USAA vs. Progressive: Which is Best for You?

USAA is cheaper than Progressive, and it wins for better customer service ratings. On the other hand, Progressive has more unique coverages to customize your insurance policy than USAA.

For young drivers, those with violations, bad credit and DUI charges, USAA is cheaper than Progressive. However, Progressive offers a better home and auto bundle discount and useful coverages like gap insurance, a deductible savings feature and coverage for vehicle customization. Both auto insurers provide coverage in 50 states and Washington, D.C.

USAA is good for all driver types. Progressive is good for drivers with unique coverage needs who want to choose their rates and coverage based on their budget.

USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families, while Progressive is available to all drivers.

Between USAA or Progressive, USAA is the cheaper insurance company overall. Nationally, the average annual cost of insurance for USAA is $883, while Progressive’s rate is $1,381.

These prices are based on a sample driver who is a 40-year-old male with a clean driving record. Rates are for full coverage car insurance with 100/300/100 liability limits and $1,000 deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverage.

Keep in mind that the state where you live can significantly impact your costs, so these sample rates may be different from your actual quote. Your age, driving and claims history, marital status and credit score are also used to calculate how much you pay for auto insurance.

USAA auto insurance is cheaper in more states than Progressive auto insurance. Rates for this comparison are based on national averages and may differ from pricing in individual states.

USAA is cheaper than Progressive in 42 states, while Progressive is cheaper than USAA in two. Both Progressive and USAA offer insurance products in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. If you'd like to see which company may offer you a lower, personalized quote, use our car insurance calculator.

When shopping for car insurance, personal information like how old you are, your credit score, and your claims and driver profile make a big difference in how much you pay for car insurance. USAA is cheaper than Progressive for all types of drivers that we compared rates for.

• USAA is cheaper for an 18-year-old student driver.
• USAA is cheaper for a driver with a ticket.
• USAA is cheaper for a driver with an at-fault accident.
• USAA is cheaper for a driver with a DUI.
• USAA is cheaper for a driver with poor credit.

The best way to find out which insurance company is the most affordable for you is to get quotes from both providers. Compare the same coverage limits and deductibles to find out which offers the best price for you.

Most insurance companies offer the same discounts, but the final quote you receive is more important than how many discounts you get. Common discounts include vehicle safety features, good driving and policy payment discounts. Home and auto bundle and usage-based insurance programs give consumers the most significant opportunities for savings. For discounts and usage-based programs, Progressive is better than USAA.

A home and auto bundle discount means both policies are insured with the same carrier and you receive savings for each. The national average savings among major providers from bundling discounts is 17%. Based on our analysis, USAA’s home and auto bundle discount is only 8%, one of the lowest of the national insurers. The average customer saves 20% with Progressive’s home and auto bundle.

Usage-based car insurance programs offer discounts to customers in exchange for tracking their driving behaviors and miles. Progressive’s Snapshot tracks both, with drivers averaging $146 in savings after participation in the program, usually over one six-month policy period. USAA’s SafePilot program only tracks behavior, with up to 30% savings on your renewal depending on your driving habits during the program. Both companies only offer these programs in select states.

To measure insurance customer experience, MoneyGeek uses J.D. Power satisfaction scores and complaints lodged with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Overall, USAA is better than Progressive when it comes to customer service.

In J.D Power auto insurance studies, USAA consistently ranks at the top for customer satisfaction. USAA’s scored 892 out of 1,000 while Progressive’s scored 832, with USAA receiving greater customer satisfaction.

The NAIC complaint index measures how often a complaint is filed against an insurance company in a given year. The baseline score is 1.0; scores higher than this mean a provider receives more complaints than average. USAA’s NAIC complaint score is 1 while Progressive’s is 1.33, meaning that Progressive receives slightly more complaints than USAA.

All auto insurance companies offer standard coverages such as liability, personal injury protection or medical payments, comprehensive, collision and uninsured motorist insurance.

In addition to these standard coverages, Progressive offers seven optional coverages, and USAA offers only four.

Both companies have roadside assistance, rideshare insurance, accident forgiveness and rental car coverage. Progressive also offers gap insurance, deductible modification and custom parts coverage. People with vehicle loans, custom accessories and who want higher deductibles may benefit most from Progressive’s optional coverages.

An insurance company’s financial stability score proves its ability to pay legitimate claims on time and in full. Most large insurers have strong financial scores; Progressive and USAA are no exception. USAA has a financial rating of A++ while Progressive’s is A+, meaning USAA wins out in this category.

Both Progressive and USAA have an online resource library to help consumers navigate insurance and claims. They also both have a mobile app to file claims and get policy ID cards. Progressive’s app is more robust, with the ability to make changes, pay your bill and manage Snapshot. Progressive also offers the Name Your Price Tool, which lets you set your budget to find out the best coverage options available. USAA’s website and app are geared more towards banking and other products.

Data on car insurance rates comparing USAA and Progressive are for a 40-year-old male with a full coverage car insurance policy, unless otherwise noted. The policy includes:

• $100,000 on bodily injury liability insurance per person
• $300,000 on bodily injury liability insurance per accident
• $100,000 on property damage liability insurance per person
• Comprehensive and collision insurance with a $1,000 deductible

To evaluate available coverages, discounts and online tools, MoneyGeek collected information from insurer websites and quote tools. To score insurance companies on customer satisfaction and customer complaints, MoneyGeek referenced publicly available data from J.D. Power and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Financial stability was measured using financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, a leading insurance credit rating agency.