Liberty Mutual vs. USAA: Which Is Best? (2024)

With lower average rates and high rates of customer satisfaction, USAA is a better choice than Liberty Mutual for military members and their families.

Geoff Williams
Written byGeoff Williams
Geoff Williams
Geoff Williams
  • 27+ years writing about personal finance

  • Bylines in numerous notable publications

Geoff is a freelance personal finance journalist and author. He’s been published in top outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and CNN Money.

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Katie Powers
Edited byKatie Powers
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Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin Halachev
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
  • 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.

Updated March 26, 2024

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Two popular car insurance companies for U.S. drivers, USAA and Liberty Mutual both offer prices lower than the overall national average of $157.

The companies offer similar coverages, discounts, and benefits, but they have key differences. For starters, USAA exclusively sells auto insurance to military members, veterans, and military families. Liberty Mutual does offer a military discount, but the company sells coverage to all drivers.

It’s always a good idea to compare quotes from multiple insurers before buying an auto insurance policy. Here’s what you should know about coverage offerings from USAA and Liberty Mutual.

Quick Facts
  • The average cost of liability car insurance is $96 per month from Liberty Mutual and $46 per month from USAA.

  • Liberty Mutual offers more coverage options and discounts than USAA.

  • Both insurers have an optional telematics program that tracks driving habits and behaviors to calculate potential savings for safe driving.

Liberty Mutual vs. USAA: The verdict

If you’re deciding between Liberty Mutual and USAA car insurance coverage, you should determine your priorities related to coverage and discount offerings, costs, customer service, and customer reviews.

USAA auto insurance has higher customer satisfaction and much lower rates on average, but it’s available only to current, reserve, and retired military members and their family members. Liberty Mutual provides customers with more add-on coverage options and discounts.

Both are good insurance companies that offer extensive insurance products in addition to automobile insurance, including homeowners insurance, life insurance, and personal property coverage. You should consider your specific needs and driver profile.

Learn more about how Liberty Mutual and USAA compare below.

FactorLiberty MutualUSAA
IQ Score3.84.5
J.D. Power customer satisfaction score799 out of 1,000876 out of 1,000
Average quote: liability only$96$46
Number of discounts1310
Number of states where it operates5050
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
  • Insurify uses an in-house, proprietary method to rate and review the best car insurance companies. The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 crucial criteria, including average premiums, customer satisfaction, discounts, third-party ratings, and more, to calculate a final score for a company.

    Criteria are weighted by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings. With the IQ Score, Insurify is able to provide quantitative ratings for drivers to better compare car insurance companies and make informed decisions to meet their coverage needs.

Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual holds about 4.95% of the car insurance market share, making it the sixth-largest personal auto insurer in the country.[1] The company has an AM Best financial strength rating of A (Excellent) but earned a below-average customer satisfaction ranking in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study.[2]

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IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-five scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
3.8
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
819
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.
$96/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.
$202/mo

In business for more than 100 years, Liberty Mutual offers auto, homeowners, condo, renters, flood, life and other insurance products. Policyholders have access to numerous discounts, including bundling, good student, military, student-away-at-school, claims-free, violation-free, and multi-car discounts. Liberty Mutual has an A rating for financial strength from AM Best and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, the company has three times the expected rate of complaints in the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Consumer Complaints Index, and low ratings on consumer review sites Trustpilot and Sitejabber.

Pros
  • Wide range of available discounts

  • Accident forgiveness available

Cons
  • Many negative reviews and customer complaints

  • Premiums are relatively high compared to industry average

Teresa - March 25, 2024
Verified

High rates

In my opinion, the rates are high.

Judith - March 24, 2024
Verified

Frustrated and Disappointed!

Starting my policy a month behind without informing me was the first mistake. Having to wait on hold for mediocre customer service is very frustrating!

Roberta - March 24, 2024
Verified

Some Good and Some Bad!

Be sure to compare rates.
Read our Liberty Mutual review

USAA

The fifth-largest car insurance company in the country, USAA has 5.92% of the personal auto insurance market share.[1] USAA ranked high in customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study and earned an AM Best financial strength rating of A++ (Superior).

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IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-five scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
4.3
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
880
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.
$46/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.
$100/mo

In business for more than 100 years, USAA exclusively serves members of the military and their immediate families. The company offers multiple types of insurance products, as well as banking, investing, and retirement services. Auto insurance customers have access to a number of discounts, including for bundling, insuring multiple vehicles, living on a military base, and more. AM Best gives USAA an A++ rating for financial strength, and the company had the highest or second-highest rating of all insurers in every region in J.D. Power’s Overall Customer Satisfaction Index. Customer reviews are mixed for service and claims processing.

Pros
  • 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

Roy - March 21, 2024
Verified

My Review

USAA is the best.

Gary - March 18, 2024
Verified

Poor

Too darn high.

Gabrielle - March 16, 2024
Verified

Just Don't! Save Yourself!

Absolutely terrible. This company left me without a car for 8 months. They couldn't decide whether or not to total my car after it was already repaired. There were so many mistakes on their end and all I received at the end was a voicemail acknowledging their mistakes and an apology. This was literally the worst experience I've had with an insurance company. I'm traumatized!
Read our USAA review

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Liberty Mutual RightTrack program vs. USAA SafePilot

Liberty Mutual and USAA both offer a telematics program that can help you save money on auto coverage. Both programs require you to download a mobile app that will track driving habits and behaviors. If you have safe driving habits, you can earn a discount.

USAA members can save 10% on premiums just for enrolling in the SafePilot program. In total, USAA drivers can earn a discount of up to 30% for safe driving. Liberty Mutual advertises the same discount opportunities for drivers who enroll in the RightTrack program: 10% for enrolling and up to 30% for safe drivers.

Liberty Mutual vs. USAA: Which is the cheapest?

USAA has cheaper auto insurance than Liberty Mutual, on average. Based on national premium data, USAA policyholders pay an average of $46 per month for liability coverage and $100 for full-coverage insurance. The average cost of coverage from Liberty Mutual is $96 per month for liability insurance and $202 for full-coverage insurance.

Car insurance premiums depend on a variety of factors, including your driving record, age, gender, marital status, ZIP code, and credit history.[3] See how Liberty Mutual and USAA compare for various driver categories below.

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

People without any recent violations on their driving record pay some of the lowest car insurance rates. USAA offers cheaper coverage for drivers with clean records than Liberty Mutual.

Driver TypeLiberty MutualUSAA
Clean driving record$96$46
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

Having a recorded violation, like a speeding ticket, will increase your insurance premium. Drivers with a past speeding ticket pay less on average for coverage with USAA.

Driver TypeLiberty MutualUSAA
Drivers with a speeding ticket$129$53
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

USAA: Cheapest for teen drivers

Teenagers face the highest rates for car insurance due to a lack of driving experience and a higher risk of accidents. If you’re a teenager or have young drivers on your plan, you’ll pay much less for car insurance from USAA than you would with Liberty Mutual.

Driver TypeLiberty MutualUSAA
18-year-old$154$70
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

USAA: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

Auto insurers charge drivers with poor credit more for coverage than people with good credit. If you have bad credit, you’ll pay much less on average to insure your car with USAA. Liberty Mutual policyholders face higher rates.

Driver TypeLiberty MutualUSAA
Drivers with bad credit$120$58
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

USAA: Cheapest for senior drivers

Senior drivers may face a slight increase in rates due to aging-related risk factors. If you’re a senior citizen with coverage from USAA, you’ll pay almost half of what you would with Liberty Mutual.

Driver TypeLiberty MutualUSAA
Senior drivers$78$36
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Compare coverages: Liberty Mutual vs. USAA

Liberty Mutual and USAA both have similar offerings, including standard coverages like comprehensive, collision, liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist, and full-coverage policies. But the companies have some different add-on coverage options to choose from.

For example, Liberty Mutual offers gap insurance, but USAA doesn’t. And USAA has rideshare insurance, but Liberty Mutual doesn’t offer it nationwide.

Compare coverage offerings for some common add-on policies below.

CoverageLiberty MutualUSAA
Gap insuranceYesNo
Roadside assistanceYesYes
Rental car reimbursementYesYes
Better car replacementYesYes, under the name of car replacement assistance
Rideshare insuranceNo, but it partners with Lyft and Uber in some statesYes

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Compare discounts: Liberty Mutual vs. USAA

USAA and Liberty Mutual each offer a dozen or more car insurance discounts, but Liberty Mutual has a few more discounts overall. Liberty Mutual offers an alternative fuel discount, but USAA doesn’t. However, USAA still has some key auto insurance discounts Liberty Mutual doesn’t offer, including low mileage, anti-theft device, and new-car discounts.

Both companies have discounts for younger drivers who earn good grades, service members, and participants in their telematics programs.

Here’s a look at how discount offerings compare between Liberty Mutual and USAA.

DiscountLiberty MutualUSAA
Clean driving recordYesYes
Defensive driving courseYesYes
Multi-policyYesYes
Multi-carYesYes
Low mileageNoYes
Telematics (safe driving app)YesYes
Anti-theft deviceNoYes
New carNoYes
Military/affiliationYesYes
Good studentYesYes
LoyaltyNoYes
Auto payYesYes
Student away at schoolYesYes
HomeownerYesYes
Alternative fuelYesNo

Liberty Mutual vs. USAA FAQs

Comparing quotes from multiple insurance companies is the best way to find cheap car insurance, but you should also always consider your own insurance needs and budget. The following information should help answer your remaining questions about Liberty Mutual and USAA.

  • Is USAA the same as Liberty Mutual?

    No. USAA and Liberty Mutual are two separate insurance companies that have some similarities. A couple of the largest auto insurance companies in the country, USAA and Liberty Mutual have high financial strength ratings and good reputations in the industry.

  • Is USAA really the cheapest insurance?

    USAA offers very competitive rates for current and former members of the military and military families. On average, United States drivers with coverage from USAA pay $46 per month for liability insurance and $100 for full coverage.

    Insurance rates depend on numerous factors, such as your age, driving record, ZIP code, credit history, and marital status. It’s a good idea to do some comparison shopping before buying a policy because you may find lower rates elsewhere.

  • Does Liberty Mutual have good car insurance?

    Yes. Liberty Mutual has many quality coverage options for customers to choose from. And the company has a solid AM Best financial stability rating of A (Excellent) and an Insurify Quality Score of 3.8 out of 5. But Liberty Mutual received a below-average ranking in customer satisfaction from J.D. Power.

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 50+ 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
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
  • 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.

Sources

  1. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "2022 Property and Casualty Market Share." Accessed February 16, 2024
  2. J.D. Power. "Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Plummets as Rates Continue to Surge, J.D. Power Finds." Accessed February 16, 2024
  3. Insurance Information Institute. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?." Accessed February 16, 2024
Geoff Williams
Geoff Williams

Geoff Williams is a freelance journalist who has written personal finance articles for most of his career and for numerous publications, including U.S. News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Bankrate, CNNMoney.com and Forbes.com. He is also the author of several books, including “C.C. Pyle’s Amazing Foot Race” and “Washed Away,” and writes a classic TV blog called “The TV Professor.”

Katie Powers
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Photo of an Insurify author
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
  • 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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