USAA SafePilot Review: Pros, Cons, & Alternatives (2024)

Discover the USAA SafePilot program, an affordable usage-based auto insurance program that allows you to save on your premiums based on your driving habits. By practicing safe driving habits, you can earn substantial savings on your auto insurance. Compare quotes from multiple companies to ensure you're getting the best coverage at the most affordable price.

Free Insurance Comparison

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Home » Companies » Best Car Insurance » USAA SafePilot Review: Pros, Cons, & Alternatives (2024)

Written by:

Imani Francies

Insurance and Finance Writer

Imani Francies is a finance and insurance writer who has strong media and communication skills with a bachelor's degree from Georgia State University. She began her writing career freelancing with various blogs and internships while working full-time as an early childhood educator. She has significant experience in both print and online media as a writer, editor, and author. She works efficient...

Full Bio →
Written by Imani Francies

Insurance and Finance Writer

Reviewed by:

Tim Bain

Founder & Life Insurance Agent

Tim Bain is a licensed life insurance agent with 23 years of experience helping people protect their families and businesses with term life insurance.  His insurance expertise has been featured in several publications, including Investopedia and eFinancial. He also does digital marking and analysis for KPS/3, a communications and marking firm located in Nevada. 

Full Bio →
Reviewed by Tim Bain

Founder & Life Insurance Agent

UPDATED: Oct 6, 2023

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.

Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.

Company Details
Address: 9800 FREDERICKSBURG ROAD
City: SAN ANTONIO
State: TX
ZIP Code: 78288
Phone Number: 210-498-5430
Year Founded: 1898
AM Best Rating: A++
4.71 (6,433 reviews)

Things to Remember

  • Everyone gets a 5 percent discount just for trying out SafePilot
  • Only members of the military, veterans, and their immediate family members can get auto insurance from USAA
  • Discounts of up to 20 percent are possible depending on your driving habits

Discover the comprehensive guide to the USAA SafePilot car insurance discount program, an innovative usage-based auto insurance solution. Explore its features, pros, cons, and alternative options for making well-informed decisions. Gain a clear understanding of how SafePilot functions, the driving behavior-based discounts it offers, and its advantages over other telematics programs.

Read more: USAA Car Insurance Discounts

Take the first step towards finding the best insurance rates for your needs by entering your zip code below. By comparing quotes from top insurance providers, you can ensure that you get the most competitive rates available. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to save on your auto insurance premiums. Start comparing quotes now and make a smart financial decision today.

Read More: Best Car Insurance

What is the USAA SafePilot program?

SafePilot is an app offered by USAA insurance to promote safe driving habits resulting in up to a 20 percent discount on your next six-month policy renewal. The app determines whether you’re a certain type of bad driver or whether your safe driving habits warrant a discount.

Several of the top auto insurance companies collect your driving information for only 90 days, and you get only one chance to try for a discount.

SafePilot is different.

SafePilot continually records your driving habits and adjusts your discount to be used on your next six-month policy period. The discount can vary from policy period to policy period.

You can use your USAA login to view each of your trips. SafePilot records the following driving habits:

  • Your vehicle location
  • Whether you are driving during the day or night
  • Hard braking
  • Any hands-free calls you make
  • How often and for how long you handle your phone
  • If you are the driver or the passenger

USAA believes safe driving is important and uses SafePilot to decrease the number of those that are distracted drivers. Also, many fatal accidents happen late at night.

USAA is committed to this belief. In 2018, more than 2,800 people were killed, and 400,000 were injured through some form of distracted driving, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.

SafePilot especially encourages teen driver safety. If the entire family participates in these efforts to reduce distracted driving, you will have for sure earned your discount.

One downside, however, is that SafePilot is always collecting data in the background, no matter if the app is open or not on your smartphone. This can cause your phone battery to deplete, or you could use all of your data plan.

If you choose to use SafePilot, be sure to keep a phone charger in the car and consider an unlimited data plan with your cell service provider.

USAA keeps your data private and safe and uses it only for further research. Telematics is just beginning. In fact, USAA is adding features to SafePilot to collect data when you are in an accident.

For more on USAA insurance, take a look at some of our USAA home and car insurance reviews & ratings.

Compare The Best Insurance Quotes In The Country

Compare quotes from the top insurance companies and save!

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Is SafePilot worth it?

SafePilot is valuable when it comes to making you improve your driving habits and helping to prevent distracted driving. It is free and simple to use, and it can help you save money.

USAA customers that use SafePilot offer good reviews. Even though the app is supposed to understand whether you are a driver or a passenger, users report this is one weakness of their app.

If you would like to test-drive other usage-based auto insurance programs, most companies will have a trial period for any potential new customers.

Most companies openly state some of the U.S. military and veteran resources, which include discounts, on their websites. Stacking a military discount with a usage-based program discount could mean big savings for the entire family.

That’s why it’s important to get multiple auto insurance quotes from multiple auto insurance companies before choosing USAA and signing up for SafePilot. Enter your ZIP code to compare quotes today.

Evaluating Claims Handling: USAA SafePilot

Ease of Filing a Claim

USAA SafePilot offers a streamlined and convenient claims process for its customers. You can file a claim through multiple channels, including online, over the phone, or through the mobile app. This flexibility ensures that you can report incidents and initiate the claims process in a way that suits your preferences and schedule.

Average Claim Processing Time

USAA SafePilot is committed to providing efficient and prompt claim processing. While specific processing times can vary depending on the complexity of the claim and other factors, the company aims to resolve claims swiftly. Customers generally benefit from relatively quick claim settlements, helping them get back on the road without unnecessary delays.

Customer Feedback on Claim Resolutions and Payouts

USAA SafePilot has garnered positive customer feedback regarding its claim resolutions and payouts. Many policyholders have expressed satisfaction with the fairness and transparency of the claims settlement process. USAA’s commitment to excellent customer service reflects in its handling of claims, earning the trust of its members.

Unleashing Innovation With USAA SafePilot Digital and Technological Features

Mobile App Features and Functionality

The USAA SafePilot mobile app is a key component of this innovative usage-based auto insurance program. The app offers a range of features designed to improve your driving habits and provide insights into your performance. It continually records your driving habits and offers real-time feedback, making it a valuable tool for safe driving improvement.

Online Account Management Capabilities

USAA SafePilot provides robust online account management capabilities, allowing policyholders to access and monitor their driving data, discounts, and policy information. Through the online portal, you can easily track your progress, view trip details, and manage your policy preferences, enhancing the overall user experience.

Digital Tools and Resources

In addition to the mobile app and online account management, USAA SafePilot offers a variety of digital tools and resources to help you make informed decisions about your auto insurance. These resources may include educational materials, safety tips, and insights into your driving behavior. USAA’s commitment to leveraging technology for safer driving is evident in its comprehensive digital offerings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is USAA SafePilot?

USAA SafePilot is a telematics-based program offered by USAA Insurance that uses a mobile app and a device plugged into your car to monitor your driving behavior and reward safe driving habits with potential discounts on your auto insurance premiums.

How does USAA SafePilot work?

To enroll in USAA SafePilot, you need to download the SafePilot app and plug the device provided by USAA into your car’s OBD-II port. The app uses the device to collect data on your driving behavior, such as speed, acceleration, braking, and time of day. Based on this data, USAA assigns you a driving score, and you may be eligible for discounts on your auto insurance premiums if you score high enough.

What are the benefits of using USAA SafePilot?

Some potential benefits of using USAA SafePilot include:

  • Discounts on your auto insurance premiums based on your driving score
  • The ability to track your driving behavior and potentially improve your habits
  • Automatic accident detection and emergency response services
  • Customized feedback and coaching to help you become a safer driver

Are there any downsides to USAA SafePilot?

One downside of USAA SafePilot is that it requires you to allow the app to track your driving behavior, which some people may not be comfortable with. Additionally, if you drive aggressively or have poor driving habits, you may not be eligible for a discount.

What are some alternatives to USAA SafePilot?

Some alternatives to USAA SafePilot include other telematics programs offered by insurance companies such as State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save, Allstate’s Drivewise, and Progressive’s Snapshot.

How much money can you save with USAA SafePilot?

The amount of money you can save with USAA SafePilot varies based on your driving habits and location. On average, USAA SafePilot participants can save up to 30% on their auto insurance premiums.

Reviews
for USAA

4.71 (6,433 reviews)
1
January 19, 2024

Poteattony

Usaa not so great anymore

These guys dropped me based on my adult daughters driving record even thought my wife and i have a perfect driving record and will not renew or communicate even though both daughters are adults and are moved out of my home! Thanks for looking our for your vets usaa! Ive been a member and have had insurance banking etc with them for 14 yrs but im out now! Theses guys really do not have any loyalty
1
December 21, 2023

ioam

Customer service got bad

I have been a member with USAA for nearly 10 years now. I have received exceptional service in the past, but recently I am very disappointed with their service. My vehicle was deemed a total loss 3 times during my claim/repairs, it has been in repair status for 3 months, I was only reimbursed for 6 days of rental coverage, the adjusters including the manager are unresponsive and communication is unnecessarily drawn out. USAA refused to communicat...
I have been a member with USAA for nearly 10 years now. I have received exceptional service in the past, but recently I am very disappointed with their service. My vehicle was deemed a total loss 3 times during my claim/repairs, it has been in repair status for 3 months, I was only reimbursed for 6 days of rental coverage, the adjusters including the manager are unresponsive and communication is unnecessarily drawn out. USAA refused to communicate with the mechanical shop and the body shop, which made my life very difficult. I was doing their work to ensure the parties are getting paid, that my vehicle is being moved from shop to shop, and I had to frequently call USAA to receive any kind of status update. At one point they actually closed my claim as "resolved" simply because they claimed I was not responding... I was furious about that. They reopened my claim a day later because I was checking emails, the claims communication center and my phone daily. Meanwhile, I signed a new lease when I was informed the first time that my vehicle is totaled, moved out of state and now have to have my vehicle shipped to me. From all USAA employees in the claim process, I feel ignored, misinformed, and not treated as a valued customer. I am writing this review because trying to resolve this matter internally has led to no results and at this point, I do not recommend USAA to potential new members, especially when I am paying $250 monthly to be insured for anything that may come my way...
Read More
4
October 2, 2023

Sandy_H

Unresolved billing issue for months

Wow, after being a USAA member for decades, I can't get them to resolve a billing issue that's ongoing since September 2022. I've made 15+ calls, more than 40 hours if our time, sometimes talking to 2 or 3 representatives per call, supervisors, and EVERY TIME, you have to start over because you can't talk to the same person twice, EVER. No one can help, Supervisors don't return calls if you're lucky enough to reach one after 45 minutes on hold, a...
Wow, after being a USAA member for decades, I can't get them to resolve a billing issue that's ongoing since September 2022. I've made 15+ calls, more than 40 hours if our time, sometimes talking to 2 or 3 representatives per call, supervisors, and EVERY TIME, you have to start over because you can't talk to the same person twice, EVER. No one can help, Supervisors don't return calls if you're lucky enough to reach one after 45 minutes on hold, and still, the billing problem persists. Extremely disappointed and you can't send an email or tell anyone. Maybe this public post will provide some relief.
Read More
1
September 26, 2023

davidwells

USAA: Always hire a lawyer

Always hire a lawyer when dealing with USAA. Here are the tactics USAA uses to avoid paying your car claim. 1. Ignore your phone calls and delay for months to wear you down 2.Make you manage their claim department to get things done 3.Each new person shows surprise that no one has called you back and promises to take care of it 4.Tell you that your 2022 claim was on an old system and only a few people can access that system 5.Play a game that the...
Always hire a lawyer when dealing with USAA. Here are the tactics USAA uses to avoid paying your car claim. 1. Ignore your phone calls and delay for months to wear you down 2.Make you manage their claim department to get things done 3.Each new person shows surprise that no one has called you back and promises to take care of it 4.Tell you that your 2022 claim was on an old system and only a few people can access that system 5.Play a game that the market value of a wrecked car is within $500 dollars of an unwrecked car. Go somewhere else.
Read More
1
June 17, 2023

chanelcinq

Completely incompetent

What a complete nightmare.  WORST COMPANY EVER. They are completely incompetent on every single level.  Please look at the reviews.  If you sort by most recent the first three pages ALL are 1 star except one 3 star and two 2 stars.  The rest are all 1 star so it is obvious they have declined.  It took them 5.5 weeks to total my car.  The agents don't call you back and basically, they don't do anything.  Nothing happened unless I called to ...
What a complete nightmare.  WORST COMPANY EVER. They are completely incompetent on every single level.  Please look at the reviews.  If you sort by most recent the first three pages ALL are 1 star except one 3 star and two 2 stars.  The rest are all 1 star so it is obvious they have declined.  It took them 5.5 weeks to total my car.  The agents don't call you back and basically, they don't do anything.  Nothing happened unless I called to move to the next step.  It took a week before they even towed my car from the accident site.  I called every day telling them my car was going to be towed away and they needed to move it.  When they towed it they towed it about 45 minutes away and across a bridge.  I am in a very populous place in San [REDACTED NAME] between San [REDACTED NAME] and San [REDACTED NAME] yet they towed my car to the East Bay.  Then it sat for 1.5 weeks.  I called again to ask what is going on and why there has been no appraisal after 2.5 weeks.   Once I called them, then I received a call back in 25 minutes the appraisal was done.  I asked the agent how he did it so fast and he said from photos.  Give me a break.  It was obviously NOT correct.  Then the car needed to be towed from this facility in the East Bay to my auto body shop.  I was told on a Wednesday that the paperwork to get the car out takes 72 hours and that takes it to Sat and it was Memorial weekend so the car would not arrive until the Tuesday after labor day.  Well, it actually arrived Wednesday the 7th of June.  So absurd.  The auto body shop did the estimate on Friday of that same week and we were in contact this past Monday.  They sent the estimate to USAA on Monday and today, Friday, I get a TEXT that the case is closed and my car is totaled.  And of course, my adjusted didn't answer her phone or call back.   I think they make money from totaling out the car. They told me I would get 17,194.00 if the car is totaled. The estimate from the auto body shop was for 13,506 and they still totaled it. I told USAA that the shop will work with me. USAA said if you decide to do a salvage you only get about 7,000. They said they sell my car for parts and if they cannot sell it, For example in the case of a salvage, they don't make any money so that is why the payout is less. All of it seems so shady. Why would there be a 10,000 difference? Things just do not add up. You have been forewarned to steer clear of this nightmare of a company.
Read More
1
May 31, 2023

HB23

Incompetent company

This is the most incompetent insurance company I’ve ever dealt with. My car was hit by one of their members and is still not fixed nearly 3 months later. Their excuse is that they don’t have their members statement. If they’re handling getting their members statement like they did mine then I’m not surprised. They made ZERO effort to get my statement, didn’t reach out once. The only reason they have my statement is because I called over...
This is the most incompetent insurance company I’ve ever dealt with. My car was hit by one of their members and is still not fixed nearly 3 months later. Their excuse is that they don’t have their members statement. If they’re handling getting their members statement like they did mine then I’m not surprised. They made ZERO effort to get my statement, didn’t reach out once. The only reason they have my statement is because I called over and over and over leaving multiple messages, that were never responded to. I finally got through to a person after many tries and gave them my statement even though they weren’t the person that was in charge of this claim. I would caution anyone against using USAA for their insurance seeing as how they clearly have no intention of paying out for a claim.
Read More
1
May 25, 2023

JonB36

USAA's exemplary service legacy has hit rock bottom.

USAA’s auto repair service has hit rock bottom. Unfortunately, I’m just one of many experiencing it: but I think I have uncovered a reason why. Once listed in “Consumers Reports” as the best all-around auto insurance provider, a year or so ago USAA made a decision which has led to long repair delays and absolute frustration for us their customers/members. And to top it off, USAA doesn’t seem concerned. If you don’t believe me, jus...
USAA’s auto repair service has hit rock bottom. Unfortunately, I’m just one of many experiencing it: but I think I have uncovered a reason why. Once listed in “Consumers Reports” as the best all-around auto insurance provider, a year or so ago USAA made a decision which has led to long repair delays and absolute frustration for us their customers/members. And to top it off, USAA doesn’t seem concerned. If you don’t believe me, just try to get someone from their claims department to answer or return your telephone calls when you need them to!! From my own recent auto repair experience and what I have been able to learn from other sources, USAA has replaced a large number of its in-house claims adjusters with a third-party firm called (I believe) "Snapsheet" to take over their claims adjusting process. Now, all auto repair estimates go directly from the repair facilities to this outsider company ...not to USAA...which reviews them, deals (negotiates) directly with the shops and then sends a “revalued version” to USAA. Only then will USAA issue a check and the go-ahead to start repairs. USAA now will do nothing until in receipt of Snapsheet’s, “approved” total. Time is no longer a consideration and there seems to be no limit to the number of times the shop has to revise its’ estimate in order to obtain Snapsheets’ approval. (In my case it has been four times so far.) According to a shop foreman I talked with who had been offered a job with them, Snapsheets employees do not have to be experienced adjusters; aren’t required to visit the facility or to examine the vehicle in question; and can form their estimates working from home if they wish. And Snapsheet is also free to “bargain” directly with repair facilities without USAA input. According to him the recruiter old him up front that Snapsheet is being hired to save USAA money, and that is of paramount importance. So, where does all this leave us, members and customers when everything comes to an impasse? Essentially, in limbo. We can’t talk to anyone at Snapsheet, and hardly any USAA adjusters answers or returns calls, even though their answering machine states their aim is to return calls within 4 hours. That claim should be erased!! Customer care????? Judging from numerous negative remarks I’m not alone. In my own case I haven't received any return calls and the repair shop has had their estimate returned four times now with a warning that if they do not concede to reduce their estimates to Snapsheets’ satisfaction they (Snapsheet) will not forward it on to USAA. In the meantime, my car sits there, broken and USAA seems oblivious or uninterested in intervening to get this impasse resolved. They won't even talk to the repair facility to sort things out! That's how poor their customer service has become! USAA’s recent ad campaign claiming to have the interests of veterans, service members and their families at heart...is something of a sad joke. But as a veteran and a long time member…. I’m not laughing!! Someone should remind USAA's leadership of the age-old business rule..."poor service leads to lost customers". At this writing, nothing has been resolved. The shop is thinking of throwing my car out of their lot. I'm totally frustrated and disappointed. For many years I have relied on USAA, but they are just not the same company today. Now its "buyer Beware!!" That's my 2 cents !!! JonB
Read More
1
May 4, 2023

Cvinny10_

Do NOT get this insurance

Worst experience. I got hit by someone with this insurance and it took them 7 weeks to total my car. We came upon an agreement for the amount I would be paid so I signed the title over and a week later they said they could no longer pay that amount. Please do yourself and the rest of us Americans a favor and do NOT get this insurance
1
February 25, 2023

CGN_Demandante

Damaged Rental Van Payoff

I returned a perfectly good rental van to Budget Rental during the summer, but they damaged it sometime afterwards. It was not even a small damage: there were dents all along the driver side door, the sliding door panel, and the trunk door. It was something that would not have been missed, if I returned the van in that condition. However, Budget Rental then filed a claim with USAA in 10/2022, a full 6 months later. It was blatantly fraudulent...
I returned a perfectly good rental van to Budget Rental during the summer, but they damaged it sometime afterwards. It was not even a small damage: there were dents all along the driver side door, the sliding door panel, and the trunk door. It was something that would not have been missed, if I returned the van in that condition. However, Budget Rental then filed a claim with USAA in 10/2022, a full 6 months later. It was blatantly fraudulent. After what I consider useless perfunctory online investigating, USAA just decided to just pay them off, and I am stuck with a higher insurance premium. USAA is a totally different insurance company from when I joined 40 years ago. Pretty disappointing.
Read More
1
October 7, 2022

JesseM

Surprisingly Awful

Outside of the mobile app being frustrating to use, I didn't have any issues with USAA, until I had a windshield claim. Was easy at the start, they use Safelite for all windshield claims, only the first installation resulted in pieces of my car flying off on the freeway. 2nd visit resulted in fixing missing molding from windshield, but the multifunction camera on the windshield kept malfunctioning because of the install being off center. This ...
Outside of the mobile app being frustrating to use, I didn't have any issues with USAA, until I had a windshield claim. Was easy at the start, they use Safelite for all windshield claims, only the first installation resulted in pieces of my car flying off on the freeway. 2nd visit resulted in fixing missing molding from windshield, but the multifunction camera on the windshield kept malfunctioning because of the install being off center. This is where everything got bad. I was unable to reopen the claim with USAA, and they have a circular help system that will make sure you can never actually get through to anyone about an existing claim. Their chatbot is especially diabolical. It wasn't until I left a review on BBB, that I received a call from a special team that deals with BBB complaints. After the 4th windshield was installed and 4 months, I finally have a working car again, but there is no way I'm risking another claim with USAA.
Read More
↑ Back to Top

Write a Review

Policy Type?

Please select a `Policy Type!`
(Min. 100 Characters)

Company Overall Rating

When you submit this review, you will be asked to sign in/up for to your https://staging.usinsuranceagents.com account. If your account is not currently verified, we will send a verification email to the email on file for your account. Please select the verification button in that email. If you do not see the email in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folder. Your review cannot be reviewed and accepted until you complete this verification step.

Related Articles

How much does Lincoln Continental car insurance cost?
Cadillac Car Insurance Discount for 2024
Will health insurance cover Omidria?
How to Cancel Your American Service Life Insurance Company Life Insurance Policy

Free Insurance Comparison

Compare quotes from the top insurance companies and save!

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption