GEICO vs. USAA Insurance

Geico is so cheap because it sells insurance directly to consumers and offers a lot of discounts. Direct-to-consumer insurance sales eliminate the cost of middlemen and allow Geico to have significantly fewer local offices and agents than companies like State Farm and Allstate. Having a smaller agent network lowers Geico's overhead costs, so they can pass those savings on to consumers.

Average Monthly Rates for Geico vs. Top Competitors

Note: Premiums are representative of a 45-year-old good driver in California; individual premiums will vary.

Every insurance company determines its rates differently, so even though Geico is among the cheapest car insurance companies, the best way to make sure you're getting the cheapest rate is to compare quotes from multiple insurers.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's review of Geico and see Geico's full profile.

USAA insurance rates go up by an average of 44% after an accident. Drivers who have USAA accident forgiveness will not see their car insurance rates go up at all after their first accident in 5 years, however. Even if the accident can't be forgiven, it will only affect your insurance rate for 3-5 years, depending on your state.

The exact amount that premiums go up after an accident depends on a few factors, including who was at fault, how much damage was caused, and the policyholder's driving and claims history. In general, at-fault accidents or severe accidents that lead to expensive insurance claims increase rates more than minor or not-at-fault wrecks. Repeat offenders also see relatively large rate hikes.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's complete review of USAA car insurance, as well as our guide to accident forgiveness.

You can lower your Geico car insurance costs by taking advantage of Geico discounts, opting for a higher deductible, and reducing your coverage, among other things. Geico considers a variety of factors when calculating your premium, though some – like your age and location – are out of your control. Fortunately, you can take steps to influence other factors in order to lower your rate.

How to Lower the Cost of Car Insurance from Geico

Use Geico's auto insurance discounts

Geico offers a wide variety of discounts that can help you lower your overall car insurance bill. For example, drivers can get a discount of up to 15% if they insure a car that's three years old or younger. Or you can save up to 25% on your premium if you insure more than one car with Geico.

Raise your car insurance deductible

Opting for a higher deductible on any of your insurance policies from Geico can lower your premium. But if you decide to go this route, it's important that you choose a deductible amount that you can still afford if you suddenly need to file a claim. Otherwise, you might not be able to use the coverage that you have.

Reduce your car insurance coverage

Most states require a certain amount of bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage. But there are other coverage options (like comprehensive, collision, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorist) that you may not have to purchase, depending on your state. Less coverage usually means lower premiums, but it could also lead to higher costs in the long run, so it's important to approach coverage decisions with caution.

Improve your driving record

Practicing safe driving habits and avoiding moving violations can help you qualify for lower Geico insurance rates long-term. You may also be able to attend traffic school in order to remove a violation or points from your record, depending on your state. Geico even offers a maximum 15% discount to drivers who take an approved defensive driving course.

Build and improve your credit

Because your credit history is correlated with your likelihood of filing an insurance claim, Geico uses your credit data to calculate your premium in states where it is legal. As a result, having good credit makes you less of an insurance risk, which will reduce your rates over time.

Drive less

Whether you can shorten your commute to work, use more public transportation, or even ride a bicycle more, driving fewer miles each year could lower your Geico premium.

Drive an insurance-friendly car

Expensive cars, sports cars, and cars with high rates of theft are considered to be riskier to insure than cheaper, more practical vehicles. Before you buy a new car, get a new quote from Geico to see how it will affect your rate. If the cost is out of your budget, then you should probably choose a different car.

Sign up for DriveEasy

DriveEasy, the Geico telematics program rewards you for good driving with a discounted premium. Specifically, DriveEasy tracks distracted driving, hard braking, cornering, smoothness, road type, distance driven, weather, speed, and the time of day that you drive. By using DriveEasy, drivers can save up to 25% on their rate.

Finally, if you're still struggling to afford your Geico policy, you should consider switching insurers. Even if you're not actively looking for a new policy, it's generally a good idea to compare quotes from three different companies every 6-12 months. To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to switching car insurance companies.

Yes, USAA does offer a grace period for customers' payments. USAA gives policyholders who pay monthly until the end of the next billing cycle to pay any outstanding balance if they have not previously been delinquent on payments. If you pay your bill before the next statement, a late fee of $2 to $15 will be added to your premium for the next month. If the grace period ends without the necessary payment being made, USAA will cancel the policy.

When USAA sends a notice of cancellation, it will include the final date that they will accept full payment before your coverage lapses. Since almost every state requires you to have car insurance, a lapse in coverage could lead to serious consequences, including fines and even a license suspension if you're caught driving. Additionally, a lapse in coverage designates you as a high-risk driver and can make car insurance more expensive in the future, so it's important that you pay your car insurance premium prior to the final cancellation date.

Yes. Geico is a good insurance company. Geico has been providing insurance since 1936, boasts an A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, and is one of the cheapest major car insurance companies according to WalletHub's research.

However, Geico's NAIC rating is 1.33, which means it has received more complaints than the average insurance company. On the other hand, it may be encouraging to note that Geico is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, which boasts famous investor Warren Buffet as its chairman and CEO.

Geico Insurance Company Ratings

• A+ BBB rating
• AA+ S&P rating
• A++ A.M. Best rating
• Average rating of 2.5/5 among user ratings on WalletHub
• NAIC rating of 1.33

Geico offers a wide variety of insurance products, including policies for your home, vehicle and business, through a network of affiliates as well as non-affiliated companies that specialize in writing different types of insurance policies. You can also bundle policies from Geico for a multi-policy discount.

You can get a free quote by contacting Geico online or over the phone at (800) 207-7847.

USAA insurance is only for military members, veterans, and their families. Once someone becomes a USAA member, USAA eligibility can be passed down through their spouse and children, even if the family members themselves never join the military

Who Can Qualify for USAA Insurance?

• Active, retired, and honorably discharged members of the U.S. military
• Cadets and midshipmen of U.S. service academies
• Children and step-children of current members
• Spouses and widows/widowers of current members
• Former military spouses who have not remarried

To learn more, check out WalletHub's USAA insurance review.

USAA is so cheap because the company is the largest insurer of the military community, and that volume allows USAA to offer more competitive rates. USAA has more than 6% of the total private-passenger insurance market, despite only offering coverage to service members. A minimum coverage policy from USAA costs an average of $53 per month, and USAA premiums can be made even cheaper by taking advantage of discounts such as paid-in-full discount and annual mileage discount. Plus, USAA rewards customer loyalty with discounts for insuring more than one car and bundling multiple policies, such as home and auto.

Average Monthly Rates for USAA vs. Top Competitors

Note: Premiums are representative of a 45-year-old good driver in CA; individual premiums will vary.

USAA is especially cheap for young drivers in particular. That's because USAA has special savings opportunities for drivers in this category, such as discounts for students who maintain at least a B average.

Your final premium is based on a variety of factors, though, such as your driving record, insurance history, and more. Every insurance company determines their rates differently, so even though USAA is among the cheapest car insurance companies, the only way to confirm you've found the lowest price is to compare quotes from multiple companies.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's review of USAA and see USAA's full profile.

State Farm, Geico, and Progressive are better than USAA, based on factors like average premiums, number of discounts available, and customer service record. Of the 10 largest car insurance companies, only Geico is cheaper than USAA, on average.

How USAA Compares to Popular Alternatives

For more information about how USAA compares to its competitors, check out WalletHub's full USAA insurance review.

Geico insurance will go up by about 79% after your first accident resulting in a claim of $750 or more. If this is your second accident in less than three years, your insurance will go up at least twice as much, depending on the total cost of the claim. If you have more than two accidents in a three-year period, you can expect to pay 225% more. These surcharges will be in effect for three years after the claim.

Your rate won't increase if the accident is not your fault and the other driver's insurance pays for your claim, or if the damage is less than $750. Keep in mind that Geico also assigns points for other traffic offenses. A DUI conviction is three points, for example, and a speeding ticket of 20 MPH over the posted limit is one point. Your first accident resulting in a claim of $750 or more also gets one point. Your total number of points determines your final surcharge.

Will my Geico insurance go up after an accident if I...

Wasn't at-fault?

No, if your claim is reimbursed by the other driver or their insurance company, the cost of your insurance will not go up. If you aren't cited by law enforcement and the other driver is, your premium won't be affected, either.

Use my Personal Injury Protection?

If you need PIP to cover your or your passengers' medical bills but don't need to use your liability or collision coverage, your rates won't be affected.

Was involved in a hit and run?

A hit and run will not affect your rates as long as you file a police report with 24 hours.

Hit a deer?

Most comprehensive claims are considered beyond your control and do not count against you. But if you've filed another claim of any kind in the last three years, hitting a deer could raise your rates.

Was hit by flying or falling objects?

If gravel on the highway shatters your windshield or a tree branch lands on your car, it won't increase your premium unless you've had another claim in the last three years.

Geico has two accident forgiveness programs, which waive the surcharge following an at-fault accident. The first works like a loyalty program for safe, long-time customers. To be eligible, you must have been insured by the company and accident-free for at least five years.

The second way to get accident forgiveness is to pay for it as supplemental coverage. Geico's website says you still have to meet certain driving-record requirements to be able to buy accident forgiveness, but the rules and terms vary by state. You must also be 21 or older to qualify.

Ultimately, Geico's policies mean your premiums might not be affected by a single accident if you stick with Geico over time. Since car insurance industry estimates show the average driver files a claim for a car accident about once every 18 years, it's possible loyal customers' premiums could never be affected by an accident with Geico.

The Geico good driver discount is up to 22% for qualifying policyholders. To qualify for the Geico good driver discount, drivers must be accident-free for five years, and this can even include time that you've been insured by another company.

After you get into an accident, you will have to wait five years in order to qualify for the discount again. Additionally, accidents that are forgiven by Geico accident forgiveness still count against your good driver discount, even though your base premium will not go up.

If you don't qualify for Geico's good driver discount, there are still ways to save on your premium. For example, Geico offers a multi-vehicle discount for drivers who insure more than one car on their policy. You can also lower your rate by altering your coverage or increasing your deductible.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to Geico discounts.