Discounts & Services All Disabled Veterans Need to Know About

Being in the military can be a rewarding yet grueling experience. People sacrifice their time, their bodies, and sometimes even their lives when they decide to serve their country.

When veterans retire, they are sometimes disabled and have limited options for how to live their life fully. 

Auto insurance for disabled veterans can make it easier to pay for their insurance. It’s often hard for the military to pay for basic needs in their lives because their retirement is lacking in funds. We’ll highlight many of the discounts and services you can get as someone who was in the military.

#1 – Disabled Veteran Auto Insurance

There are discounts for auto insurance when you are actively in the military, and there are discounts for those who are retired from the military. Some companies will only give you discounts if you can prove you have a medical disability with a doctor’s signature. At other times, you might find that being disabled makes you have higher insurance prices. 

If you have a disability that makes it hard for you to drive properly, like poor vision or an amputated limb that makes it impossible to reach the pedals of the car, you won’t be able to get discounts. You are a higher risk for your insurance company in these examples. 

If your disability doesn’t affect your driving, your best chance to get a discount is through either USAA or Geico. There has been a lot of publicity and advertising from USAA that proves its worth as a good option for military members and their families. 

In fact, USAA only insures people who are in the military or are connected to the military through a family member. You can usually get about 10% off a typical insurance policy with a military discount. Geico sometimes gives their military members up to 15% off their policy.

#2 – Shopping for Essentials

Many companies have made it part of their mission to support veterans with discounts on essentials and other products. Clothing stores especially have a history of giving discounts on their apparel and other products. 

Banana Republic, Columbia, Foot Locker, Gap, Kohl’s, and Under Armor give discounts to veterans that range from 10% to 20% off their products. Some of these stores give discounts to veterans’ families as well. This creates trust between the store and the veteran. 

The shopping experience goes beyond just what you buy when companies give these discounts. Stores and their customers build a relationship of trust and appreciation for one another. This is a win-win for businesses to consider adopting when it comes to the military and veterans. 

Many grocery stores have military discounts. Costco is known for giving big discounts on its memberships to veterans and military personnel. Fred Meyer gives 10% off on select days of the year for the military, with Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day being the most popular times stores offer discounts. Ask your local store if they have any military discounts. 

#3 – Health Care and Other Socialized Services

Many veterans, regardless of whether they are disabled, find themselves in positions where they need health care and can’t afford to pay for it. The U.S. government and several state governments have tried to solve some of these issues by implementing the Veterans Affairs (VA) programs and other similar programs. 

VA programs and health care operate to give veterans discounts and cheap insurance so they can continue to go to their regular doctor’s programs and checkups. These healthcare programs work similarly to other government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. 

The Purple Star Program in Florida is working to help veterans find jobs with training programs after they are out of the force. Many veterans, especially those who are disabled, have a hard time finding work due to discrimination and other issues. 

This lack of employment for disabled veterans makes it difficult for families and their children to live fulfilling lives. There are also websites under the Purple Star Program that help children get into college and find the right path for them post-graduation.

#4 – Building or Buying a Home

Many disabled veterans can find discounts on their homes or mortgages with VA discounts. Talk to your real estate agent about refinancing with no money needed for a down payment through VA. This is much cheaper than taking out a mortgage or refinancing without a military discount. 

There are several different types of loans with VA. These include interest rate reductions, cash-out refinance loans, and renovation loans that help veterans to repair their homes before selling them or taking out a new mortgage. 

These loan options are especially important because so many disabled veterans struggle to get the money to finance their living situations. Homeless populations all over the country are filled with military veterans, and it’s important this trend starts being reversed. 

If you are a disabled veteran, always show your military ID card to the places you shop. You could be missing out on discounts if you don’t check for them. 

About Author:

Shawn Laib writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsurance.org. He wants to help vulnerable populations get all of the discounts they can on insurance.

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