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USAA ranks fifth overall in Consumer Reports’ 2026 auto insurance ratings and carries the publication’s Recommended designation, with 79 percent of its policyholders completely or very satisfied. For seniors, USAA ranks first in Consumer Reports’ survey, with 86 percent completely or very satisfied. For households earning under $50,000 a year, USAA ties for first at 79 percent. No other nationwide insurer matches that combination of ratings, which is why USAA leads nearly every best-insurance list it is eligible for.
There is one catch, and it decides everything else in this post: only active military members, veterans, and their families can buy USAA insurance. If you qualify, USAA is usually the cheapest and highest rated option available to you. If you do not, none of the numbers below apply, and you need a different carrier. This post covers what Consumer Reports actually found, what USAA costs, what customers report across every major rating system, and who should look elsewhere.
What does Consumer Reports say about USAA insurance?
Consumer Reports’ annual auto issue, published in April 2026, ranks 36 car insurers based on a survey of 40,566 U.S. policyholders and 50,129 responses about their current and previous insurers. The survey measures seven areas: premiums, claims settlements, breadth of coverage, policy clarity, help and advice on policy choices, thoroughness of policy reviews, and customer service unrelated to claims. USAA Group ranks fifth overall and earns Consumer Reports’ Recommended designation. It is the only insurer operating in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. that earns a strong recommendation from Consumer Reports.
The four insurers ahead of USAA are all regional: Erie Insurance Group first, NJM Insurance Group second, Amica Mutual Group third, and NYCM Insurance Group fourth. The Cincinnati Insurance Companies rank sixth. Consumer Reports notes that USAA policyholders give the company above-average scores for customer service, thoroughness of policy reviews, advice on policy decisions, clarity of policy options, claims help, and coverage choices. USAA did not receive a perfect score in any single category, but it is strong across all of them, which is what puts it fifth overall.
Two details from the survey deserve attention. First, USAA policyholders surveyed by Consumer Reports reported median savings of $584 a year, which explains why USAA ties for first among policyholders earning under $50,000 a year. Second, USAA was rated unfavorably on premiums by Consumer Reports respondents, even though its actual prices are among the lowest in the country. That contradiction is common in satisfaction surveys: drivers judge premiums against what they paid last year, not against the market, so a carrier can be both cheap and resented for raising rates.
| Consumer Reports ranking | Company | Overall position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie Insurance Group | First overall | Regional, not in every state |
| 2 | NJM Insurance Group | Second | Mid-Atlantic regional |
| 3 | Amica Mutual Group | Third | 79 percent completely or very satisfied |
| 4 | NYCM Insurance Group | Fourth | Regional |
| 5 | USAA Group | Recommended | Only nationwide insurer recommended |
| 6 | The Cincinnati Insurance Companies | Sixth | Recommended |
Consumer Reports’ full ratings are behind a paywall, so the figures above come from the publication’s own summary reporting and from outlets that covered the April 2026 issue. A separate Consumer Reports-derived comparison puts USAA second overall with a claims satisfaction score of 741 out of 1,000, behind Erie at 743. The two rankings use different cuts of the same survey data, which is why the order shifts slightly. Either way, USAA sits in the top five.
How much does USAA car insurance cost?
USAA is the cheapest major auto insurer in the country for the drivers who qualify. Insurify’s November 2026 data puts USAA at $53 a month for a clean-record driver, against a $99 a month national average. The gap holds across driver profiles: a driver with a speeding ticket pays $70 a month at USAA against $127 nationally, a driver with an at-fault accident pays $73 against $133, a driver with a DUI pays $76 against $142, and a teen driver pays $96 against $186. In every profile, USAA costs roughly half the national average.
CarInsurance.com’s August 2026 data tells the same story on an annual basis: USAA averages $1,628 a year for full coverage for a 40 year old driver, the lowest in its dataset, against $3,207 a year at Farmers, the highest. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive insurer in that dataset is $1,579 a year for the same driver. A separate comparison using Quadrant Information Services data puts USAA at $123 a month for full coverage, still the lowest in its table.
| Driver profile | USAA monthly average | National average | USAA savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean record | $53 | $99 | 46 percent below average |
| Speeding ticket | $70 | $127 | 45 percent below average |
| At-fault accident | $73 | $133 | 45 percent below average |
| DUI | $76 | $142 | 46 percent below average |
| Teen driver | $96 | $186 | 48 percent below average |
Those figures are Insurify’s November 2026 averages, and your own quote will differ by state, car, and record. USAA’s own discounts stack on top: a good student discount, a safe driver discount, a discount for garaging a vehicle on a military installation, a discount for storing a vehicle at an approved location during deployment, and bundling discounts for home and auto. The deployment storage discount is unusual in the industry and reflects USAA’s military focus: a service member who stores a car while deployed can cut the premium sharply for the storage period.
Our guide to the cheapest car insurance companies in 2026 shows where USAA sits against the national carriers for drivers who cannot buy it, and our guide to best car insurance for young drivers with full coverage covers the teen-driver lane, where USAA’s $96 a month is less than half the national average for a new driver.
How does USAA compare on customer satisfaction and complaints?
USAA’s satisfaction scores are strong in every survey that measures them, but the complaint data is more mixed, and the gap between the two is worth understanding. J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, released June 9, 2026 and based on 52,216 customers surveyed from April 2025 through April 2026, gives USAA a score of 727 out of 1,000, well above the industry average of 669. J.D. Power does not officially rank USAA on its leaderboards because eligibility is limited to military members and families, so the score is reported as a benchmark rather than a ranking. A separate averaging of J.D. Power’s regional scores puts USAA at 724, still far above the industry average.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners complaint index tells a different story. The index compares an insurer’s complaints with what you would expect for its size, with 1.00 as average, below 1.00 meaning fewer complaints than expected, and above meaning more. Compilations of NAIC data put USAA’s auto complaint index anywhere from 0.52 to 1.18 depending on the year and the grouping used, which means USAA sits somewhere between well below average and slightly above average on complaints. The honest reading is that USAA’s complaint record is near the industry average, not exceptional in either direction, which is the weak spot in an otherwise strong profile.
The Better Business Bureau adds a third view, and it is the least flattering. The BBB gives USAA an A- rating as a business, but its customer review average is 1.26 out of 5 stars, based on more than a thousand reviews from customers who had complaints about service when they needed the company most. BBB reviews skew negative by design, since satisfied customers rarely write BBB reviews, so the 1.26 star average says more about who writes BBB reviews than about USAA’s overall service. But it does show that when USAA fails a customer, the failure tends to involve claims delays or denials, which is also the most common complaint theme in WalletHub user reviews.
| Rating system | USAA score | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Reports 2026 | 5th of 36, Recommended | Policyholder satisfaction survey, 40,566 respondents |
| Consumer Reports, seniors | 1st, 86 percent satisfied | Satisfaction among policyholders 65 and older |
| J.D. Power 2026 | 727 out of 1,000 | Overall satisfaction, industry average 669 |
| AM Best | A++ Superior | Financial strength, highest possible tier |
| NAIC complaint index | 0.52 to 1.18 by compilation | Complaints vs expected for company size |
| Better Business Bureau | A- business rating, 1.26 out of 5 customer stars | Business practices and customer reviews |
Financial strength is not in doubt. AM Best rates USAA A++ Superior, the highest possible tier, which means claims get paid even in catastrophic loss years. USAA is the fifth-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States, with about 6 percent market share, and it writes auto insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Our guide to car insurance discounts for students, military, and seniors covers the military discounts in detail, including the ones only USAA offers.
What coverage and discounts does USAA offer?
USAA offers the standard auto coverages: liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured and underinsured motorist, personal injury protection where required, and medical payments. It also offers the extras that matter for military life: rental reimbursement, roadside assistance, and accident forgiveness. The coverage that sets USAA apart is not a policy feature but a service model: most business is done by phone and online, with no local agent offices, which keeps costs down and is also the most common complaint from drivers who want a face-to-face agent.
USAA also writes homeowners, renters, life, and umbrella insurance, and bundling home and auto is one of its larger discounts. The company was founded in 1922 in San Antonio, Texas, by Army officers, and it still operates as a member-owned association rather than a publicly traded company. That structure is part of why its prices run low: there are no outside shareholders taking a cut of the premium.
Who can buy USAA insurance, and who should look elsewhere?
USAA auto insurance is available only to active duty military members, veterans who received an honorable discharge, and their eligible family members, including spouses, widows and widowers, and children. Cadets and midshipmen at the service academies also qualify. Civilians with no military connection cannot buy a USAA policy at any price, which is why J.D. Power does not rank the company on its leaderboards and why every best-insurance list carries an asterisk next to USAA’s name.
If you qualify, the decision is simple: get a USAA quote before you quote anyone else, because USAA is the cheapest and highest rated option for most eligible drivers. If you do not qualify, the closest alternatives in the 2026 data are Erie, Amica, and NJM, all of which rank above USAA in Consumer Reports’ survey but are regional, and State Farm and Travelers, which are nationwide and score well in J.D. Power’s study. Our what is full coverage car insurance guide explains the coverage levels to quote when you compare them.
One more check for eligible drivers: USAA is not always cheapest in every state. Its prices are low on average, but regional carriers can beat it in specific states, and a driver with a DUI or multiple violations may find a high-risk specialist cheaper. The rule is the same as for every carrier: get three quotes, compare identical limits, and let the numbers decide. USAA wins most of those comparisons. It does not win all of them.
Is USAA worth it if you qualify?
Yes, for most eligible drivers. Consumer Reports ranks USAA fifth of 36 insurers and first for seniors, J.D. Power scores it 727 out of 1,000 against a 669 industry average, AM Best rates it A++ Superior, and its prices run about half the national average across every driver profile in Insurify’s November 2026 data. The complaint record is the one soft spot: NAIC compilations put it near the industry average rather than below it, and BBB customer reviews average 1.26 out of 5 stars. Those are real weaknesses, but they sit next to satisfaction scores that no other nationwide insurer matches.
The honest summary is that USAA is the best deal in American car insurance for the people who can buy it, and it is not available to most people. If you served, or your parent or spouse served, check your eligibility before you renew with anyone else. The quote takes ten minutes, and the savings in the data run to about $584 a year in median reported savings and roughly $46 a month against the national average for a clean-record driver.
Key takeaways
Consumer Reports ranks USAA fifth of 36 auto insurers in 2026 and first for seniors, with 79 percent of policyholders completely or very satisfied. USAA costs about $53 a month for a clean-record driver, roughly half the $99 national average, and it leads every driver profile in Insurify’s November 2026 data. J.D. Power scores it 727 out of 1,000, well above the 669 industry average, and AM Best rates it A++ Superior. The weak spots are a near-average NAIC complaint record and poor BBB customer reviews. Only active military, veterans, and their families can buy it.
Frequently asked questions
What does Consumer Reports say about USAA insurance?
Consumer Reports ranks USAA fifth of 36 auto insurers in its April 2026 annual auto issue and gives it a Recommended designation. The ranking is based on a survey of 40,566 policyholders. USAA ranks first for seniors, with 86 percent completely or very satisfied, and ties for first among households earning under $50,000 a year at 79 percent. It is the only nationwide insurer that earns a strong Consumer Reports recommendation.
How much does USAA car insurance cost per month?
USAA averages $53 a month for a clean-record driver in Insurify’s November 2026 data, against a $99 a month national average. A driver with a speeding ticket averages $70 a month, with an at-fault accident $73, with a DUI $76, and a teen driver $96. CarInsurance.com’s data puts USAA full coverage at $1,628 a year, the lowest in its dataset. Your own quote depends on your state, car, and record.
Can anyone buy USAA insurance?
No. USAA auto insurance is available only to active duty military members, veterans with an honorable discharge, and their eligible family members, including spouses, widows and widowers, and children. Civilians with no military connection cannot buy a USAA policy. That limited eligibility is why J.D. Power does not officially rank USAA on its leaderboards.
Is USAA better than GEICO or Progressive?
For eligible drivers, usually yes. USAA costs less than GEICO and Progressive in every driver profile in Insurify’s November 2026 data, and it scores higher than both in J.D. Power’s 2026 study and in Consumer Reports’ survey. GEICO and Progressive are the best alternatives for drivers who cannot buy USAA, and either can be cheaper than USAA in a specific state or for a specific driver, so compare quotes.
What is USAA’s J.D. Power score?
USAA scores 727 out of 1,000 in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, well above the industry average of 669. J.D. Power does not officially rank USAA because eligibility is limited to military members and families. A separate averaging of J.D. Power’s regional scores puts USAA at 724. Either figure places USAA far above the industry average for customer satisfaction.
Does USAA have a lot of complaints?
USAA’s complaint record is near the industry average, not exceptional in either direction. Compilations of NAIC complaint data put USAA’s auto complaint index between 0.52 and 1.18 depending on the year and grouping, against a 1.00 average. The Better Business Bureau gives USAA an A- business rating but a 1.26 out of 5 star customer review average, which reflects complaints about claims delays and denials. Satisfaction surveys tell a better story than the complaint data does.
