Introduction
When you’re serving in the military, your car insurance needs can be a bit different. With all the frequent moves, overseas deployments, and other unique lifestyle factors, finding the right auto insurance can feel like a challenge for you as a military member or veteran.
But don’t worry – in this comprehensive guide, you’ll read through the top car insurance providers that offer specialized coverage, discounts, and support services tailored specifically for the military community. Whether you’re on active duty, in the reserves, part of the National Guard, or a retired veteran, keep reading to discover the key factors to consider when shopping for military car insurance.
SUMMARY
1. USAA
2. Geico
3. Armed Forces Insurance
4. State Farm
5. Progressive
Overview of Car Insurance for Military Members
How to Choose the Best Military Car Insurance
Pros and Cons of Getting Military Car Insurance
What to Watch Out For
Pro Tips
Recap
1. USAA
You’ll find USAA to be one of the most popular insurance choices among the military. Its highly competitive rates, easy claims process, and stellar customer service reputation specifically for military members make it stand out.
Pros
- Enjoy special savings for garaging vehicles on base (up to 15% off)
- Receive up to 60% off for storing vehicles during deployment
- Benefit from a streamlined process for managing policies before, during, and after deployment
- Access free financial planning tools for military life events
- Utilize the top-rated mobile app for managing your policy
Cons
- Limits availability, only for military members and their families
- Encounter mixed customer service reviews
- Limits physical locations
USAA offers services tailored to common situations for military families. Beyond car insurance, their policy offerings include homeowners/renters, life, health, and specialty coverage like identity theft protection and pet insurance.
When it comes to car insurance, USAA shines with its competitive pricing and high claims satisfaction ratings. In fact, the company consistently receives top marks in J.D. Power auto insurance customer satisfaction reports. Customers appreciate USAA’s digital policy service options and efficient claims management.
For active duty members, USAA makes managing insurance a breeze, especially during relocation or deployment. It offers convenient options such as pausing coverage when storing your vehicle on base, reducing coverage on stored vehicles during deployment, and canceling policies with no fees when selling a vehicle. Plus, it provides guidance for managing policies and registration when moving between states.
USAA also boasts highly specialized financial assistance departments to help military members navigate major life events like purchasing homes and managing finances through permanent change of station (PCS) moves.
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2. Geico
Geico stands out with its widely available military discounts, an easy quote/enrollment process, and competitive pricing.
Pros
- Receive a 15% discount for active duty, guard, reserves, and retired military
- Easily complete the simple online quote and policy enrollment process
- Enjoy competitive pricing, especially for good drivers
- Manage your policy effortlessly with the easy mobile app
- Experience a well-rated claims process
Cons
- Encounter mixed customer service reviews
- Lacks gap insurance
- Receive few specialized military benefits beyond the 15% discount
Geico leverages its large customer base to provide competitive pricing and a standard 15% discount for all military members, though it lacks some of USAA’s specialized deployment policies; Geico simplifies the process of obtaining free quotes and enrolling in policies completely online, with strong customer satisfaction ratings though still a notch below USAA; Military drivers can find affordable full coverage with Geico plus a consistent 15% discount for active, guard, reserve, retired, and veteran status.
3. Armed Forces Insurance
You’ll want to take a look at Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) because it comes with a rich history of over 130 years serving military members. It’s designed exclusively for veterans, active duty military, and their families.
Pros
- Provides coverage for not just service members but military civilian employees as well
- Offers household savings by bundling military auto policies
- Includes additional coverage offerings beyond auto insurance
Cons
- Offers less clarity on standard discount offerings
- Requires extensive details for the quote process
AFI goes beyond just car insurance, providing specialty coverage like motorcycle insurance, valuables insurance, umbrella insurance, and disaster protection. Its policies even extend to civilian employees of military agencies like the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
While you won’t find standard discounts listed on their website, AFI positions itself as an affordable option for military families compared to other providers. Any discounts you qualify for will be reflected during the quote generation process.
You can manage all your policies online, but AFI also encourages you to reach out to a local agent for personalized service when needed.
4. State Farm
State Farm is on this list because it not only offers military discounts but also maintains competitive pricing and receives strong customer service ratings.
Pros
- Offers up to a 15% standard discount for military members
- Facilitates an easy quote process through mobile or online platforms
- Provides opportunities to earn safe driving discounts
Cons
- Offers mixed benefits for overseas military compared to options tailored for deployment
- Provides higher premium quotes than some discount carriers
State Farm makes it easy for you to access military auto insurance discounts through a streamlined online and mobile process. Even better, you can still enjoy competitive pricing and excellent customer service.
While State Farm doesn’t have specialized options for overseas military members, all military personnel qualify for standard coverage discounts. As an active duty member, veteran, reservist, National Guard member, or retired military personnel, you can receive up to 15% off your initial quote. State Farm also provides various opportunities to further lower your rates through safe driving programs, companion policies, and accident forgiveness.
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5. Progressive
Progressive gets our nod for providing specialty auto insurance tailored to the unique needs of military members.
Pros
- Access special coverage options for stored vehicles
- Have the ability to pause coverage when deployed
- Enjoy competitive pricing and bundling discounts
Cons
- Lacks a standard military discount
- Experience a claims process generally rated below competitors
Progressive makes the list because they’ve got auto insurance options designed specifically for military folks. It offers special physical damage coverage at reduced rates for stored vehicles while you’re deployed, at training, or on unaccompanied tours over 30 days. This covers things like weather events, explosions, civil unrest, airborne objects, and collisions from facility equipment. You can pause certain coverages and restart them when you get back from deployment, so you’ve got continuous coverage.
It makes it easy to get proof of training letters to suspend state minimum liability coverage when you’re overseas. And they’re flexible about letting you title and register cars in non-resident states if you’re in the military.
While Progressive doesn’t have a standard discount for veterans or military members, they offer lots of ways to lower your rates through safe driver programs, companion policies, and usage-based coverage.
Overview of Car Insurance for Military Members
Dive into some key coverage considerations for protecting your vehicles during your military service:
Check Storage Insurance Coverage
Have you looked into whether your preferred insurance provider covers stored vehicles while you’re deployed or at training facilities? Typically, this falls under comprehensive coverage, but there might be exclusions or the need for add-on protection.
Consider Specialized Deployment Policies
Some insurers, like USAA, offer tailored adjustments such as reduced premiums for vehicles you store during deployment instead of canceling coverage altogether.
Manage State Residency Requirements
As a military member, managing vehicle registration and insurance can get a bit tricky. You’ll need to juggle site assignments, home of record status, deployment locations, and covered driver’s license agreements across different states. Make sure to check with your insurance company about options for managing crossover registration and insurance when you move.
Maximize Household Savings with Discounts
Did you know that many leading insurance carriers offer multi-policy or family member discounts? As a military member, you might be able to lower your premium costs by bundling policies and covering other household members under the same plan.
>>>GET SMARTER: How Much Car Insurance Do I Need?
How to Choose the Best Military Car Insurance
Follow this process when evaluating plans and pricing options:
- Determine eligibility for military-exclusive providers like USAA if applicable based on your status as active/retired or relationship to current policyholders.
- Research insurers’ specialized overseas military coverage for stored vehicles, deployment policies, registration flexibility across state lines, and proof of training letter processes.
- Compare quotes for coverage levels you want across insurers
- Assess the overall customer service, mobile app experience
- Consider extras like one-stop coverage bundling for homes or riders
- Choose the policy that best balances specialized overseas/stored vehicle offerings, comprehensive coverage for your situation, competitive pricing, strong financial ratings, and helpful customer support
Pros and Cons of Getting Military Car Insurance
Military auto insurance policies come with unique advantages along with drawbacks to weigh when shopping for coverage:
- Pros
- Gain access to exclusive coverage from providers like USAA or policies from companies with a long legacy of serving the military
- Take advantage of opportunities for discounts off 10-15% or more for active/veteran military status with many top insurance companies
- Benefit from specialized offerings for overseas deployments like reduced/suspended premiums and stored vehicle coverage
- Receive tailored support for permanent change of station (PCS) moves and managing multi-state registration
- Explore bundling options for added coverage like motorcycle, renters, or life insurance
- Cons
- Experience fewer choices compared to standard carriers in some regions
- Encounter delayed claims processing during overseas deployment
- Deal with managing DMV paperwork when frequently relocating vehicles across state lines
- Experience reduced comprehensive/collision coverage while deployed
What to Watch Out For
While there are certainly excellent options available for service members, keep these considerations around military insurance policies in mind. If eligible, always compare quotes from optional insurers beyond exclusive providers like USAA for the best rates. Some policies impose unusually strict exclusions or reduced payouts for overseas accidents that leave drivers undercovered.
Ensure continuous coverage between policy suspension, restarting coverage post-deployment, managing state registration, and any new assignments and some insurers raise rates substantially if you move to new permanent duty stations in higher risk areas or major metros.
Pro Tips
Follow these best practices to maximize savings and coverage benefits available to military members and vets:
- Take advantage of available deployment discounts for stored vehicles when able – makes restarting coverage cheaper when stateside
- Consider bundling renters or life insurance for multi-policy discounts
- Maintain good driving history for additional savings opportunities
- Use online quotes to benchmark insurer rates before renewals or new assignments
- Connect local independent agents in new assigned locations for regional illustrative quotes
- Inquire about any employer or affinity group discounts if your spouse works for qualifying companies or associations
Recap
In this guide, you have explored the best car insurance options for veterans and active military personnel. The unique challenges military members face, such as frequent moves and deployments, make selecting the right insurance crucial.
Top insurance providers like USAA, Geico, Progressive, Armed Forces Insurance, and State Farm offer specialized coverage and discounts tailored to military needs. Their benefits and considerations are outlined to help individuals make informed decisions.
Additionally, key factors to consider when choosing military car insurance, including specialized coverage, discounts, and support services, have been covered.
Lastly, the guide outlines the pros and cons of military car insurance and provides tips to maximize savings and coverage benefits.
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