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As a military member, you may have unique needs that make looking for auto insurance a challenge. While the best insurance company that offers a military discount is GEICO — which offers discounts to those deployed in an emergency — many other companies provide auto insurance for military members and veterans.

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Key Takeaways

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Some providers offer car insurance discounts for current and former military members and their families.

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If cost savings is your priority, USAA offers the cheapest options, and their plans are only available to military members and their families.

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GEICO offers the best auto insurance discounts for military members and veterans.

Which Companies Offer Military Discounts for Car Insurance?

GEICO, Farmers and Liberty Mutual are some of the most widely available insurance companies that offer military discounts. Many regional companies also provide discounts to service members and those that don’t often offer easier cancellation processes for active service members who get deployed. Many companies have beneficial car insurance packages for military members.

Companies that Offer Military Discounts
Company
Available Discount Description

API

Armed Forces Insurance is similar to USAA in that it grants policies
exclusively to military members.

Alfa

Alfa offers an incentive of $500 for active service members and
veterans

American Family

For all active duty members, reserves, veterans and first responders
of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and
the National Guard, American Family Safety offers a 15% discount.

Arbella

Through their MIlitary Away discount, Arabella grants a 10%
discount for drivers deployed more than 100 miles from where their
car is garaged.

Direct Auto

Direct Auto offers up to 25% discounts on key auto insurance
coverages. This only applies to active service members who can
provide a copy of their current orders or other documentation. This
discount is only offered in Alabama, Florida and Louisiana.

Direct General

Direct General offers discounts to active service members who can
provide a copy of their current orders or any other acceptable
documentation that can prove so.

Esurance

For military members called into active duty, Esurance offers the
ability to cancel a policy without penalty while on deployment.

Farm Bureau –
Kentucky

Drivers from the United States Armed Forces are eligible for a
discount from Farm Bureau in Kentucky if they take an approved
defensive driving course. They do not offer this discount for
someone who completed the course under a court order.

Farmers

Farmers offers discounts to those in the military, including active
duty, active reserves, retired and honorably discharged military
veterans.

Freeway

Freeway offers a military discount to active-duty and retired service
members. Members of the Reserves and National Guard are also
eligible for the military discount.

GEICO

  • GEICO’s Emergency Deployment discount offers savings for drivers
    deployed in an emergency. To qualify for this benefit, you must have
    received orders to deploy to one of the designated DOD areas, and
    your vehicle must be stored in any of their garage protection plans.
  • Military members can get a discount of up to 15% on total insurance
    premiums.
  • GEICO offers discounts to members of the Association of the United
    States Army (AUSA), Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA),
    Navy League of the United States (NLUS) or the Navy Federal
    Credit Union (NFCU).

Kemper

Active duty military and National Guard members are eligible for a
military discount with Kemper.

Liberty Mutual

Active duty, retired or reserved military drivers are eligible for a
discount on their auto insurance policies at Liberty Mutual.

Shelter

Shelter provides discounts to active military members and their
families based in Louisiana.

USAA

Aside from offering policies exclusive to military members, USAA
also grants discounts to military members who garage their vehicles
on base.

Best Auto Insurance Companies With Military Discounts

Based on MoneyGeek’s analysis, GEICO is the best insurance company that offers a military discount.

Best Overall: GEICO

GEICO

pros

Has several common discounts to help lower premiums

Offers a military discount of up to 15% on your total premium

Has a dedicated military phone number for service members

cons

Does not offer unique military coverages

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

GEICO offers cheap policies and a variety of discounts to help drivers lower their premiums. For military members, they offer two discounts: an emergency deployment benefit and a general military discount.

  • Military Discount: If you are an active duty or retired military member, you can be eligible for a discount of up to 15%.
  • Emergency Deployment Discount: You can be eligible for a discount if you get deployed due to an emergency to one of the DOD designated areas.
  • Membership Discount: GEICO offers discounts for members of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA), Navy League of the United States (NLUS) or the Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU).
Read MoneyGeek's GEICO Auto Insurance Review

Cheapest Overall: USAA

USAA

pros

Offers exclusive policies for military members at the most affordable rates

Has a discount for customers who store their vehicles on base

Has a high customer satisfaction rating

cons

Offers policies only to military members and their families

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

USAA offers insurance policies exclusively to active or retired military members and their families. While they do not technically offer military-specific discounts, their policies for service members often come at significantly lower rates than their competitors. Since all their products are geared towards those in the military, you can be sure their services have your needs in mind.

Read MoneyGeek's USAA Auto Insurance Review
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MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

Most companies that offer military discounts on their car insurance policies require that you be an active service member, retired or honorably discharged veteran. It’s important to be wary of financial scams meant for military members. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it’s best to avoid giving any personal, financial or medical information until you’re sure the company is legitimate.

Who Can Obtain Military Discounts for Car Insurance?

While military discounts are typically available for military members, different insurers have varying rules on eligibility. To determine whether you qualify, you can ask your insurance provider about their requirements.

Review the list below to see who typically qualifies for a military discount.

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    Currently enlisted and active-duty members of the armed forces (Including national guard members).

    Active-duty members of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and National Guard are qualified for military discounts. Some insurers may require a letter of deployment or a similar document to qualify for discounts.

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    Retired or honorably discharged military members.

    Retired or honorably discharged military members from any of the U.S. armed forces may qualify for military discounts. Different insurers have different rules and options.

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    U.S. service academy members, advance ROTC and ROTC scholarships.

    Those in U.S. service academies may be eligible for military discounts on car insurance provided they show their academy appointment letter or ROTC contract.

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    Officer candidates within 24 months of commissioning.

    Any officer within 24 months of commissioning may qualify for a military discount, but they may have to provide the necessary documents.

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    Family members, including wives, widows, widowers and children.

    Immediate family of military members are often eligible for military discounts. Some insurers may require you to provide proof of relationship.

How to Get a Military Discount on Your Car Insurance

To qualify for a military discount, most insurers will require you to provide a government-issued ID and/or a document proving that you are part of the armed forces.

While the requirements vary based on your insurer, most providers follow a similar process for their military discounts.

1

Talk to your insurer.

Ask your insurer if they offer any military discounts and the requirements. Some companies may not display their offers on their website, but they are likely to let you know how much you can save if you talk to an agent.

2

Prepare a government-issued picture ID and military documentation.

Requirements can vary from insurer to insurer, but most require a government-issued picture ID and/or a military document to prove your armed forces status.

You may need to provide one of the following:

  • DD-214 Discharge document
  • Academy appointed letter or ROTC contract
  • Active-duty military orders
  • Leaving and earning statement
  • NGB-22 National Guard discharge

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a few of the most frequently asked questions on military discounts for car insurance.

About Margaret Wack


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Margaret Wack is a freelance writer who covers insurance, saving, investing, banking, and more. Margaret earned a bachelor's degree in classics, comparative literature, and poetry from Smith College and a master's degree from St. John's College.