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What are the requirements for USAA?

How do I know if I qualify for USAA?

Jan 16, 2018 Seguin, TX

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Ava Lynch

Insurance Analyst

Ava joined The Zebra as a writer and licensed insurance agent in 2016. She now works as a senior insurance contributor, providing insights and data a…

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  • 7+ years of Experience in the Insurance Industry

Thanks for reaching out to The Zebra!

This is a fairly common question, as USAA is well-known for its customer service and often lower-than-average insurance rates. The downside is that USAA requires its members to be active, retired, or honorably separated officers of the U.S. military. Suppose you're not directly affiliated with the military. In that case, you can qualify if your parent is a USAA member or you're a spouse of a USAA member (including former spouse or widowed individuals). These rules can change, so it's best to go through USAA's quote process and enter your specific information to see if you qualify.

Luckily, if you don't qualify for USAA, it doesn't mean there isn't an insurance carrier that fits your needs. One of the options I most frequently recommend to folks is to check into options from lesser-known, or smaller, regional insurance companies.

Here are some good examples of the best regional carriers according to our customer satisfaction survey:

  • Erie, for drivers in the Northeast or Southeast part of the country, has fantastic ratings for both customer service and claims service and is consistently rated in The Zebra's Top 5 in multiple categories.
  • Wawanesa is available to drivers in California and Oregon and offers car, renters, homeowners, and condo owners insurance (and a variety of discounts).
  • CSAA Insurance Group (a AAA insurer) offers policies in 23 states. AAA offers additional perks for members (on many things, from dining out to pet insurance).
  • Farm Bureau has affiliates in all 50 states, and is membership-based, offering additional products and discounts (such as hotel and rental car) to members. Take a look at the Texas Farm Bureau page to get a sense of what they can offer you.

Whether you want to look further into rates for USAA or want to take a look at other prospective insurance companies, give our knowledgeable agents a call at 888-255-4364 or easily compare auto insurance rates online.

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