Best Car Insurance for Veterans and Military Personnel

As a member of the U.S. military, looking for car insurance coverage can present unique challenges. Whether you’re commuting to work or driving across the country, you need solid insurance coverage to protect your vehicles and your family members.

It can be difficult to determine which is the best auto insurance policy for you because of the multiplicity of factors that go into your policy. While some variables are not in your control, many others are, and learning about these can help you keep costs down.

Military members, both active duty and former armed forces, National Guard, and veterans can find competitive rates and save money for their military auto insurance needs.

If you aren’t sure how to find the best car insurance for the United States military personnel, this guide can give you the information you need to compare insurance companies, coverage options, and car insurance quotes, finding the best rates available.

How Much Is Car Insurance For Military Members?

A car insurance premium isn’t cheap, but it’s necessary to protect you, your passengers, and your vehicle.

Although if you’re a full- or part-time member of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, you might need to stretch your muscles to find affordable insurance options.

Your military service record won’t be the only thing insurance companies look at, there are many variables that go into calculating the costs of your car insurance policy.

What Factors Determine Military Car Insurance Rates?

According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance providers determine the cost of car insurance is based on the following factors:

• Age
• Gender
• Marital status
• Driving history
• Location
• Make and Model
• The value of the car(s) you wish to insure
• Credit score/history
• Annual mileage

Because premiums vary widely, comparison shopping your auto insurance quotes is essential if you want to find the best military car insurance.

In some cases, you may only earn a military discount or veteran discount, however, check out any other special discounts you may qualify for.  Most companies offer the following auto insurance discounts:

• Clean driving record
• Bundling home insurance or renters insurance to lower your overall premiums
• Multi-car insurance discounts
• Good Student discounts

You’ll see that premium costs vary widely, so make sure you get at least three quotes from multiple providers and remind agents that you serve your country in the U.S. Armed Forces.

• A male driver with six to eight years of driving experience, a clean driving record, who drives approximately 7,600 to 10,000 miles per year, can expect to pay between $539 and $2,011 annually for a standard policy on a Toyota Camry in Oceanside, California (just outside of Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base). His average yearly premium would be $938.
• A female driver with the same factors may pay similar rates, from $515 to $2,030.

If the same male driver adds one accident and one speeding ticket to his record, his rates would increase significantly, from $1,030 to $4,817.

Read more: How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record?

How Does Car Insurance Work for Deployed Military?

As a member of the armed forces, you have other considerations to examine when choosing car insurance.

Armed forces insurance providers understand there may be special circumstances in covering military personnel. For example, if you are sent on an emergency deployment, you may need to store your car or even cancel coverage, depending on the length of your tour.

For instance, if a customer decides to cancel coverage because of their deployment, whenever they decide to re-register the vehicle premiums are going to be higher because of the gap in coverage time. Furthermore, an uninsured vehicle can suffer damage even if stored, resulting in out-of-pocket expenses.

Some of the best car insurance companies, like Geico, will offer emergency deployment discounts if you’re deployed in a DOD designated area or store your car on an approved military base garage.

Best Car Insurance Companies For Military Personnel

Some carriers offer military insurance discounts that can lower your rates by 15 percent, but these offers are less common. If you aren’t sure how to get a good deal, here are a few companies that offer military veteran’s insurance according to customers and analysts.

• USAA Auto Insurance
• State Farm
• Travelers
• Allstate
• Esurance
• Progressive
• Liberty Mutual
• MetLife
• Kelly Klee
• QuoteWizard

Read more: Kelly Klee Auto Insurance Review

USAA

To find the best car insurance for military veterans, start with a company like USAA that caters to members of the military and their family members.

As a former member of the armed services, you’re probably familiar with USAA and its selection of banking and insurance products. If not, USAA is a member-owned financial institution that serves active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their military families. They will also offer 15% off your comprehensive coverage if you agree to store your vehicle on a military base garage.

A veteran or the immediate family members of veterans may qualify for a military service discount on car insurance, but this option is only available to those vets with a clean driving record for up to five years or on a car that is less than three years old. (For more information, read our “Best Car Insurance For Veterans“).

Flexible payment plans are offered at no additional cost, and it’s easy to manage your auto policy from your mobile device. Discounts are available for auto and home bundling (ten percent), safe drivers, and length of membership. They will also offer 15% off your comprehensive coverage if you agree to store your vehicle on a military base garage.

Pairing the veteran discount with other price breaks, such as having multiple policies, may save you more money.

Customers unanimously agree that USAA offers the best car insurance for military members. In a J.D. Power survey, USAA received outstanding ratings for its customer service, website features, pricing, product selection, and overall satisfaction. According to a USAA-sponsored study, new policyholders saved an average of $700 by switching.

State Farm

In 2017, State Farm was the number one auto insurer according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The company wrote $41.8 million in new policies and claimed nearly 20 percent of the passenger vehicle insurance market that year.

Drivers who switch to State Farm automobile insurance save an average of $526.

Drivers under 25 who’ve had a clean driving record for the past three years may qualify to save 15% off military insurance premiums with Steer Clear®.

Other discounts, including one for vehicle safety, are available.

State Farm also offers specialty insurance for classic and antique military vehicles, along with 24-hour Good Neighbor® claims service.

Travelers

Travelers is one of the country’s ten largest auto insurance companies. The brand has a strong reputation and receives consistent quality ratings from policyholders.

Travelers is a military-friendly company that has received numerous awards from U.S. Veterans Magazine, Victory, and Military Times for its employment practices and corporate culture, so it’s a company that you can feel good about supporting.

Under the Travelers umbrella, drivers can find multiple military car insurance policy discounts, including loan gap coverage and breaks for hybrid or electric vehicle drivers. As a Travelers customer, you may be eligible for safe driving discounts that start at 10 percent and increase to 23 percent if you’re accident-free for five years. Travelers also offer competitive discounts for homeowners and multi-line policyholders.

Customers who have no gap in their coverage are eligible for up to a 15 percent discount, and customers can save even more by choosing from a group of easy payment plans.

With claims reporting available 24/7, Travelers allows military personnel to file claims whenever they need to.

Allstate

Although Allstate doesn’t offer a specific military discount, the company was founded by a former army general.

Nearly 90 years later, Allstate actively recruits military veterans to join its sales team. The insurer is known for its accident forgiveness policy, safe driving bonuses, and deep-voiced spokesman Dennis Haysbert.

Allstate offers safe drivers valuable discounts, even providing reimbursement for every six months of accident-free driving.

The company encourages members of the military to provide proof of service to qualify for discounts, and reminds drivers to check frequently with its agents to learn about new discount programs.

Other discounts include price breaks for drivers who use cars with anti-lock breaks and their Premiere discount for drivers with a three-year clean driving history. For those who want a personal touch, they can reach out to one of Allstate’s 12,000 local brokers and ask about a bundling discount.

Allstate’s discount plans prevent rate hikes following claims and give you a 5 percent loyalty bonus with each renewal. As the nation’s third-largest auto insurance carrier, Allstate has a strong financial rating. Customers give the company high marks for its courteous phone representatives and a network of knowledgeable local agents.

Esurance

Founded in 1999, Esurance was one of the first companies to offer direct-to-consumer car insurance policies online.

As an Internet-based company, Esurance doesn’t have local agents, but J.D. Power found that its phone representatives were better than most.

Since 2011, Esurance has been a subsidiary of Allstate. Like its parent company, it actively recruits military veterans to its workforce and sponsors a charitable group called the Esurance Veterans Engagement Team and Supporters. While you won’t find discounts on military veteran’s insurance through this provider, you can save 5 to 25 percent by driving safely and avoiding claims.

Progressive

Founded in 1937, Progressive is a top-rated car insurance company and veteran-friendly brand.

The company supports military charities, employs veterans, and donates cars to service members. In 2018, Progressive was named a Best for Vets Employer by Military Times.

Progressive offers discounts to military members in some states, and drivers that switch to their policies save an average of $668.

They are the recipient of multiple awards relating to the military, including the 2018 Top 100 Military Brand medal.

They offer Multi-policy or “bundling” discounts on a variety of products, and customers that choose to insure both car(s) and home(s) get a double discount.

Good drivers can save money using Progressive’s Snapshot® program, which personalizes their rate based on their driving. (For more information, read our “Best Car Insurance for Good Drivers“).

Progressive provides its quote alongside quotes from competitors, helping customers make comparisons about products and prices quickly.

Compare Rates with Progressive

Liberty Mutual

With control of over 11.5 million policies, Liberty Mutual is one of the nation’s largest car insurance companies.

The company has more than a century of experience and consistently receives strong financial ratings from Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and A.M. Best, meaning that your premiums are likely to remain stable.

With its long history and solid business record, Liberty offers a 12-month rate guarantee, specialty car insurance, new car replacement, and the earned benefit of Accident Forgiveness®.

Liberty Mutual provides customized coverage, so drivers pay only for what fits their needs.

In 2017, members of Liberty Mutual’s commercial organization received the Patriot Employer Award, which recognizes efforts made by managers to support current military members, veterans, and employees.

Although Liberty Mutual doesn’t offer discounts to safe drivers, military veterans, or any group, the company’s prices are better than average based on data from J.D. Power. In the study, Liberty Mutual also received above-average customer satisfaction ratings for its website features and policy offerings.

MetLife

MetLife is a standard in the insurance industry, being in business since 1868. They offer group and organization discounts, so be sure to inquire about price cuts for military members.

Protect your family and your assets while taking advantage of good driver discounts and savings for each accident-free year of driving.

This company features replacement coverage for total loss, identity theft protection, among others. MetLife sends free online quotes quickly, and the average savings for customers who’ve switched is $586.

While MetLife doesn’t have a discount for military veterans, you can automatically receive a 12 percent discount if you have a clean driving record. This bonus increases to 20 percent after five claim-free years. MetLife also provides safe driving credits that you can put toward your deductible if you ever file a claim. Plus, you may qualify for multi-policy discounts of 5 or 10 percent when you bundle home or life insurance with your auto policy.

If you’re looking for the best car insurance for military veterans, MetLife is a sound choice. J.D. Power found that MetLife’s network of local insurance agents provided above-average service. The carrier’s financial strength is rated at good to excellent by all four major agencies.

Kelly Klee

This Aspen-based boutique brokerage firm offers the best car insurance for military veterans who own collectible or luxury vehicles.

Kelly Klee is like an insurance concierge: customers are matched with a personal broker who can compare rates from specialty insurers and seek out policies that qualify for military discounts.

While Kelly Klee doesn’t offer a military discount, it can search for companies that do. This company specializes in affluent markets, so it may also meet your needs if you drive a luxury or vintage automobile.

Kelly Klee partners with major insurers who focus on the more affluent auto insurance markets, including AIG, Chubb, Haggerty, Encompass, Nationwide Private Client, Pure Insurance, and the Cincinnati Insurance Companies. If you don’t want to spend time searching for discounts and comparing quotes, Kelly Klee can do the work for you.

Read more: Comprehensive Review of Cincinnati Insurance Company

QuoteWizard

Comparison shopping is tedious and time-consuming, but QuoteWizard simplifies this essential step.

With this free online tool, you can find military veteran’s insurance in minutes. Since 2006, 50 million consumers have used this service to compare premiums from Allstate, Esurance, Farmers Insurance, and other national providers.

QuoteWizard can also help you find a qualified independent agent in your neighborhood if you need personalized advice or if you prefer the convenience of having a knowledgeable agent down the street.

Bonus!

In addition to the insurers listed above, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI), based in Leavenworth, Kansas, offers membership to active-duty and retired members of the military.

Although AFI automobile coverage isn’t available in all states, it can write insurance policies through an affiliated provider.

Be sure to have your military service information on hand when speaking with agents or looking for online quotes and ask insurers what discounts they offer to military members.

There may be benefits available that aren’t stated in print or online.

How to Reduce the Cost of Your Car Insurance

Always ask about specific discounts for military members or veterans. Regardless of whether specific insurers offer military breaks on their policies, there are many other discounts available, so seek out as many as you can.

A good credit record can keep your costs in check since drivers with higher credit scores tend to make fewer insurance claims.

If you already have a pristine credit score, do your best to keep it, and if not, takes steps to clean up your credit record as quickly as you can.

Here are some concrete ways for those serving our country to reduce monthly premiums and score the best car insurance for military personnel:

• Shop around and get at least three quotes from well-known insurers.
• Educate yourself about the basics of car insurance, and learn the language (from “adjustor” to “uninsured”) that brokers and websites use when discussing options and costs.
• Install an anti-theft device on your car and make sure you have the latest safety features available on your vehicle.
• Reduce insurance on older, less-valuable cars.
• Choose a higher deductible for your auto insurance policy.
• “Bundle” your auto insurance policy with another policy, such as homeowners or life insurance.
• Ask about low mileage discounts if you don’t drive very often or are facing deployment.

Car insurance is not a one-size-fits-all product. Your policy should be tailored to your coverage needs and your budget. To find the best car insurance for military veterans, start by comparing quotes from several military-friendly carriers.

When searching for the best car insurance for military members, you’ll want to have the following information in front of you:

• Your age, where you live, and where you park your car(s)
• Your driving history
• The make, model, and year of the car(s) you wish to insure
• Estimated annual mileage
• An estimate of the assets you need to protect

Most car insurance companies show you the estimated cost of each line item. That way, you can see which coverage limits can be adjusted to control your costs while retaining a comfortable level of protection.

Before you begin, take a moment to contact your military retirement association or veterans group. Some nonprofit organizations offer affinity discounts on insurance policies underwritten by brand partners.

Also, ask your insurance company about coverage discounts, and don’t be afraid to switch if you find a better rate. A monthly premium reduction of $10 to $20 can generate substantial savings over the years.