USAA vs. Progressive: Car Insurance Rates and Coverage
USAA has cheaper car insurance rates, but Progressive offers more coverage options and is available to more drivers.
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Although both companies offer solid customer service, USAA has top customer satisfaction scores and better rates for most drivers. A minimum-coverage policy from USAA costs $432 per year — $452 cheaper per year than Progressive — and full coverage is $868 cheaper per year.
However, USAA car insurance is only available to active-duty members of the military, veterans and their families, so most drivers can't take advantage of its low rates.
Best for | Progressive | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Coverage | ||
| Discounts | ||
| Customer service | ||
| Availability | ||
| Editor's rating | ||
| Our full review | Progressive review | USAA review |
USAA vs. Progressive car insurance quotes: Who's cheaper?
USAA offers cheaper rates than Progressive for most drivers. A car insurance policy from USAA costs between 13% and 68% less than a policy from Progressive.
Cheapest for most drivers: USAA
Most drivers will find cheaper car insurance rates with USAA than Progressive. A minimum-coverage policy from USAA costs $432 per year on average, which is half the cost of a policy with Progressive and $353 cheaper than the national average.
USAA car insurance rates are also better for a full-coverage policy. At $1,170 per year, USAA costs 43% less than Progressive.
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Average annual car insurance rates: Progressive vs. USAA
Coverage | Progressive | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $884 | $432 |
| Full coverage | $2,038 | $1,170 |
A minimum-coverage car insurance policy meets your state's legal requirements. However, the low coverage limits may not provide enough financial protection if you're involved in a serious accident.
We recommend full-coverage insurance for most drivers.
Cheapest rates for drivers with prior incidents: USAA
USAA auto insurance rates for drivers with a speeding ticket, accident or DUI on their record are also more affordable than Progressive. Full-coverage car insurance with USAA is between 13% and 49% cheaper for these drivers.
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Car insurance rates for drivers with prior incidents: Progressive vs. USAA
Incident | Progressive | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding ticket | $2,623 | $1,417 |
| Accident | $3,163 | $1,613 |
| DUI | $2,564 | $2,222 |
Quotes are based on a full-coverage policy.
Drivers with recent traffic violations on their record usually pay more for car insurance because they are statistically more likely to cause an accident. Insurance companies raise rates by different amounts, which is why you should always compare car insurance quotes after a ticket or accident.
Both USAA and Progressive offer accident forgiveness programs.
Drivers insured with USAA can purchase accident forgiveness for an additional fee, or it will be awarded to you after five years of accident-free driving. Accident forgiveness with USAA can only be applied to one at-fault accident per six- or 12-month period, and the program is not available in all states .
Progressive automatically includes small accident forgiveness for new customers, which means your rate will not go up if you cause an accident whose total claim is $500 or less. Drivers who maintain a policy with Progressive for five years and have no violations or accidents for three years are awarded large accident forgiveness, meaning your rate will not go up if you cause an accident where the total claim is over $500.
Cheapest car insurance rates for young drivers: USAA
USAA car insurance rates for young drivers are 65% to 68% cheaper than rates from Progressive. An 18-year-old driver pays $2,394 less per year for minimum-coverage insurance with USAA, and $5,344 less for a full-coverage policy.
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Car insurance rates for young drivers: Progressive vs. USAA
Progressive | USAA | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $3,519 | $1,125 |
| Speeding ticket | $3,769 | $1,321 |
| Accident | $4,123 | $1,432 |
| Full coverage | $8,184 | $2,840 |
Speeding ticket and accident quotes are based on a minimum-coverage policy.
Young drivers who recently joined the military but still live at home can take advantage of even lower rates by purchasing a policy from USAA with their parents. Although sharing a policy may cause your parents' rates to increase, USAA's competitive car insurance rates usually result in an overall savings.
Progressive vs. USAA car insurance rates by state
Where you live can affect your car insurance rates as much as your driving history and age. Of the 38 states in which rates from both companies were available, the cost of a full-coverage policy from USAA is cheaper than a policy from Progressive in 36 states and Washington, D.C.
The amount of savings with USAA varies by state, ranging from $213 per year in Pennsylvania to $2,359 per year in Louisiana.
Michigan and New York are the only states in which Progressive offers more affordable coverage than USAA.
State | USAA | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,086 | $2,070 |
| Alaska | $974 | $1,865 |
| Arizona | $1,496 | $1,734 |
| Arkansas | $932 | $2,105 |
| California | - | $1,850 |
USAA vs. Progressive auto insurance coverage
Progressive and USAA both offer the standard coverages that you would expect from a car insurance policy, like bodily injury and property damage liability. Both insurers also offer extra coverage options that some drivers may find useful.
Progressive has more uncommon coverage options than USAA.
Coverage | Progressive | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Standard coverages | ||
| Bodily injury liability | ||
| Property damage liability | ||
| Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage | ||
| Comprehensive and collision insurance | ||
| Personal injury protection | ||
| Medical payments |
Progressive car insurance coverage options
Progressive offers a number of coverage add-ons that you can use to customize your policy:
- Gap insurance, also known as loan/lease payoff, pays the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and its current worth if your car is totaled in an accident. Progressive limits the payout to up to 25% of the actual cash value of your car.
- Custom parts and equipment coverage covers the repair or replacement of after-market accessories like custom wheels or a navigation system for up to $5,000.
- Deductible savings bank lowers your comprehensive and collision deductible by $50 for every six-month policy period that you remain claim-free.
USAA car insurance coverage options
USAA offers a number of optional coverage add-ons that you can use to enhance your policy.
One of the most useful benefits is car replacement assistance, which can help replace your car by paying you an extra 20% above its current value in the event of a total loss.
USAA's other coverage add-ons, including essential services expenses, funeral expense coverage and work loss benefits can also be covered under personal injury protection, or PIP insurance.
Although some drivers prefer the option of purchasing these coverages individually, Progressive drivers can take advantage of similar benefits in the form of PIP coverage if it's available in your state.
USAA vs. Progressive auto insurance discounts
Progressive and USAA both offer a similar set of discounts, including the common car insurance discounts that you would expect from a large company, like multi policy and usage-based discounts.
Discount | Progressive | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-theft devices | ||
| Continuous insurance | ||
| Distant student discount | ||
| Driver training course | ||
| Deployment discount |
Progressive insurance discounts
Progressive offers five discounts based on how you purchase your policy and pay for it. Drivers can save by:
- Getting a quote online.
- Signing policy documents online.
- Receiving policy documents electronically.
- Paying your policy in full.
- Setting up automatic payments.
Progressive also offers discounts geared towards the parents of young drivers. The teen driver discount is available for parents adding a driver under age 18 to their policy, and the distant student discount lowers rates for parents who have a student age 22 or younger who lives more than 100 miles away and doesn't have a vehicle at school.
USAA auto insurance discounts
USAA's unique discounts are aimed at military members. Its storage discount includes 15% off the cost of comprehensive coverage to drivers who garage their car on base, and a 60% discount during deployments.
Drivers can save 10% if their parents have a policy with USAA, and can also earn a loyalty discount based on how long you have a policy with USAA.
Progressive Snapshot vs. USAA SafePilot
Usage-based discount programs have been adopted by many major insurance companies to reward policyholders for safe driving. USAA's SafePilot program tracks driving habits using an app, which drivers must download on their mobile device. Drivers who enroll in Progressive Snapshot can choose to monitor driving habits via an app or a telematics device, which plugs into their car.
Progressive Snapshot | USAA SafePilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 48 states and Washington, DC | 37 states and Washington, DC |
| Discount | $47 sign-up discount and $146 per year performance discount, on average | 10% participation discount and a maximum 30% performance discount |
| Can rates go up? | Yes, 20% of drivers see an increase | No |
| Monitoring period | 75 days to six months | Continuous |
| Driving score factors | Handheld phone use, hard braking, fast starts, amount of time driven, time and day, trip regularity | Handheld and hands-free phone calls, phone handling, harsh braking, time of day, location and hours driven per year |
Both companies consider phone usage when calculating your driving score, but USAA penalizes drivers for hands-free phone calls, which may be restrictive for drivers who regularly use this feature.
USAA vs. Progressive customer service
Drivers can expect a positive customer service experience from both Progressive and USAA. Both companies scored well in the J.D. Power claims satisfaction study and have above-average scores on the NAIC Complaint Index.
Industry reviewer | Progressive | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Editor's rating | ||
| J.D. Power | 862 | 909 |
| NAIC Complaint Index | 0.82 | 0.85 |
| AM Best financial strength rating | A+ | A++ |
Although the numbers are similar, USAA differentiates itself with an excellent rating from our editors due to affordable rates and some of the best customer service scores in the industry. It also earned the highest financial strength rating available from A.M. Best, which means that the company has the ability to pay out claims, even in tough economic situations.
In addition, USAA earned first place on J.D. Power's claims satisfaction and insurance shopping studies. Progressive scored above-average on the claims satisfaction study, but it received a poor rating for its shopping experience.
Progressive did not score as well with our editors largely due to its home and renters insurance offerings. Although it offers a bundling discount, drivers who purchase a home insurance policy through Progressive have to file claims with a different company because Progressive does not underwrite its homeowners insurance policies. This may lead to inconsistent service.
Frequently asked questions
Does Progressive offer a military discount?
No. Progressive offers a number of car insurance discounts, but not a military discount.
Does USAA offer commercial insurance?
Yes. USAA offers a few types of commercial insurance, including business owners policies, general and professional liability, workers compensation, cyber liability, commercial auto insurance and cyber liability coverage.
How do you get USAA auto insurance?
Only USAA members are eligible to purchase its insurance products. To become a member, you have to be a member of the military, a veteran or have a family member who belongs to USAA. Once you join USAA, you'll be able to take advantage of its insurance offerings, banking products and other perks and discounts.
How much cheaper is USAA auto insurance than Progressive?
On average, a minimum-coverage car insurance policy from USAA is $452 per year cheaper than the same policy from Progressive, while a full-coverage policy is $868 less per year. Drivers with a recent speeding ticket pay $1,206 less with USAA, and a minimum-coverage policy for an 18-year-old driver is $2,394 cheaper.
Methodology
For this study, we used car insurance quotes from thousands of ZIP codes across the U.S. Our sample driver was a 30-year-old man driving a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
All quotes are based on a full-coverage policy and clean driving record unless otherwise noted, including quotes for drivers with prior incidents. Full-coverage auto insurance quotes include the following limits:
Coverage type | Study limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Minimum, when required by state |
For our minimum-coverage policy, we referenced the minimum required limits in each state. Young driver quotes were obtained using minimum-coverage limits.
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.