USAA SafePilot: Complete Guide & Review (2024)

Usage-based insurance (UBI) is becoming increasingly popular in the car insurance industry. These programs allow drivers to earn discounts for safe driving habits.

The USAA SafePilot program is one such program. USAA policyholders can earn a discount of up to 30% for allowing the app to track their driving behaviors.

If you would like to compare programs similar to the USAA SafePilot app, enter your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool above.

How much is USAA SafePilot car insurance?

Let’s begin by taking a look at USAA car insurance rates by coverage level:

USAA Rates by Coverage Level and State

When you sign up for the SafePilot program, you can earn a participation discount of up to 10%. After that, your affordable USAA SafePilot car insurance rates can decrease even further to earn a discount of up to 30% based on your driving behavior.

With that being said, SafePilot is only available in certain states, and some states do not have access to the maximum discount amounts.

If you don’t already have a USAA car insurance policy, you can receive USAA SafePilot car insurance quotes by visiting the company’s website.

What is USAA SafePilot?

The USAA SafePilot program is a usage-based insurance (UBI) program that uses an app to track your driving behavior. As the app tracks your driving, it’ll allow you to improve your driving and earn car insurance discounts.

The app recalculates your driving score every policy period, and the discount you’ve earned will be applied to your policy renewal.

You can download the app using an iOS or Android smartphone, and you must have a reliable data plan. The app runs in the background and automatically registers when you’re driving.

The app is supposed to be able to differentiate between driving and passenger rides, but you may have to manually adjust this if the app incorrectly assigns you as the driver.

What does USAA SafePilot track?

The USAA SafePilot app tracks the following driving behaviors:

• Phone use – The app will track how often you use your phone and make handheld or hands-free phone calls.
• Braking – If you brake too abruptly, typically, this may indicate that you follow too closely or drive too fast.
• Acceleration – If you accelerate too quickly, this could be a sign of unsafe or erratic driving.
• Speed – If you consistently go a certain amount over the speed limit, your discount may decrease.
• Time of day – If you drive at night or during rush-hour traffic, you may be considered at higher risk.
• Mileage – The more you drive, the more likely it is that you’ll be involved in an accident.

Other driving behaviors that the app will track include location, swerving, and cornering. However, not all of this data will necessarily be used in calculating your discount.

Why is my USAA app not working?

If you’re wondering what’s wrong with your USAA app, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, the app has a relatively low rating in app stores compared to other telematics apps.

Many users complain about being penalized for things such as hard braking when it’s necessary (such as to avoid hitting a deer that jumps in front of you) or for hands-free phone calls.

Another common issue is that the app doesn’t always pick up when you’re a passenger, and if you don’t remember to adjust it manually, you can be penalized for another person’s driving behaviors.

Is USAA SafePilot worth it?

Other usage-based auto insurance programs offer equal or greater maximum discounts and don’t penalize drivers for hands-free phone usage.

Although the SafePilot app has seen ratings improve in both the Apple App Store and Google Play, reviewers still complain that the SafePilot app penalizes them too harshly for sudden braking, that it can’t correctly identify whether a user is a passenger or a driver and that it penalizes them for hands-free phone usage.

How much can I save with USAA SafePilot?

USAA’s SafePilot program offers up to a 10% discount when you enroll, and up to 30% off your premium when your policy renews and your discount is calculated.

After any discount is applied, you’re driving score resets, and you have a clean slate to begin the next period until your policy renews again.

Should I buy USAA SafePilot car insurance?

If you already have a policy with the USAA SafePilot car insurance company, it may be worth it to try the SafePilot program to save money on your premiums.

While signing up for a safe driving program doesn’t guarantee you’ll earn a discount, it can be a great incentive to help you (and other drivers on your policy) develop safer driving habits.

USAA is only available to members of the military and their families, so this limits the number of people who can participate in the SafePilot program. If you are looking for auto insurance for military members, this might be a great program for you, but it isn’t available to the general public. Additionally, SafePilot is only available in some states, so you’ll have to check to see if it’s available where you live.

* Drivers with an auto insurance policy from USAA must download the free SafePilot app to participate in the program.

If you’re unable to use the USAA SafePilot app, you can enter your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool below to get quotes from other companies in your region.