Farmers vs. USAA: Which Is the Best? (2025)
USAA’s low auto insurance rates and excellent customer satisfaction ratings make it a better choice than Farmers for military members, veterans, and their families.
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Written byLindsay Frankel
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Lindsay FrankelInsurance Writer
5+ years in auto insurance and personal finance writing
Featured in top personal finance publications
Lindsay is a widely published creator of auto insurance content. She also specializes in real estate, banking, credit cards, and other personal finance topics.
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Edited byCourtney Mikulski
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Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
Over 3 years of experience producing content on insurance and personal finance.
Key architect of Insurify's quality score.
Courtney's deep knowledge of personal finance goes beyond insurance and includes credit cards, consumer loans, and banking. She loves creating practical content.
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Data reviewed byKonstantin Halachev
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7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
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Table of contents
Farmers and USAA offer various coverage options nationwide, but USAA stands out for its high J.D. Power ratings and other customer satisfaction scores, its top financial strength rating from AM Best, and its relatively affordable rates. But USAA only offers auto policies to military members, veterans, and their families.
Farmers’ national average premiums are more expensive than USAA’s, and the company doesn’t score as highly in Insurify’s analysis, but it may be a good fit for some non-military drivers. It’s important to compare personalized quotes, coverage options, and available discounts to help find the best car insurance company for you.
Farmers vs. USAA: The verdict
USAA auto insurance earned high ratings in multiple J.D. Power studies, has the top financial strength rating from AM Best, and has some of the lowest average car insurance premiums. But USAA membership is only available to pre-commissioned officers, military members and veterans, and their immediate family members.
Farmers, on the other hand, is more than twice as expensive as USAA on average, and the company has below-average J.D. Power rankings in some regions. But it offers a much longer list of car insurance discounts and is available to drivers nationwide, regardless of their military affiliation.
Overall, USAA is a better car insurance company, but only drivers in the military community are eligible for its membership. Farmers is still a solid option for car insurance for non-military drivers. The table below shows how Farmers and USAA compare.
Factor  | Farmers | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Insurify Quality (IQ) Score | 8.5 | 9.1 |
| Customer satisfaction score | 3.3 | 4.2 |
| Average quote: liability only | $110 | $52 |
| Number of available discounts | 22 | 10 |
| Number of states where it operates | 50 | 50 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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.
Farmers
Farmers is one of the top-10 largest car insurance companies, with a 4.6% market share as of 2022.[1] The company offers a highly rated mobile app, holds an average rating for claims satisfaction with J.D. Power, and has a low complaint rate with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
| User Reviews | 3.8 |
|---|---|
| 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. | 8.5 /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. | $110/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. | $213/mo |
3.8
A solid optionBased on 2,362 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Farmers
Customers appreciate the helpful agents and good initial quotes but dislike the consistent rate increases and lack of senior discounts. Some also reported issues with claim handling and communication.
AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Bundling discounts
Minimum coverage
Safe drivers
How drivers feel about Farmers
Customers appreciate the helpful agents and good initial quotes but dislike the consistent rate increases and lack of senior discounts. Some also reported issues with claim handling and communication.
AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Bundling discounts
Minimum coverage
Safe drivers
Reviews (1,114)
Joe
Verified Review
A Bit of a Communication Issue with Farmers
Reviewed in Missouri on November 2025
It's been a bit difficult lately to directly contact the agent who initially signed me up and saved me a lot of money on my home insurance bundled with my auto insurance. The office assistant got me insurance for a new vehicle recently, but I think the rate is too high. I am going to attempt to get through to the agent I used initially. It could be just the issue of using the phone instead of a direct email to the person I am referring to.
Larry
Verified Review
Car Insurance Choices
Reviewed in Nebraska on November 2025
In my opinion, Farmer's best trait is they really do listen to what you tell them and try to do it.
Marcelo
Verified Review
The cost is too high for the amount of coverage compared to Progressive Insurance. Also, Farmers never sends out insurance cards to show we have insurance. You have to call Farmers to get them. That's one of the main reasons I am changing insurance companies. I don't understand this; if you're paying for insurance, the insurance company should send your insurance cards in due time. Why do we, the customers, have to pester Farmers to send them to us by email? As of today, I don't have my insurance card, and it's been 3 months now. I am paying for nothing. The only proof I have of insurance is the amount they take out of my bank account every month.
Reviewed in Texas on November 2025
The cost is too high for the amount of coverage compared to Progressive Insurance. Also, Farmers never sends out insurance cards to show we have insurance. You have to call Farmers to get them. That's one of the main reasons I am changing insurance companies. I don't understand this; if you're paying for insurance, the insurance company should send your insurance cards in due time. Why do we, the customers, have to pester Farmers to send them to us by email? As of today, I don't have my insurance card, and it's been 3 months now. I am paying for nothing. The only proof I have of insurance is the amount they take out of my bank account every month.
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
619NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
3.28A.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).
AWhy we picked this company
Farmers Insurance sells policies in 42 states, and its more than 30 insurance offerings include auto, home, renters, earthquake, life, business, and pet insurance. Farmers has more than 20 auto insurance discount options, providing many ways drivers can save on premiums. Drivers can qualify for discounts by bundling policies, paying in full, being accident-free for five years, installing anti-theft devices, and taking a defensive driving course, among other things. Farmers also receives fewer customer complaints than the market average with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Pros
Many auto insurance discounts
Robust roadside assistance program
Offers customized equipment coverage add-on
Cons
Lower customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power
Tends to have higher premiums than some competitors
Not available in every state
USAA
USAA is a members-only insurance company that only provides coverage to military families and veterans and holds 5.9% of the market share in direct premiums written.[1] The insurer has relatively affordable car insurance rates, along with particularly valuable discounts for military members. It also has high J.D. Power customer satisfaction ratings in every region.[2]
| User Reviews | 4.9 |
|---|---|
| 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. | $52/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. | $99/mo |
4.9
Best choiceBased on 2,433 verified guest reviews and ratings
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.
AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Members of the military community
Outstanding customer service
Competitive rates
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.
AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Members of the military community
Outstanding customer service
Competitive rates
Reviews (1,320)
Dennon
Verified Review
Top Notch Company
Reviewed in Florida on December 2025
Excellent in all respects. I've been with USAA for over 5 years and haven't had a single issue.
Richard
Verified Review
Really good
Reviewed in Kansas on December 2025
The cheapest insurance I can find. Others are over 100 bucks a month more.
Marcus
Verified Review
Expanded Customer Base Affected Rates
Reviewed in Florida on December 2025
Average. Ever since they expanded to all military members, the rates have increased from $100 per month for my three cars to $400 a month.
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
739NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
1.31A.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++Why we picked this company
USAA exclusively serves current and former members of the military and their immediate families and is still the seventh-largest insurance company in the U.S. by market share. USAA offers banking, investing, and retirement services in addition to numerous insurance products, including auto, homeowners, renters, and more. Auto policyholders can qualify for discounts for bundling, insuring multiple vehicles, and living on a military base. AM Best gives USAA an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating, and the insurer ranked best in most regions in J.D. Power’s Overall Customer Satisfaction Index.
Pros
High customer satisfaction
Low premiums
SafePilot program rewards good driving with up to 30% discount
Cons
Only available to active-duty military, veterans, military spouses, or children of service members or veterans
No 24/7 customer phone support
Customer reviews are mixed for service and claims processing
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Farmers’ Signal vs. USAA SafePilot
Farmers and USAA have telematics programs that encourage safe driving and may help good drivers save money.
Farmers’ Signal is a mobile app that evaluates your driving behavior. If you adhere to the speed limit, practice safe braking, and avoid using your phone while driving, you could potentially save money when your policy renews. However, risky driving can also raise your premium. The app includes a safety feature, CrashAssist, which can detect an accident and call for emergency help.
Unlike Signal, there’s no risk of increasing your premiums when you enroll in USAA SafePilot. The SafePilot app also has crash detection and logs your trips and monitors your driving habits. You can get a discount of up to 10% on your policy just for signing up. Depending on your driving behavior, you may also receive a discount of up 30% when you renew your policy.
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Usage-Based Insurance: Benefits, Drawbacks and How It Works
Farmers vs. USAA: Which is the cheapest?
Based on national premium data, USAA is significantly cheaper than Farmers. USAA charges an average monthly premium of just $52 for liability coverage and $99 for full coverage, while Farmers charges an average of $110 and $213, respectively.
You may pay less if you’re eligible for discounts at either company, and your personal car insurance premiums also depend on factors like your age, location, driving history, and sometimes your credit score. Also remember that the right insurance policy for you depends on more than just price. You’ll also want to consider the company’s reputation and your specific needs.
USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record
Whether you buy liability-only insurance or pay for comprehensive and collision coverage as well, you’ll likely pay a lot less for a policy from USAA. Farmers charges drivers with a clean record more than double what USAA charges, on average.
Driver Type | Farmers | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $110 | $52 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket
A speeding ticket on your record can raise your auto insurance premiums because it shows insurance companies that you’ve engaged in risky driving behavior. Both companies charge higher monthly premiums to high-risk drivers, but Farmers’ rates are more than double USAA’s rates.
Driver Type | Farmers | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers with a speeding ticket | $140 | $67 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
USAA: Cheapest for teen drivers
Because young drivers have less experience on the road and higher accident rates, they pay more for car insurance than other age groups.[3] Teen drivers pay especially high average rates for Farmers’ coverage, while USAA auto insurance rates for 18-year-olds are much cheaper.
Driver Type | Farmers | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| 18-year-old | $231 | $97 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
USAA: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit
In most states, auto insurers use credit-based insurance scores as one factor in determining your premium. If you have a good credit score, you may get cheaper rates. But drivers with bad credit pay more expensive rates because insurance companies believe they’re more likely to file a claim.[4]
On average, drivers with poor credit pay more than double the premium for a policy with Farmers than with USAA.
Driver Type | Farmers | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers with bad credit | $134 | $62 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
USAA: Cheapest for senior drivers
While car insurance rates typically decrease with age, premiums can increase for drivers in their 70s due to a higher risk of accidents and more serious injuries. USAA has cheaper average car insurance rates for older drivers than Farmers.
Driver Type | Farmers | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Senior drivers | $80 | $40 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Compare coverages: Farmers vs. USAA
Farmers and USAA offer the basic coverages that state laws require, such as liability coverage, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection, and medical payments coverage. Both companies also offer collision insurance and comprehensive coverage. Some coverages may vary by state.
In addition to the standard coverages offered by most auto insurance companies in the U.S., both Farmers and USAA offer robust insurance coverage add-ons. The following coverages, while optional, can help you get more protection from your auto policy.
Coverage | Farmers | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Rideshare coverage | Yes | In most states |
| New-car replacement coverage | Yes | Yes |
| Roadside assistance | Yes | Yes |
| Rental car reimbursement | Yes | Yes |
| Loss of use | Yes | No |
| Guaranteed value | Yes | Yes, through American Collectors Insurance |
| Customized equipment | Yes | No |
| Personal umbrella | Yes | Yes |
| Glass coverage | Yes | Yes (coverage varies by state) |
| Spare parts coverage | Yes | No |
| Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) | Yes | No |
| Accident forgiveness | Yes | Yes, in most states |
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Compare discounts: Farmers vs. USAA
While USAA has more generous car insurance discounts for military members, like discounts for deployment and garaging your vehicle at a military base, Farmers offers more discounts overall. For example, Farmers offers a discount to homeowners, even if you don’t have homeowners insurance with the company.
Discount | Farmers | USAA |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record | Yes | Yes |
| Defensive driving course | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-policy | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-car | Yes | Yes |
| Low-mileage | No | Yes |
| Telematics (safe driving app) | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-theft device | Yes, in some states | Yes |
| Homeowner | Yes | No |
| Payment discounts | Yes | No |
| Good student | Yes | Yes |
| Distant student | Yes | No |
| Shared family car | Yes | No |
| Paperless | Yes | No |
| Legacy discount | No | Yes |
| Affinity/military discount | Yes | No |
| Deployment discount | No | Yes |
| Military garage discount | No | Yes |
Farmers vs. USAA FAQs
Here’s a quick guide to switching your car insurance in a few steps. Check out the answers to questions about Farmers and USAA below.
Is Farmers or USAA better?
According to national quote data and a detailed analysis of quality factors, USAA is a better car insurance company than Farmers. But USAA car insurance is only available to military personnel and their families. Farmers is more expensive on average but may offer more coverage options and discounts. Plus, it’s available nationwide.
What are the main differences between Farmers and USAA insurance?
The main difference between these companies is the cost: Farmers car insurance is significantly more expensive than USAA, according to Insurify data. Also, access to coverage from USAA is restricted to military members, veterans, and their immediate family members, while Farmers is available to anyone.
Who is eligible for a USAA policy?
USAA membership is open to current military members and honorably discharged veterans, pre-commissioned officers, and their spouses and children.
What additional services do Farmers and USAA offer?
Farmers and USAA both offer roadside assistance if you add the coverage to your policy. Farmers also offers 24/7 claims assistance. Both companies have highly rated mobile apps you can use to manage your policy, along with telematics programs to help you become a better driver and have the chance to earn a discount.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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Sources
- NAIC. "Property and Casualty Insurance Industry Top 25 Groups and Companies by Countrywide Premium."
- J.D. Power. "2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study."
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Teen Drivers and Passengers: Get the Facts."
- III. "Background on: Credit Scoring."
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Lindsay FrankelInsurance Writer
Lindsay Frankel is a content writer specializing in personal finance and auto insurance topics. Her work has been featured in publications such as LendingTree, The Balance, Coverage.com, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and FinanceBuzz.
Lindsay has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
Over 3 years of experience producing content on insurance and personal finance.
Key architect of Insurify's quality score.
Courtney's deep knowledge of personal finance goes beyond insurance and includes credit cards, consumer loans, and banking. She loves creating practical content.
Featured in
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.