Posted by: LK Lam

EDITOR’S RATING 4 / 5 PROS

• Highly-rated claims service.
• Plenty of discounts.
• Nationwide availability with local agents in all 50 states.
• Rideshare coverage in most states.
• Online claims filing.
• Informative educational materials on car insurance basics.

CONS

• Average customer service.
• Complaints about premium increases over time.
• No accident forgiveness.

The Hartford Review Summary: The Hartford auto insurance is tailored to drivers age 50 and older, as the AARP Auto Insurance Program is the company’s flagship auto insurance product. The Hartford also sells auto policies to non-AARP members, but the benefits and discounts are not as robust. Younger drivers who are looking for quality coverage at a low cost may want to steer their shopping carts elsewhere.

The Hartford has put together coverage options, discounts, and other benefits that accommodate older drivers. Of special note is the RecoverCare feature, which ensures that policyholders who have been in an accident will receive the assistance they need for daily activities when forced to recover at home.

In the sections below, you can learn more about the auto insurance programs from The Hartford, and how they compare with other auto insurers like Allstate, Farmers Insurance, and State Farm.

Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area Age 16-20 21-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 65+ Currently Insured? Find Insurers The Hartford Insurance Reviews and Ratings

• WalletHub: 4.5/5 (13 user reviews).
• Better Business Bureau: A+ rating (accredited)
• J.D. Power: 4/5
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC): The Hartford received more complaints than most car insurance companies in 2018.

The Hartford has better-than-average ratings when it comes to overall customer satisfaction. Many of the customer complaints online criticize the auto insurer for poor claims support. J.D. Power’s 2018 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Survey backs up those criticisms by giving The Hartford an “about average” rating in the claims servicing category. In terms of financial strength, which reflects the company’s claim-paying abilities, The Hartford is in “excellent” standing according to A.M. Best, a leading credit rating agency for the insurance industry.

Fun Fact: In 1920, baseball legend Babe Ruth took out an insurance policy with The Hartford to protect against disability.

The Hartford Auto Insurance Coverage Options

The AARP Auto Insurance Program is the marquee auto policy offering from The Hartford. The program offers all the traditional auto insurance coverage options that are typically required by states: bodily injury liability, property damage liability, medical payments, personal injury protection, uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision, and comprehensive.

In addition to the traditional coverage options, the AARP auto policies automatically come with these extra features:

• Lifetime Renewability: Policyholders who are 50 years of age or older and have been insured for at least 60 days are automatically eligible for policy renewals as long as they are capable of being behind the wheel. Basic requirements include maintaining a driver’s license and paying your premiums on time.
• RecoverCare: Covers the cost of home services, transportation to work, and other errands like grocery delivery (up to $2,500).
• New Car Replacement: Pays for vehicle replacement if your new car is totaled in an accident. A new car is defined as a vehicle no older than 15 months or have not been driven more than 15,000 miles. The replacement will be the same make and model with no deduction for depreciation.

AARP members can enhance their auto policies with several coverage options from The Hartford’s Advantage Program.

Extra Coverage Options from The Hartford:

• Full Glass: This upgraded glass coverage option will pay for any repairs to your windows in full. In other words, you don’t even have to pay the deductible.
• RESCUE 1-800®: Covers the cost of emergency roadside assistance such as towing, tire repairs, and jump starts. You must have comprehensive coverage in order to add this emergency assistance coverage to your auto policy.
• Rental Car: Pays for the cost of a rental if your vehicle is being repaired in the shop. Customers can choose their coverage levels based on their vehicle needs and budget.
• 12-month Rate Protection: Protects your car insurance rates for a full year. Get this benefit when you choose to join the AARP Advantage or Advantage Plus Program, which provides enhanced protections.
• Lifetime Car Repair Assurance: Guarantees the quality of repairs so long as you use one of the company’s authorized repair shops. This benefit is a part of the Advantage or Advantage Plus Program.

Coverage availability and other details vary by state. Not all coverages are available to non-AARP members.

Specialty Types of Auto Insurance from The Hartford:

• The Hartford Classic Car Insurance: Provides standard coverage options for your classic or antique vehicle through a third-party insurer, American Modern Insurance Group. Customers can also purchase extra options such as roadside assistance, flatbed towing, trip interruption, full glass, and spare parts.
• The Hartford Commercial Car Insurance: Provides coverage for the vehicles you use for business. A commercial car insurance policy also includes glass repair, waiver of subrogation, and deductible benefits at no extra cost.

The Hartford also offers insurance policies for other types of vehicles such as RVs, ATVs, boats, golf carts, and snowmobiles.

Sample Hartford Auto Insurance Quotes

WalletHub’s editors obtained sample quotes using driver profiles with varying ages and driving records.

Age	Clean Driving Record	Poor Driving Record
21	$425 / month	$711 / month
30	$267 / month	$523 / month
42	$215 / month	$427 / month

Learn more about how we obtained these sample quotes in the Methodology section at the end of the review.

The Hartford Auto Insurance Discounts

• Safe Vehicle: Discount when your car comes with an anti-theft device or air bags. Save even more if you drive a hybrid or electric car.
• Defensive Driving: Discount for completing a defensive driver course – valid for three years.
• Good Driver: Receive a statement credit for completing a driver training course – only those under 21 years of age can qualify.
• Good Student: Get a statement credit if you are a student between the ages of 16 and 25 who maintain a B or better average (or ranked in the upper 20% of your class).
• Bundle Insurance: Discount of up to 5% when you bundle your home and car insurance policies with The Hartford.
• Paid in Full: Discount when you pay your premiums upfront and in full.

In addition to these discounts, customers can upgrade their auto policies to The Hartford’s Advantage Plus Program, which provides even more discounts and benefits.

Advantage Plus Program Perks:

• First Accident Forgiveness: Protects you from premium increases after the first accident if you (and any other drivers on your policy) maintain a clean driving record for 5 consecutive years. This benefit is only available to policyholders who have purchased. the Advantage Plus upgrade.
• Disappearing Deductible: Lowers your collision deductible each year that you maintain a clean driving record – all the way down to $0. This benefit is only available to policyholders who have upgraded to the Advantage Plus program.
• Deductible Reduction: Save $100 on your deductible payment if you get your car repaired at an authorized repair shop. This benefit is only for Advantage Plus policyholders.
• One Deductible: If you file an insurance claim (for the same loss) that involves two of your vehicles, you will only have to pay for the higher deductible. This benefit is only for Advantage Plus policyholders.
• Deductible Waiver: If you are not at fault for an accident, you do not have to pay for your collision deductible. This benefit is only for Advantage Plus policyholders.

Eligibility criteria for these discounts vary by state, and not all discounts are available in all states.

The Hartford Auto Insurance vs. Popular Alternatives

Insurer	The Hartford	Allstate	Farmers	State Farm
Average Annual Premium	$4,540	$4,949	$3,835	$3,925
Customer Satisfaction*	4/5	2/5	3/5	3/5
WalletHub Ranking (total of 46 companies)	36th	40th	26th	3rd
Complaints Score (lower is best) (lower is best)	1.56	0.88	0.61	0.59

*Ratings are from JD Power’s 2018 automotive insurance surveys. Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area Age 16-20 21-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 65+ Currently Insured? Find Insurers

Methodology

In order to determine The Hartford’s ranking in the auto insurance industry, WalletHub’s editors reviewed the policies offered by the largest, most popular car insurance companies in the United States. We evaluated the relative strengths and weaknesses of each company, along with the types of drivers each is best positioned to serve.

More specifically, WalletHub’s car insurance rating for The Hartford is based on a combination of factors, which research has shown to be particularly important for car insurance shoppers.

• Customer reviews
• Watchdog ratings
• Coverage options
• Coverage limits
• Cost
• Transparency
• Claims process
• Customer service

To help assess the level of customer satisfaction at The Hartford and other companies, WalletHub calculates a complaints score for each insurer. This score is the ratio of each insurer’s share of all U.S. car insurance complaints over the insurer’s share of annual premiums for private passenger auto policies. In other words, the complaints score represents the number of complaints adjusted to the size of the auto insurer. The adjustment is necessary, as larger companies tend to receive more complaints.

Assumptions for The Hartford Car Insurance Quotes:

Car: Honda AccordGender: MaleMarital Status: SingleState: CaliforniaComprehensive Deductible: $250Collision Deductible: $500 (waiver add-on included)

Coverage Type	Coverage Limit
Bodily Injury	$100,000/person $300,000/accident
Property Damage	$50,000
Medical Payments	$5,000
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (Bodily Injury)	$30,000/person $60,000/accident

To determine and compare the cost of auto insurance from The Hartford, WalletHub collected quotes from all major auto insurers for at least 30 cities in California. We obtained quotes from the state regulator’s database for drivers varying in age and driving record. In the sample quotes, a poor record assumes at least one at-fault accident or one traffic violation. By receiving quotes for multiple driver profiles, WalletHub ensured a diverse sample. California was chosen given that it is the most populous state in the U.S., and it lands in the middle of WalletHub’s price rankings for auto insurance.

For more car insurance research, check out WalletHub’s 2019 Cheap Car Insurance Study. And if you have experience with The Hartford car insurance that you think might help other consumers, you can also write a Hartford auto insurance review.

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