Auto insurance · Updated August 2026
Progressive vs USAA
Progressive is built for standard drivers, plus non-standard tiers. USAA is built for military members, veterans, and their families. On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index the two land close: Progressive Direct Ins. Co. drew 0.74 and United Services Automobile Assn. drew 0.83, against an industry median of 1.00. AM Best rates Progressive A+ and USAA A++. Neither is reliably cheaper. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.
By Kevin Lee, licensed insurance agent · NPN 19669698
The short answer
Progressive has written auto since 1937 and writes through Progressive group companies. It writes eight lines: auto, home, renters, motorcycle, specialty property, RV, pet, and life. The tradeoff: AM Best rates it A+ against USAA's A++.
USAA has written auto since 1922 and writes through USAA and its subsidiaries. AM Best rates it A++, the highest grade it issues. The tradeoff: it writes six lines against Progressive's eight.
Both companies state by state, and their filed rates trade the lead by address. A national average will not predict which one wins for you. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.
About two minutes. No effect on your credit score.
Side by side
Progressive vs USAA: the data sheet
Sources are listed under the measured figures. How we compare
Progressive | USAA | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Standard drivers, plus non-standard tiers | Military members, veterans, and their families |
| Who underwrites it | Progressive group companies | USAA and its subsidiaries |
| Complaints per policyEffectively tied | 0.74 367 complaints on $10.4B written | 0.83 278 complaints on $7.0B written |
NAIC complaint index, 2025, private passenger auto · Progressive Direct Ins. Co. vs United Services Automobile Assn. · 1.00 is the industry median | ||
| Financial strengthBoth strong; USAA a step higher | A+ Superior | A++ Superior |
AM Best financial strength rating · A++ is the highest issued | ||
| Coverage you can buyProgressive, if you want to bundle | 8 lines auto, home, renters, motorcycle, specialty property, rv, pet, life | 6 lines auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, boat |
| PriceNot rated | Filed state by state, priced to the driver. The main factors are below. | |
| Mobile appEffectively tied | 4.83 804,275 ratings | 4.80 2,300,916 ratings |
Apple App Store, August 2026 | ||
| SR-22 filing | Yes | Yes |
| Telematics program | Snapshot | SafePilot |
| Availability | All 50 states and Washington, D.C. | Available nationwide to the military community |
| Known for | Bundling, Name Your Price, usage-based discounts | Military-only membership, banking and insurance in one account |
In practice
Where they differ
The complaint records
On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index the two land close: Progressive Direct Ins. Co. drew 0.74 and United Services Automobile Assn. drew 0.83, against an industry median of 1.00. The index weighs a company's complaint count against the volume expected for its size, so 1.00 is the industry median and a lower number is fewer complaints than expected.
Financial strength
AM Best rates Progressive A+ and USAA A++. A++ is the highest grade AM Best issues. The grade measures the company's ability to pay claims, not its service or its price.
Who underwrites each one
Progressive policies are written by Progressive group companies. USAA policies are written by USAA and its subsidiaries. The brand on the advertising and the company on the policy are often different entities, and the complaint figures on this page belong to the named companies.
What each one covers
Progressive writes eight lines and USAA writes six lines. Progressive writes auto, home, renters, motorcycle, specialty property, RV, pet, and life. USAA writes auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, and boat. If auto is all you need, the difference costs you nothing.
Price
Which is cheaper: Progressive or USAA?
Neither company is reliably cheaper. What sets the price:
The record sets the range. A ticket, an at-fault accident, or a moves the two prices by different amounts, and the direction is not consistent between states. A quote on the real record is what separates them.
Availability decides some matchups. Progressive writes in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. USAA writes in Available nationwide to the military community. Where only one of them writes in your state, the comparison answers itself.
Telematics moves the number. Both run a program: Snapshot at Progressive, SafePilot at USAA. A telematics program measures driving through an app or a plug-in device and adjusts the price on the result. The size of that adjustment is filed per state.
One application. Real prices from the carriers writing in your state.