USAA vs. Erie: Which Is the Best? (2026)

USAA and Erie are insurance companies that target different consumer segments. USAA is a nationwide insurer with very affordable rates, but it’s only available to active-duty military members, veterans, and their immediate family members. Meanwhile, Erie offers an assortment of coverages, but it only serves a few states.

Before buying an insurance policy, it’s a good idea to compare online quotes, coverages, and company reputation to find the best car insurance company for you.

USAA vs. Erie: The verdict

USAA outshines Erie in various categories, receiving some of the highest scores for customer service and offering competitive rates with more discount opportunities. In contrast, where USAA falls short, Erie thrives, with Erie having a longer list of additional coverage options.

When it comes to accessibility, the “winning” auto insurance company depends on your circumstances and where you live. To apply with Erie, you’ll need to live in one of the eastern and central states. With USAA, you can qualify for coverage anywhere in the nation, but you need to be military-affiliated.

Factor	USAA	Erie
IQ Score	9.1	8.4
Customer satisfaction score	3.9	3.8
Average quote: liability only	$51	$69
Number of discounts	10	8
Number of states where it operates	50	12

Disclaimer: Table data is based on real-time quotes from Insurify’s network of 500+ insurance partners. Actual rates may vary depending on the policyholder’s individual profile and coverage needs.

• How Insurify rates insurance companies

  Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.

  We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

  • Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
  • Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 55,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
  • Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
  • Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
  • Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.

USAA

USAA is the fifth-largest auto insurance company in the United States based on 2023 market share data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).^[1]

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User Reviews	4.9 3,697 reviews
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.	9.1 /10
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.	$51/mo
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.	$103/mo

Details

Driver Reviews

4.9

Best choiceBased on 3,697 verified driver reviews and ratings

	USAA's score	Industry average
Coverage options	4.9	3.2
Customer service	4.8	3.6
Discounts	4.9	2.9
Policy transparency	4.9	3.1
Value	4.9	2.9

How drivers feel about USAA

Customers appreciate the insurer’s reliable customer service and claim handling but express concerns about high rates and frequent price increases. Some also find the insurer’s security protocols and communication methods frustrating.

Based on analysis of verified reviews collected by Insurify

---

Best For

Members of the military community

Outstanding customer service

Competitive rates

Showing recent national reviewsSee all 1,585 USAA reviews

William

Verified Review

Positive Feedback

Reviewed in Missouri on May 31, 2026

USAA has always been helpful and easy to work with.

Steve

Verified Review

They really try to help you if they can

Reviewed in New Mexico on May 30, 2026

That's the best car insurance you can buy, but it's very expensive.

Montrelle

Verified Review

Extremely satisfied

Reviewed in Louisiana on May 29, 2026

I have always had good experiences with Progressive. I would advise any friend to go with Progressive.

Our Advice

JD Power

J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.

739

NAIC Index

Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.

1.31

A.M. Best

A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).

A++

Erie

Erie received an overall rating of second place in the 2023 J.D. Power Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, which ranks companies based on the quality and efficiency of their claims handling.

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User Reviews	4.4 525 reviews
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.	8.4 /10
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.	$69/mo
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.	$125/mo

Details

Driver Reviews

4.4

Best choiceBased on 525 verified driver reviews and ratings

	Erie Insurance's score	Industry average
Coverage options	4.2	3.2
Customer service	3.6	3.6
Discounts	3.8	2.9
Policy transparency	4.0	3.1
Value	3.7	2.9

How drivers feel about Erie Insurance

Customers appreciate the insurer’s excellent customer service and quick claim handling but are dissatisfied with the unexpected and unexplained rate increases. Some also found the policy details hard to understand.

Based on analysis of verified reviews collected by Insurify

---

Best For

High customer satisfaction

Competitive rates

Optional coverages

Showing recent national reviewsSee all 235 Erie Insurance reviews

Regina

Verified Review

May the best company win

Reviewed in Ohio on May 25, 2026

Where I'm at is very good and satisfying. My daughter said I should check you out, so that's why I'm here. I do feel it's good to check out your options instead of going with the first company.

John

Verified Review

Need Better

Reviewed in New York on May 18, 2026

I just don’t think they give us a break on the price when insuring three vehicles. One of them is only on the road for 6 months as it’s a collector car.

Paul

Verified Review

Erie Insurance - Good coverage, very high cost!

Reviewed in Pennsylvania on April 29, 2026

Very expensive, shop around and you'll get a better price.

Our Advice

JD Power

J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.

700

NAIC Index

Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.

0.68

A.M. Best

A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).

A+

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Liability rates start as low as $43 per month

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USAA SafePilot vs. Erie YourTurn

USAA SafePilot and Erie YourTurn are telematics programs that reward good driving. Both insurance companies use telematics data from a mobile app on your smartphone to monitor your behavior on the road. After you meet driving requirements, the app generates a score, which determines the benefits you receive.

• USAA SafePilot: USAA’s SafePilot program rewards you with a 10% discount for enrolling and up to 30% off your personal auto policy based on your driving. One drawback of the app is that requirements apply. Policyholders must drive at least 325 miles and 16 hours to get a score and discount.

• Erie YourTurn: Erie’s YourTurn program doesn’t give policy discounts for good driving. Instead, you can redeem gift cards, get cash back, and donate to charity with the points you earn. Erie also enforces minimum driving thresholds. Participants must drive at least 50 miles during each two-week scoring period to qualify for rewards.

USAA vs. Erie: Which is the cheapest?

USAA’s national average rates are slightly cheaper than Erie’s, but both insurers offer cheaper rates than the nationwide average of $98 per month for liability coverage.

Remember, your personal quote varies based on important factors like your ZIP code, driving profile, age and gender, coverage amount, and more.^[2]

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

Drivers with a clean record pay lower rates because they’re less likely to file a claim. Good drivers can find the cheapest liability car insurance quotes with USAA.

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

Drivers with a moving violation, such as a speeding ticket, have an increased risk of engaging in reckless driving behavior and causing an accident. If you have a previous speeding violation, you’ll typically find cheaper liability rates with USAA.

USAA: Cheapest for teen drivers

Teen drivers pay some of the highest rates for auto insurance, as new drivers are more likely to cause an accident. Fortunately, young drivers may find cheaper options with USAA. Compare each company’s liability-only rates in the table below.

Erie: Cheapest for senior drivers

Senior drivers who are 70 and older may pay higher insurance premiums as age-related conditions increase the likelihood of an accident. If you’re a senior driver, you may qualify for slightly lower rates with Erie, though both companies have competitive liability-only rates for older drivers.

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

Drivers with bad credit experience elevated prices on their insurance bills. If you’re a driver with a low credit score, USAA is best for budget-friendly auto coverage.

Compare coverages: USAA vs. Erie

Erie and USAA differ in some of the types of insurance options they offer, but you can purchase basic coverage from both companies. This includes required coverages, such as liability insurance, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Both companies also provide full-coverage car insurance, which includes comprehensive and collision coverage.

Erie customers enjoy more unique coverage options than USAA policyholders. In addition, Erie’s standard policy includes coverages that most of its competitors offer at an extra fee, meaning more value for your dollar.

Coverage	USAA	Erie
Rental car reimbursement	Yes	Yes
Roadside assistance	Yes	Yes
Accident forgiveness	Yes	Yes (included)
New car replacement	Yes	Yes
Pet injury	No	Yes
Travel expenses	No	Yes
Rate lock	No	Yes (included)

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Compare discounts: USAA vs. Erie

Consider discounts when comparison shopping.^[3] An auto insurance policy from USAA already offers low rates to various drivers, and its discount opportunities can lower your insurance rates even more. As the table below demonstrates, USAA has more discounts than Erie:

Discount	USAA	Erie
Clean driving record	Yes	No
Defensive driving course	No	No
Multi-policy	Yes	Yes
Multi-car	Yes	Yes
Low mileage	No	No
Telematics (safe driving app)	Yes	Yes
Anti-theft device	Yes	Yes
New car	Yes	No
Military/affiliation	No	No (but offers a discount for keeping your car on a military base)
Good student	Yes	No
Loyalty	Yes	No
Auto-pay	Yes	No
Student away at school	No	Yes
Homeowner	No	No
Alternative fuel	No	No

USAA vs. Erie FAQs