Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing with insurance companies. You’d think after years of driving (or, well, not driving because you’re deployed), they’d cut you some slack, but nah. I remember coming back from a long trip overseas and trying to get a quote for my car—felt like I was 16 again, except with a way more expensive car and way less patience.
The military discount is nice in theory, but when you’re driving something like a Benz or a Porsche, that “discount” barely covers the extra cost of premium gas these days. And if you’ve got a ticket or two? Forget it. They’ll still ding you.
Honestly, it’s wild that they treat being overseas like you’ve just been sitting in a cave somewhere and forgot how to drive. Would be nice if there was a little more logic to it, especially for folks who’ve been responsible drivers but just weren’t around. The system’s definitely not built for nuance.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had a different experience with USAA. They really did give me a better rate than anyone else would touch, even after a couple years overseas. Maybe it’s just luck or the kind of car (definitely not a Porsche, ha), but I didn’t feel like I was being penalized for being deployed.
The military discount is nice in theory, but when you’re driving something like a Benz or a Porsche, that “discount” barely covers the extra cost of premium gas these days.
I mean, yeah, luxury cars are always gonna be pricey to insure—military or not. But for my old Honda, the discount actually made a dent. Maybe it’s more about the car than the deployment gap?
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing with USAA—my rates were way better than what I got quoted elsewhere, but I’m not driving anything fancy either. My Civic’s about as basic as it gets, and the military discount actually felt like it mattered. When my buddy came back from deployment and tried to insure his Mustang, though, he was pretty shocked at the price, even with all the supposed “military perks.” Guess there’s only so much they can do when you’re insuring something that’s expensive to fix or more likely to get stolen.
I do wonder if some of it comes down to where you’re stationed, too. When I was in Texas, my rates were lower than when I moved up north. Maybe it’s a combo of car type, location, and luck? Either way, I’d take a boring old sedan over a luxury car if it means saving a few hundred bucks a year... insurance just isn’t where I want to splurge.
I do wonder if some of it comes down to where you’re stationed, too. When I was in Texas, my rates were lower than when I moved up north.
That’s definitely a factor. Insurance companies look at zip codes pretty closely—some areas just have higher accident rates, more thefts, or pricier repairs. I’ve moved around a lot for work and every time, my premium changed. Sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot. It’s not always logical either; I paid less in a bigger city than I did in a small town once, which made zero sense to me.
And yeah, the car itself is huge. You can have every discount in the world but if you’re driving something like a Mustang or a Charger, they’re going to ding you for it. I get why people want those cars, but honestly, I’d rather keep things simple and cheap.
Curious if anyone’s actually seen their rates go down after switching vehicles? Or is it always just up when you get something “nicer”?
Curious if anyone’s actually seen their rates go down after switching vehicles? Or is it always just up when you get something “nicer”?
Funny enough, I actually saw my rates drop when I traded in my old SUV for a minivan. Not the coolest ride, but insurance companies seem to love them. I guess they figure people hauling kids around are less likely to do anything wild. Honestly, I’ll take the savings over style any day. The “nicer” cars always seemed to cost me more, even if they weren’t that much newer.
