Best Car Insurance for National Guard and Reserve Members

National Guard and Reserve service members face special challenges when it comes to auto insurance. Their hybrid lives, part-time normal civilians and part-time military, can make their vehicle use difficult for ordinary insurers to get their heads around.

Luckily, there are specialist insurers that are used to fulfilling the needs of those serving in all branches of the military. And many mainstream companies will bend over backward to accommodate our heroes in the National Guard and Reserve, provided you explain to them fully how you’ll be using your vehicles.

Insurance Challenges for Guard and Reserve Members

Any divergence from normal civilian usage can have mainstream insurers scratching their heads about how that affects the risks they’re insuring. For example:

• Super-long commutes to and from drills and training events — Family roadtrips aren’t unusual, but Guard and Reserve service members’ commutes can significantly add to the average driver’s annual mileage. More time driving means more opportunities for accidents, and insurers may wish to take that into account.
• Active-duty activation — A Title 10 activation by the federal government can apply to reservists and guards, while a Title 32 one is initiated by a state governor and involves only guards. Both can significantly change your car or truck usage pattern.
• Deployments — As we all remember from operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, deployments can be overseas. That may mean a vehicle left unattended for extended periods, or the pattern of usage changing if the member’s spouse or kids will still be driving it.
• Vehicle storage — If your vehicle is stored during deployment, you may have opportunities to save on your auto policy premiums. More on that below.

What Guard and Reserve Members Should Consider

Many military-friendly insurers understand the unique needs of guards and reservists and aim to write policies that meet them. They have military discount structures as well. 

That doesn’t necessarily mean that a mainstream insurer can’t match or even beat a military specialist’s auto quotes and coverage. However, it’s important that you fully explain how your service affects your vehicle’s usage. If, when applying, you didn’t reveal something your insurer needed to know, you might find problems when making a claim.

What to Look for:

The crucial features you should look out for in an auto insurance policy are:

• Deployment discounts — If you won’t be using your car or truck during a short (less than 30-day) deployment, some insurers offer a discount. For example, GEICO may offer an additional 25% on your auto insurance if you are deployed to a declared “imminent danger pay area” and store your vehicle. Be sure to ask how these discounts apply, given short deployments vs. year-long deployments.
• Storage discounts — For longer deployments (more than 30 days) that involve putting your car into storage, insurers may provide much bigger discounts for “comprehensive” coverage (just theft, fire or weather damage) or might allow you to suspend your auto insurance altogether if you prefer to shoulder those risks yourself.
• Flexible policies — Those in the military typically experience many more sudden and major changes in their lives than civilians. They need their auto insurer to be instantly accessible, highly responsive, and able to accommodate new requirements within existing policies. This should include a robust online support team that can field your questions on your timeline, not theirs.
• Nationwide coverage — An insurer that covers only some states is likely to be a poor fit for a customer who can be posted to any state with only a few hours’ notice.

By all means, see if your existing insurer or other mainstream ones offer these features. But also check out those that specialize in military reserve auto insurance and insurance for National Guard members.

Best Insurance Companies for Guard and Reserve Members

USAA

USAA says it’s been providing vehicle coverage to military members since 1922. And it reckons, “Our members saved an average of $840 on their yearly premium when they switched to USAA Auto Insurance.???” While some military benefits don’t always apply to Guard or Reserve members, USAA explicitly states its auto insurance rates apply to Guard and Reserve members past and present.

You can get up to 60% off your premium when you’re deploying and storing your insured car. In its terms and conditions, USAA clarifies that this offer is not available in North Carolina and Virginia. And to qualify for the discount, the vehicle must not be driven and must be stored in a secure location.

You can save 3% off your premium if you enroll in automatic payments, and 10% if you download the USAA SafePilot® app and use it. This monitors your driving, and safe drivers can get a discount of up to 30% on renewal.

As with almost all insurers, other savings can be made when you insure more than one vehicle on the policy or when you bundle it with homeowners’ or renters’ coverage.

GEICO

GEICO says, “If you are on active duty, retired from the Military, or a member of the National Guard or Reserves, you may be eligible for a discount of up to 15 percent on your total insurance premium.” 

But you must call its military helpline to get the discount. It isn’t automatically applied by your online application.

You may also be eligible for an unspecified discount if you are deployed and put your vehicle into storage. And other discounts are available if you install safety and security options in your vehicle.

Progressive

While USAA and GEICO offer special discounts for veterans and service members, according to Wallethub, Progressive does not. However, it has won several awards as a military-friendly company and for being a supportive employer of guards and reservists. 

Progressive features on many best-buy lists of military auto insurers, so it may provide competitive quotes even without additional discounts.

State Farm

State Farm is like Progressive in that it doesn’t offer military discounts but may well deliver a competitive quote even without them. That’s most likely if you take advantage of its other discounts, which are numerous.

Others

If you read other online reviews of auto insurers for military personnel, you’ll find honorable mentions of other companies, including:

• Liberty Mutual
• Farmers
• Armed Forces Insurance
• Nationwide
• Erie
• Travelers

Finding your best personal blend of coverage and low price is like kissing frogs to find your prince or princess. The more you do it, the better your chances of success.

Given how easy it is to access online quotes, it’s worth spending a few hours to get several, and possibly make some serious savings.

Coverage Options During Deployments

There are a few options you have to insure your car during a deployment. The best one for you will depend on how often it will be used and who will be using it. Will it be in storage? Will a spouse, parent, or child watch it for you? 

If your vehicle is leased or financed, check your agreement to see its insurance rules. And, if there’s any doubt, call your company to clarify its position. Some require full auto coverage throughout your contract, but may be willing, on request, to accept more limited coverage in your special circumstances.

Comprehensive-Only Coverage

With comprehensive-only coverage, your vehicle is protected against non-collision damage or loss. Naturally, there is no liability coverage. This may be a good option for you if the car will not be driven.

You are covered only for certain risks, including theft, fire, hail, and vandalism. This option can be highly affordable, with GEICO, for example, offering a discount of up to 90% of the normal premium, depending on how secure the storage environment is.

GEICO calls its comprehensive coverage a Storage Protection Plan. “If your military duties require you to store your vehicle for 30 days or more, GEICO can suspend or reduce your insurance coverage and help you save money,” says the insurer.

Suspension of Coverage

You can ask your insurer to suspend your auto coverage for the duration of your deployment. Naturally, this will leave your vehicle wholly uninsured. 

It’s up to you whether you’re willing to take a chance on your car or truck not being stolen, damaged by weather or fire, or vandalized while you’re deployed. Generally, there’s a high probability of it being fine when you return. But how will you feel if it isn’t?

It is important to note that this is not the same thing as letting your coverage lapse. If you let your coverage lapse, you could pay significantly higher premiums when you try to restart it.

How Drill Travel May Affect Your Coverage

We mentioned earlier how frequent long commutes to training weekends and events might affect your auto insurance. As we explained, the longer you’re on the road, the greater your risk of an accident.

This is relevant to your insurer and might affect a claim if you failed to disclose your above-average mileage. 

Explain to your insurer the distances and frequencies involved. If they’re limited, it might be cool with the extra travel. But don’t be surprised if you get a (usually) small bump in your premiums.

Car Insurance for Those in the Guard or Reserve: The Bottom Line

Guard and Reserve members have different auto insurance needs from civilians. Their service creates a way of life that’s unique to them and their fellow members.

Some insurers specialize in meeting members’ needs. USAA and GEICO offer military discounts to all service members, including guards and reservists. 

However, most insurers regard themselves as patriotic and will do all they can to help service members. So, it’s worth getting several auto quotes from a range of insurers, including the specialists, to see which provides the best coverage and lowest price for you as an individual.

When choosing your insurer, be aware of the potential value of things like deployment discounts, storage coverage, flexible policies, and nationwide coverage. You could be posted anywhere at any time.

It’s worth investing a few hours in shopping for quotes. You likely would if you were buying a new TV, stove, or washer. And you might save considerably more on your auto insurance over the years than you could gain on one of those.