HARTFORD NOW CHARGING TO USE A CREDIT CARD?

[dd63142288]

I always pay my Hartford homeowner & auto bills annually with a credit card in order to earn reward points. This year there was a notice that they're using a third-party vendor to process CC payments, and when you select credit card as payment, it states there "may" be a 2.95% charge. Obviously this would negate any advantage of earning points. There has never been a credit charge surcharge in prior years. Anyone else notice this?  

[Tashkenta]

Yes, I found out about this change yesterday when attempting to pay my auto insurance bill. I went far enough for The Hartford's website to show me the final screen for approval and immediately cancelled the transaction. I'm NOT going to pay a $14 surcharge for using my credit card, which is how I've paid them for the last 19 years! 

[Tashkenta]

I saw the notice right away, but then tested their "iffy" statement of "may be charged a 2.95% surcharge" by going all the way to the last confirmation screen to see if it was added, and it was, of course. That's when I cancelled the transaction.

[MuktaS390247]

I saw that notice too. Guess it’s their way of covering processing costs, but still frustrating. The rewards don’t really offset the fee anymore, so I’ll probably just pay direct from my account next time.

[Tashkenta]

That's exactly why they're doing it, but to them it's a business expense they can probably deduct on their corporate taxes each year, I'd think. 

[GailL1]

@dd63142288 wrote . . . . . I always pay my Hartford homeowner & auto bills annually with a credit card in order to earn reward points.

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That is exactly why they and numerous other companies are doing it - Your earning rewards cost them a higher % as the merchant.  

Cost to merchant accepting credit cards as payment modes has really escalated.  Some of these merchants will give you an even bigger discount IF you sign up for them to auto-draft your checking account for their payment.  

So if you want to save money - see if this alternative is offered if you do not mind them having access to to your checking account - I do, I like to control my bank accounts.  

Or if you just pay them as billed using your own checking account; I use online bill pay - the credit care % will not be applied. 

So win some and then lose some - 

[papawofboo]

That bank's bill payment is the way to go. Using it also saves the cost of mailing.