Car insurance discounts can cover a wide range of characteristics, from occupation to driving habits, even encompassing military status. Many insurers offer car insurance discounts for military and veterans as a thank you for their dedication and service. We’ve compiled a guide of the best discounts for our brave servicemen and women to help them save on their car insurance.
Key Takeaways
- Active-duty and retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces qualify for discounts on their auto insurance premiums.
- Storing your vehicle in a safe location during deployment can earn you a discount of up to 60%.
- TGS Insurance can help veterans and currently military personnel find military discounts for their auto insurance.
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Car Insurance Discounts for Military Personnel and Veterans
Many insurance providers offer car insurance discounts for military members and veterans. Each provider has their own discount, and amounts can vary based on location and personal driver characteristics. Here are a few providers that offer discounts or benefits for military personnel and veterans:
USAA
USAA is consistently considered the best option for military auto insurance. They only serve military-affiliated individuals, meaning active and retired Armed Forces members, and their families. On top of overall reduced rates, USAA offers two types of discounts for those with an upcoming deployment. First, if you store your vehicle in a safe location for the duration of your deployment, you could earn up to 60% off your car insurance. Additionally, if you garage your vehicle on-base while deployed, you could receive up to 15% off your car insurance.
GEICO
Geico offers a military discount of up to 15% to veterans, National Guardsmen, and reserve service members. Additionally, they offer an affinity discount to members of over 500 different military organizations, such as the Navy League of the United States (NLUS). In instances of emergency deployment, Geico offers an Emergency Deployment discount for those deployed to imminent danger pay areas. Federal employee discounts are also available for those currently employed or retired from a federal position, or affiliated with a federal employment group.
Progressive
While Progressive isn’t necessarily a military-focused insurance company, its use within military households has been growing. Progressive doesn’t offer a military-specific discount- aside from the state of Louisiana, where state law requires a 25% discount for military personnel- however, their flexible pricing and usage-based insurance programs offer great rates and sometimes cheaper prices compared to other insurers, even with a military discount. It’s ideal to shop around multiple providers to find the best prices for you.
Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual offers a military discount on the entire premium for active, retired, or reserved members of the United States armed forces. They also partner with the Military Benefit Association (MBA) to provide members with specialized auto insurance discounts not available to other customers. These military discounts can vary based on a number of factors, including your location and your individual driving habits. The best way to get an accurate discounted quote is to call and speak with an agent, ensuring you inquire about their military discount.
Who Qualifies for Military Car Insurance Discounts?
Eligibility for military discounts on auto insurance can vary from carrier to carrier, but for the most part, it includes those who have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces. This includes:
- Army
- Air Force
- Navy
- Marines
- Coast Guard
- Space Force
- National Guard & Reserve
Some providers also extend coverage or discounts to family members of current or retired military personnel. This typically includes the service member’s spouse and children. It’s best to get in touch with an agent to confirm you or your family’s eligibility.
How to Apply for a Military Discount
You don’t necessarily have to apply to receive a military discount. To acquire a military or veteran discount on your auto insurance:
- Confirm Your Eligibility: Be sure to confirm whether or not you qualify for a military discount. Some providers only offer discounts to veterans, while others offer discounts to only active-duty service members. Some, like USAA, extend coverage to military member’s family members, such as spouses and children. Ensure you meet the qualifications for their discount.
- Call Insurance Companies: The best way to find out how much a military discount can save you is to call insurance providers and speak with an agent. Each provider’s discount varies and premium rates differ, which means it’s best to shop around and get multiple quotes before making a final decision. Be sure to ask about their military discounts, as not every discount is applied automatically.
- Provide Proof of Service: Most, if not all, providers will require you to provide proof of service in order to apply a military discount to your policy. Depending on your status, this could be a VA Benefit Letter, letter of deployment, DD-214, NGB-22, discharge certificate, or a valid state-issued ID showing a veteran designation.
In the case of relocation, be sure to review your auto insurance policy to ensure you’re meeting the requirements of your new location, as insurance laws can vary, even domestically.
Additional Discounts Military Can Qualify For
Most auto insurance providers have a number of discounts in addition to a military discount that you can qualify for and stack together for maximum savings:
- Multi-policy discounts: Providers typically offer a discount when you purchase more than one policy with them. If you’re looking for home or renter’s insurance, bundling it with your auto insurance can save you money on your premium.
- Multi-car discounts: You can qualify for a multi-car discount when you insure more than one car under the same insurer or policy.
- Good driver discounts: The safer you drive, the more you can save. Insurers offer discounts for people who go a certain number of years without accidents or violations.
- Usage-based programs: Usage-based insurance is a good option for those who don’t drive often. This type of coverage charges you a flat monthly rate, and then a small fee for each mile driven, usually 6 to 8 cents. If you drive under the national average- about 13,500 miles- this is a great option to save money on car insurance.
- Safety & anti-theft devices: Some providers offer discounts for having safety and anti-theft devices installed in your vehicle. Having seatbelts and airbags in your car could automatically qualify you for a discount.
- Affinity discounts: Some insurers partner with organizations, associations, groups, or employers to provide members with exclusive discounts on their auto insurance premiums.
Be sure to ask your insurance provider about all available discounts. Not all discounts apply automatically, so inquiring directly is the best way to ensure you’re receiving as many savings as possible.
More Ways for Military to Save on Auto Insurance
There are a number of options beyond car insurance discounts for military to help save on your premium. If you’re going to be deployed, for instance, reducing or dropping certain auto coverages is a great way to save money on your premium. In most states, carrying the minimum liability insurance coverage is a requirement for any registered car. However, reducing or dropping the collision coverage can save you money on the overall premium. Opting for a comprehensive-only policy can also save you significantly while your vehicle is in storage. This ensures that your car retains coverage for any damages caused by weather, vandalism or theft, but you’re not paying for collision coverage while the car is in storage and not being driven.
Another way to save on your premium is to remove yourself from the policy altogether. If there is more than one person insured under your policy, removing yourself for the duration of your deployment can help lower the premium. Typically rates increase with the number of people on your policy, so taking your name off the policy can help reduce that price.
Please note that while cancelling your coverage outright might seem like the simplest solution for saving money, it is not recommended. This should be a very last resort. Cancelling a policy leads to a lapse in coverage, which leads to higher premium rates when you reinstate your auto insurance.
Discounts For Our Country’s Heroes
At TGS Insurance, we honor and thank those who have served in our armed forces. We believe your auto insurance shopping experience should be easy and rewarding. That’s why we take the hassle of insurance shopping out of your hands! TGS shops for you, searching for each and every discount you qualify for to maximize your savings, and ensure you get the best deal possible for your auto insurance. Call one of our agents today to learn how much you can save!
FAQs
Similarly to premium rates, the amount of a military discount can vary by location and driver characteristics. Depending on your location, you could save up to 25% on your auto insurance with a military discount.
Typically, military discounts are available to active, retired, or reserved members of the U.S. Armed Forces. This includes the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, and National Guard or Reserve. Eligibility can vary by insurer, so be sure to ask your agent if you qualify.
USAA, Geico, and Liberty Mutual are among some of the major providers that offer military auto insurance coverage and/or discounts. However, these are not the only providers that offer military discounts. To learn more about your provider and available discount options, get in touch with an agent today.
Yes! Most insurers allow you to combine discounts to help maximize savings on your auto insurance premium. This is also referred to as “stacking” discounts.
It’s not recommended to cancel your insurance outright during the duration of your deployment. This leads to a lapse in coverage, which in turn results in higher rates and possible violations, depending on your state’s insurance laws. Most states legally require you to carry at least liability insurance on your vehicle(s).
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