things to remember
- Drivers with USAA SafePilot, a usage-based insurance program, can save on their auto insurance by practicing safe driving habits
- The program allows you to receive a USAA Safe Driver Discount of up to 30%
- The USAA SafePilot app monitors acceleration, time of day, phone usage, speed and more
Drivers looking to save on their auto insurance could benefit from USAA SafePilot, a telematics program that tracks driving behavior and rewards safe driving. Users receive a 10% discount simply by enrolling in the program, and a USAA Safe driver can earn up to 30%.
The USAA driving app tracks hard braking, acceleration, speed, time of day and more. The company takes these factors into account and sets your discount accordingly.
However, USAA SafePilot isn't for everyone, especially for those who don't want their insurer to track their data. Additionally, the program is only available to military members, veterans and their families in 37 states.
If you think USAA auto insurance might be right for you, read oursUSAA Insurance Reviewand continue reading this USAA SafePilot review to learn more.
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Table of contents
Pros and cons of USAA SafePilot
Oneusage-based car insuranceProgram (UBI) has its pros and cons, including the USAA SafePilot program. Some of the benefits of the program are:
- Discounts of up to 30% on below-average prices
- Incentives for young drivers to practice safe driving
- Possibility to bundle with other discounts
However, the USAA SafePilot program also has many setbacks, including:
- Only available in 37 states
- USAA Restricted Eligibility
- Penalizes the use of the speakerphone
Before committing to UBI, you should always weigh the pros and cons to see if the program works for you.
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What is USAA SafePilot?
USAA SafePilot is a usage-based insurance program that uses a tracking device to see how well you're driving. When the device indicates you're driving safely, USAA rewards youcar insurance discounts.
Participants receive a 10% discount for simply signing up, with a chance to save up to 30% off their fares if they practice safe driving habits.
Because insurers recalculate discounts each time you renew, rates can fluctuate as your driving habits change.
To join the SafePilot program, drivers with auto insurance should first download the free SafePilot app, available on the App Store and Google Play Store. After filing, the USAA applies the first filing rebate to your policy - although the amount varies by state, it is typically 10%.
The first 14 days of USAA SafePilot is a trial period in which the program assesses your driving habits and provides feedback. Fortunately, trips made during this period will not affect your trip score or discount.
At the end of the trial period, SafePilot will begin evaluating your behavior for the duration of your policy. Your score reflects the discount you get after the contract renewal. Although some telematics programs only track driving for an insurance period, SafePilot constantly monitors your driving and bases your rebate on the performance of each term.
The USAA says bad driving doesn't increase rates, but you can find yoursCar insurance rates are going upfor other reasons.
What behaviors does USAA SafePilot follow?
USAA monitors various unsafe driving behaviors and deducts points from your driving score if you engage in any of them. USAA SafePilot will track the following behaviors:
- Mobile phone use while driving
- Hands-free calling
- Hard braking
The program also checks for the following, but not all of these behaviors affect your score:
- Location
- speed
- time
- Whether driver or passenger
- acceleration
- Evade
- cornering
- Crazy routes
- Hours driven per year
Because the mobile apps follow the driver, it knows your location at all times and can share any data collected with third parties to maintain your policy and improve the program. If you don't want to share your information with USAA, consider a telematics program with a plug-in device or one that allows you to turn off location services when you're not driving.
In addition, the SafePilot Terms of Service state that USAA can analyze collisions with your data. So if you have an accident, the company can use the data to determine what went wrong. You can still do that from time to timeFind cheap car insurance after an accident.
Where can I get USAA SafePilot?
You can enroll in USAA SafePilot in 37 US states. While USAA sells auto insurance policies to military members in all states, you can only participate in USAA SafePilot in the following states:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Heart house
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
If you are a safe driver in any of the above states and qualify for insurance coverage, the USAA SafePilot program may be for you. You should tooCheck your insurance claims history reportto make sure you don't forget any recent claims.
What other coverage discounts does USAA offer?
While the USAA SafePilot program offers drivers a way to save on coverage, the company also offers various other discounts to lower premiums. Certain vehicle features can save you money and your personal driving profile can also bring you discounts.
Some of USAA's other discounts include:
- Safe driver discount.SomeCar insurance companies offer cashback for safe drivers.Drivers with USAA can get onesafe driver discountif they have a clean driving license for five years - this also means that they remain free of accidents and movement violations.
- Discount for defensive drivers.Passing an approved defensive driving course may qualify you for a USAAdefensive driving discount. Defensive driving is the practice of anticipating and avoiding potential road hazards.
- Driving training discount.Drivers under the age of 21 may receive a USAA driving school discount if they complete an approved driving school course.
- Good grades discount.USAA OffersCar insurance discounts for good studentsbetween 16 and 25 who hold a "B" average or higher. However, the discount is not available in Hawaii and North Carolina.
- Discount for multiple cars.Policyholders who insure more than one car may receive a multi-car discount with USAA. It may becheaper to insure a second vehicle.
- Discount for multiple policies.USAA is one of theAuto insurance companies that combine home, auto, boat and personal liabilityInsurance. So if you bundle your car insurance with home insurance, you can save even more.
- New car discount.If your car is less than three years old, you are eligible for a new car discount with USAA. The company's website says it's offering the discount because many newer cars come with improved safety features.
- discount for anti-theft device.You can get a discount at USAA if your vehicle is equipped with an anti-theft device. However, the discount is not valid in all states and may require annual certification. Contact a USAA representative for more details.
- Garage car at a military facility.USAA gives aGarage/Storage Discounton your comprehensive auto insurance rates when you park your car at a military base. However, in California you also get a collision discount. This discount is not available in New York.
- Deployment Discount.You can get a 60% discount if you are using or storing your insured car for any other reason. However, the car may not be driven.
- loyalty discount.You can save up to 10% if your parents have a USAA policy and you continue your own policy.
Discounts offer policyholders savings opportunities based on their individual driving profile. Speak to a USAA representative to see if you are eligible for any of the above discounts.
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Is USAA SafePilot worth it?
Other UBI programs offer equal or greater discounts and will not oblige policyholders to use a hands-free phone. So the program may not be suitable for every driver.
While ratings of the USAA SafePilot app have improved on the App Store and Google Play Store, customers are still complaining about harsh penalties for sudden braking. The app also has trouble determining whether the user is a passenger or a driver.
However, not all telematics programs work the same. For example, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and Nationwide don't account for phone usage, while Geico and Progressive might increase bad driving rates.
Check out the table below to see how USAA SafePilot compares to other major competitors:
10 UBI programs from the largest companiesPursue Programmname Typ Allstate Drivewise® App American family KnowYourDrive App farmers Signal® App Geiko DriveEasy App Reciprocal freedom RightTrack® In-vehicle device nationwide SmartRide® App or vehicle device Progressive snapshot App Bezirksbauernhof Drive Safe and Save™ or OnStar® App or embedded device Travelers IntelliDrive® App USAA SafePilot App
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Some telematics programs, like Geico DriveEasy, increase your fares if you exhibit poor driving behavior. Read oursGeico DriveEasy im Testto see if the program is right for you.
While USAA's telematics program may not be the best on the market, it offers the most competitive rates of any national insurance company. An average USAA full coverage policy costs about $63 per month, almost $75 less per month than the national average.
If you qualify for USAA and are willing to deal with the program's falls, the SafePilot app could be worthwhile and save you money on coverage.
USAA SafePilot: The Bottom Line
USAA SafePilot tracks driving habits like hard braking, phone usage and speed through your smartphone. It offers policyholders savings of up to 30% if they practice safe driving habits, but the program is only available in 37 states and often penalizes drivers for cell phone calls.
In addition, USAA offers various discount options to give drivers even more opportunities to lower their premiums.
However, only military members, veterans and their families are eligible for USAA auto insurance coverage. So, looking for suitable driverscheap auto insurance for military and veteransshould consider the USAA's below-average rates.
frequently asked Questions
What is USAA?
Founded in 1922, the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) is a group of companies that provide a variety of financial services to US military personnel, veterans and their families.
Some of the most popular USAA insurance products are auto, home, life, and small business. The company is known for its affordable insurance rates and excellent customer service.
How does USAA SafePilot work?
USAA SafePilot, a telematics program, uses your smartphone to track certain driving behavior and provides a discount based on how you drive. USAA considers emergency stops, phone usage, and hands-free calling when determining your discount.
If you do poorly with USAA SafePilot, your rates will not increase. However, other insurers like Geico or Progressive may increase your rates if you engage in risky driving while participating in their usage-based program.
How much can you save with USAA SafePilot?
The highest discount you can get with USAA's SafePilot program is 30% depending on how you drive, along with a 10% participation discount. However, the number of listed drivers you have and your location may affect your discount.
All drivers must be enrolled in the USAA SafePilot program to receive the full discount. For example, if there are four drivers in the policy, but only two sign up for the program, the discount will decrease by half.
Is USAA SafePilot good for teenage drivers?
The USAA SafePilot program could give teenage drivers a reason to drive safer, but if they don't, it could affect their fares. Young drivers often pay higher rates for coverage because they are inexperienced and riskier to insure. However, USAA SafePilot offers teenage drivers an opportunity to save.
Remember that your SafePilot discount depends on the number of insured drivers participating in the program, so you will not receive the full discount if not all drivers participate.
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about car insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party source for all things auto insurance. We update our website regularly and all content is checked by auto insurance experts.
Mathew B. Sims is Editor-in-Chief and has authored, edited, and contributed to several books. He has worked in the insurance industry to ensure content is accurate for consumers looking for the best policies and rates. He has also been featured on sites like UpJourney. Full biography → | Written byMathew B. Sims |
Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family's insurance agency, FCI Agency (BBB A+), for over 15 years. He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance including home, life, auto, umbrella and apartment fire insurance. It has also been featured on sites such as Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accurate... Full biography → | Reviewed byDaniel Walker |