If you’re a veteran or active member of the military, you and your family might be eligible for some of the best car insurance rates in the country. USAA’s auto insurance is only available for veterans, military members and their families, as well as certain federal agency employees. Other insurers provide special discounts and services for military members that could also make them a good match.
Here are the top car insurance companies for military families:
Insurer | NerdWallet star rating |
|---|---|
Review not available. |
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The best car insurance companies for veterans and military members in July 2025
USAA: Cheapest car insurance for veterans and military
USAA
- High customer satisfaction ratings.
- One-stop shop for insurance as well as banking and investing products.
- Policies available in all states and Washington, D.C.
- Available to active military, veterans and their families only.
Why it's one of the best: If you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance for veterans and military families, USAA is the best place to start. It has the cheapest rates, on average, in almost every state among the insurers we have rates for, and it regularly ranks among NerdWallet’s best car insurance companies.
USAA is the only major insurance company that caters exclusively to former and current service members and their families. You may be eligible if you are:
Enlisted or commissioned in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, National Guard or Reserves.
Retired or honorably discharged.
Enrolled in a U.S. service academy or advanced ROTC, on ROTC scholarship or are another officer candidate within 24 months of commissioning.
Related to an enlisted or retired service member including spouses, widows, widowers and unremarried former spouses who had USAA insurance while married; also children whose parents have or had USAA insurance.
Average rates: USAA car insurance costs $1,670 per year on average for full coverage and $342 for liability-only coverage, based on our July 2025 analysis. (These average rates do not include possible military discounts.)
Military discount details: Members receive 15% off comprehensive coverage for a vehicle parked in a garage on a military base in most states. If you aren’t driving your car and store it in a secure location, you’ll receive up to a 60% discount on auto insurance. This benefit can help military members on deployment, but it’s not available in North Carolina or Virginia.
» MORE: USAA auto insurance review
GEICO: Best military car insurance discount
GEICO
- Often among the cheapest car insurance companies in NerdWallet's rates analyses.
- Many discounts available.
- Doesn't offer gap insurance.
- Limited network of local agents.
- Below average customer satisfaction for auto insurance claims in a recent J.D. Power study.
Why it’s one of the best: GEICO doesn’t cater specifically to veterans and military families, but it does offer a wide variety of discounts, including several discounts specifically for military members. GEICO also consistently ranks among the most affordable options for most driver profiles in NerdWallet’s analyses.
Average rates: GEICO car insurance costs $2,275 per year on average for full coverage and $492 for liability-only coverage, based on our July 2025 analysis. (These average rates do not include possible military discounts.)
Military discount details: GEICO offers up to a 15% auto insurance discount for former and active duty military, National Guard members and those enlisted in the Reserves. You may be eligible for an additional discount if you’re a member of certain military professional organizations. GEICO also offers an additional emergency deployment discount, with some limitations, to military members who:
Are deployed to “imminent danger pay areas” defined by the Department of Defense.
Store their cars according to an approved storage protection plan.
You may get a cheaper price from GEICO when the military discount is factored in because it applies all the time, compared to other insurers that only discount your rate when you are deployed or living on a base. The only way to know which option is the cheapest for you is to get car insurance quotes from multiple insurers and compare rates.
» MORE: GEICO auto insurance review
Armed Forces Insurance: Best military car insurance agency
NerdWallet rating: Not rated.
Why it’s one of the best: Like USAA, Armed Forces Insurance provides car insurance for veterans, active-duty personnel and their families. However, it expands coverage beyond the military and includes active or retired employees of certain government departments. This company could be the right pick for you if you want to consider policies from a variety of insurers.
Discount details: While there are no specific discounts listed online, Armed Forces Insurance is an agency, so it can give you quotes from multiple insurers within its network. The company does not write its own policies, but you’ll still benefit from working with an insurance agent that specializes in connecting military families with good coverage and affordable prices.
Insurers that offer military discounts
Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country and does offer a military discount, Liberty Mutual is not included in our rates analysis due to a lack of publicly available information.
Auto insurers in Louisiana are required to offer a 25% military car insurance discount to full-time active military, military reservists, and Louisiana Air and Army National Guard personnel. This discount applies to liability insurance, which pays for damage you cause in an at-fault accident.
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How to get the best car insurance for veterans and military personnel
Even with a military discount, car insurance can still be expensive. Here are a few ways veterans and active military members can lower their auto insurance costs:
1. Ask about options during deployment
If you’re facing deployment, it’s best to suspend or reduce coverage rather than cancel your policy completely. A lapse in car insurance coverage during military deployment could result in higher premiums and being labeled a high-risk driver. So check with your agent or insurance company to determine the best strategy for your specific situation. USAA and GEICO, for example, provide financial guides and checklists for service members facing deployment.
2. Shop around for lower prices
It’s important to compare rates from a few different companies every year to make sure you’re still getting the best price. Whether you’re a veteran or active member of the military, we recommend shopping around and getting multiple quotes to find the cheapest car insurance companies for you.
3. Look for extra savings
Don’t stop looking for savings just because you’re getting a military or veterans discount. You may qualify for additional car insurance discounts by covering two or more vehicles under the same policy or bundling your home and auto insurance together..
Also, most insurance companies handle discounts differently. For example, while USAA offers a discount if you maintain a clean driving record for five years, GEICO’s clean driving discount starts after only one year of safe driving.
Learn more about personal finance for veterans |
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Whether you're shopping for insurance, looking for a home loan or booking a trip, NerdWallet has veteran-specific guides to help answer your questions. |
Frequently asked questions
Is USAA for military families only?
Is USAA for military families only?
Yes, USAA car insurance is available to active military, veterans and their families only, as well as employees of certain federal agencies. Our USAA car insurance review includes details on this military insurance company’s coverage options, customer satisfaction ratings and complaint data to help you decide if it meets your needs.
Who has the cheapest military car insurance?
Who has the cheapest military car insurance?
USAA has the cheapest car insurance for veterans and their families on average, according to NerdWallet’s July 2025 rates analysis. Rates can vary depending on location, credit history and vehicle details, so always compare car insurance rates to find the cheapest company for you.
Do veterans get a discount on car insurance?
Do veterans get a discount on car insurance?
Not all auto insurers offer car insurance discounts for veterans, but several do. GEICO and Liberty Mutual offer military car insurance discounts, while other companies like USAA focus specifically on auto insurance for military personnel, veterans and their families. If you aren’t sure if you’re eligible for a military discount, ask your insurance agent.
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2022-2024. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
Auto insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines and full ratings methodology for auto insurance.
Average rates methodology
NerdWallet found median rates based on public filings obtained by pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. We examined rates for men and women for all ZIP codes in any of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our rates analysis due to a lack of publicly available information.
In our analysis, “good drivers” had no moving violations on record; a “good driving” discount was included for this profile.
These are median rates, and your rate will vary based on your personal details, state and insurance provider.
Sample drivers had the following coverage limits:
$100,000 bodily injury liability coverage per person.
$300,000 bodily injury liability coverage per crash.
$50,000 property damage liability coverage per crash.
$100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person.
$300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per crash.
Collision coverage with $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage with $1,000 deductible.
In states where required, minimum additional coverages were added. We used the same assumptions for all other driver profiles, with the following exceptions: For drivers with minimum coverage, we adjusted the numbers above to reflect only the minimum coverage required by law in the state.
We used a 2022 Toyota Camry LE in all cases and assumed 12,000 annual miles driven. We analyzed rates for drivers of the following ages: 20, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60 and 70.
These are rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your rates will be different.
