Veterans, active-duty military members and their families often have unique needs for home insurance due to their budget or the possibility of employment, and are also granted access to special offers from many providers. We at the MarketWatch Guides team have reviewed 35 of the nations largest home insurance providers and have compiled a list of companies that offer the best coverage at the right cost to military members and their families. Ultimately, according to our review standards and extensive research, the best home insurance companies for veterans and military members are USAA, Armed Forces Insurance and Geico.
5 Best Home Insurance Companies for Veterans and Military Members
After in-depth research, we found the following to be the top homeowners insurance providers for active-duty military members and veterans:
- USAA: Our top pick
- Armed Forces Insurance: Best for veteran resources
- Geico: Best for optional coverage
- Farmers: Best for eco-friendly homeowners
- Liberty Mutual: Best for finished basements
The listings that appear are from companies from which this website may receive compensation, which may impact how, where and in what order products appear. Not all companies, products or offers were reviewed in connection with this listing.
USAA is the nation’s most popular and reputable company specializing in services to military members, veterans and their families via membership. While the company was not eligible for rank in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Home Insurance Study, it was included and scored significantly higher than all other providers in the study.
With a USAA membership, military families get access to a list of benefits, including home and auto insurance, banking services, retirement accounts and various discounts for dining, car rentals and more.
With its added membership perks, USAA offers the most inclusive standard coverage of the providers in this review. Its home insurance policies also offer unique coverage for your military uniform and equipment. Plus, if you are on active or reserve duty and these items are damaged, you won’t have to pay a deductible.
Offers home-sharing coverage to protect you and your guests if you rent out your home or a portion of it
Provides identity theft protection in its standard homeowners policy to residents in all states except North Carolina
Protects against inflation and other cost changes with its Home Protector endorsement
Doesn’t provide access to local insurance agents
Has fewer discounts than some competitors
USAA offers a discount to members who bundle home and car insurance, arm their homes with an ADT security system or are claims-free for five years.
USAA has a few helpful endorsements, including Home Protector coverage for when covered losses exceed dwelling coverage limits, increased liability coverage, computer coverage, valuable personal property coverage and cellphone coverage with ProtectCELL.
*A.M. Best ratings accurate as of August 2024
Armed Forces Insurance
While it may be less recognizable than USAA, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) has served military families since 1887. Like USAA, AFI offers several different insurance products, including auto, business, pet, renters and home insurance for vets and military members.
It stands out for its extensive list of endorsements and an impressive lineup of discounts. AFI offers 15 optional coverages that allow you to customize your coverage.
Has more discounts than USAA
Provides add-on coverages such as carport and golf cart protection excluded by most companies
Offers helpful online resources for dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and permanent change of station (PCS)
Requires you to provide your Social Security number (SSN) to get a quote, which some providers do not
Has limited customer service hours
AFI offers central station burglar and fire alarm discounts, a new-home credit, gated or guarded community discount, building code effectiveness grading credit, windstorm mitigation feature credits for items like hurricane shutters, IBHS fortified for safer living home credit, a new-roof credit and a companion policy credit for bundling multiple policies.
AFI’s endorsements include additional dwelling coverage, personal property replacement cost coverage, business property and permitted incidental occupancies, equipment breakdown coverage, golf cart coverage, personal injury coverage, animal liability protection, identity theft expense coverage, loss assessment coverage, scheduled personal property coverage, increased ordinance of law coverage, carport, screen enclosure and pool cage coverage, water backup and sump overflow coverage, earthquake and flood coverage.
Best known for its auto insurance, Geico is also a leading homeowners insurance marketplace. Founded in 1936, Geico is a practical choice for veterans. Rather than underwriting homeowners insurance policies, Geico partners with other trustworthy insurance carriers and matches applicants with the company best suited to meet their needs.
Veterans, military members and their family members may be eligible for a 15% discount on one of Geico’s insurance policies. Geico also offers emergency deployment discounts and a discount for members of professional military associations such as AUSA, AFBA and NLUS.
15% discount for military members and veterans
Features extensive customer service resources, including online chat, a mobile app and an online customer portal
Allows you to pay monthly premiums directly on Geico, regardless of which partnering provider underwrote your policy
Does not underwrite its own insurance policies
May require you to contact a representative to complete the quote process
In addition to its military discounts, Geico offers a multi-policy discount, home security system discount, and smoke detector or fire extinguisher discount.
Policy add-ons can vary from provider to provider. Get a quote from Geico to see which endorsements you may be eligible for.
While Farmers isn’t exclusive to military service members like USAA and AFI are, it is one of our highest-rated homeowners insurance companies and provides a unique discount for military members.
Founded in 1928, the company has cemented itself as a reputable provider of numerous lines of insurance, including business, home and auto insurance, with an excellent financial strength rating from AM Best and inclusion in the J.D. Power customer experience survey.
In addition to offering a military discount, Farmers is one of our top picks for its customizable coverage. While coverage limits may vary slightly by state, homeowners can typically choose to purchase between 40% and 200% of their dwelling coverage limit for personal property, whereas most companies only allow you to cover between 50% and 75% of this amount. The company also offers customizable dwelling coverage and extensive liability coverage.
10% discount for military members and veterans
Offers up to $2 million of liability coverage, which is higher than most competitors
Provides unique home insurance discounts such as a non-smoker discount
Provides fewer endorsements than USAA and AFI
Coverage options may vary by state
Farmers offers discounts for members of the military and other professions and organizations, protective devices, ePolicies, preferred automated payments, on-time payment history, UL-approved roofing materials, home safety, new home, nonsmokers, multiline, green-home certification via Energy Star, LEED or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), claims-free, home security system and rent to own for policyholders who switch from a Farmers renters policy to a homeowners one.
Farmers’ optional coverages include a personal articles floater for insuring valuables, an eco-rebuild endorsement, replacement cost coverage and identity theft protection.
Founded in 1912, Liberty Mutual offers various insurance products, including home, auto and renters insurance. Aside from providing unique endorsements with its homeowners policies, the company offers many discounts to help you lower your premiums. Depending on their location, active-duty military members and veterans can also get special savings in addition to standard discount offerings.
For example, Liberty Mutual offers inflation protection add-on coverage that automatically adjusts your policy limits according to inflation when your policy renews. It also applies a discount to your premium to lower your insurance costs.
10% discount for military members and veterans
Provides inflation protection add-on coverage
Offers discounts to help lower premiums
Only provides basic coverage under its standard policy
Online purchase discount not available in all states
Aside from offering special savings to military members and veterans, Liberty Mutual provides claims-free, safe homeowner, early shopper, newly purchased home, new or renovated home, new roof, multi-policy bundling, insured to value, paperless policy and preferred payment discounts.
Liberty Mutual’s list of endorsements includes water backup and sump overflow, earthquake, blanket jewelry, personal property replacement cost and inflation protection.
The Cost of Homeowners Insurance for Veterans
Homeowners insurance is typically less expensive for veterans and military members than for others due to special discounts or exclusive opportunities. The average cost of home insurance for military members, veterans, and their families is $2,323 per year, which is about $400 less than the average for other homeowners. The cheapest home insurance companies for veterans and military members are Island Insurance Company, Tokio Marine Insurance and Union Mutual which cost an average of $780 and $946 annually.
The table below shows how much home insurance costs for military members annually.
| Provider | Military/Veteran Premium |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $2,107 |
| Nationwide | $3,474 |
| Allstate | $2,424 |
| USAA | $2,409 |
| Armed Forces Insurance | $2,754 |
| Chubb | $3,132 |
| Farmers | $3,324 |
| Progressive | $2,646 |
| Auto Owners | $2,182 |
| Erie | $2,359 |
| Island Insurance Co. | $780 |
| Union Mutual | $1,148 |
| American Select Insurance | $2,437 |
| Amica | $1,755 |
| American Family | $3,104 |
We at the Guides Home Team gathered 2024 home insurance quotes for the providers in this article using data from Quadrant Information Services. Quadrant is a leading source of property and casualty insurance solutions and data.
Our sample homeowner is a 40-year-old single male with good credit and no prior claims history. Our sample policies featured a $1,000 deductible and the following coverage and limits:
- Dwelling: $350,000
- Other Structures: $25,000
- Personal Property: $150,000
- Loss of Use: $50,000
- Liability: $300,000
- Medical Payments: $1,000
For each provider, we gathered a quote for 50% of the ZIP codes in every state it is licensed in. We used the most populous ZIP codes for our study. We took the average of these individual quotes to calculate national and state average premiums for each provider. Our sample rates are for informational purposes only. Actual premiums will vary.
Home Insurance Requirements for VA Loans
If you’re planning to buy a home as a military member or veteran, you’re likely considering a home loan through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA loans are mortgages offered exclusively to military members, veterans and their spouses.
These loans offer competitive interest rates and have no down payment requirement, making them the most competitive choice for most veterans. The VA partners with select lenders to offer these loans.
While the VA provides mortgages, it does not sell homeowners insurance. However, all VA lenders require you to purchase a home insurance policy. The VA can also connect you with reputable insurers such as the ones featured in this review and provide guidance on minimum coverage requirements.
How Deployment Affects Homeowners Insurance
Deployment can affect your homeowners insurance coverage in two ways:
- Vacancy/occupancy clause: Home insurance policies typically exclude coverage for homes that have been vacant or unoccupied for an extended period, typically 30–60 days. Some insurers offer policies specifically for vacant and unoccupied homes that can protect your home while you’re deployed.
- War zone exclusion: While homeowners insurance typically covers your stuff whether you’re at home or away, policies typically contain a clause excluding war zones. If your belongings are damaged or destroyed in an active war zone, they will typically not be covered.
Both of these exclusions will likely be included in your homeowners insurance contract. If you are an active-duty member of the military, be sure to read these clauses carefully to understand the limits of your policy if you are deployed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Geico, Farmers, and Liberty Mutual are three of the top home insurance companies that offer military discounts to military members, veterans and their loved ones. You can contact insurers directly to inquire about their military discount availability. There are also companies that only offer coverage to military members and have lower rates than standard insurers such as USAA and Armed Forces Insurance.
The VA does not offer homeowners insurance policies. However, it does provide mortgages. VA lenders will require you to purchase home insurance to take out a VA loan.
USAA’s homeowners insurance policies are only available to active, retired and honorably discharged members of the military and their immediate families. USAA members can apply for its insurance, banking products and financial services.
Eligibility requirements for military discounts can vary, but the factors below will likely impact your access to military discounts on homeowners insurance:
- Length of time served
- Deployment status
- Active-duty status
- Type of discharge
- National Guard or Reserve status
- Relationship to military member or veteran
Because criteria may vary from one company to the next, we recommend checking directly with each homeowners insurance company you’re considering to determine if you may qualify for military discounts.
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