Our AARP/Hartford Home Insurance went up 60% from last year, we live in Illinois, no claims.

[Jonsenne]

Switched over to hartford last year as they had good rates for both Auto and home.  so 1017.00 for year 2022,  they are now quoting 1600.00 for 2023, they are blaming it on lumber prices.  I have since gotten 2 other quotes in the 1000.00 range. I did talk to hartford twice, same reasons

I was expecting an increase of maybe 5 to 10%  not 60%.  

We had not claims, we live in suburban Illinois. 

Anyone else had this issue

[ra3784551]

I am also a victim of the Hartford bait and switch. Today I received my auto renewal and discovered my rate increased 458.00. I called them and they told me it is because I live in Arizona.. BS

I am not in the process of searching for new company.

[Jonsenne]

Here is their reply

The  following are the rating factors that contributed to the premium increase.

Increase in Coverage A (Dwelling)

Progression of Age of Insured Progression of Age of Dwelling

Progression of Age of Roof  

During their review they found that your policy was affected by an isolated technical issue. This caused the account credit for having your home and auto insured together to be arbitrarily removed at his renewal. This accounted for $250.00 of the increase. The remaining portion of the rise in cost is associated with the factors above

I now have a same insurance with State Farm for 1000.00 dollars 

[mm4599]

My auto insurance went up 33.75% and home owners went up 18.7%. No accidents, no claims, no tickets, etc. Live in AZ, no weather or fire issues. News reports say 8-10% was the typical increase for all carriers. AARP needs to look at a new partner/recommendation and drop Hartford, in the meantime, its time to get new quotes, this increase is insane. 

[BelAirBelle]

Yes, homeowners went up a lot and then got auto insurance bill and it also went up $311 per year. No claims, both retired.  Oh, for the cars it was parts etc. went up. Hate to see what customers with tickets or accidents went up. Feel ripped off again. Switched from State Farm 2 years ago. What a crock.

[Jonsenne]

SO in looking for new insurance my house is worth between 400,00 and 560,000 dollars. but of course, I can only sell for like 320,000 to 350,000

big Companies screw us little old people...

John

[GailL1]

The market value of ones home is completely different than the price (value) it would cost to rebuild it after some disaster, of which the price also includes demolition and removal of what is damaged.

Each of them are based on different sets of numbers.

I would advise against it but if you own your home free and clear, you can always self-insure.  Then you take the risk rather than an insurance company.

[easyed598]

You might try getting insurance with USAA. I never got a 60% increase . The most is around 5% and they go into great details of why the increase. Got a notice recently that my rate will be going up soon but don`t know how much. They cited the reason for increase was because of the June  tornado and the September hurricane and other related  weather circumstances.

[Jonsenne]

What I really want to know is how can the insurance companies say it will cost 460,00.00 to rebuild my 3-bedroom ranch on a 1/2 acre where I cannot sell it for over 330,000.00?????? that's just to rebuild.

Thank you

[AARPThelmaG]

Hi @Jonsenne ! We certainly understand your concern regarding Auto & Home insurance provided by The Hartford. We would be glad to work with the Escalation team at The Hartford to have this investigated for you. If you are still having difficulties with AARP The Hartford, please give us a call at 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277) to request an Escalation. Please provide the following details in your message:

• Full name
• AARP Membership # (or home address)
• Phone # and email address to contact you
• Description of your issue

We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate you informing us of your concern. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

[Jonsenne]

OK I tried calling and was transferred to Harford... I have talked to them twice with no help. then I called and asked for a operator and they asked what I meant by a escalation and then was hung up on before I could answer? 

John

[AARPThelmaG]

Hi @Jonsenne! I'm sorry to hear that our AARP call center rep wasn't able to assist you. Please send me a private message in the AARP Online Community by clicking this link and entering my username, “AARPThelmaG” into the “Send to” box https://community.aarp.org/t5/notes/composepage. Please see the following information below for me to reach out to The Hartford on your behalf.

• Full name
• AARP Membership # (or home address)
• Phone # and email address to contact you
• Description of your issue

[Jonsenne]

Thelma,

I have talked to 2 different people there already. Sadly, I cannot trust them, if they can't even give me a good reason for a 60% increase, lumber price is not a good reason, and lumber in going down now also. What I really want to know is how can the insurance companies say it will cost 460,00.00 to rebuild my 3-bedroom ranch on a 1/2 acre where I cannot sell it for over 330,000.00?????? that's just to rebuild.

Thank you

[GailL1]

---

@Jonsenne wrote:
. . . . they can't even give me a good reason for a 60% increase, lumber price is not a good reason, and lumber in going down now also. 

What I really want to know is how can the insurance companies say it will cost 460,00.00 to rebuild my 3-bedroom ranch on a 1/2 acre where I cannot sell it for over 330,000.00?????? that's just to rebuild.

---

Don't confuse the insured cost to rebuild with market value.  They are (2) different things.

The cost to rebuild also includes the cost of any demo that has to be done before any rebuild can begin.  The cost to rebuild considers replacing it with new stuff - the market value is considering the value of the stuff in the house at whatever age they are.  

Lumber may have gone down but many prices have not and maybe never will.  The cost of labor including all the stuff that it covers will not go down - ever, only up.  

But 60% is a lot in one year - there might be things like losing some specific discount which was applicable last year and not the current year - check your policy between last year and this year to see where the biggest increase is coming from - 

Take the policy declaration and ask other insurance companies to give you a quote for comparison - just remember to compare apples to apples.  

[Jonsenne]

I'm Sorry but it should not cost 460,00.00 to rebuild my 3-bedroom ranch on a 1/2 acre where I cannot sell it for over 330,000.00?????? that's just to rebuild. It does not make any sense.  ou have land, you have a foundation. and that does not include your person stuff and furniture and that is covered separately...  I feel it is an insurance rip off  

Thanks

[GailL1]

Redo / Remodel your home - put on a new roof, update your electrical & plumbing , flooring, kitchen appliances, - paint it all, inside and out.  You pay for all of that and then put it on the market - don’t you think that the market value would go up?

Course sometimes, the neighborhood might bring down the market value too but construction and demo prices would be the same either way.

[NancyP333483]

Same here with Mercury insurance went from 564.00 to 813.00. Insane. Have never made any claims either. Called Hartford and they can save me 36.oo per year. That is not of any help

[GiselaB180307]

Thank you for posting this. I guess I don't need to go through all questions to get a quote from Hartford. I had the same happening with my insurance with Safeco, gone up 60% since last year. 5 or 10 % would have been credible. I am in Colorado and they blame it on the Marshall fire last year. I don't even live in that area. Would be nice to know what insurance companies are still reasonably priced.

[Jonsenne]

Funny thing is I had State farm for years and a few years ago started going up drastically, so last year i switched to AARP/Hartford. Now I just got a quote from State Farm and they are back down to 1000.00. Does not really figure but. I will also say I got a quote from Farmers online and when I went in to see them, they had to redo the quote and asked me twice as many questions so online did and also the quote went up 300.00. I am starting to realize Insurance is getting to be a scam.  I realize everything going on in the world but really 60% increase, never had a claim, not in a flood plain, it just sucks

[GailL1]

Insurance of whatever type is to cover your risk - Homeowners insurance is gonna cover what has to be covered in order to cover some catastrophe.  

Now what can you do to minimize the premium - cover more of any catastrophe or your risk out of your own pocket by increasing your deductible or limits that you can control on the policy - meaning, you will also cover any $$$$ upwards of this limit.