customers are largely satisfied with their interactions with the company. AM Best rates Liberty Mutual’s financial strength an A, which translates to Liberty Mutual being financially capable of paying out customer claims.

#4 Armed Forces Insurance (AFI): Best For Military Veterans

Similarly to USAA, Armed Forces Insurance only provides car insurance for military members (active and retired). When you get an AFI car insurance policy, it covers you, your spouse, your children, and other family members that live at the same address, as well as any licensed drivers who have permission to drive your car. In addition to active, retired, and honorably discharged military personnel, civilians who work for the military may also qualify for Armed Forces Insurance.

AFI has been servicing military car insurance policies since 1887. Today, Armed Forces Insurance is available in all 50 states. In addition to some of the best car insurance for veterans and military members, AFI offers homeowners insurance, renters insurance, and motorcycle insurance.

Unique coverage options from AFI include:

• Fire and flood insurance
• Valuable items insurance
• Pet insurance
• Umbrella insurance

As far as car insurance for military families, AFI policies provide standard car insurance options for customers. All AFI car insurance policies come with emergency roadside assistance that provides towing services if your car is disabled on the side of the road due to a breakdown and rental reimbursement that pays for rental car services if your car is in the shop for a covered collision-related repair.

Armed Forces Insurance has maintained a relatively good industry standing with a B+ average Financial Strength rating from AM Best and an A+ from the BBB. Together, these scores represent AFI’s capability to payout customer claims and customer satisfaction with interactions with AFI.

#5 Esurance: Best Car Insurance For Active-Duty Military

The biggest perk to Esurance car insurance for military personnel is the unique ways the company helps active-duty military members.

Esurance does not offer a specific military affiliation discount. However, active-duty military personnel have the opportunity to cancel and reinstate their car insurance coverage when deployed without experiencing a lapse in coverage. Lapses in your car insurance can lead to higher premiums and more difficulties getting coverage down the road.

Esurance has impressive reviews from industry experts, including an A+ financial strength rating from AM Best. Esurance also provides insurance coverage for unique recreational vehicles such as golf carts, motorcycles, classic cars, ATVs, boats, snowmobiles, trailers, and scooters.

When it comes to the best car insurance for veterans and active members of the Armed Forces, one big thing to consider is military discounts. There are a number of companies that give discounts to military families, including:

• Geico car insurance: 15 percent
• Farmers car insurance: About 5 percent
• Liberty Mutual car insurance: Discount varies
• Esurance car insurance: Discount varies

You’ll notice that USAA isn’t on this list, and that’s because the company only offers discounts for garaging your car on a military base or storing it during deployment.

Use our free tool below to start comparing auto insurance quotes from these insurers and more.

Car insurance for veterans and active-duty military personnel includes standard coverages, some of which are required by state laws. While offerings can vary between companies, you’ll see basic types of car insurance like liability car insurance, collision insurance, and comprehensive car insurance among others.

Most car insurance companies don’t pay for mechanical breakdowns or failing parts, but that can be covered under an extended car warranty.

While standard coverages are important to have, there are some situations that are unique to service members. The best car insurance for veterans and active service members usually comes with a military discount, but not all companies offer special options for military deployment. Even when you’re deployed, you still have to maintain some level of coverage on your registered vehicles.

Suspend Or Reduce Coverage

One option that USAA and Geico both offer is to reduce your coverage during deployment. With Geico’s Military Storage Protection, you can suspend or reduce your insurance if you’ll be away for 30 days or more. However, remember that other family members won’t be able to drive your car if you reduce or suspend your insurance. With USAA car insurance, you can save up to 60 percent on your premium by storing your vehicle during deployment.

Non-Owner Coverage

Instead of reducing your coverage, you might choose to sell your car right before deployment. Doing this would avoid any lapse in coverage since you wouldn’t have a car registered to your name. However, what do you do when you come back on leave and don’t want to drive a rental or a family member’s car?

Well, that’s what non-owner coverage is for. You can get this type of coverage through a number of popular providers. Non-owner coverage includes everything that standard coverage does except collision and comprehensive options. Since it covers less, it also costs less, too. Depending on whether or not you want to sell your car, carrying non-owner insurance during your deployment might be cheaper than continuing coverage with a company like USAA or Geico.

You might want to take your car with you or purchase a vehicle to use overseas, but your standard insurance won’t automatically cover this. The good thing is that USAA and Geico both have options to add international coverage, and they both have offices abroad. Also, Geico offers a marine insurance option to cover your car if you ship it to a new location.

If you’re shipping your car, you’ll have to set up an international insurance policy before you leave. If you had left your car at home but decided to rent a car at your destination, you still need a separate international insurance policy.

An international insurance policy with USAA covers your car during transport. You also need insurance before you can register a car abroad, and most U.S. bases can help with the registration process. Finally, make sure you familiarize yourself with the roads at your destination. Many SUVs and trucks from the U.S. are too large to drive in other locations.

We’ve given you a few options for the best auto insurance for veterans, and now it’s time to find the right provider for you. More often than not, this comes down to which insurer offers you the lowest rates.

In addition to the insurance company you choose, factors such as your age, vehicle make and model, and driving record can affect your premium, so what’s best for your neighbor might not be best for you.

You can get started comparing free quotes from top insurers in your area using the tool below.

In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of auto insurance providers to formulate rankings of the best insurers. Companies receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.

• Industry Standing: Insurers with strong financial ratings and customer-first business practices receive the highest scores in this category.
• Availability: We consider availability by state as well as exclusions for specific groups of drivers.
• Coverage: This rating is based on types of insurance available, maximum coverage limits, and add-on policies.
• Cost and Discounts: Our research team reviews auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services for a variety of drivers in every state. Companies with lower prices and many car insurance discount opportunities receive the best scores.
• Customer Service: We comb through customer reviews and consumer feedback studies from experts like J.D. Power.
• Technology: Auto insurers with mobile apps, advanced online services and telematics are more likely to meet consumer needs.