USAA and Geico are two of the most popular car insurance companies in the United States. While Geico is available to the general public, USAA is only available to military personnel and their families. Both companies offer standard car insurance coverage, including uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and personal injury protection. They also provide optional coverage for rental reimbursement and emergency roadside service.
USAA is known for having lower insurance rates than Geico, especially for drivers with a clean record, young drivers, and those with a history of speeding tickets or DUIs. However, Geico offers more discounts than USAA, including for people over 50 and federal employees.
When it comes to customer satisfaction, USAA outperforms Geico in claims handling and insurance premiums. Geico, on the other hand, has better ratings for the ease of opening a new policy.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Overall Rating | USAA is better for military members and their families, while Geico is a good option for price-conscious consumers. |
Customer Satisfaction | USAA outperforms Geico in customer satisfaction, claims handling, and insurance premiums. |
Availability | USAA is only available to military personnel and their families, while Geico serves a broader population. |
Cost | Both companies offer competitive rates, but USAA tends to be cheaper, especially for high-risk drivers. |
Discounts | Geico offers more discounts, but USAA is often the cheaper option even with fewer discounts. |
Coverage | Both companies offer standard coverage options, but Geico also provides mechanical breakdown insurance. |
Financial Strength | Both companies have a "superior" financial strength rating from AM Best. |
What You'll Learn
USAA and Geico's insurance rates for high-risk drivers
USAA and Geico are two of the best high-risk auto insurance companies for drivers with violations such as tickets. However, USAA auto insurance is only available to members of the armed forces and certain family members.
USAA is likely one of the cheapest available options for high-risk drivers who are eligible. The provider also has some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. USAA has the highest score in The Zebra Customer Satisfaction Survey and received the top score in nearly every region in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Auto Insurance Study.
Geico offers rates below the national average for drivers with poor credit, a speeding infraction, or an accident on record. Geico is a viable alternative for those without a military affiliation.
USAA is the cheapest option for high-risk drivers with poor credit. For drivers with very poor credit, Geico could be the best option. Typically, Geico offers more affordable premiums than USAA for drivers with credit scores of 579 or less. But for those with Fair to Exceptional credit, USAA is a more affordable option.
If you have an at-fault accident, speeding violation, reckless driving violation or DUI on your driving record, USAA could be a better choice than Geico. Every car insurance company prices policies differently after a violation, so don't be afraid to shop around to understand which insurer suits you.
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USAA and Geico's insurance rates by age
When it comes to insurance rates by age, USAA and Geico are both affordable options. However, USAA is the cheaper option for teen drivers, young adults, adults, and seniors.
USAA offers the lowest insurance rates for teen drivers, with average yearly savings of $644 compared to Geico. USAA is also the cheapest option for young adults, with rates that are lower than the national average and lower than Geico's rates.
For adults, USAA once again offers the cheapest option, with rates that are lower than Geico and the national average. USAA is also the cheapest option for 35-year-old male and female drivers.
For seniors, USAA offers the lowest average rates, with premiums that are lower than Geico, the national average, and all other insurers included in a US News study.
In addition to age, insurance rates can be influenced by factors such as driving record, credit history, geographic location, and the type of vehicle driven. USAA and Geico both offer various discounts and coverage options that can impact the final insurance rate. Overall, USAA tends to offer cheaper rates than Geico, especially for drivers with a clean driving record or those who are members of the military community.
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USAA and Geico's insurance rates by credit score
USAA and Geico are two of the top auto insurance companies on the market, but they differ in terms of pricing, customer service, and eligibility. While both companies offer low prices and have the highest possible financial stability ratings, USAA is generally cheaper than Geico, especially for drivers with poor credit.
USAA offers cheaper insurance rates than Geico for drivers with poor credit. A poor credit history can lead to higher insurance premiums, as insurers use credit scores to help determine risk. However, USAA provides more competitive rates for drivers with poor credit, with an average annual premium of $1,398 compared to Geico's $1,676.
USAA also offers lower rates for drivers with good credit. For a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving history, the average annual cost of full coverage car insurance is $1,512 with USAA and $1,596 with Geico.
Eligibility and Customer Service
It is important to note that USAA has a more limited eligibility criteria, as it is only available to active and retired military members, veterans, spouses, and their families. Geico, on the other hand, is available to any licensed driver in all 50 states.
When it comes to customer service, USAA outperforms Geico in customer satisfaction, claims handling, and insurance premiums. USAA has better ratings for the ease of filing insurance claims, receiving status updates, and resolving claims. However, Geico has a better customer satisfaction rating with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and a higher customer review score on WalletHub.
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USAA and Geico's insurance discounts
USAA offers 14 auto insurance discounts, including:
- Safe driver discount: for maintaining a good driving record for over five years.
- Defensive driving discount: for taking an approved defensive driving course.
- Driver training discount: for taking a driver's education or driver training course.
- Good student discount: for students aged 16-25 who are enrolled full-time in high school or college and maintain at least a "B" average.
- SafePilot discount: for allowing USAA to track your driving habits, including speed, acceleration and braking—this can save you up to 30%.
- New vehicle discount: for insuring a brand-new car.
- Multi-vehicle discount: for insuring more than one car on the same policy.
- Annual mileage discount: for driving less than 12,000 miles a year.
- Vehicle storage discount: for storing your car.
- Family discount: for those who were previously listed as a named driver on a family member's USAA policy.
- Length of membership discount: for long-time customers.
- Military installation discount: for comprehensive insurance if your car is stored on a military base.
- No payment plan fees discount: for paying your premium upfront.
- Multi-policy discount: for buying multiple types of insurance from USAA.
Geico also offers a range of discounts, although the number of discounts is not specified. These include:
- Good driver discounts.
- Multi-car discounts.
- Anti-lock brakes discount: a factory-installed anti-lock braking system can get you a 5% discount on certain coverages.
- Anti-theft system discount: a built-in anti-theft system can get you a discount of up to 23% on the comprehensive portion of your premium.
- Daytime running lights discount: vehicles with daytime running lights as standard can get a 3% discount on certain coverages.
- New vehicle discount: for vehicles that are 3 model years old or newer, you can get a discount of up to 15% on certain coverages.
- Five-year accident-free good driver discount: if you've been accident-free for 5 years, you may be able to save up to 22% on most coverages.
- Seat belt use discount: if you and your passengers always wear seat belts, you could get money off the medical payments or personal injury protection portion of your premium.
- Driver's education discount: if a young driver in your family has completed a driver's education course, you may get a discount on most coverages.
- Good student discount: full-time students with good academic records could get up to a 15% discount on certain coverages.
- Emergency deployment discount: for United States Military policyholders who are deployed to an imminent danger zone, you could be eligible for a discount of up to 25%.
- Federal employee discount (Eagle Discount): active or retired federal employees could qualify for a 12% discount on the total auto insurance premium.
- Membership and employee discounts: if you belong to one of the 500+ listed groups, you could get an additional discount on your premium.
- Multi-vehicle discount: insuring more than one car with Geico can get you a discount of up to 25% on most coverages.
- Multi-policy discount: for insuring your car and having a homeowners, renters, condo, or mobile home policy through the Geico Insurance Agency.
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USAA and Geico's customer satisfaction ratings
USAA and Geico both have excellent customer satisfaction ratings, but USAA comes out on top in most categories. USAA scored higher than Geico in rate categories and customer satisfaction surveys. USAA also has a higher Insurify Quality (IQ) Score than Geico.
USAA is rated "excellent" by J.D. Power, while Geico earns "average" results in the customer satisfaction survey. USAA also scored higher than Geico in the J.D. Power U.S. Insurance Shopping Study and the J.D. Power Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.
USAA also comes out ahead in The Zebra Customer Satisfaction Survey, with an overall score of 4.6 out of 5, winning in every category except Online Experience. Geico came in fourth place overall with a score of 4.4.
USAA also has a slightly better reputation for customer service in the industry.
However, it's important to note that USAA is only available to military members and their families, while Geico is available to all drivers.
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Frequently asked questions
The average cost of a Geico policy in California is $66 per month, while the average cost of a USAA policy is $67 per month. However, USAA's rates are cheaper than Geico's in most other cases.
USAA has better customer satisfaction ratings than Geico. USAA received 875 out of 1,000 points in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, while Geico received 853 points.
USAA is better for military personnel and their families, as it caters specifically to this group. Geico also offers discounts for military members and veterans.
Geico and USAA offer similar types of insurance, including identity theft, motorcycle, and professional liability insurance. However, Geico also offers long-term care insurance, while USAA offers workers' compensation insurance.