A person cannot live without being involved with some form of insurance. Today some of the best auto insurance for military personnel is available. However, it is important to be aware of the different aspects that each insurance company has to offer, in order to get a good deal. Insurance is an integral part of an individual’s life.
After life insurance and health insurance, auto insurance is the next popular form of insurance. Being in the armed forces has several advantages, and one benefit is that of military-friendly insurance companies who offer special rates and discounts for military personnel. Let us take a look at some of the leading insurance companies and what each has to offer. This should help to determine the best auto insurance for military personnel.
United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
This Texas-based insurance company is also a Fortune 500 Company. Founded in 1924, this company was formed by a group of 25 military personnel at a time when no other insurance companies were willing to insure people from the armed forces. Today, the USAA is the undisputed leader in auto insurance for military members. Some of the key features that this insurance company has to offer are:
- Special discount up to 15% for military members
- Average annual savings over $400
- Accident forgiveness at a nominal monthly premium
- More flexibility in terms of payment options without additional charges
- Superior roadside assistance at USAA-approved garages, nationwide
- Guaranteed renewal
The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO)
This insurance company has been around since 1936. The company has an exclusive program for the special needs of military personnel. The salient features of GEICO auto insurance for military personnel can be listed as:
- Coverage while overseas
- Up to 15% discount for military personnel
- Emergency deployment discounts
- Storage protection plan for a period up to 30 days
- Dedicated motorcycle insurance program
- Wide range of third-party insurance coverage options
- Provision for covering legal charges in case of a lawsuit
Armed Forces Insurance (AFI)
One of the oldest Military-friendly insurance companies in the United States, this insurance company was started in 1887. The AFI offers a variety of special features specially tailored for members of the armed forces:
- All members of the armed forces are eligible
- Loss of wages coverage due to accident and injury
- Exclusive personal injury protection
- Comprehensive cover for damage incurred due to non-vehicle related causes
- Reimbursement for loss from vehicle rental when the vehicle is inoperable
- Towing charge refund during vehicle breakdown
Navy Federal Credit Union
- Affiliation to MetLife Auto and Home® Group Insurance, this program allows Navy Federal members to avail of special discounts on auto insurance with those two companies.
- Bodily injury coverage
- Personal injury coverage
- Coverage of loss due to damage of property
- Collision coverage
- Coverage for motorists who are uninsured
Esurance Insurance Company
Here is another military-friendly insurance company which specializes in auto insurance for military personnel. Esurance offers a wide range of choices to its customers. The main features are:
- Special cancellation and reinstatement terms and conditions for deployed people
- Provision to add and remove other cars and drivers to the policy
- Options to change coverage in the middle of the policy term
- Quick and easy online access to view and maintain policy information
- Regular alerts and updates through email
- Automatic policy renewal
How do I get the Best Auto Insurance for Military?
Here, there are two aspects to be considered. The first aspect is that of consensus, based on public opinion and the track record of each auto insurance company. Secondly, the specific needs of an individual customer have to be taken into consideration. So, an auto insurance company gets graded on two levels – popularity and specific requirements. Based on these two parameters, we can rank auto insurance companies as follows:
USAA
This company is undisputedly one that provides the best auto insurance for military, with the best prices that no other company can seem to beat. When you call other companies for quotes and if you tell them you are a current USAA customer, they pretty much know they can’t beat USAA’s prices. USAA only caters to military personnel and their families, whereas a lot of other military-minded insurance companies also sell insurance nationwide. An inside advantage is that the services of this company can be passed down the family. If your grandfather was in the military and had a USAA auto insurance policy, you are automatically entitled to one. And, as an added bonus, USAA has an extensive and well-trained customer service staff that even refers to you by rank, when you are on active duty.
GEICO
The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) could be rated as number two at least in terms of overall popularity in terms of the best value and overall customer service. According to reviews, there were cases where customers were satisfied with reduced payments for the same coverage and service quicker than expected. One satisfied customer states, “I’ve been with GEICO for 27 years. I get a lot of junk mail to change companies all the time, and all I can do is giggle. GEICO is what I like in an insurance company…reliable, passionate, caring, informative, reasonably priced, and fair.” GEICO is a good second choice, especially if the service member or veteran has had a bad experience or simply does not want to go with USAA.
Armed Forces Insurance
Based on its capacity to deliver quality auto insurance services to a niche area, the US Military, the AFI is a clear choice and comes out among the best four companies in the market. Based on the popularity also, this company can easily be ranked at least number four. Says a retired air force Master Sergeant, “Whatever our situation is, Armed Forces Insurance is always there to help us. We get prompt and professional responses, with good advice and information to questions we didn’t even know we needed to ask. We always appreciate the customer service representatives from all the different service departments/areas.”
Navy Federal Credit Union
This insurance company is easily among the best five companies and could easily qualify as number three. The company is a well-established and trusted one, but a word of caution – the customer service department is not up to the mark. However, the general impression is a good one, summed up in the words of Scott from Plattsburgh, New York, “Navy Federal has been AWESOME to me and my family!!!!”
Esurance
Although not as top notch, Esurance is still a reliable car insurance company and could rate as number five, largely due to the flexible options available to customers. Shannon, a working mother, had a minor accident which was settled (including towing and repairs) within 45 minutes. By the time she reached the Esurance office, all the paperwork was completed, and she just had to sign the documents. Shannon says, “It’s going to be OK, they said, and those are the words that took everything away.”
Summing it up
Of course there are also other insurance companies like Travelers, Farmers, Nationwide, Progressive, Liberty Mutual, and several other big names. It is always good to shop around, you never know when one of them may be running a special.
If you are a member of the US Armed forces, there are lots of options open to you for auto insurance. Here we have highlighted five of the best insurance companies in the United States, which should, we hope, make your task of finding the best auto insurance for military a lot easier. In the end, start with USAA as a reference point, then try GEICO and the other ones mentioned above to get a good understanding of prices and options.
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