USAA vs. American Family: Which provider is better?

USAA vs. American Family

USAA has been proudly providing insurance for our military and their family members since 1922. Although American Family has been around for nearly as long, it isn’t quite the household name that USAA is. But don’t rule this smaller company out. American Family aims to gain the trust of its customers through top-notch customer service and protection.

Like American Family, USAA has a great reputation for customer service. The company gets an A+ from the Better Business Bureau and astounding 5 out of 5 rating from J.D. Power. Both companies also offer discounts to make car insurance more affordable, like USAA’s military discount and American Family’s defensive driver discount.

So which one should you choose? Take a look at our side-by-side comparison below, and you’ll get the info you need to pick the provider that best suits your needs.

	USAA	American Family
About the provider	Operating since 1922, USAA is a company that deals primarily with military members and their families. It offers a wide array of products ranging from car insurance, homeowners insurance, banking, investing and more.	For 90 years, American Family has worked hard to give quality rates and services. In addition to auto insurance, it offers home, life, business, and farm and ranch insurance with a strong commitment to protect its customers.
Price	Policy costs depend your personal situation. Visit USAA for a quote based on your specific needs.	Policy costs depend your personal situation. Visit American Family for a quote based on your specific needs.
States served	All 50 states	19
User satisfaction*	A+	B+
J.D. Power ratings**	5/5 on overall claims satisfaction	4/5 on overall claims satisfaction
Driver discounts	View driver discounts	View driver discounts
Vehicle discounts	View vehicle discounts	View vehicle discounts
	Read Review	Read Review

* Based on Better Business Bureau’s company rating ** Based on the 2016 U.S Auto Claims Satisfaction Study

Driver discounts

	USAA	American Family
Good student		Varies. Teen Safe Driver Discount + Generational Discount (18-24 with a parent who is an American Family customer)
Defensive driver		5-10% (55+, completed defensive driving course)
Good driver	good driving record for more than 5 years
Pay in full discount
Multicar
Military
Homeowner
Other discounts	Annual mileage discount – Only for those over the age of 29 Driver training discount – For drivers under 21	Loyalty discount Early-bird discount Steer into Savings discount Low mileage discount – Drive less than 7,500 miles per year Teen Safe Driver discount – Enroll teen in free program Young volunteer discount – Under 25, 40+ hours per year volunteering for non-profit Generational discount – 18-24 with a parent who is an American Family customer KnowYourDrive discount – Up to 40% on your car insurance (based on evaluation during KnowYourDrive periods)
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Vehicle discounts

	USAA	American Family
Anti-theft device
Anti-lock brake
Passive restraints	N/A
Air bag
Other discounts	New vehicle discount – Vehicles under 3 years old Vehicle storage – Up to 60% (only for stored cars being insured)	Auto safety equipment – 10-30%
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Bottom line

If you qualify for insurance through USAA, you can’t go wrong with its excellent customer service and dedication to meeting the financial needs of our military and their family. But keep in mind your personal situation when comparing USAA and American Family, because although one provider might offer more discounts than the other, those discounts might not apply to you.

Compare your car insurance options to find the best insurance company for you.