Military Car Insurance Discounts: Best Rates & Companies

Military members often qualify for special auto insurance discounts, which can help you save on your annual premium. Some insurers specifically cater to military households, like USAA, while others offer targeted discounts for active duty personnel, Reservists, veterans, or deployed service members.

This guide breaks down the best military auto insurance discounts, explains deployment-related coverage options, and covers important considerations for overseas assignments and PCS moves.

Best Military Car Insurance Discounts

Companies With Military Auto Insurance Discounts

Several major car insurers offer military auto insurance discounts, especially for those on active duty. General car insurance discounts, like bundling your policies and taking a defensive driving course, can help you save before and after deployment, and after leaving military service.

Here are some insurance companies to consider if you want to save money on your active duty car insurance or veteran auto insurance policy.

USAA

USAA offers two main military discounts on car insurance, including:

• Storing your vehicle during deployment (up to 60%)
• Garaging your car on a military base (up to 15%)

Additionally, USAA offers a variety of car insurance discounts that military families can take advantage of, including:

• Clean driving record
• Defensive driving course
• Multi-vehicle
• New vehicle
• Anti-theft device
• Driver education program
• Legacy customer
• Good student

USAA also has two telematics-based programs that could help you earn extra savings:

• USAA SafePilot Miles™ (up to 20% for low-mileage drivers).
• USAA SafePilot® (up to 40% for safe drivers)

GEICO

GEICO offers two discounts for eligible military service members:

• Military service (up to 15%)
• Deployed driver (up to 25%)

You can also earn a premium discount if you’re a member of one of the following military organizations:

• Association of the United States Army (AUSA)
• Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA)
• Navy League of the United States (NLUS)

In addition to these military discounts, GEICO customers can also earn the following discounts:

• Vehicle safety features (seat belts, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights)
• Anti-theft device
• New vehicle
• Clean driving record
• Defensive driving program
• Driver training course
• Good student
• Student away at school
• Federal employee
• Membership/employee group
• Multi-vehicle
• Multi-policy
• Homeowner
• Early shopper
• Online quote
• Paperless billing statements
• Pay in full
• Auto pay

Like many of the largest insurers, GEICO also offers a safe driver telematics program, called DriveEasy, which can help you save up to 25% on your premium.

Progressive

Progressive isn’t considered to be a military-focused insurer, but it has become increasingly popular among military households because of its flexible pricing and usage-based insurance programs.

Currently, Progressive only offers an active duty car insurance discount to military families living in Louisiana. If you qualify based on your location, you can save up to 25% on your policy.

However, Progressive offers a wide range of other car insurance discounts, including:

• Multi-policy
• Multi-vehicle
• Online quote
• Sign online
• Paperless billing statements
• Pay in full
• Auto pay
• Continuous insurance
• Good student
• Teen driver
• Distant student
• Homeowner

Progressive also has the Snapshot safe driver discount, where eligible customers can save an average of $322 when they demonstrate safe driving habits.

Can You Get Deployment Insurance Discounts?

In many cases, insurers offer deployment-specific discounts or allow reduced coverage while your vehicle is stored. The most common deployment insurance savings include:

• Vehicle storage: When a vehicle is stored and not driven, insurers may allow the owner to drop collision insurance or reduce liability coverage limits to save money.
• Emergency deployment: Several insurers, including GEICO, offer a discount to drivers who go on emergency deployment. The exact savings vary by insurer and state.
• Low mileage: The amount you drive often drops significantly during deployment. Updating mileage estimates can sometimes reduce premiums substantially.
• Coverage adjustments: Another way to lower your car insurance costs during deployment is to drop optional coverage, like accident forgiveness or roadside assistance, while you’re deployed.

Can You Pause Car Insurance During Deployment?

Most insurance companies won’t pause your car insurance during deployment. If your vehicle is registered (even if it’s in storage), you’re legally required to maintain at least a state minimum coverage policy with liability insurance.

While canceling your coverage might seem like an easy way to save money, it can have consequences in the future. Canceling your car insurance creates a lapse in coverage, which can lead to much higher insurance premiums when you get another policy.

Instead of canceling your policy, it’s best to ask your insurance company about vehicle storage discounts or other ways to save during deployment. An agent can probably help you find ways to reduce your premium while you’re deployed and not driving much.

How Does Car Insurance Work for Overseas PCS or Deployment?

Overseas assignments and PCS moves can create unique car insurance challenges.

For example, OCONUS assignments may involve shipping a vehicle overseas or purchasing a car abroad. Standard U.S. auto insurance policies don’t cover vehicles in other countries, so you’ll need to get a separate insurance policy.

Make sure you understand the insurance requirements of the country you’re moving to. Every country has unique auto insurance requirements, and the insurance system could be much different than U.S. car insurance laws.

If you’re planning to leave a vehicle stored in the U.S. during an overseas deployment, you’ll need to maintain coverage on the stored car. Oftentimes, you can reduce your coverage to comprehensive-only insurance to pay the lowest amount.

CONUS relocations and deployments are typically easier to navigate. As long as your current insurer operates in the state you’re moving to, you can probably keep your current policy. However, you might need to update your policy so it meets the minimum financial responsibility requirements in your new state.

Another thing to consider is how your insurance premium could change if you’re moving domestically. Car insurance rates differ significantly depending on where you live. If you’re moving from a small rural town to a large metropolitan area, for example, your car insurance premium could increase.

FAQ

Q: Can I keep car insurance on a stored vehicle during overseas deployment?

Yes. Many service members maintain comprehensive-only coverage on stored vehicles to protect against theft, weather damage, and other losses that can occur while the car is sitting in a garage or storage unit.

Q: Does PCS relocation affect insurance rates?

Yes, your location has a major impact on the cost of your auto insurance. A PCS move can increase or decrease rates depending on factors like the accident rate, number of uninsured drivers, and vehicle repair costs in your new location.

Q: Can military spouses qualify for military insurance discounts?

Sometimes. Several insurers extend discount eligibility to military spouses and dependent family members. However, the discount may only be available if the active duty service member is listed on the policy.

Q: Do insurers cover vehicles overseas for military members?

No, U.S. car insurance companies don’t cover vehicles in other countries. If you’re getting deployed OCONUS and bringing a vehicle with you, you’ll need to purchase a new car insurance policy from an insurer that operates in the country.

Q: Is USAA always the cheapest option for military families?

No. Although USAA is considered one of the best car insurance companies for affordability, it’s not necessarily the cheapest insurer for everyone in the military. To find the cheapest insurance for your situation, it’s a good idea to compare car insurance quotes from a few companies.

Q: Should I cancel insurance during deployment?

In most cases, canceling your car insurance during deployment isn’t advisable. Canceling your policy creates a lapse in coverage, which means you could pay more for car insurance when you get another policy. Additionally, canceling your coverage means that your vehicle isn’t protected against potential losses, like theft or weather damage.