USAA Homeowners Insurance Review

USAA homeowners insurance policies include most of what you’d find with other insurers: dwelling, other structure, personal property, liability, loss of use, and additional living expenses coverage. Policyholders are even covered for medical payments if a guest injures themselves on your property.

If you’re an active-duty member, USAA will receive coverage for their uniforms and military equipment, and get your deductibles waived if a personal property claim is made due to war. A major benefit of USAA is its homeowners insurance policies come with replacement cost coverage. When you make a claim, the insurer will take into consideration the value of your belongings without any depreciation — not many insurers offer this perk.

Up to $5,000 of identity theft coverage is included in all policies except in North Carolina.

Homeowners can add coverage such as water backup, valuable possessions, and earthquake coverage. The Technology Coverage Endorsement provides between $1,000 and $10,000 of coverage for technology such as laptops, smartphones, home theaters and stereos, and gaming gear. If you qualify, there are multiple discount options, including discounts for bundling policies, being claim-free for at least five years, and having certain safety or smart home devices installed.

Unfortunately, policies are limited to USAA members. You need to be a member or a veteran of the military, a pre-commissioned officer, or a qualifying family member of one.

USAA’s Claims Handling:

With a score of 4.3 out of 5, USAA places third in our claims handling subrating. The average result is 4.2. According to our survey results, over half (51%) of respondents rated high satisfaction with the claims filing process at USAA This is higher than three of the 10 companies in our rating. Over 55% were also completely satisfied with communication from USAA when it came to status updates and how the claim was resolved. For complete satisfaction with how their claims were resolved, a result of 55% puts USAA above five of the companies in our rating.

USAA’s Customer Service:

USAA is third in our subrating for customer service with a score of 4.5 out of 5; the average score is 4.1. For opening a policy, approximately 55% of survey respondents answered they were completely satisfied with the customer service, which is higher than eight of the 10 companies in our rating.

USAA’s Customer Loyalty:

Though USAA may have more restrictive membership requirements, those who are members are quite loyal to the insurer compared to its competitors. It is first in our customer loyalty subrating with a score of 4.9 out of 5, with an average company score of 4.2. Almost 70% of survey respondents said they will most likely renew their policy. Only Auto-Owners has a higher score for most likely to recommend, and that is only by approximately half a point.

USAA’s Value:

Policyholders generally want to believe their coverage offers a lot of value for the premiums paid. USAA scored a 4.8 out of 5 for value in our best homeowners insurance companies for value subrating, earning it the top spot. The average score for companies in the subrating was 4.2 Over 72%, however, were satisfied to completely satisfied with the discounts they received for their policies. Approximately 82% of respondents were satisfied to completely satisfied with the value they got from their homeowners insurance company.

USAA Homeowners Insurance Review

Although USAA home insurance policies are only available to qualifying members, there’s a lot of benefits for those that do. Aside from perks like identity theft, protection for military uniforms, and replacement cost coverage, members can take advantage of available discounts like bundling policies and being claim-free. Its No. 1 ranking in several subratings, such as customer loyalty and most likely to be recommended, indicates high levels of satisfaction with USAA. But, companies like Amica and Auto-Owners rated higher for claims handling.

USAA doesn’t offer as many additional coverages on its home insurance policies as other carriers in our rating do, but it highlights the following two on its website:

  • Earthquake coverage: Earthquakes are not covered by most standard homeowners insurance policies, but for an additional premium, you can add earthquake coverage with USAA.
  • Home-sharing coverage: If you rent out a room, several rooms, or your entire house, home-sharing coverage will protect you and short-term tenants.
    Technology coverage: This is an endorsement that would provide between $1,000 and $10,000 of coverage for your electronics. This covers a variety of electronics, including your laptop, tablet, smartphone, gaming consoles, drones, home theaters, and home network gear.
  • Water backup: Provides coverage if a sewer, drain, or sump pump were to overflow and cause damage.
  • Valuable possessions: This provides extra protection for items that might exceed the sub-limits for personal property.

These additional homeowners insurance coverages may not be available in all states. Contact USAA directly to learn more about the specific optional coverages available to you.

A standard homeowners insurance policy from USAA does not cover damage resulting from an earthquake or flood, but this coverage is available at extra cost. Valuable jewelry, art, and other collectibles may exceed the limits of a standard policy and require additional coverage.

Moreover, a swimming pool, trampoline, or other exposures that increase risks to guests may warrant additional liability insurance.

USAA homeowners insurance policies can expect to pay an average standard base cost of $193.44 per month. This amount is based on $300,000 in dwelling coverage and $100,000 in liability coverage for standard policies.

The coverage amount can heavily influence how much you’ll pay in homeowners insurance premiums. For example, if you purchase a USAA homeowners insurance policy with the same liability coverage but lower the dwelling coverage to $200,00 you’ll pay on average $144.77 per month. Or, if you increase the dwelling coverage to $500,000, you could pay a monthly average of $263.11.

USAA offers the following discounts on its home insurance policies:

  • Bundle and save: USAA’s multi-policy discount offers a 10% savings on your home insurance when you also have auto insurance. The company is No. 1 in our Best Home and Auto Insurance Bundles of 2024 rating.
  • Claims-free discount: If you’ve been claims-free on your home policy for at least five years, USAA extends a 10% discount.
  • Protective device credit: USAA partners with ADT to offer discounts on smart security systems and security hardware, free sensors, and a rate-lock guarantee for three years on home monitoring.
  • Connected home discount: A discount for having equipment like a smart thermostat or water leak detectors installed in your home that can send you alerts if something is wrong.

Discounts can differ state to state. Consult with your USAA insurance agent to find out specifics in your state.

To purchase USAA homeowners insurance you must be a USAA member and have created an online account. Once enrolled, you can access its various services and get quotes for insurance. Before you start the process of buying home insurance, determine how much coverage you need by calculating the amount it would cost to rebuild your home and replace all your possessions.

Key Takeaways:

  • USAA is No. 1 in our ratings for the best homeowners insurance company, offering coverage such as dwelling and other structures coverage, and replacement cost with depreciation for your belongings.
  • Policyholders receive identity theft protection in most states.
  • You will need to meet membership requirements to purchase a policy.

USAA was founded in 1922 by a group of 25 Army officers who wanted to self-insure their cars. Based in San Antonio, USAA operates a handful of satellite offices around the United States, as well as in London, Frankfurt, and Luxembourg.

In addition to homeowners insurance, USAA’s insurance products include renters, life, health, auto, small business, pet, and personal property.