Unsettling times could make you want to reduce your overall spending. Even without an emergency, saving money helps stretch your income to make sure you have money saved after paying your bills every month.
Reducing your monthly bills is an excellent way to save money. Competing resources want your business to provide everyday services. You don’t need to overspend to cover some of life’s necessities—like electricity, cable, and auto insurance. It takes a little time and research to find lower-cost options without sacrificing quality. However, taking a few minutes to find ways to lower your bills can pay off big in the long run.
If you’re an active-duty military or veteran, you can often find discounts for routine services—including your car insurance. Keep reading to learn more about veterans’ insurance options!
USAA vs GEICO Military
USAA is one of the best all-around options for auto insurance if you’re a veteran of any U.S. military branch or on active-duty. Coverage is only available to military personnel and their families, and you’ll find options that cater to specific military needs.
- Depending on where you live, retired or active-duty military personnel can receive up to 15% off of collision or comprehensive coverage while your vehicle remains garaged on a military base.
- During deployment, servicemen and women can save up to 60% through USAA discounted auto insurance policies.
In addition to military savings, USAA also offers plenty of driver discounts. You can qualify for safe driving discounts and savings for policies insuring more than one vehicle. While USAA is consistently considered the most affordable auto insurance option for military personnel, you won’t sacrifice quality in exchange for saving money. USAA ranks as one of the best insurance providers for excellent customer service.
While USAA doesn’t offer coverage to anyone outside of military personnel (active, retired, or honorably discharged), if you enroll in an ROTC program or officer candidacy within 24 months of your commission, you can qualify for a policy. USAA coverage can also continue for military widows and children of former military personnel.
USAA also offers other insurance policies, including homeowners and renters policies.
How Does USAA Compare To GEICO?
If you’re more familiar with the GEICO Gecko than the origins of the company, “GEICO” stands for “Government Employees Insurance Company.” The company began as a primary source of insurance for government employees and military personnel. The company employs many former military staff, which helps make the company and service offerings very military-friendly.
You’ll want to research and compare USAA to GEICO for where you live and your driving habits to find the best deal. Look into GEICO’s savings for military personnel, including:
- As much as 15% savings for military personnel (active or retired) and their families
- Savings for vehicle storage with an approved storage protection plan
In some cases, GEICO offers better savings for retired military personnel or active-duty servicemen and women who are not deployed away from their base. Where USAA offers up to 60% savings while your vehicle stays stored on base during deployment, GEICO offers a maximum discount of 25%. If you already have GEICO and didn’t realize the savings available for active or retired military personnel and their families, contact your agent and ask about military discounts!
Military United Insurance
If you need other policies in addition to insurance for your vehicle, Military United Insurance could be your best option. They offer more options than USAA for homeowners, renters, life insurance policies, and RVs. You can also sign up for flood insurance and an umbrella policy through Military United Insurance.
Much like USAA, to qualify for a policy, you must be current or former military for any of the U.S. military branches of service. Military United also provides excellent customer service to go along with insurance savings. Their goal is a well-rounded, positive insurance experience for military personnel.
To compare pricing without providers, request a quote through the Military United Insurance website. The site doesn’t give much info about specific discounts. Still, a price comparison to other insurance providers with military discounts is an excellent place to start to evaluate savings through Military United Insurance.
The General
The General insurance is available to anyone who needs auto insurance. You don’t need to be a service member to qualify. While The General website doesn’t specify military discounts, they do offer some discounts, including a Good Student discount and a multi-policy discount.
The company also offers policies for drivers with poor driving records. The General might offer the coverage and pricing you need.
Armed Forces Insurance
Armed Forces Insurance is another company providing insurance only to military personnel. You must be active duty or a former military service person to qualify for a policy. However, unlike USAA, you can also be eligible for a policy if you are an active or retired civilian employee of the Department of Defense. Current and former commissioned officers of the PHS or NOAA can also receive coverage.
Arbella
If you live in Massachusetts or Connecticut, Arbella insurance offers a 10% discount to active duty personnel while in service at least 100 miles away from your vehicle. While it’s not available outside of Massachusetts or Connecticut, it’s worth comparing their coverage and pricing to USAA and other insurers that offer military discounts—if you are a Massachusetts or Connecticut customer.
State Farm
Insurers like State Farm don’t publicize a military discount. However, the company offers competitive policies and rates. If you currently serve, it’s worth comparing a State Farm coverage quote to USAA and GEICO when looking for the lowest-cost policy. State Farm offers plenty of other driving discounts. Even without a military-specific discount, you might find the most affordable policy with the best coverage.
Plus, State Farm operates differently than some of the other “big” insurers. Instead of a call-center or primarily online experience, State Farm offers a one-on-one agent-insured relationship with their policies. Working with a dedicated agent in your area can help you benefit from additional savings—even without a “military” discount.
Allstate, Progressive, And Other Insurers
When shopping for auto insurance savings, consider discounts offered by these insurers. If you find the best policy coverage comes from an insurer other than USAA or Geico, ask about military discounts. In many cases, if the company doesn’t offer a military discount, additional discounts can add up to significant savings.
- Allstate isn’t a military-only insurer, and they don’t publicize a military discount, but the company is a significant supporter of former military personnel.
- Progressive doesn’t offer a military discount, but the company offers plenty of traditional driver discounts, including bundle savings for multiple policies, multi-vehicle savings, and accident forgiveness discounts.
If you don’t drive your vehicle often while on the base or you store your car while deployed, accident forgiveness or safe-driving savings can be a substantial benefit.
Showing Proof of Military Service
When applying for a policy through a carrier that only serves military personnel, or requesting a military discount, you might need to provide proof of your service. Most insurance providers accept any of the following documents to confirm of record of your current or former service:
- Discharge certificate
- D214 Member 4 copy
- Active-duty military orders
- Leaving and earning statement (LES)
- NGB22
If you are not yet currently service but applying for a discount while enrolled in ROTC or an Academy, most insurers accept an appointment letter or a copy of your ROTC contract.
The Right Veterans Insurance Can Provide Significant Savings!
When researching the best insurance with military discounts for your needs, get ready to save! The right policy and discounts can help you with significant savings while insuring your car, truck, or SUV. Be careful not to sacrifice quality and service for additional savings. Choose a policy that provides savings to active and military members while serving you as well as you served our country.
In addition to savings, you can boost your monthly income (and long-term savings) with a form of passive income. Combining savings and additional income can help reduce debt and build a retirement fund for your future! Click here to read more about different ways to save today!
