Allstate vs. USAA: Which Is the Best? (2024)

USAA is one of the best car insurance companies thanks to its high customer satisfaction ratings, multiple discounts, and affordable insurance rates. But it’s only available for military members, veterans, and their families.

Jessica Martel
Written byJessica Martel
Jessica Martel
Jessica Martel

Jessica is a freelance writer, professional researcher, and mother of two rambunctious little boys. She specializes in personal finance, women and money, and financial literacy. Jessica is fascinated by the psychology of money and what drives people to make important financial decisions. She holds a Masters of Science degree in Cognitive Research Psychology.

Courtney Mikulski
Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
  • 3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content

  • Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score

Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.

Featured in

media logomedia logo
Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin Halachev
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Updated October 29, 2024

Save up to $852 by comparing quotes from the top 100+ insurance companies

Excellent
Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.
ProgressiveLiberty MutualAllstate
Advertiser Disclosure

At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.

We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.

Why you can trust Insurify: Comparing accurate insurance quotes should never put you at risk of spam. We earn an agent commission only if you buy a policy based on our quotes. Our editorial team follows a rigorous set of editorial standards and operates independently from our insurance partners. Learn more.

Allstate and USAA are similar-sized nationwide insurers that offer great coverage options and solid customer service ratings. While USAA offers competitive insurance rates, membership is limited to current and former military members and their families. Allstate’s insurance rates are more expensive than USAA’s, but you don’t need a membership to get insurance.

When searching for an auto insurance company, it’s a good idea to compare multiple companies’ rates, customer service, discounts, and coverage to find the insurer that fits your specific needs.

Quick Facts
  • The average cost of liability insurance is $62 per month with Allstate and $46 with USAA.

  • Although Allstate’s rates are higher than USAA’s, Allstate has more advertised discounts.

  • Allstate and USAA are available in all 50 states.

Allstate vs. USAA: The verdict

USAA has a slight edge over Allstate when it comes to customer satisfaction ratings and affordable car insurance. But USAA restricts membership to active military members, veterans, and their families, so not everyone’s eligible for USAA car insurance coverage. Meanwhile, Allstate has relatively affordable average premiums compared to other car insurance companies, advertises more discounts, and doesn’t restrict driver eligibility.

If you qualify for USAA membership, it’s one of the best and cheapest car insurance companies, but Allstate is still a solid choice for drivers because of its rates, decent customer service, and large footprint.

Factor
Allstate
USAA
IQ Score8.99.4
Customer satisfaction score3.54.2
Average quote: liability only$62$46
Number of discounts1410
Number of states where it operates5050
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
  • Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.

    We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

    • Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
    • Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
    • Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
    • Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
    • Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.

Allstate

Allstate is one of the largest insurance companies, holding nearly 11% of the private passenger auto insurance market share, and it earned an above-average J.D. Power claims satisfaction rating.[1] [2]

Allstate logo
User Reviews
4.0
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
8.9 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$62/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$137/mo
4.0
Best choiceBased on 5531 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Allstate

Drivers appreciate the initial pricing and overall service but dislike the frequent rate increases and misleading pricing tactics.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Accident forgiveness
Wide availability
Cheap rates
How drivers feel about Allstate

Drivers appreciate the initial pricing and overall service but dislike the frequent rate increases and misleading pricing tactics.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Accident forgiveness
Wide availability
Cheap rates
Reviews (3,016)

Howard

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

They Have You By The Short Hairs

I was on a three-lane highway in heavy traffic and couldn't avoid a piece of metal in my lane. I couldn't swerve or I would have hit other cars. Allstate said the accident was the driver's fault and then doubled my insurance cost.

Hugh

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

Actual Crash Damages vs. Damages Quoted Over the Phone

There were problems getting the correct amount paid out when I made a claim. I had to escalate the issue to the Senior Vice President to get a proper settlement when a deer hit my truck. There was a $5000 difference between what was paid out when the estimator assessed the value of damage to my truck and the actual estimate done by a local car dealership. The Senior Vice President agreed that the amount of damage done was the amount quoted by the local car dealership.

Miriam

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

Best Overall

Check around before choosing. Allstate has been my choice for years.
See all Allstate reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
833
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
0.94
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A-
Why we picked this company

Founded by Sears department store executives in 1931, Allstate offers auto, home, motorcycle, ATV, renters, condo, and term life insurance. Operating in all 50 states, the company has superior ratings from A.M. Best for financial strength and credit. However, Allstate has many negative reviews on consumer websites, and a slightly higher-than-average complaint rating in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Consumer Complaint Index. Allstate offers many discounts, including for good students, multiple policies, bundling auto and home insurance, new vehicles, safe driving, and good payment history.

Pros
  • Well-established with superior ratings from A.M. Best

  • Pay-per-mile option available

Cons
  • Low customer satisfaction

  • Rates are merely average compared to other insurers

USAA

USAA takes fifth position on the list of the largest auto insurance companies, with nearly 6% of the overall market share, and it consistently scores the highest ratings in J.D. Power’s auto insurance satisfaction studies.[1] [2]

USAA logo
User Reviews
4.9
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
9.4 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$46/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$100/mo
4.9
Best choiceBased on 1573 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about USAA

Drivers appreciate the ease of working with the carrier, competitive rates, and responsive service but dislike the price increases and lack of rideshare add-ons in some areas.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Members of the military community
Outstanding customer service
Competitive rates
How drivers feel about USAA

Drivers appreciate the ease of working with the carrier, competitive rates, and responsive service but dislike the price increases and lack of rideshare add-ons in some areas.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Members of the military community
Outstanding customer service
Competitive rates
Reviews (897)

Kent

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

Excellent

The insurance is a bit high.

Dorothy

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

Significant Increase in Policy Payment

Be cautious not to have an accident, as my policy payment increased by $300 a month.

Martin

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

My Opinion

They have always been there when I've needed them. They're not the cheapest, but I've never been denied a claim.
See all USAA reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
880
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
1.35
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A++
Why we picked this company

In business for more than 100 years, USAA exclusively serves members of the military and their immediate families. The company offers multiple types of insurance products, as well as banking, investing, and retirement services. Auto insurance customers have access to a number of discounts, including for bundling, insuring multiple vehicles, living on a military base, and more. A.M. Best gives USAA an A++ rating for financial strength, and the company had the highest or second-highest rating of all insurers in every region in J.D. Power’s Overall Customer Satisfaction Index. Customer reviews are mixed for service and claims processing.

Pros
  • Low premiums

  • SafePilot program rewards good driving with up to 30% discount

Cons
  • Only available to active-duty military, veterans, military spouses, or children of service members or veterans

  • No 24/7 customer phone support

Get Car Insurance Online

Rates start at $17 per month

Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.
Based on 3,806+ reviews
4.8/5
Shopper Approved
ProgressiveLiberty MutualAllstate

Allstate Drivewise vs. USAA SafePilot

Allstate and USAA offer discounts for safe drivers through their telematics programs. Telematics allows insurance companies to collect information about your driving behaviors and habits.

With Allstate, safe drivers can save up to 40% through the Drivewise program. Exact savings depend on your driving behavior and location, but the app measures your driving behaviors and rewards you for safe driving. The Drivewise app also offers crash detection, and if it detects a collision, Allstate will send you a notification through the mobile app asking if you need help.

The USAA SafePilot program offers savings of up to 30% on your insurance premiums for being a safe driver. Just by enrolling in the program, you can save up to 10%. The SafePilot app monitors your driving and gives feedback on how you can improve. The app will automatically track your trips, and when it’s time to renew your insurance, USAA will let you know if you’ve earned a discount.

How Does Usage-Based Insurance Work?

How Does Usage-Based Insurance Work?

Allstate vs. USAA: Which is the cheapest?

USAA has cheaper car insurance rates across the board, according to Insurify data. When determining your insurance premiums, auto insurance companies consider various factors, including your age, gender, ZIP code, driving history, how much you drive, and the type of car you drive.[3]

Here’s how Allstate’s and USAA’s rates compare.

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

Maintaining a clean driving record can help keep your car insurance premiums low. If you have a history of at-fault accidents or other serious traffic violations, you can expect to pay higher auto insurance rates. USAA offers lower car insurance premiums for drivers with clean records.

Driver Type
Allstate
USAA
Clean driving record$62$46
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

Driving too fast and getting speeding tickets can cause your insurance premiums to increase. Allstate charges higher rates than USAA for drivers with speeding tickets.

Driver Type
Allstate
USAA
Drivers with a speeding ticket$73$54
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

USAA: Cheapest for teen drivers

Teen drivers pay some of the most expensive insurance premiums because they have a fatal crash rate nearly three times as high as drivers 20 years and older.[4]

If you have a teen driver in your house, USAA can be the cheaper option for insuring their car, as it has relatively affordable rates for teens.

Driver Type
Allstate
USAA
18-year-old$111$73
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

In many states, insurance companies can use your credit history to help determine your insurance rates. Insurance companies believe that drivers with poor credit are more likely to file an insurance claim, so drivers with good credit pay cheaper premiums.[5]

USAA offers the cheapest auto insurance for drivers with bad credit.

Driver Type
Allstate
USAA
Drivers with bad credit$74$55
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

USAA: Cheapest for senior drivers

Around age 70, drivers often see insurers increase premium rates due in part to higher death rates among seniors in crashes. USAA offers lower auto insurance premiums for senior drivers.[6]

Driver Type
Allstate
USAA
Senior drivers$48$36
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Compare coverages: Allstate vs. USAA

One difference between Allstate and USAA is that USAA insurance is available only to current and former military members, their spouses, and their children. Allstate doesn’t require customers to become members to access insurance.

Both companies offer various auto insurance coverage options, including liability, comprehensive, collision, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. However, while Allstate offers add-ons like gap insurance, USAA doesn’t.

The following table highlights some of the optional insurance coverages available from each auto insurer.

Coverage
Allstate
USAA
Gap insuranceYesNo
Rideshare insuranceYesYes, in some states
Roadside assistanceYesYes
Rental car reimbursementYesYes
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Find Car Insurance Online

Get personalized quotes from top auto insurers in minutes

Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.
Based on 3,806+ reviews
4.8/5
Shopper Approved
ProgressiveLiberty MutualAllstate

Compare discounts: Allstate vs. USAA

While both auto insurance companies offer plenty of discounts, Allstate has a few more options than USAA. Insurance rates are lower with USAA compared to Allstate, so Allstate’s list of car insurance discounts may help you reduce your rates.

The table below outlines the different discounts available at each of the auto insurance companies.

Discount
Allstate
USAA
Clean driving recordNoYes
Defensive driving courseNoYes
Multi-policyYesYes
Multi-carNoYes
Low mileageNoYes
Telematics (safe driving app)YesYes
Anti-theft deviceYesYes
New carYesYes
Military/affiliationNoYes
Good studentYesYes (not in all states)
LoyaltyNoYes
Auto payYesNo
Student away at schoolYesNo
HomeownerYesYes
Alternative fuelNoNo

Allstate vs. USAA FAQs

When comparing Allstate versus USAA car insurance, you may find this additional information helpful.

  • Is Allstate insurance or USAA better?

    The best car insurance company for you depends on your individual needs and budget. If you’re looking for the cheapest insurance rates, USAA generally has lower rates than Allstate. But to take advantage of USAA’s rates, you need to be a current or former military member or the family member of one.

  • What are the main differences between Allstate and USAA insurance?

    The main difference between Allstate and USAA insurance is that USAA is available only to current and former military and their family members. Allstate is available to everyone who qualifies. USAA auto insurance rates also tend to be lower compared to Allstate insurance rates.

  • Who’s eligible for a USAA policy?

    Only USAA members are eligible for a USAA auto insurance policy. Membership is open only to current and retired military members and their spouses. Some USAA members’ children might also be eligible to join. When you apply for a USAA membership, you must provide your military service details along with other personal information.

  • What additional services do Allstate and USAA offer?

    In addition to auto insurance, Allstate offers various insurance products, including life insurance, property, business, identity protection, phone protection, pet, travel insurance, and more. In addition to insurance, USAA offers banking and retirement solutions, including checking accounts, credit cards, and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

Methodology

Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.

Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).

Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:

  • Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
  • Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
  • No additional coverage
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
  • Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
  • Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible

Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

Sources

  1. NAIC. "Property and Casualty Insurance Industry 2022 Top 25 Groups and Companies by Countrywide Premium."
  2. J.D. Power. "2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study."
  3. III. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Teen Drivers and Passengers: Get the Facts."
  5. III. "Background on: Credit Scoring."
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Older Adult Drivers."
Jessica Martel
Jessica Martel

Jessica is a freelance writer, professional researcher, and mother of two rambunctious little boys. She specializes in personal finance, women and money, and financial literacy. Jessica is fascinated by the psychology of money and what drives people to make important financial decisions. She holds a Masters of Science degree in Cognitive Research Psychology.

Courtney Mikulski
Edited byCourtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
Courtney Mikulski
Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
  • 3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content

  • Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score

Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.

Featured in

media logomedia logo
Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Compare Car Insurance Quotes Instantly

Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.
Based on 3,806+ reviews
4.8/5
Shopper Approved
ProgressiveLiberty MutualAllstate

Latest Articles

View all