BEWARE of Hartford Auto BAIT and SWITCH

[SammieS99563]

I switched to AARP Hartford Auto Insurance last year.  The premium for the first year was very attractive saving us about $200 compared to our previous carrier.

BUT,  when the policy renewed after the first year, Hartford has raised the premiums by 28%.  I have no claims, perfect driving record, and no changes to the policy.  Hartford customer service has no credible explanation for the increase.  This looks like a classic BAIT and SWITCH to me.  I am hugely disappointed in Hartford and will be switching insurance again after getting some new quotes from different companies.  AARP should seriously look at what businesses they endorse. 

[WandaG379814]

We should launch a class action suit against aarp

[AARPConsumerCare]

Hi Wanda! We're sorry to hear you’re having trouble with one of our benefit providers. We are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team. -Sue J

[w260994a]

I reported my story to my Local Congressman and asked him to look into it. Please if you have had the same bad experience contact your local Congressman and maybe if enough of us do it will get looked into. Seniors should not be preyed upon and taken advantage of by any company or corporation. Shame on them that do!!😎🎼

[GailL1]

@w260994a 

Maybe you should determine how the [whatever] value that is promised is determined = it isn’t always about money or being cheap.

NO insurance product is about one’s own records - it is a conglomerate  and in this case not just about the people characteristics but also about the area, the price of repairs and replacement - IOW - the risk.

Maybe contact (the profit-making arm) AARP Services to see how they determine who gets the “name” for sale and how.  GThey may have other definitions of what is of value to those over 50 - the demographic definition of AARP focus, so they say.

AARP.org - About AARP - AARP SERVICES - Decades of Experience Connecting Companies to the Aging Cons...

[w260994a]

Sorry, I don't really understand all you have tried to say on here, but it is about trust and money or lack of it in this case. I literally got the same coverage for $1,200 less annually from Progressive. So again AARP and THE HARTFORD are crooks and SCAMMERS!! They do not care about you!  

[GailL1]

@w260994a 

What I am saying is that the AARP/The Hartford insurance coverage doesn’t say it is the cheapest - It says it is targeted to the AARP group - that is to say, those 50 and over.  

For coverage to be the same, then all the benefits of the policy have to be compared - like accident forgiveness, multi-policy discount, new car replacement benefit, declining deductible and whatever else is in each of the different insurer’s policies makeup of like kind insurance - i.e. Auto Insurance.

And in order for anybody to determine if The Hartford is reneging on whatever they say is valuable to this select group, then one has to determine how the AARP SERVICES has negotiated the value and has given them this cherished branding of the AARP name for marketing purposes.

Read how this is determined by reading the AARP.org description of their AARP SERVICES arm and how they determine “value” to this group.

The disclosure reads on the AARP® AUTO INSURANCE PROGRAM FROM THE HARTFORD

AARP commercial member benefits are provided by third parties, not by AARP or its affiliates. Providers pay a royalty fee to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Some provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions.

*Your savings may vary. Rate difference for AARP members and non-member vary by state and AARP membership tenure. †Terms and conditions apply. 

State Availability

Not available in U.S. territories: Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Accident Forgiveness and Disappearing Deductible are not available to CA policyholders.

end- copy/paste from the link ~ 

[w260994a]

Sorry again I call a huge BS!!! They full and well know that they are baiting, hooking, and scamming seniors! I get so mad when I see their new tv commercials lying about how great they are and how much they care!! I will never agree with you no matter what you say! I hope my congressman investigates them and I hope there is a coming class action suit so we can recoup some of our money!😎

[GailL1]

I’m not asking for your agreement or disagreement - I’m directing you to the AARP arm which negotiates these deals - the so called “member benefit” for access to the AARP branded name - 

What’s their measure to allow for AARP’s name to be used with The Hartford?  

It probably isn’t because they are the cheapest for seniors like many here seem to think.

So what is it? Only the ones that gave it long ago would know - right?

Well that’s the AARP Services- so ask them.  ALL shown on this page of this AARP site.

AARP Services

- Who we are, what we do, how we do it 

[acunningham14]

This is exactly what happened to me.  Started as a low premium the first year but jumped almost $1,000 this year with NO incidents.  I plan on filing a complaint with my state’s insurance administration, BBB, etc.  AARP The Hartford Auto/Home Insurance should be ashamed of taking advantage of the elderly.  I wish I had seen this chat last year. It’s good to know I’m not alone. 

[AARPConsumerCare]

Hello, we're sorry to hear you’re having trouble with one of our benefit providers. We are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team. - Daniela R. 

[w260994a]

I don't know how to start my own comment on this page but I agree with you! In my opinion the relationship between AARP and The Hartford is a very crooked and devious one. The AARP who acts as though they are all about standing up for seniors rights, and helping to protect their thin pocketbooks from being gouged is a huge lie and scam!! I was a AARRP and Hartford Customer for many years and had all of my various needs for insurance policies with them. I'd get my regular emails from AARP telling me how they were fighting to protect social security and all of the discounts to save me money and all the while I'm trusting them The Hartford is price gouging me for thousands of dollars a year more than I could get elsewhere from another insurance company. I found this out when we recently purchased a new van and I got online on my Hartford account to switch things over and I noticed how steep our new policy seemed to be in price. So I decided to shop around and see. I ended up getting all of my policies with the same or better coverage from Progressive for over $1,200.00 less a year. I was shocked to find out that I had been overpaying so much for insurance! I wrote a long letter to my local congressman about this and asked him to investigate the reel-m-in and gouge-m routine between the AARP and The Hartford. This was about a month ago and now today I get a bill from AARP-The Hartford informing me that I still owe them money. I'm reporting this to my congressman too! So in my Opinion!! BEWARE OF THE AARP AND THE HARTFORD SENIORS!!! Don't let them RIP you off like they did me. 

[AARPConsumerCare]

Hi w260994a. We're sorry to hear you’re having trouble with The Hartford. We are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please click on https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp?cmp=SNO-LITHIUM---&socialid=13085970641 to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team. - Stephen K.

[w260994a]

That's funny!! Coming from a ROBOT! I actually talked to a live representative who pretty much had the same trained robotic replies. Also, the last bill I got said it was from the AARP Hartford Insurance Group so don't act like you and they are separate Companys that have no idea what the other one is doing. If my local Congressman does his job and investigates this, I believe that he will find out that you know exactly what you are doing. Reeling in us senior suckers with your commercials saying how the Hartford will save us money, and get rid of our deductibles over time, and keep our insurance affordable. I know because I see those commercials every day. But truth is it is just a scam and lie. Tell me right now how you don't know that the Hartford raises up seniors' insurance policies annually whether they have claims or not. Tell me why I got the same insurance for $1,200.00 less with Progressive. How many years have I actually trusted you and all the while I have been overpaying hundreds of dollars. Tell me how that is honest? And tell me how you care about me as a senior trying to live and get by on a fixed income? Then tell me why I should ever trust anything you ever say again especially with your auto reply to BS Robotic comments. 

[GailL1]

@w260994a wrote

. . . . Reeling in us senior suckers with your commercials saying how the Hartford will save us money, and get rid of our deductibles over time, and keep our insurance affordable.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yes, you have to read the footnoted print, the small print, and sometimes the very small print.  

Accident Forgiveness from AARP Hartford Auto Insurance only kicks in after 5-years when everybody that’s in the insured’s household has a clean driving record - and then it only affects the deductible on the collision coverage.

If one has removed the collision coverage because the car is so old, it does no good to have this selection in the policy (Accident Forgiveness).  Thus paying for something but getting nothing.

AARP has nothing to do with insurance rates - they aren’t the insurer of any type of insurance  - not auto insurance, not health insurance, not MediGAP, not homeowners insurance.  

The Hartford pays AARP for the use of their name on the product they are selling.  Same with the other types of insurance.

Would The AARP Hartford policy be a lower premium than other insurance companies if they were like in every way ?  I dson’t know because none of them are exactly the same - some have other benefits that some people might find suits them better.

Like New Car Replacement - if you just bought a new car for $50,000 that coverage MIGHT pay off for you IF you are in an accident and the insurance of the party at fault doesn’t go up to those limits and you don’t have UI/UN coverage.

Picking auto insurance coverage is individualized.  Not everything is right for everybody or is needed by everybody.    So we just have to shop wisely just like we do in other things.

You are right about not buying any additional coverage they might want to sell you UNLESS it is something that you might need to make your coverage more complete.

I live in an area where there are many immigrant - some are undocumented - thus they often ride around in an older care without insurance or not enough insurance that is going to pay off to the other person because our state mandated limits are too low.   

But if the state ups the mandated minimum coverage of liability - property and people - then people start to grip about their premiums going up too much.  

[w260994a]

Totally Disagree!! Because again AARP and The Hartford in their commercials imply that they are always looking out for Seniors! So we are going to be in total disagreement on this one!

[s92302l]

Really unhappy with The Hartford. They tried to jack my rate up by $800 a year for absolutely no reason! So I switched to a new auto insurer. Now, three months later, they are sending me a bill and threatening me with collection! They claim I did not pay my last payment, and that they bill in arrears. If that is the case, why did no one tell me when I called to cancel that I would get a final bill? Either their customer service is incredibly inept, or they making this up to get more money out of customers who have left.  I would stay FAR away from The Hartford, and would urge AARP to find another company to partner with. 

[susanw471723]

Yes!  We went with The Hartford two years ago because their rates were great!  Every 6 months they raised the rate and this time it is almost $1000. 3 times as much as the first year. We have perfect driving records with no claims or tickets. We too will be canceling Hartford and going with another company. 
so tired of being told that the cost of repairs…blah blah blah. Good drivers should be rewarded not punished for everyone else’s problems. AARP should STOP endorsing The Hartford!!

[AARPConsumerCare]

Thanks for sharing your experience, and we hope to have your continued support. We're sorry to hear you’re having trouble with one of our benefit providers. We are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team. - Daniela R. 

[w260994a]

The exact same thing just happened to me with them!😎🎼🎤🎺

[AARPConsumerCare]

@s923021 We're sorry to hear you’re having trouble with our benefit provider, the Hartford. We are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team.  - Janelle M.

[GailL1]

@s92302l wrote:

Now, three months later, they are sending me a bill and threatening me with collection! They claim I did not pay my last payment, and that they bill in arrears.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Shouldn’t that be very easy for you to prove on your end? No matter what [payment cycle you chose.  The annual  beginning date is on your policy so there should have been a  payment before that date that links to the 2024 annual policy.  

Then you gave them an ending date when you cancelled ; so it would be easy to see how much you paid and for what period.   Your new policy would have that same date as a starting date.  

 I have never heard of an auto insurance company billing in arrears.  Sounds dangerous since they could deny a claim.  

But as to “jacking up the premium for no reason” - that’s a bit crazy too - what reason should they charge you a higher premium?

 Because your zip code is having more care thiefs or break ins?  

Because the cost of the average car and repairs to them have increased?

Because you have reached an age milestone?

Because replacing a used car is more expensive now?

Because your credit score has tanked?

Because you did have a moving violation?

So what reasons are justified for a premium increase - for this company or any company?      Just Askin’

[s92302l]

I had The Hartford on autopay with my credit card for several years. I don't have the time to dig back through years of credit card bills to find out when I first started paying them.  My new policy has the same start date as The Hartford end date. I agree that the billing in arrears sounds strange

[GailL1]

@s92302l wrote

I don't have the time to dig back through years of credit card bills to find out when I first started paying them

++++++++++++++++++++

Policies are issued on an annual basis - you only have to check for payment for this policy year.  You don’t have to check back forever.

Just don’t let them do damage to your credit with these collection attempts - if they continue to hound you, you may have to make the time to check your payments for this policy cycle.

[PaulP178682]

Hartford should advertise this as an introductory rate. My recommendation would be to sign up for a couple of cycles with an eye towards an alternative provider knowing your going to have to switch. Doing comparisons, The Hartford has pretty low scores for customer satisfaction, so when they break out the Vasoline, have an alternative in mind. Might not be much cheaper, but for the money you can get better service.

Also, don't expect anything beyond some pseudo obsequious reply from AARP here. Any human rep here is just some poor grunt with no actual ability to effect change. The only thing that will get a decision makers attention would be something like a 60 minutes segment on AARP screwing grannies.

[KeithB867230]

Same issue with the Hartford insurance. 3/14/22 my policy cost $668 for 6 months.  Now ONLY TWO YEARS LATER it is $1479. WHY????? I have not had any accidents or claims. I have not changed anything. I have no citations or warnings on my driving record. I live in a small city that does not have the accidents like Phoenix. So what gives? Cant be high claims here. Price of repair is an excuse. Charge the people with clams double and not those of us without claims.

Anyway, it is a disgrace that AARP endorses The Hartford and weasels us into thinking they are a good insurance company for the safe elderly drivers.

AARP dump the endorsement for The Hartford. They bait and switch. Don't drag the good name of AARP into that gutter.

AARP members, please for your own good, do not purchase auto insurance from The Hartford. They will jack your premiums by a huge amount every premium period regardless of your driving record or no claims status. Go elsewhere.

Keith

[sb89732652]

Yes!!! This happened to me yesterday.  When I called Hartford, the lady was very rude, mocked me and then try to upsell other things to me.  I hung up on her.  I let AARP know that they need to find a different auto insurance company to endorse. They took my auto pay out yesterday.  I looked into other insurance and will be switching.

[helnschool]

Ditto

[SpringIsHereSoHappy]

(3/20/24) @sb89732652 , AARP will respond to your post asking you to go to some link to let them know about your complaint = ZERO changes. Good luck with your search for OTHER options.  👵

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[*** @sb89732652 wrote:

Yes!!! This happened to me yesterday.  When I called Hartford, the lady was very rude, mocked me and then try to upsell other things to me.  I hung up on her.  I let AARP know that they need to find a different auto insurance company to endorse. They took my auto pay out yesterday.  I looked into other insurance and will be switching. ***]

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[AARPConsumerCare]

@KeithB867230 We're sorry to hear you’re having trouble with one of our benefit providers. We are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team.  - Janelle M.