THE VERDICT
Liberty Mutual is slightly better than USAA overall, per WalletHub’s grading criteria. Liberty Mutual beats USAA when it comes to its claims process, transparency, and discounts offered, though the two companies offer comparable insurance options. However, USAA only offers its products and services to eligible members of the U.S. military and their family members, while Liberty Mutual doesn’t limit who can purchase its insurance policies. On the other hand, USAA wins out when it comes to customer reviews and cost. The average Liberty Mutual car insurance premium is $134 per month for a good driver in California, while the average USAA car insurance premium is $67 per month.
Below, you can find even more details about how Liberty Mutual and USAA stack up against one another.
Compare Liberty Mutual vs. USAA
- Types of Insurance: Liberty Mutual and USAA are evenly matched
- Cost: USAA beats Liberty Mutual
- Discounts: USAA beats Liberty Mutual
- NAIC Rating: USAA beats Liberty Mutual
- J.D. Power Rating: USAA beats Liberty Mutual
- Market Share: USAA beats Liberty Mutual
When it comes to customer reviews and satisfaction ratings, USAA beats Liberty Mutual across a variety of platforms. USAA has a higher consumer review score on WalletHub, a higher rating from J.D. Power, and a better rating from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
However, both companies have received more than the average number of customer complaints for insurers their size, according to the NAIC. Liberty Mutual customers most often complain about problems with unexpected surcharges and unsatisfactory settlement offers, and USAA customers complain about the company’s habit of delaying or denying claims payments. Despite the complaints, Liberty Mutual and USAA are both in good standing with leading credit rating agencies like A.M. Best, S&P, and Moody’s Investors Service, a show of their financial strength and claims-paying ability.
Finally, USAA bests Liberty Mutual when it comes to attracting customers. USAA is the fifth-largest car insurance provider in the country, according to the Insurance Information Institute, having sold 6% of all private-passenger car insurance premiums written in 2021. Liberty Mutual ranks sixth, having sold 5.1% of all personal auto insurance premiums written in 2021.
Liberty Mutual vs. USAA: Customer Satisfaction Ratings
| Source |
Liberty Mutual |
USAA |
| NAIC Complaint Index |
1.93 |
1.71 |
| J.D. Power Rating (Customer Satisfaction) |
3.1/5 |
3.7/5 |
| J.D. Power Rating (Claim Satisfaction) |
4.4/5 |
4.5/5 |
| WalletHub Editor's Rating |
3.2/5 |
3.5/5 |
| WalletHub User's Rating |
1.4/5 |
2.4/5 |
The NAIC Complaint Index is calculated by dividing a company’s number of complaints by its share of market premiums. The average is always 1.00, and both Liberty Mutual and USAA exceed that benchmark.
To learn more about the differences between these two companies, check out WalletHub’s full
USAA review and
Liberty Mutual review.