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Best Military Car Insurance

Compare the best car insurance for military members and their unique needs

By
Megan Glosson
megan-glosson
Full Bio
Megan Glosson has over 350 published articles across nearly a dozen websites. She regularly contributes to Unwritten, Moms.com, and The Mighty and has numerous car-related articles published on TheThings.com and Motor1.com. She is an expert on car insurance. Megan received her Bachelor of Music degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 2010.
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Updated September 15, 2023
Reviewed by Eric Estevez
Fact checked by
Dale Brauner
Dale Brauner
Fact checked by Dale Brauner
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Dale Brauner is a fact-checker, researcher, and editor.
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Car insurance is never a one-size-fits-all product. While needs often change based on age or geographical location, auto insurance requirements for military members look completely different from what they do for the average Joe working a 9 to 5. Men and women in the military often relocate to new bases or end up deployed overseas at some point during their service, and these changes don't require the same coverage.

The good news is that many car insurance companies offer specialized coverage for men and women in the service. Some insurers, like USAA and Armed Forces Insurance, specifically cater to veterans and active-duty personnel, while others offer discounts and special coverage options. We looked at more than a dozen car insurance companies to determine which provide the best types of coverage and discounts for service members.

To finalize our list of the best military car insurance, we analyzed the top 12 insurers, taking into consideration features and policy limits that best serve members of the military. We also considered insurers' J.D. Power customer service rankings, too.

Best Military Car Insurance of September 2023

Best Overall for Military Members and Families : USAA

USAA

USAA

USAA caters exclusively to current and former service members and their families and offers unique coverage, incredible discounts, and outstanding customer service. This is why USAA earns our top spot in the round up of the best military car insurance.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • One-stop shopping for insurance and banking needs

  • Available nationwide

  • Offers several unique discounts for military members

Cons

  • Eligibility strictly limited to current/former military, their spouses, and children

Coverage

Like most other auto insurance carriers, USAA's policies offer:

  • Bodily injury liability
  • Property damage liability
  • Collision and comprehensive coverage
  • Uninsured motorist coverage
  • Personal injury protection and medical payments
  • Roadside assistance and towing coverage
  • Rental car reimbursement

USAA doesn't just cover cars. It also offers insurance for motorcycles, recreational vehicles (RVs), and boats. Additionally, USAA has rideshare coverage for Lyft and Uber drivers, homeowners and renters insurance, and life insurance. USAA members can also elect for additional health insurance benefits, pet insurance, and dozens of other unique coverage options. All of these options make USAA a one-stop shopping option for your insurance needs.

Discounts

USAA offers several unique discounts for military members. For starters, active-duty military who store their vehicle on a military base can receive a 15% discount on comprehensive coverage. Furthermore, if you store your car while deployed overseas, USAA offers a 60% discount on your monthly premium. If your parents were USAA members, there is a legacy discount of 10%. In addition, USAA gives discounts based on mileage, so military members who live on base or end up deployed during part of the year can save money when they don't accrue miles on their vehicle.

USAA also offers comparable discounts to most other insurance companies, including:

Availability

USAA provides coverage in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., but limits who is eligible for military car insurance. People who can enroll include:

  • Those currently enlisted in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and National Guard
  • Retired or honorably discharged military members
  • Those in U.S. service academies, in advanced ROTC or on ROTC scholarship, plus officer candidates within 24 months of commissioning
  • Family, including current wives, widows, widowers, un-remarried former spouses, and children whose parents have or had USAA insurance

Customer Satisfaction

USAA exclusively offers car insurance for military members and their families and provides them with great service. It has some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. In fact, J.D. Power awarded USAA the highest ratings out of any insurance company in its 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study.

USAA also holds top marks for financial strength with an A++ rating from AM Best.

Read the full review: USAA Car Insurance

Best Military Discounts : GEICO

GEICO

GEICO

Did you know that GEICO stands for Government Employees Insurance Company? With that knowledge, perhaps it should come as no surprise that GEICO offers some of the best discounts on military car insurance.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • 15% discount for all current and former military

  • Extensive coverage and discount options

  • Available in 50 states

Cons

  • Less options and discounts for active duty deployment than USAA offers

  • No discounts for children of military members

Coverage

GEICO offers some of the most extensive car insurance coverage options in the country. Available types of coverage include:

  • Bodily injury and property damage liability coverage
  • Collision and comprehensive
  • Personal injury protection
  • Uninsured motorist coverage
  • Mechanical breakdown insurance
  • Emergency roadside assistance
  • Rental car reimbursement

GEICO also provides policies for various vehicles like motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), boats, and RVs. If you use your vehicle for multiple purposes, the company also offers Mexican travel insurance, antique auto coverage, and commercial vehicle policies.

In addition to vehicle coverage, GEICO has other coverage types, like homeowners and renters insurance, personal liability insurance, life insurance, and identity theft protection.

Discounts

The best part of GEICO's military car insurance is the discount options. In fact, it offers a 15% discount for all active duty and retired military as well as National Guard members and reserves, no strings attached. The company also offers emergency deployment discounts for those deployed to areas of "imminent danger" and store their vehicle during deployment. Other federal employees or retired military who have a federal job can receive a discount off their monthly premiums.

In addition to these military-specific discounts, GEICO has nearly 20 other discount options based on your vehicle's included equipment, your driving history and habits, loyalty to GEICO, and any applicable driver's training. The easiest way to determine how much you'll save with GEICO is by obtaining a free online quote.

Availability

GEICO offers coverage in 50 states and Washington, D.C., which makes it an outstanding choice in just about the whole country. Furthermore, anyone is eligible for its car insurance and a wide array of discounts.

Customer Satisfaction

In addition to the great coverage options and nationwide availability, GEICO has elite financial stability. The company receives an A++ financial strength rating from AM Best, the highest rating possible.

J.D. Power awarded GEICO an above-average ranking in customer satisfaction for California, Florida, New York, and the North Central region in the 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. Even more impressively, GEICO was ranked number one in the New England region as well as number one in the usage based insurance category. However, GEICO did rank below average in other regions.

Read the full review: GEICO Car Insurance

Best for Veterans and Retired Military : Armed Forces Insurance

Armed Forces Insurance

Armed Forces Insurance

USAA isn't the only company that specifically covers military members and their families or the first with that mission in mind. In fact, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) has been around for more than 135 years—since 1887. If you're a veteran or retired military member, you should definitely consider Armed Forces Insurance when comparing quotes for your car insurance coverage.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Long-standing history of competitive coverage

  • Includes coverage for civilians who work for military

  • Available in all 50 states

Cons

  • Non-specified discounts

Coverage

When you enroll in military car insurance from Armed Forces Insurance, you receive coverage for yourself, your spouse, any children or other relatives who live in the same house, and even other licensed drivers who you permit to drive your car. AFI offers many types of car insurance coverage to its members, including:

  • Bodily injury and property damage liability coverage
  • Collision and comprehensive
  • Personal injury protection and medical payments
  • Uninsured and under-insured motorist coverage
  • Emergency roadside assistance
  • Rental car reimbursement

Like USAA, AFI offers one-stop shopping for its members. In addition to car insurance, it has homeowners and renters insurance, plus motorcycle and other recreational vehicle coverage. AFI also offers unique coverage like fire and flood insurance, valuable items policies, pet insurance, and even umbrella policies.

Discounts

Unfortunately, AFI does not list specific discounts on its website and requires extensive information to obtain an online quote. With that being said, the company does claim to offer competitive rates. You can expect any discounts you may qualify for to be shown during the quote process or you can inquire with the company.

Availability

Armed Forces Insurance offers car, homeowners, and motorcycle insurance in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. through a network of affiliates. Much like USAA, AFI only allows the following people to enroll in policies for car insurance and other types of coverage:

  • Active duty, retired, or honorably discharged military from any branch (including National Guard and Reserves)
  • Active or retired Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs civilian employees
  • Service Academy members, including Merchant Marines or ROTC cadets
  • Children, spouses, ex-spouses, or surviving spouses
  • Active, retired, or former commissioned officer of the NOAA or PHS
  • Members of the Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Merchant Marine, Military Auxiliary Radio System and Marine Corps Auxiliary
  • Former AFI members who canceled coverage and later returned

Customer Satisfaction

AFI is too small to appear in J.D. Power's studies and other similar studies.

Compare Best Military Car Insurance

Provider Best For
USAA Best Overall for Military Members and Families
GEICO Best Military Discount
Armed Forces Insurance Best for Veterans and Retired Military

The Bottom Line

Finding the right car insurance can often feel like an overwhelming task, but a few companies stand out from the pack when it comes to military auto insurance. While you should always compare rates before signing on the dotted line, many military members stand behind the companies that offer exclusive and unique coverage options for active duty service members and veterans.

How Does Car Insurance Work for the Military?

Although the basics of car insurance work the same for military members, coverage for active duty servicemen and women does come with some special rules. For example, many states allow service members to maintain vehicle registration and insurance coverage through their home state regardless of where they're stationed. Keep in mind that each insurance company has different requirements when a service member deploys overseas. Finally, some companies only provide coverage to military members, meaning that you may have more options than the average customer when looking for military car insurance.

What Is a Typical Military Discount?

Just like any other type of discount, car insurance discount rates vary from company to company. However, most military car insurance providers offer a discount of 5% to 15% for active duty and retired military members.

What Car Insurance Companies Offer Military Discounts?

Believe it or not, not all car insurance companies offer military discounts. However, if you're looking for companies who do, check with the following companies to save money on your military car insurance:

  • USAA
  • Armed Forces Insurance
  • GEICO
  • Farmers
  • Liberty Mutual

Do Veterans Get Discounts on Car Insurance?

Although not every company extends a military discount to veterans, many do. Car insurance providers who offer veteran discounts include USAA, AFI, GEICO, Liberty Mutual, and Farmers Insurance. As with any coverage or discount offering, you should always check with a customer service representative or local insurance agent to see if a veteran discount is available.

How Can You Get a Military Discount on Car Insurance?

The verification process for car insurance discounts works differently for each individual company, but to receive a discount on military auto insurance, you typically need a state-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID card, or passport), as well as one of the following types of military documentation:

  • D214 Member 4 copy
  • Academy appointment letter or ROTC contract
  • Active duty military orders
  • Discharge certificate
  • Leaving and earning statement
  • NGB22

In addition to standard discounts for active military and retired veterans, some car insurance companies will also allow active duty service members to temporarily cancel their car insurance policy to save money. To do this, you will need proof of deployment (active-duty military orders) and documentation showing that you placed your vehicle in long-term storage for the duration of your deployment.

Methodology

When selecting the best options for military car insurance, we evaluated the ratings of the top 12 car insurance companies from independent rating agencies like J.D. Power. We also considered unique coverage types and discount offers that are exclusively offered to members of the military, as well as customer reviews from numerous websites. Although we feel confident in our selections, car insurance is never a one-size-fits-all item, so collect quotes from multiple sources before selecting your own military auto insurance.

Soldier sitting in car texting on smartphone at air force military base

Sean Murphy / Getty Images
Article Sources
Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.

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  2. USAA. "Auto Insurance Quotes."

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  4. J.D. Power. "Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Plummets as Rates Continue To Surge, J.D. Power Finds."

  5. AM Best. "A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of USAA, Its Subsidiaries and USAA Capital Corporation."

  6. GEICO. "Car Insurance Discounts - Savings on Auto Insurance."

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