Why Promote Hartford Insurance when they rank so low on Consumer Reports?

[RichardS899707]

Is this for the benefit of AARP?

[VickieM632759]

I recently contacted Hartford Insurance for a quote, since my current insurance company raised my rates.  The quite I got from Hartford, was 180.00 more over the 6 month price offered by my current insurance company.  Someone please tell me why AARP allows them to use their name, when they don't benefit their constituents and evidenced by the responses here? 

[MariamaA859467]

You can always contact AARP for help if there's an issue with an AARP provider. Please use this link (https://help.aarp.org/s/) to contact us by phone, chat or text.

•            Description of your issue
•            Mention that you are requesting an escalation

We look forward to hearing from you!

[AliceD430738]

I wish I knew then what I know now about The Hartford. Stay far, far away, it is horrible! The savings don't justify the legwork you have to do if you have a claim or want to use their app or webpage. I had a small fender bender in October and had to jump through hoops to get information - and, come to find out, they somehow reported the accident on my husband's record while insisting they have me listed as the driver 'in their system' - that's great, but when I tell them they need to correct how it was reported to CLUE they suddenly have no idea what to do. I cancelled my policy almost immediately. AARP should disavow themselves of this company, they are absolutely abhorrent!

[SJK891]

I'm glad to hear you saved money with Hartford, but I'm surprised to hear that you did. I just switched both my car and home insurance to another company and am paying literally half of what Hartford charge me, and for better coverage in the case of the home policy. Six companies quoted me, and all were in the same ballpark of being about half of Hartford's premiums. I had a horrible experience with them with the home insurance, that's what drove me to drop them.

[AARPThelmaG]

Hi @AliceD430738 ! We are sorry to hear about your experience. Your feedback is invaluable to AARP and I have taken note of your response. Member comments such as yours are regularly monitored. We appreciate such input from our members and others as it provides us with information that is important and necessary in this monitoring process, and assists us in making changes and improvements for the future.

Thank you again for taking the time to write. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can assist you with in the future. 

[GailL1]

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@RichardS899707 wrote:  Why Promote Hartford Insurance when they rank so low on Consumer Reports?

Is this for the benefit of AARP?

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They are the ones that pay the royalty to AARP for the use of the name.

DISCLOSURE:  AARP® HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE PROGRAM FROM THE HARTFORD

The deal is arranged by AARP Services, Inc. - the profit making arm of the organization.

AARP Services, Inc - Who We Are

[SJK891]

Good question. I'm in the middle of a terrible experience with Hartford home insurance right now (and I haven't been happy with the auto insurance, either). They did a half-baked claim investigation, nowhere near thorough, and now I have to do all the work and incur the expenses up front to find the cause of the problem, then go back to them. They told me my policy doesn't cover certain things when it actually does (I had the policy reviewed independently by a retired insurance professional). I've never had such an experience with an insurance company. I plan to report them to my state division of insurance regulation, and I want to tell AARP about this but can't find where to submit a complaint or feedback to them.

[AARPJoseV]

You can always contact AARP for help if there's an issue with an AARP provider. Please use this link (https://help.aarp.org/s/) to contact us by phone, chat or text.

•            Description of your issue

•            Mention that you are requesting an escalation

We look forward to hearing from you!

[SJK891]

Replying to your response to my post from October 23, 2022. The outcome of my experience with Hartford home insurance is that my problem was fixed and the company paid (except for my deductible amount, of course). But they treated me horribly throughout, and especially after AARP got involved (I called and filed a complaint with AARP, as you suggested). Basically, they dragged their feet in the process, and I ended up with a massive hole in my family room ceiling for three weeks over the December holidays because of it. Several people from different areas of the Hartford were involved and were sending me emails without explanation of who they were or what their role was in the process. Thus, when I needed to submit information, it almost always went to the wrong person, and this slowed the process even more. What did get done was only because I was able to get good contractors involved who know how to deal with insurance companies (ServPro and their subs). All involved told me that Hartford is one of the most difficult companies to work with, but again, they managed to get things done. I was so angry that once everything was finalized, I pulled my business from both Hartford home and Hartford car insurance. That's when my eyes really opened wide. At the new company, the car premiums for my two cars are literally half of what they were with Hartford for the identical coverage, and my home premium is 60% less for much better coverage! I got quotes from several companies, and they were all in the same ballpark, so it's not like I went with the cheapest company. Hartford was double or more than all of the six companies that quoted for me. AARP should take a hard look at Hartford and how much they're charging us, along with their business practices when the insured file claims. It was a terrible experience that I'm so glad is behind me now.

[SJK891]

Thank you. I'll call today.

[GailL1]

Whatever benefit it maybe is up to the person because the benefit is not just based on cost - could be other things that are offered that may help some people and not others.  If you are just looking for "cheap" - it may not be a good value.  

Isn't that how people measure any benefit?  For themselves and their personal situation.

[nctarheel]

ANSWER: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$                                                      FOR AARP

[RichardS899707]

Its what I think. Can the same be said for all the other products (United Healthcare, etc.) hyped by AARP?  I was naive to think that AARP was looking out for seniors.

[GailL1]

What I think is that many times seniors equate a benefit as being cheaper - not the case, at all.

What I think is that many times seniors think that something that is connected to AARP is good, better or best for them - Not always.

What I think is that many times seniors don't research, look around or compare - they just go to what is either familiar (perhaps in name recognition) or in the case of a Medigap policy or a Medicare Advantage plan, it is easier just to pick it.

Many seniors do think that UHC, whether under the AARP royalty name or otherwise, offers them a good and reasonable Medigap or MA plan.  Millions definitely do pick them for whatever their reason. 

You don't have to be a member of AARP to buy the UHC royalty branded AARP variety of a Medicare Advantage plan.  BUT you DO have to be an AARP member to buy a UHC royalty branded AARP variety of the Medigap plan - now do you have to stay a member for all the time that you are committed to this particular Medigap plan - I don't know.  If you do, then perhaps that is part of the reason why UHC offers the declining discount on premiums, but I thought that was all of their Medigap plans and not just the AARP branded ones - again, I don't know since I am not involved as a participant or as a Medicare insurance broker.

UHC offers both Medicare Advantage plans and Medigap plans outside of the AARP royalty branded type - is there a difference in them in the actual plans? Probably not, but since I don't have one, it is up to the buyer to scrutinize this.  As far as Medigap plans go - again NO difference in basic benefits since these are set at the Federal level.  Medigap plans, all of them, only have one basic function - for your monthly premiums, your out-of-pocket cost of Medicare health coverage is either partially or fully covered.  If Medicare covers it; your Medigap should pay their part of the service as your particular Medigap plan states.

AARP does help [some] seniors with their advocacy positions and many of these advocacies are helped with the royalty payment revenues from the branded companies that participate.  Same is true of their state initiatives.  They also give donations to various other non-profit groups that are senior oriented.  These are listed on their most recent Form 990 on file with the IRS.

They sponsor a senior tax prep which also helps many.  They offer the driving program school that can also help lower your auto insurance.  They also have a Foundation that helps with various senior or aging issues, many times in a legal manner.  They also hire lobbyist to work on various pieces of legislation - for and against - for the benefit of older Americans.  I don't always agree on their various stances here.  But they do work to produce data for this purpose - 

AARP.org is a 501(c)(4) organization - membership oriented - they also produce various publications and articles that keep their members informed - now that these are being updated on a regular basis, this seems to be a wonderful benefit but here again, one has to use it and understand it for this to be effective.

Also keep in mind that they have expanded the age group of members - now at 50 and above - to me, that's a wide age group with different priorities.  

AARP's mission statement is to empower people to choose how they live as they age.  That's pretty far reaching as far as who they focus on to represent by membership.  As with any other benefit, people should research the organizations to which they belong for whatever reason to see if it fits them.

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