AARP Car Insurance from Hartford: Terms and Rates

Being the largest non-profit organization in the United States, the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) is dedicated to helping people of retirement age or those over 50. Indeed, there are many benefits from AARP for seniors, from car rentals, cruises, healthcare coverage, to hotels and restaurants. In this piece, we will examine AARP car insurance, its merits and flaws, prices, and more.

AARP Сar Insurance is a program developed in alliance with The Hartford and offers interesting discounts and bonuses for seniors. What exactly is The Hartford? It is one of the oldest insurance companies in the United States, founded in 1810. In addition to auto insurance, this company offers home and business insurance, employee compensation, disability insurance, retirement, and investment plans. The company is widely recognized and rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, an American credit rating agency. Compared to its basic competitors, including USAA and QBE, it is particularly oriented toward the U.S. market for the elderly. All of the above makes it clear that you can trust AARP auto coverage, but let’s understand the terms and conditions of the insurance and whether it’s suitable for everyone.

AARP Сar Insurance Standard Coverage

Before examining car insurance coverage, it’s worth noting that AARP provides very flexible customization to its customers. You can add additional options to your plan, such as medical help in case of an accident or collision coverage (the cost of repairing your car if you hit a pothole on the road). This is a very important benefit of AARP and a nice bonus for seniors. Let’s take a look at the most popular and mandatory coverages in some states.

Liability Coverage

Liability insurance covers damage to other people or their belongings in the event of an accident if you are found to be at fault. It usually includes liability for bodily injury, such as hospitalization costs for the driver whose car you hit, and property physical loss, such as the provider may pay to replace or repair a fence you drive into.

This is important because it is mandatory in most U.S. states, with minimum limits set by state law. Liability Coverage also covers damages and lawsuits, which means you won’t have to pay out of pocket in the event of an accident.

Liability insurance is legally required nationwide, except in New Hampshire and Virginia.

Collision Coverage

If you have insured damage to your car, then as a result of an accident involving a vehicle or fixed structure (e.g. a tree, fence, pole), your car repairs will be fully paid for by the insurance company, it doesn’t matter who is responsible for the accident. Very often, this does not include medical bills and damages to other parties involved in the accident (cars), or the rollover of the auto.

Usually, it works like this: pick a deductible that works for you – it’s the amount you’ll pay upfront for repairs if something happens (for example, $500), the insurance company pays the rest. For example, if the repair costs $4000, you pay only $500, the rest of the amount is covered by the provider – $3500. This is a very favorable insurance if you have a new car, a loan, or a lease, or if you are a very restless person.

Comprehensive Сoverage

Complete car coverage deals with damage to your car, not in the event of an accident, but for other reasons, such as theft, fire, flooding, collision with animals on the road, vandalism (for example, broken windows). As a rule, this type of insurance also has a deductible, usually around 500 dollars, does not cover accidents, and is mandatory for credit vehicles. 

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

You need this insurance if you are hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. It covers medical treatment and lost wages, but automobile damage is covered only in some states.

Medical Payments (MedPay) / Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

MedPay pays your and your passengers’ medical bills after an accident. It’s worth noting that you get paid regardless of fault (it pays even if you are at fault). However, it does not cover loss of earnings.

PIP (No-Fault Coverage) exists only in no-fault states (Florida, New York, etc.) and covers medical treatment, loss of income, child care, and funeral expenses. 

The main difference between the two is that PIP is broader than MedPay and is mandatory in no-fault states.

AARP/Hartford Extra Coverage

RecoverCare

The RecoverCare Essential program from The Hartford provides important financial support for drivers injured in a car accident. As part of this coverage, the insurance company reimburses up to $2,500 for household services that become unavailable due to injuries, including delivery of prepared meals, house cleaning, lawn care, snow shoveling, and transportation trips. This allows survivors to focus on regaining their health without worrying about everyday activities.

What makes the program special is its versatility and ease of use. Coverage is automatically extended to the policyholder, their spouses, and passengers, requires no initial payment, and is activated for any injury claim. This approach makes RecoverCare Essential a valuable addition to standard auto insurance, especially for older drivers who have a harder time recovering from accidents.

New Vehicle Replacement

If your car is less than 15 months old and has less than 15,000 miles on it, the insurance company will replace it with a brand new model of the same class in the event of a total loss (total). This is especially beneficial for new cars, which lose value quickly.

Diminishing Deductible

For every year of accident-free driving, your deductible (the unpaid portion of your damages) is automatically reduced by $100 each year. 

Lifetime Renewability

The insurer guarantees that your policy will not be canceled due to age. Even if you are 80+ years old, you will retain your coverage as long as the terms and conditions of the contract are met.

12-Month Accident Forgiveness

If this is the first time you’ve been in an accident that was your fault (and you qualify), your premium will not increase for the next 12 months.

Towing & Labor Coverage

Includes towing, engine starting, car break-in for lost keys, tire replacement and other emergency services 24/7.

Better Car Replacement

For totaling, insurance may cover the cost of a car 1 model newer than yours (instead of similar).

Example: You bought a 2023 Toyota Camry and a year later, it is destroyed by a hurricane. The Hartford may pay the cost of a 2024 Camry if you have the Better Car Replacement option.

How Much Is The Hartford Car Insurance?

To give you a rough idea of insurance prices, we requested a quote for a Mazda 6, a driver of 51 years old, female, living in Houston on the Hartford official website. We chose a plan with minimum liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist, PIP, and collision coverages. The total cost was $86 per month, or $1032 per year.

Of course, it’s worth noting that prices vary greatly depending on your location (state). Areas with a high probability of natural disasters and more crime have higher prices. Your credit score is also taken into account. If your credit score is high, your insurance will be cheaper.

How to Get a Quote from the Hartford/AARP Insurance?

To find out the exact cost of your automobile policy, you need to use the calculator on the website – the Quote Tool. You need to provide your ZIP code, driver and vehicle information, select all the options you need (as discussed above), and you will get the full cost of all Hartford auto insurance coverages in your state.

AARP/Hartford Auto Insurance Discounts and Savings

Insurance through AARP/The Hartford offers exclusive discounts for members age 50+. Let’s look at the main ways to lower your policy cost.

1. AARP membership discount

It’s enough just to be an AARP member, and when you take out a policy from The Hartford, you will receive a 10% discount.

2. Discount for accident-free driving

If you have not had an accident or broken the rules for more than 5 years, you will receive a 15% discount.

3. Discount for multi-policy insurance (Bundle Discount)

It’s enough to take out multiple policies at The Hartford, such as home and auto, and you will receive a 10% discount.

4. Good payer discount

It’s enough to just pay your bills on time and you will get a 10% discount.

5. Discount for quoting online

It’s enough to just get a quote online, and you’ll get an 8% discount.

Merits & Flaws of AARP/The Hartford Auto Insurance 

Pros

1. The insurer will not deny you service or cancel your policy because of your age.

Even if you turn 80, 90, or 100 years old, your policy will remain valid (as long as you pay on time and there are no gross violations).

Example: Margaret, 72, had been looking for a long time for insurance that was guaranteed not to terminate with age. At The Hartford, they confirmed to her, “Your policy will renew automatically as long as you comply with the terms and conditions”. Ten years later, at the age of 82, she still enjoys the peace of mind of using the insurance.

2. If your car is totaled, the insurance provider will replace it with a brand-new one.

If your car is less than 15 months old and has less than 15,000 miles on it, at a total loss (total), the insurance firm will replace it with a brand new model of the same class.

Real story: John bought a new Ford F-150 in January 2024. In November of that year (when the car was 10 months old and had 12,000 miles on it), the vehicle was involved in a serious accident and was declared totaled. The Hartford paid out the cost of a new 2024 Ford F-150, even though the market value of the damaged car had already dropped 20%.

3. After a personal injury accident, the insurance company will reimburse up to $2,500 for household services.

For example, after breaking his leg, 68-year-old Robert was unable to walk for 3 weeks. The Hartford: paid for a caregiver ($1200), reimbursed delivery of prepared meals ($600), and reimbursed cab fare to a physical therapist ($300).

4. The cost of the policy will not increase in the event of an accident.

After the first accident caused by you (subject to conditions), the cost of the policy will not increase in the following year.

Cons

1. Geographic Limitations

Some unique options (such as New Car Replacement) are not available in all states. 

Example: Maria, a Hawaii resident, wanted to enroll in the New Car Replacement option, but found out that the program was not available in her state. She had to choose standard coverage without this benefit.

2. Limited choice of car service centers

In some cases, the insurance provider may only refer you to partner service centers.

Real story: After a car accident, 58-year-old Sarah wanted to have her Mercedes repaired at an authorized dealer, but The Hartford insisted on having it repaired at a partner shop. The quality of work turned out to be lower than expected – she had to redo the paint job twice.

Final Thoughts

After a detailed analysis of AARP/The Hartford auto insurance, we can conclude that the company offers solid standard protection and exclusive benefits for senior drivers, such as RecoverCare and lifetime renewal. We can say that this is the best option for elderly AARP members who prioritize long-term stability over the absolute lowest price.

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