You probably know you can save money by bundling your auto and home insurance with the same carrier. But that means you're putting more trust in one insurance company to deliver on its promises. For USAA members, their trust is off the charts.
Many of them choose USAA for their auto, home and umbrella insurance policies. And they couldn't be happier. Since 1922, USAA has sold auto insurance to current and former U.S. military members, their spouses and children. Over time, the company has expanded to include home, umbrella and life insurance.
USAA finished atop the auto and home insurance categories in IBD's sixth annual survey of the Most Trusted Financial Companies. Not only did USAA shine in the insurance categories, USAA took first place overall among the 2025 list of the 30 Most Trusted Financial Companies. Plus, divisions of USAA accounted for four of the top 10 spots on that list.
In interviews with USAA policyholders who gave the company glowing reviews in the survey, they highlighted superior customer service as a differentiator.
"There was never a time I've called USAA where you'd think the person was on their first day on the job," said Rick Polo, a retiree in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. "They are unfailingly polite and friendly."
While USAA enables members to make policy changes online, Polo prefers to call and speak with a customer service representative.
"I could go online to add or subtract a car, but I always call USAA because it's faster," said Polo, a USAA customer for 46 years. "Unlike with my cable or utility company, I never have to wait to get someone on the phone — and I don't have to go through so many screens."
Read Our Business Category Stories On The 2025 Most Trusted Financial Companies In Investing, Credit Cards And Banking.
Survey Methodology
IBD's 2025 list of the Most Trusted Financial Companies is based on a survey in which thousands of people rated their financial service providers on the trust attributes that consumers said were most important to them. Our sister company, MarketWatch, is co-branding the report for a fourth year. IBD's polling partner, TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, conducted the survey from May to July.
There were again eight categories of companies in this year's survey: wealth managers, banks, credit cards, ETF/fund companies and online brokers, plus auto, home and life insurers.
This year we saw how customer trust in the financial companies they partner with rose in importance. Our survey respondents told us how much they value the best products and services, and that a company's customer service and ethics earn their trust.
USAA Strives For Fast Service, Fair Pricing
With such responsive service, you'd think USAA would charge more for its policies. Yet while USAA is not necessarily the cheapest option, customers appreciate its fair pricing.
Bob Fish, who lives in Parkersburg, W.Va., joined USAA in 1968. Since then, he has occasionally shopped around to check prices. A friend who sold policies for a competing insurer asked Fish, "Who are you with now?"
When Fish said USAA, his friend replied, "I can't touch their rates."
USAA solidifies trust with its members by focusing on affordability and availability, says Debra Deck, its general manager of personal lines insurance.
Case in point: Some home insurers are pulling out of certain riskier or disaster-prone markets. But USAA continues to write auto and home policies in all 50 states.
"We're committed to serving our members where they live (including) California, Florida, Texas and Colorado," Deck said. "We are not a nonrenewal company."
USAA keeps issuing policies in places that some other insurers avoid in part by enlisting its members' help. For instance, it urges policyholders to fortify their homes and — in a pilot program called "Connected Home" — offers discounts for those who use smart home devices that detect water leaks.
4 Most Trusted Auto Insurers
| Company | Overall rating | Soundness | Quality | Privacy | Ethics | Customer service | Prices | Sensitivity to customer needs | Confidence in mgt. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 88.2 | 92.6 | 91.6 | 91.1 | 87.5 | 88.1 | 75.6 | 81.9 | 85.7 |
| American Family Insurance | 73.6 | 72.6 | 79.9 | 73.7 | 78.5 | 75 | 62.2 | 63.6 | 72.9 |
| AAA Insurance | 72.6 | 76.6 | 73.4 | 75.7 | 77.2 | 77 | 53.9 | 62.4 | 70.7 |
| State Farm Insurance | 71.6 | 81.1 | 77.4 | 78.1 | 71 | 74.8 | 43.4 | 52 | 69.4 |
USAA Impresses With Responsive Claim Service
For auto and home insurers, the real test comes when customers file a claim. USAA members often say the company passes the test with flying colors.
Dan Dunbar, a retired CPA in Encinitas, Calif., recently hit a rock while driving. He praises USAA's quick handling of the claim.
"They were very responsive and easy to deal with," he said. "I've always been impressed by how responsive they are compared to other companies."
Bob McGovern tells a similar story. When the retired banker's wife got in a car accident six years ago, she wasn't injured but her car was totaled.
"USAA's claim adjuster was proactive," said McGovern, who lives in Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. "It got resolved quickly. They didn't throw up any roadblocks. A lot of it was done online so there was no playing phone tag. They treat their customers well."
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USAA On Lower Premiums And Preventing Losses
When Deck cites affordability as a key driver in USAA's efforts to stand out, she notes that many Americans, including some USAA members, face financial stress. That's why the company designs win-win initiatives that lower premiums while preventing losses.
Offered in 47 states, its SafePilot program rewards good driving habits by monitoring insured vehicles to gather data on driver behavior. A newer program, SafePilot Miles, is available in 33 states. It's designed for members who drive less on average and want pricing that adjusts to their month-to-month mileage.
Members like these programs. When buying a new auto policy with USAA, over half of them choose to participate in one of these SafePilot programs, Deck says.
USAA's salespeople aren't paid on commission. They aren't incentivized to extract more premium from each customer.
Dunbar can attest to this, recalling how USAA suggested ways to cut his insurance bill. When he purchased an umbrella policy, the company lowered the limits of his underlying auto policy to reduce his premium.
Northwestern Mutual Ranks No. 1 Among Life Insurance Companies
Just as USAA gains buy-in from its members by enlisting their help to prevent and mitigate losses, top life insurers engage their policyholders by aligning their interest with the company's performance.
Northwestern Mutual, the No. 1 finisher in the Most Trusted Life Insurer category in IBD's survey, pays dividends to policyholders. Every year, they receive checks that reflect the mutual company's profits.
Northwestern Mutual was founded in 1857 and has more than 5 million policyholders. This year, Northwestern Mutual paid a company-record $8.2 billion in dividends to its policy owners. Its 2025 dividend surpassed its 2024 payout by more than $800 million.
This year's payout, the industry's largest, will include the highest amounts in company history for policy owners across whole life insurance ($7.1 billion), disability insurance ($560 million) and annuities ($350 million).
Over her 25 years at Northwestern Mutual, Kamilah Williams-Kemp has found that customers look forward to receiving their annual policy statement accompanied by their dividend payment.
"They see the value," said Williams-Kemp, executive vice president and chief product officer at Milwaukee-based Northwestern Mutual. "They often say they wish they bought more life insurance."
Chris Tewell is one of those satisfied policyholders who added more coverage over the years. Tewell is a retired bank executive. He bought his first Northwestern Mutual life insurance policy in the early 1970s soon after he got married.
"They always seemed consistent in their approach," said Tewell, who lives in Millbrook, N.Y. "They seem to know where they're going. And they execute well."
4 Most Trusted Life Insurance Companies
| Company | Overall rating | Soundness | Quality | Privacy | Ethics | Customer service | Prices | Sensitivity to customer needs | Confidence in mgt. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Mutual | 83.4 | 90.7 | 83.4 | 88.1 | 83.6 | 78.7 | 73.6 | 75.7 | 82.7 |
| USAA | 83.4 | 88.3 | 85.2 | 83.1 | 79.4 | 84.2 | 78.9 | 81.4 | 81.5 |
| State Farm | 79.6 | 83.3 | 79.3 | 83.2 | 78.7 | 79.8 | 71.9 | 76.8 | 77.7 |
| New York Life | 78.5 | 85.3 | 78.1 | 82.2 | 78 | 73.5 | 71.9 | 70 | 79.9 |
4 Most Trusted Home Insurance Companies
In addition to USAA and Northwestern, other insurers made the top ranks of this year's survey.
Geico, Travelers Insurance and Progressive joined USAA on the list of most trusted home insurers.
State Farm and New York Life ranked among the most trusted life insurers. American Family Insurance, AAA Insurance and State Farm Insurance made the list of most trusted auto insurers.
In this year's survey, USAA, Geico, Travelers and Progressive ranked highly in the categories of quality and customer service.
Across the U.S. from 2021 to 2024, annual insurance premiums for a typical homeowner increased by an average of $648, according to Consumer Federation of America. The group also found premiums increased in 95% of U.S. ZIP codes, and consumers in one-third of ZIP codes saw their premiums rise by more than 30%. The most expensive states in which to insure a home are Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Nebraska.
| Company | Overall rating | Soundness | Quality | Privacy | Ethics | Customer service | Prices | Sensitivity to customer needs | Confidence in mgt. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 88.9 | 93.1 | 90.5 | 91 | 89.2 | 88.9 | 79.9 | 81.4 | 88.1 |
| Geico | 77.3 | 82.5 | 78.8 | 80.3 | 73.1 | 76.3 | 68.2 | 77.4 | 75.5 |
| Travelers Insurance | 75.9 | 86 | 80.5 | 78.1 | 76.2 | 75.7 | 52.3 | 65.3 | 73.9 |
| Progressive | 73.2 | 77.2 | 75.2 | 74.4 | 69.8 | 78.2 | 61.6 | 66.9 | 74.1 |
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IBD's special reports are objective and data-based. This independent special report is produced by the IBD editorial team. There is no sponsored content, nor are there any commission links. A company cannot apply to get on this list, and there are no fees.
