THE VERDICT
USAA is definitely better than The General overall, per WalletHub’s grading criteria. USAA beats The General when it comes to the types of insurance available, discounts, cost, financial stability, consumer ratings, and transparency. In addition, while both USAA and The General serve customers in all 50 states and Washington D.C., USAA policies are only available to members of the U.S. military community and their eligible family members. The average USAA car insurance premium is $68 per month for a good driver in Texas, while the average The General car insurance premium is $2,196 per year.
Below, you can find even more details about how The General and USAA stack up against one another.
Compare The General vs. USAA
- Types of Insurance: USAA beats The General
- Cost: USAA beats The General
- Discounts: USAA beats The General
- NAIC Rating: USAA beats The General
- Market Share: USAA beats The General
USAA has a solid J.D. Power rating, while The General has no rating from the organization. But The General does have a higher consumer review score on WalletHub and a better customer complaint rating from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
With that being said, both companies have received more than the average number of complaints for similarly sized insurers, according to the NAIC. Most customer complaints regarding USAA have been about unexpected surcharges and unsatisfactory settlement offers, while consumers have complained about The General’s claims-handling process and problems with customer service.
Despite all the complaints, USAA is on strong financial footing with leading credit rating agencies like AM Best, S&P, and Moody’s Investors Service, a show of its financial strength and claims-paying ability. The General, on the other hand, has not yet earned ratings from these organizations.
Finally, USAA bests The General when it comes to attracting customers. USAA sold 6% of all private-passenger car insurance premiums written in 2021, making it the fifth-largest car insurance provider in the country, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The General, in contrast, was not among the top 10 providers.
The General vs. USAA: Customer Satisfaction Ratings
Source |
The General |
USAA |
NAIC Complaint Index |
3.28 |
2.27 |
J.D. Power Rating (Customer Satisfaction) |
Not Available |
4.4/5 |
J.D. Power Rating (Claim Satisfaction) |
Not Available |
4.5/5 |
WalletHub Editor's Rating |
2.3/5 |
3.5/5 |
WalletHub User's Rating |
4.2/5 |
2.8/5 |
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 USAA and The General exceed that benchmark.
To learn more about what sets these two companies apart, check out WalletHub’s full
The General review and
USAA review.