Allstate vs. USAA
Which car insurance do consumers say is best?
Allstate and USAA each rank in the top five of the largest car insurance companies in the country. In 2017, Allstate accounted for 8.2 percent of the market (fourth largest insurance company) while USAA accounted for 5.7 percent of the car insurance market (fifth largest insurance company).
USAA has more of a niche approach as an insurer since they only sell policies to active and former military members and their families. However, both companies represent an insurance option for this demographic. The question is though, which car insurance company is preferred by consumers?
Before we dive into the metrics from the thousands of customer reviews of the fourth and fifth largest auto insurer in the business, you can find more information about Allstate and USAA below, such as how their competitive prices compare among different coverage options.
Jump to: Consumer ratings of Allstate and USAA
Allstate vs. USAA car insurance rates
Which car insurance company offers cheaper car insurance rates, Allstate or USAA? While the policy cost from each of the companies will vary by person and location, we've gathered national average car insurance rates to provide a comparison of Allstate and USAA.
In the table below, compare the average national car insurance rates for Allstate and USAA for three different driver profiles each for both male and female. Keep in mind these are only national averages for specific driver types. Your car insurance rates will differ from these depending on where you live, your age, your driving history, the coverages you choose, as well as other factors insurers typically examine to determine a cost estimate for an auto policy.
| Driver profile | Allstate average rates | USAA average rates |
|---|---|---|
| Male teen | $2,137 | $1,092 |
| Male adult | $1,819 | $1,120 |
| Male senior | $1,468 | $811 |
| Driver profile | Allstate average rates | USAA average rates |
|---|---|---|
| Female teen | $1,889 | $1,023 |
| Female adult | $1,759 | $1,106 |
| Female senior | $1,447 | $806 |
While collecting data to determine the national rates for Allstate and USAA drivers, we created three profiles for each male drivers and female drivers as a representative of different age groups. Teen profiles were created as an 18-year-old with minimum coverage and fair credit; the 35-year-old were created as single adults with 100/300/50 liability limits in addition to full coverage with $500 deductibles for collision and comprehensive, a good credit score and one driving violation in the past three years; and the senior driving profiles were created as a 65-year-old with 100/300/50 liability limits in addition to full coverage with $500 deductibles for collision and comprehensive, a good credit score and no driving violations in the previous three years. The rates were averaged across all states which data was able to be retrieved from. The rate data was provided by Quadrant Information Services.
Allstate overview
Over 16 millions consumers in the United State are served by Allstate and its network of captive agents. While the company is one of the larger companies in the country, it still manages to have a smaller-company feel due to its vast group of local insurance agents.
Drivewise is one of Allstate's unique offerings. Allstate Drivewise is a car tracking program that potentially qualifies its policyholders for a discount on their car insurance rate depending on their daily driving habits. Allstate customers can earn five percent cash back for starting the program, then are able to save up to 13 percent per six months if their data supports safe driving habits. You can find more information about Drivewise here.
Customers who are working either full time or as a side hustle for a transportation network company (TNC), such as Uber or Lyft, will be interested in Allstate's Ride for Hire program. This program offers to fills in the gaps between your personal policy and insurance offered by the TNC. Naturally there is an increase in the cost of your policy, however Allstate's website advertises this protection for as low as $15 to $20 per year.
Who doesn't like to get rewarded for safe driving? Customers are able to take advantage of Allstate's safe driving bonus which is one of the many auto insurance discounts designed to reward drivers with various ways to save on their insurance coverage. Every six months drivers go without an accident, they will receive a bonus check in the mail. In addition, customers may lower their deductible as the collision deductible is reduced by $100 on the day you sign up, then drops $100 each subsequent year you remain accident free (up to $500).
USAA overview
Active and former military members are eligible to buy insurance through USAA, which is highly rated among the Clearsurance community. In fact, USAA was rated as the top car insurance company for 2019 as well as the best homeowners and best renters insurance company for 2019.
USAA's accident forgiveness policy is one of the ways that USAA tries to help good drivers who are loyal to USAA save money. If you go five straight years with USAA accident free, then your premium won't increase after one at-fault accident. This additional feature may only be purchased in select states.
Driving for Uber, Lyft, or a similar company? USAA also offers rideshare insurance to help cover the gaps between your personal insurance policy and the coverage provided by the TNC you're driving for. USAA advertises you can get this additional coverage for as little as $6 per month when added to your policy.
Many USAA policyholders applaud the company for its excellent customer service. You can learn more about how USAA stacks up against Allstate by comparing the consumer ratings of these two companies in the table below.
How do consumers rate Allstate and USAA?
What discounts do Allstate and USAA offer?
Talk with an agent or visit the company’s website for a comprehensive list of all discounts you may qualify for.
For a comprehensive list of all discounts on your auto insurance policy that you may qualify for, talk with an agent or visit the provider's website. No doubt you will find there are more eligible discounts than the few we have mentioned above in each company's overview.
It's a good idea to keep in mind that the lowest insurance rate may not always be the coverage and customer service that you are looking for in your ideal auto insurance company. It's always a good idea to check out the customer service reviews or customer satisfaction ratings of any company that you may be interested in purchasing a policy from, regardless of how tempting the discounts on insurance may be.
