4.8out of 3,000+ reviews
Updated August 11, 2022
National General vs. USAA: A Summary
Out of the many insurance companies out there, National General and USAA offer various auto insurance rates alongside great discounts. While the two insurance providers have their share of similarities and differences, we’ve done an insurance review of their rates to help you compare car insurance providers and discover the best insurance premium for your exact needs.
Insurance Company | Avg. Monthly Car Insurance Quote | Insurify Composite ScoreThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
---|---|---|
National General Insurance | $87 | 58 |
USAA | $43 | 96 |
ICS Score Explanation:
The Insurify Composite Score (ICS) is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.
Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
National General
National General is an insurance provider known for its unique car insurance policies and coverage options. On top of great deductibles, the company offers plenty of coverage options for classic cars, uninsured motorist protection, and more, making National General a great choice for policyholders who frequently find themselves in unique situations.
Pros
Specialty auto insurance coverage options for classic cars and more
Offers DynamicDriver mobile app to help you save while driving
Accessible insurance agents for any moment
Not the best option for
Higher-than-average rates
Difficult-to-manage customer service
USAA
Known for its great financial strength and comprehensive coverage, USAA auto insurance is an insurance provider specializing in discounts for military members in need of auto and life insurance. USAA members can save each month by bundling with the company’s various insurance products, such as renters or homeowners insurance.
Pros
Exclusive benefits and discounts for military members and family
High rankings from A.M. Best, J.D. Power, and more
Secure mobile app to access multiple auto insurance policy discounts
Cons
Below-average customer satisfaction ratings
Somewhat strict eligibility requirements
Rating Factor | National General Insurance | USAA |
---|---|---|
Fitch | N/A | WD |
A.M. Best | A- | A++ |
Moody’s | N/A | Aa1 |
S&P | N/A | AA+ |
J.D. Power | 815 | 902 |
The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022
Rank | Company Name | Average Monthly Quote | Insurify Composite ScoreThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Clearcover Best Overall | $135 | 97 |
2 | Nationwide Best for Safe Drivers | $199 | 89 |
3 | American Family Best for Families with Teen Drivers | $234 | 89 |
4 | Safeco Best for Drivers with Poor Credit | $186 | 86 |
5 | Farmers Best for Rideshare Coverage | $239 | 85 |
6 | Foremost Best for Hassle-Free Claims | $159 | 82 |
7 | Liberty Mutual Best for Accident Forgiveness | $241 | 82 |
8 | Mercury Best for Face-to-Face Service | $232 | 81 |
9 | Progressive Best for Senior Drivers | $147 | 80 |
10 | Travelers Best for Young Drivers | $163 | 80 |
While National General and USAA aren’t on the list above, the two insurance companies are still great for certain drivers. USAA is great for drivers looking to save the most each month, thanks to its low rates and discounts. National General is great for drivers who want reliable coverage and don’t mind its above-average prices.
Compare National General vs. USAA: Which Is Cheaper?
USAA is cheaper than National General for nearly every circumstance described below. In most scenarios, USAA costs nearly half the price of National General, making USAA a great choice for drivers in the military who want to save.
The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in 2022
Rank | Insurance Company | Average Cost Per Month | ICSThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
---|---|---|---|
1 | USH&C | $44 | Not Rated |
2 | Metromile | $63 | Not Rated |
3 | Direct Auto | $64 | Not Rated |
4 | Travelers | $65 | 80 |
5 | Kemper | $71 | Not Rated |
6 | Progressive | $87 | Not Rated |
7 | Mile Auto | $91 | 85 |
8 | National General | $93 | 58 |
9 | Clearcover | $94 | 97 |
10 | GAINSCO | $94 | Not Rated |
While USAA isn’t on the list above, National General is ranked as the eighth-cheapest auto insurance of 2021. National General’s ranking shows how, despite its above-average rates, the insurance company still fairs well in comparison to other auto insurance providers.
Compare National General vs. USAA Car Insurance by Age
Insurance companies often use age as a factor in determining prices for policyholders. Younger drivers typically pay a higher premium because their lack of experience makes them a larger risk on the road. Older drivers pay less until they reach a certain age, where they once again become riskier drivers.
Between USAA and National General, USAA is the cheapest option for every age category. National General often costs nearly twice the price of USAA. Teens pay $100 with USAA and $227 with National General. While National General’s cheapest rate of $68 is for drivers in their 50s, USAA mostly remains around $50 or lower for all age groups.
Age Group | National General Insurance | USAA |
---|---|---|
Teen | $227 | $100 |
20s | $85 | $42 |
30s | $91 | $43 |
40s | $71 | $34 |
50s | $68 | $33 |
60s | $70 | $36 |
70s | $75 | $45 |
80s | $85 | $56 |
Compare National General vs. USAA Car Insurance by Gender
While certain states do not allow insurance companies to use gender as part of the underwriting process, it is still important to know the price differences between National General and USAA. In general, insurers typically charge men a bit more than women since men tend to be a larger driving risk.
For both National General and USAA, the price differences between men and women are either nonexistent or very small. With National General, women and men both pay the same, $85. With USAA, men pay $43, while women pay $42.
Which is cheapest for men?
For men, USAA will be the cheapest option for car insurance. USAA costs $43, while National General costs $85. National General costs nearly twice as much as USAA, and USAA is still far below the national average price of $78.
Gender | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Men | $85 | $43 | $78 |
Which is cheapest for women?
For women, USAA will be the cheapest option, costing $42 a month. Once again, National General costs $85 a month, which is over twice the price of USAA.
Gender | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Women | $85 | $42 | $78 |
Compare National General vs. USAA Car Insurance by Mileage
Insurance companies look at a car’s annual mileage to help determine monthly rates since mileage can indicate a car’s usage and how often it will need repairs. Cars with a lower annual mileage pay a lower premium price since they do not pose much of a driving risk. Vehicles with a higher mileage tend to be a larger risk, thus costing more per month.
For National General and USAA, prices remain the same for every mileage category we’ve listed below. With National General, drivers pay $85 for vehicles with 20,000, 15,000, 10,000, and 5,000 annual miles. With USAA, drivers pay $42 a month for the same mileage categories. While one insurer may be cheaper than the other, it is important to note that both are still great options for drivers looking for consistent pricing.
Which is cheapest for drivers with high mileage?
For drivers with a higher mileage, USAA is the cheapest option. If your vehicle has 20,000 or 15,000 annual miles, USAA remains at a constant $42 a month, while National General also stays at a constant $85 a month. Once again, USAA is also below the national average price of $68.
Annual Mileage | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
15,000-20,000 | $85 | $42 | $78 |
Which is cheapest for drivers with low mileage?
For drivers with a lower annual mileage, USAA is once again the cheaper option. USAA costs $42 a month, much like with the higher mileage rates, while National General stays at $85 a month.
Annual Mileage | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
5,000-10,000 | $85 | $42 | $78 |
Compare National General vs. USAA Car Insurance by Credit Score
According to the NAIC, insurance companies use credit scores to see how often a driver will pay on time or file a claim, even though certain states, such as California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, outlaw the use of credit scores when determining insurance prices. Nevertheless, a higher credit score will usually yield a lower insurance rate.
With USAA, drivers with excellent credit pay $36, $40 with good credit, $42 with average credit, and $64 with poor credit. With National General, drivers with excellent credit pay $71, $80 with good credit, $85 with average credit, and $99 with poor credit.
Which is cheapest for good credit?
For drivers with good and excellent credit, USAA will be the cheapest option. USAA costs $36 with excellent credit and $40 with good credit, both of which are below the national average prices of $51 and $61, respectively. National General costs more, with drivers paying $71 with excellent credit and $80 with good credit.
Credit Tier | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Excellent | $71 | $36 | $60 |
Good | $80 | $40 | $71 |
Which is cheapest for bad credit?
For drivers with average and poor credit scores, USAA is the cheapest option. With USAA, drivers with average credit scores pay $42, while drivers with poor credit scores pay $64. National General costs quite a bit more, pricing at $85 with average credit and $99 with poor credit.
Credit Tier | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Average | $85 | $42 | $78 |
Poor | $99 | $64 | $120 |
Compare National General vs. USAA Car Insurance by Driving Record
Whether you live in Texas, New York, or California, everyone encounters some sort of infraction on their driving record from time to time. Nevertheless, insurance companies look at that driving record to gauge how big a risk a policyholder might be in the future.
As expected, prices increase alongside the severity of each infraction. Drivers with a clean record usually pay the least. A clean record will have you pay $42 a month with USAA and $85 with National General. With a speeding ticket, prices increase slightly, with USAA now costing $51 and National General costing $92.
Prices increase drastically, however, after an accident or receiving a DUI. With USAA, drivers now pay $59 after an accident and $84 after a DUI. With National General, drivers pay $92 after an accident and $127 after a DUI.
Which is cheapest for good drivers?
For drivers with a clean record, USAA is the cheapest insurance option. USAA costs $42 for good drivers, while National General costs $85. As mentioned above, USAA is nearly half the price of National General and over $25 cheaper than the national average.
Driver Type | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Clean Record | $85 | $42 | $78 |
Which is cheapest after a speeding ticket?
For drivers with a speeding ticket, USAA is the cheapest option. USAA costs $51, while National General costs $92. USAA is $36 per month cheaper than National General, but both are under the national average.
Driver Type | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Speeding Ticket | $92 | $51 | $104 |
Which is cheapest after an accident?
After an accident, USAA is once again the cheapest option, costing $59 a month, while National General costs $127. Both companies offer roadside assistance alongside their collision coverage for extra assurance while driving.
Driver Type | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
At-Fault Accident | $127 | $59 | $113 |
Which is cheapest after a DUI?
USAA is still the cheapest option, costing $84 a month for drivers with a DUI. While National General is the pricier option, costing $94 a month, both insurances still offer great liability insurance to give policyholders that added sense of safety when out on the road.
Driver Type | National General | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
DUI | $94 | $84 | $155 |
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National General vs. USAA Car Insurance: What discounts does each offer?
National General Discounts
Paid in full
Multi-vehicle
Safe driver
Motorcycle discounts
RV and mobile home insurance
Multi-policy
Low mileage
Affinity
Paperless
Anti-theft
Autopay
Good student
USAA Discounts
Good student
Driver training
Safe driver
Defensive driver
Military
SafePilot mobile app
New driver
New vehicle
Anti-theft
Multi-vehicle
Multi-policy
Homeowners insurance bundling
Renters insurance bundling
Annual mileage
Vehicle storage
Family discount
Paid in full
Insurance Discount | National General | USAA |
---|---|---|
Paid in full | ||
Safe driver | ||
Homeowners insurance | ||
Good student | ||
Anti-theft devices | ||
Multi-policy | ||
Multi-vehicle | ||
RV insurance | ||
Autopay | ||
Motorcycle | ||
Paperless | ||
Affinity | ||
Low mileage | ||
Renters insurance | ||
Defensive driver training | ||
Military | ||
SafePilot mobile app | ||
New driver | ||
New vehicle | ||
Family discount | ||
Vehicle storage | ||
Annual mileage |
Our Methodology and How We Compared National General and USAA
The car insurance quotes provided in Insurify’s insurance company comparison guides are based on the analysis of over 50 thousand insurance quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates, including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more to give representative samples.
Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating calculated by weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.
Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
With the above insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offer car insurance shoppers a window into how insurance providers compare to one another in terms of both cost and quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Between the two auto insurance companies, USAA is primarily the cheaper option. USAA tends to fall way below the national average prices for each category we explored above, while National General costs nearly twice the price of USAA.
The answer to this question honestly depends on your needs as a policyholder. If you prioritize savings and discounts, then USAA is the overall best insurance. National General is still a good option for drivers who don’t qualify for USAA’s discounts while still wanting some great reimbursements and coverage options.
If you want to compare National General and USAA alongside insurance companies like State Farm, GEICO, Nationwide, Allstate, American Family, and Progressive, use a car insurance comparison tool. You’ll get rates from multiple companies to compare, so you can make sure you’re getting the best deal.