THE VERDICT
Geico is better than USAA overall, per WalletHub’s grading criteria. Geico is better in terms of cost, discounts offered and customer reviews, but the two companies are comparable when it comes to the insurance options that they offer. The average cost of a Geico policy in California is $66 per month, while the average cost of a USAA policy is $67 per month.
USAA is better for members of the military community (active, retired and honorably discharged veterans) as well as their eligible family members. While Geico offers some specialized discounts for members of the military and federal employees, all of USAA’s policies, discounts and other benefits are designed specifically for the military community. Both Geico and USAA serve customers in all 50 states and Washington D.C.
Compare USAA vs. Geico
- Types of Insurance: USAA beats Geico
- Cost: Geico and USAA are evenly matched
- Discounts: Geico beats USAA
- NAIC Rating: Geico beats USAA
- J.D. Power Rating: USAA beats Geico
- Market Share: Geico beats USAA
Learn More About How USAA and Geico Compare
Although USAA has a higher J.D. Power rating, Geico has a better customer satisfaction rating with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), as well as a higher customer review score on WalletHub. However, both companies have received more than the average number of customer complaints for insurance providers their size, according to the NAIC.
Customers have mostly complained about Geico’s overall claims-handling process, as well as USAA’s sometimes-unsatisfactory settlement offers and tendency to deny payments. Nevertheless, both Geico and USAA have received solid scores from leading credit rating agencies like AM Best, S&P, and Moody’s Investors Service, a show of their claims-paying ability and financial strength.
Finally, Geico beats USAA when it comes to attracting customers. Geico sold 14.4% of all private-passenger auto insurance premiums written in 2021, while USAA captured 6% of the market share, according to the Insurance Information Institute. That makes Geico the
second-largest car insurance provider in the country, while USAA is fifth.
USAA vs. Geico: Customer Satisfaction Ratings
Source |
Geico |
USAA |
NAIC Complaint Index |
1.23 |
2.27 |
J.D. Power Rating (Customer Satisfaction) |
4.2/5 |
4.4/5 |
J.D. Power Rating (Claim Satisfaction) |
4.4/5 |
4.5/5 |
WalletHub Editor's Rating |
4.4/5 |
3.5/5 |
WalletHub User's Rating |
2.4/5 |
2.7/5 |
The NAIC Complaint Index, on the other hand, is calculated by dividing a company’s number of complaints by its share of market premiums. The average is always 1.00, and both Geico and USAA exceed that benchmark.
To learn more about what sets these two auto insurance providers apart, check out WalletHub’s full
Geico insurance review and
USAA insurance review.