AARP Car Insurance: Is it right for you?

The Hartford has provided AARP members with car insurance since 1984. If you’re eligible, is AARP membership car insurance right for you?

If you can enroll in the AARP Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford, you can tap into savings just by signing up. So how good are The Hartford’s coverages, and what about availability in your state?

Read on to learn more about AARP membership car insurance. Consider the program’s discounts, benefits, and costs.

Are you eligible for AARP Membership car insurance?

Most people don’t realize that young adults can sign up for AARP membership, but you need to be at least 50 years old to enjoy full AARP membership. Full membership grants you access to various insurance programs, including the AARP-Hartford auto insurance program.

The Hartford has no age requirements for spouses and young drivers that you add to your policy. Still, policyholders for the program must be at least 50 years old.

What can you expect from AARP car insurance?

Since AARP works with The Hartford, we will look at all the auto insurance coverages the car insurance company offers. However, there are a few caveats with the AARP auto insurance program.

Basic Coverages

The Hartford offers seven types of basic car insurance coverage:

• Bodily injury liability
• Property damage liability
• Collision
• Comprehensive
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
• Medical payments coverage (MedPay)
• Personal injury protection (PIP)

Of course, liability auto insurance is mandatory in most states, while collision and comprehensive car insurance coverage are optional. MedPay and PIP are only required and available in select states. If you have MedPay, it applies even if you get into a car accident in a state without that type of coverage.

Optional Coverages

Besides the above coverages, The Hartford offers these optional forms of auto insurance:

• Car towing coverage. If you sign up for The Hartford’s towing and labor coverage, the company automatically enrolls you in its RESCUE 1-800 program. The company pays for towing services and breakdown site labor if you are 100 miles from home.
• Full glass coverage. The Hartford’s zero-deductible glass insurance includes windshield repairs and complete windshield replacement. You must have comprehensive coverage to take advantage of this feature.
• GAP insurance. This coverage will help pay the difference between your vehicle’s actual cash value and the amount you still own on your car loan if the car gets totaled or stolen.
• Personal umbrella insurance. The Hartford’s umbrella insurance fills gaps if a covered loss exceeds your liability coverage limits for home and auto.
• Rental car reimbursement insurance. This insurance helps you pay for rental car services after a covered comprehensive or collision auto insurance accident.
• Rental car insurance. Do you have collision car insurance coverage and want to rent a car in the United States, U.S. territories, and Canada? Your comprehensive/collision insurance will extend to those areas.

The Hartford also has a reimbursement program for members who have the company’s towing and labor coverage. You can use another towing service program — like Allstate’s, which gives AARP members a 20% discount — and The Hartford reimburses the cost.

AARP Member Benefits

These are the top benefits that The Hartford offers AARP members:

• Accident forgiveness. Although you may pay more for this feature, you can keep your rates low after your first at-fault accident. To take advantage of this benefit, you and all other drivers on your policy must have clean driving records for five consecutive years.
• Lifetime car repair assurance. If The Hartford covers your claim, it will help you find an approved repair shop closest to you. The Hartford partners with over 1,600 repair shops across the United States.
• New car replacement coverage. If you total your new car while enrolled in the AARP membership car insurance program, The Hartford will replace your car with a new, similar one.
• RecoverCare. With this benefit, you can receive reimbursements for necessary services after suffering an injury in a car accident. Services include house cleaning, lawn maintenance, snow renewal, transportation assistance, and grocery shopping.

Accident forgiveness is not available in California, and some other benefits may have limited availability.

Ease in Use

You can pay your bills online with The Hartford, even without an AARP-The Hartford login. However, setting up an AARP auto insurance login makes things easier. You can also download a mobile app.

With an online account and app, you can make automatic payments, view your bill, and manage your auto policy.

How much does AARP car insurance cost?

Average AARP members might pay less than $1,400 a year for car insurance through the AARP membership car insurance program. For full coverage, rates could be as low as $1,247, and members have multiple ways to save.

AARP touts that its members can save $507 on average by taking advantage of its partnership with The Hartford. You can save up to 10% by signing up for AARP membership car insurance.

What types of discounts does The Hartford offer to AARP members?

The Hartford also offers generous car insurance discounts to AARP members:

• Bundling discount. If you bundle your home and auto policies with The Hartford, you can save up to 5% on your auto insurance and 20% on your home insurance.
• Diminishing deductible. If you maintain a clean driving record for a few years, you can decrease your collision insurance deductible.
• Pay-in-full discount. The Hartford offers monthly payments, but you can save by paying your insurance bill in full.
• Safety features discount. You can save if your car has anti-lock brakes and multiple air bags.
• Safe driving discounts. A named driver under 21 — under 25 in Georgia — must complete an approved driver training course. You can also save by taking a defensive driving course.
• TrueLane Program. If you sign up for this telematics program, you can save 12% on your car insurance, plus a 25% discount for renewal and safe driving practices.
• Vehicle fuel type discount. You can save on your auto insurance by driving a hybrid or electric vehicle.

Car insurance companies often renew policies every six months and adjust rates accordingly, but The Hartford offers a guaranteed rate for 12 months.

Additionally, members can save by requesting an AARP auto insurance quote online. While members can also request quotes by phone, they can only get a discount after getting online quotes.

Does the AARP car insurance program have favorable ratings?

The Hartford has received an A+ — or superior — financial strength rating and long-term issuer credit rating from A.M. Best.

The Hartford also excels in customer satisfaction with its claims process. According to a 2021 J.D. Power study, The Hartford ranked first nationally with a score of 905 out of a possible 1,000 points. Only USAA car insurance scored higher with 909 points, but it has a limited clientele.

Is AARP car insurance right for you?

As you can see, the AARP car insurance program provides many benefits for senior members. The Hartford offers several optional coverages and reasonable full coverage rates, with many ways to save.

If you have any questions about AARP membership car insurance, you can call the main AARP auto insurance phone number at 800-423-6789. In the meantime, you can compare quotes and coverages from the AARP car insurance program with those of the best insurance companies.