If you’re a military service member, you have a unique set of considerations. You could be deployed, need to relocate frequently, or store your car when you’re away. We hear you and understand this can make managing your bills and insurance coverage tricky.
The good news is there are military car insurance options that may be a good fit for you. Here’s what military service members should know about auto insurance.
Who is considered a military service member?
Many auto insurance companies offer military discounts on car insurance or specialized military car insurance policies.
Military service members may be able to take advantage of these savings. In some cases, insurance companies might extend any benefits, discounts, or eligibility to family members or former military service members, including veterans.
To qualify for most military car insurance, you typically must have an affiliation with one of the following branches of the Armed Forces:
- Air Force
- Army
- Coast Guard
- Marine Corps
- Navy
If you work in or are affiliated with one of these branches, you likely qualify for military car insurance. Drivers who are affiliated with the National Guard, Space Force, reserves, or other areas of the U.S. Department of Defense may also be eligible.
Can you get a military discount car insurance option?
If you’re looking for military car insurance, you might have encountered higher-than-expected costs.
Because military service members may not use their cars as much as other drivers, especially when deployed, military car insurance rates may sometimes be higher than other types of car insurance.
When looking for car insurance coverage, military service members should consider many options and see what insurance companies can offer a military discount for car insurance.
Consider pay-per-mile auto insurance as an alternative
Because you likely won’t be driving much, you may want to consider pay-per-mile auto insurance.
Pay-per-mile auto insurance is a usage-based car insurance, which means your rate is primarily based on how you use your car. If you don’t drive long distances or often, you could save hundreds of dollars compared to traditional car insurance policies.
How much could Metromile save me on car insurance?
Metromile offers affordable auto insurance coverage.
Drivers pay a low monthly base rate each month to keep their car covered, even when they aren’t driving. Then, they pay a few cents for each mile they drive.
Drivers can save 47% a year on average when they switch to Metromile, according to a 2018 survey of new customers who saved with Metromile.Depending on how much you drive, you could stand to save even more. Savings of about $1,000 or more a year are not uncommon with Metromile’s pay-how-you-drive auto insurance:
5 reasons why pay-per-mile car insurance makes sense for military personnel
Searching for military car insurance can be a hassle, but it doesn’t have to be.
It’s possible to find a low auto insurance rate without sacrificing your coverage or experience. Here are five reasons why pay-per-mile auto insurance could make sense for military service members:
1. You pay for the miles you drive.
Military service members and their families are often on the go and might not use their cars for long periods of time. If your vehicle spends more time in your garage or storage than on the road, you don’t need to pay more than you have to for auto insurance.
Pay-per-mile car insurance helps keep your bill reasonable, as you’ll pay for what you actually use.
2. All miles over 250 per day are completely free.
Pay-per-mile auto insurance can help you avoid bill surprises.
At Metromile, all miles over 250 in a single day (150 miles per day in New Jersey) are free. This bonus can help you keep costs manageable, even if you decide to drive more than you ordinarily would.
3. You can personalize your coverage from a variety of limits and deductible options.
Pay-per-mile auto insurance offers the same types of coverage as traditional insurance, including liability protection, comprehensive coverage, collision coverage, medical payments coverage, personal injury protection, roadside assistance, and more.
You can also adjust the limits and deductibles to help protect your vehicle, finances, and wellbeing.
Metromile gives you the opportunity to choose the type of auto insurance that’s right for your lifestyle, which can come in handy for the military lifestyle.
4. The claims process is simple.
Filing an insurance claim can be stressful, which isn’t helpful after a car accident. The claims process can be easy, even if you have a pay-per-mile auto insurance policy.
Metromile, a leading pay-per-mile insurer in the U.S., makes it easy for you to file a claim. You can file a claim 24/7 on the phone or online on the Metromile website or app.
Drivers have access to our AI claims assistant AVA, which can help guide you through the claims process from submitting photos of any damage, collecting other information, and submitting a claim. Some claims can also be automated end-to-end, which means your claim could get resolved more quickly.
5. You can access important data.
Pay-per-mile auto insurance policyholders typically have access to their past driving and trip data for as long as they are customers.
Drivers who have pay-per-mile auto insurance coverage with Metromile can access smart driving features for free through the Metromile app.
Metromile customers can set up alerts to avoid parking or street-sweeping tickets in select U.S. cities, check on their car’s health, locate their car if it’s ever lost or stolen, and review their fuel use and past trips with the gas and trip planners.
The bottom line
Military service members deserve flexibility for their lifestyles, and pay-per-mile auto insurance can help provide the right coverage.
Pay-per-mile auto insurance can also provide a lower rate than military discounts on car insurance because drivers pay for how far they drive.
You can try Metromile to see if pay-per-mile auto insurance is right for you. Download the Metromile app from your favorite app store and take a free Ride Along™.
You’ll drive for about two weeks as you typically would (you should keep your current insurance policy to keep coverage during the trial), and then Metromile will tell you how much you could save if you switch insurance companies. You can even earn an extra discount of up to 15% off your initial Metromile quote if you show you’re a safe driver during your Ride Along™ in select states.
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Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.