USAA Home Insurance Review

USAA Standard Home Insurance Policy

USAA’s standard home insurance policy covers the basics:

• Dwelling coverage
• Other structures: Up to 25% of dwelling coverage
• Personal property coverage: Repairs or replaces covered losses at full cost without depreciation, with some items such as jewelry and firearms having a higher limit compared to many other insurers
• Loss of use
• Personal liability coverage

USAA offers a few extras that are less common among home insurers. For example, there’s no deductible for covered losses to your military uniforms and equipment while you’re on active or active reserve duty. USAA’s personal property coverage also covers up to $10,000 of war-related losses that occur outside of the United States. 

It also includes the following coverages in standard policies—a significant advantage, since most other insurers charge extra for these endorsements:

• Home-sharing coverage: Available in all states except Florida, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina; homeowners in those states can add coverage through The USAA Agency. 
• Home Protector: This additional 25% coverage over the existing limit in case of a total loss is included on policies where the dwelling policy limit is at least 95% of the home’s value. If your limit is lower, it’s available to purchase as an endorsement.
• Wildfire defense coverage: May protect your property from a nearby active wildfire. Available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
• Water backup/sump pump overflow coverage: Coverage up to $10,000 is included. In some states, you can increase the coverage for an additional cost.
• Special loss settlement for fire or windstorm: Applies to homes completely destroyed solely by a fire or windstorm.

Coverage varies from state to state, and your eligibility for USAA products may be subject to certain underwriting qualifications. 

Endorsements

USAA includes several common endorsements in its standard policies, depending on your location (see above). However, it also offers a few additional endorsements, depending on your location: 

• Earthquake insurance: Offered in most states except California, Oregon, and Washington, where USAA offers separate earthquake policies.
• Personal computer coverage
• Special personal property coverage: Adds “misplacing” and “losing” as causes of loss.

USAA does not offer a home business endorsement, although you may be able to purchase a separate home business policy through The USAA Agency.

USAA’s Cost for a Standard Policy

You can get a quote for a standard USAA home insurance policy by logging into your member account and submitting information about yourself and your home. The price of USAA homeowner insurance depends on the following factors:

• Home location and home construction materials
• Military affiliation
• USAA loyalty: how many USAA products you have and how long you have been with them

In general, though, home insurance costs can be influenced by a variety of common and more surprising factors, including:

•  Your credit history, where legally allowed
• Your location
• Home security system
• Your claims history
• The distance between your house and a fire hydrant
• Age of home, plumbing, electrical and heating
• Home rebuilding costs 
• Your policy’s limits and deductibles
• Any extras or endorsements you might request
• Any discounts you qualify for 

Other USAA Property Insurance Policies

USAA offers several types of property insurance, sometimes through one of its partner insurers: 

• Condo
• Renters
• Landlord insurance
• Flood
• Farm and ranch insurance
• Mobile home insurance
• Overseas insurance 

USAA Discounts

Although it offers fewer discounts than most home insurance competitors, USAA focuses on member loyalty. That means you could enjoy lower pricing when you stay insured with USAA or purchase more products. At the end of your quote, you’ll see a summary of discounts, which may include (depending on your location):

• Insured: Claims-free for five or more years
• Home: Newer home, newer roof, impact-resistant roof, windstorm mitigation, monitored alarm system
• Policy: Auto/home bundle, early quote, multi-product, insurance-to-value ratio. (Insurance-to-value ratio refers to the cost to replace or repair your home, and how much of that is covered by your policy limit. USAA’s discount gives you up to 5% off when the policy limit is 81-100% of the dwelling value)

USAA Home Insurance Availability

USAA home insurance is available in all 50 U.S. states, but only to USAA members. To be eligible, you must be a current or former member of the military, or a spouse, former spouse, widow, child or stepchild of a USAA member.

How to Get a USAA Homeowners Insurance Quote

Before you can get a USAA home insurance quote, you’ll need to become a member. To join, you should expect to provide the following information:

• Your contact information
• Your date of birth
• Your occupation
• Your Social Security Number (SSN)
• Your or your family member’s military service details
• If you are not a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident card or a passport

Once you’re a member, you will be given secure access with an online ID and password, and you’ll complete your quote online. If you prefer, you can contact the USAA call center at 800-531-8722, Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT or Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

You can also get a homeowners insurance quote through the USAA app. 

How to File a Claim with USAA

You can file a claim with USAA using:

• Your member account on the USAA website
• The USAA mobile app
• By phone at 210-531-8722 or 800-531-8722  

USAA Customer Service

The 2020 J.D. Power Home Insurance Study surveyed homeowners for customer satisfaction based upon price, interactions, policy information and offerings, the billing process, and the claims experience. Based on a 1,000-point scale for which the industry average was 823, USAA received 889 points, the highest of all insurers surveyed.

The 2020 J.D. Power Property Claims Satisfaction Study surveyed homeowners for satisfaction with their property claims experience based on settlement, claim servicing, reporting a loss (first notice of loss), and the estimation and repair processes. USAA scored 904 points out of 1,000—well above the industry average of 881 and also the highest of all insurers surveyed.

Although USAA scored the highest of all insurers included in both studies, due to its membership requirement, it wasn’t officially ranked against competitors in either study. 

USAA’s online digital services received the second-highest score on the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study, which reflects consumer satisfaction in carrying out policy-servicing tasks using the insurer’s digital tools. USAA did not fare as well in the “Shopping” category of the study, with a below-average score for the online shopping experience.

The USAA app provides access to all services and products, including insurance and banking. USAA offers customer service by phone, a virtual agent chat, and your online account. The company also provides an active community forum full of member comments and USAA responses. 

USAA Financial Stability

The company has an AM Best financial strength rating of  A++(Superior), the highest possible rating. A high financial strength rating indicates that USAA has a superior ability to meet its ongoing insurance obligations, such as paying out claims.

Other Types of Insurance Provided by USAA

USAA offers other insurance products for members, some of which are underwritten by partner agencies.

• Vehicle insurance, including for motorcycles, classic cars, and boats 
• Aviation insurance
• Business insurance
• Pet health insurance
• Mobile device protection

Compare Other Home Insurance Reviews

The best way to save money on home insurance, and to make sure you have the best coverage in a claim, is to shop around with at least three insurance companies to compare your options. If USAA isn’t the best fit for you or you’re not eligible for membership, consider similar policies from these insurance companies that are open to everyone or specialize in insurance for military service members:

• GEICO
• State Farm
• Amica

Methodology

The Balance strives to give consumers unbiased, comprehensive reviews of homeowners insurance providers. To ensure that our content helps you make the right insurance decision for your needs, we review each insurance provider’s coverage options, discounts, customer service and satisfaction, and financial stability.

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