4.8out of 3,000+ reviews
Updated August 5, 2022
The Hartford vs. USAA: A Summary
If you’re searching for affordable auto insurance from a company with great financial strength, then you’ve probably encountered The Hartford and USAA as two viable options. Since car insurance rates and policies from the two auto insurers differ, you can compare quotes from The Hartford, USAA, and more with Insurify’s comprehensive quote-comparison tool.
Insurance Company | Avg. Monthly Car Insurance Quote | Insurify Composite ScoreThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
---|---|---|
The Hartford | $92 | 93 |
USAA | $43 | 96 |
ICS Score Explanation:
The Insurify Composite Score (ICS) is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.
Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
The Hartford
The Hartford is an insurance provider with a wide range of insurance coverage options and reimbursements for any situation, such as a new car replacement after an accident. AARP members can also expect exclusive benefits with The Hartford as well, thanks to the insurance company’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
Pros
Easy access to roadside assistance
Intuitive mobile app offers real-time insurance claims support
Deductibles decrease over time with clean driving record
Cons
Higher-than-average premium rates
Slower-than-average insurance claims process
USAA
Founded in 1922 by 25 army officers, USAA is an insurance company known for its commitment to reliable coverage, particularly for policyholders in the military in need of business insurance, life insurance, or auto insurance. With USAA’s auto insurance products, USAA members can save each month by bundling with their renters or homeowners insurance.
Pros
Exclusive benefits and discounts for military members and family
USAA credit card provides shopping and travel discounts
Secure mobile app to access multiple discounts and savings
Cons
Below-average customer satisfaction and service ratings
Eligibility limited to the military community
Rating Factor | The Hartford | USAA |
---|---|---|
Fitch | N/A | AAA |
A.M. Best | A+ | A++ |
Moody’s | A1 | Aaa |
S&P | A+ | AA+ |
J.D. Power | 868 | 893 |
The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022
Rank | Company Name | Average Monthly Quote | Insurify Composite ScoreThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
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1 | Clearcover Best Overall | $135 | 97 |
2 | Nationwide Best for Safe Drivers | $199 | 89 |
3 | American Family Best for Families with Teen Drivers | $234 | 89 |
4 | Safeco Best for Drivers with Poor Credit | $186 | 86 |
5 | Farmers Best for Rideshare Coverage | $239 | 85 |
6 | Foremost Best for Hassle-Free Claims | $159 | 82 |
7 | Liberty Mutual Best for Accident Forgiveness | $241 | 82 |
8 | Mercury Best for Face-to-Face Service | $232 | 81 |
9 | Progressive Best for Senior Drivers | $147 | 80 |
10 | Travelers Best for Young Drivers | $163 | 80 |
Although USAA and The Hartford aren’t featured on the list above, the two companies are great for specific types of drivers. USAA is perfect for any member of the military who qualifies and values great savings above everything else. The Hartford is best for reliable drivers over 50 with a responsible driving record and who are AARP members.
Compare The Hartford vs. USAA: Which Is Cheaper?
USAA tends to be the cheaper company for policyholders, as The Hartford typically costs nearly twice as much as USAA. However, only members of the military and those affiliated with the military are eligible for USAA. For drivers who don’t qualify, The Hartford is still a viable option for reliable and strong savings on auto insurance.
The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in 2022
Rank | Insurance Company | Average Cost Per Month | ICSThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
---|---|---|---|
1 | USH&C | $44 | Not Rated |
2 | Metromile | $63 | Not Rated |
3 | Direct Auto | $64 | Not Rated |
4 | Travelers | $65 | 80 |
5 | Kemper | $71 | Not Rated |
6 | Progressive | $87 | Not Rated |
7 | Mile Auto | $91 | 85 |
8 | National General | $93 | 58 |
9 | Clearcover | $94 | 97 |
10 | GAINSCO | $94 | Not Rated |
While the two insurance companies aren’t featured on the list of cheap providers above, USAA is the cheapest option for drivers affiliated with the military. The Hartford is a viable option for elderly drivers who have strong credit and a clean driving record.
Compare The Hartford vs. USAA Car Insurance by Age
According to the NAIC website, age is one of the main factors used by insurance companies to gauge your risk as a driver and the overall prices you will pay. Since younger drivers tend to have less experience, they tend to pay a bit more. Elderly drivers also pay a bit more than the average price since they tend to pose a higher risk as they age.
Between the two companies, USAA is the cheapest insurance option for every age category. USAA consistently costs at least $20 less than The Hartford. While The Hartford’s pricier coverage may make you want to choose USAA, it’s important to remember that USAA is a bit more selective in accepting policyholders since it prioritizes military members.
Age Group | The Hartford | USAA |
---|---|---|
Teen | N/A | $100 |
20s | N/A | $42 |
30s | N/A | $44 |
40s | N/A | $34 |
50s | $52 | $34 |
60s | $64 | $36 |
70s | $93 | $46 |
80s | $122 | $57 |
Compare The Hartford vs. USAA Car Insurance by Gender
Insurance companies use gender to help determine rates for policyholders, although certain states outlaw the use of gender in the underwriting process, such as California and Massachusetts. Nevertheless, gender can still be used to determine prices if you live in other states, such as Texas, Florida, and New York.
Regarding pricing for different genders, USAA and Hartford have a wide price difference, much like the price differences surrounding the age category. With USAA, men pay $43, while women pay $42. With The Hartford, men pay $97 while women pay $87.
Which is cheapest for men?
Regarding car insurance, men tend to pay a bit more since companies have determined them to be riskier drivers than women. USAA is still the cheapest option, costing $43 a month, while The Hartford costs $97 per month on average.
Gender | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Men | $97 | $43 | $81 |
Which is cheapest for women?
For women, USAA is once again the cheaper option at $42 per month, which is significantly below the national average price of $78. Likewise, The Hartford is $87, which follows the trend that women tend to pay a bit less than men for auto insurance.
Gender | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Women | $87 | $42 | $78 |
Compare The Hartford vs. USAA Car Insurance by Mileage
Insurance companies examine a vehicle’s annual mileage to assess how much a risk and liability you may be in the future as a policyholder. A higher annual mileage suggests that a vehicle is due for repairs and damages sooner rather than later, resulting in a higher premium. A smaller annual mileage means a vehicle is less of a liability, meaning a lower monthly premium.
Prices for the two companies remain the same for every mileage category. With USAA, policyholders pay $42 a month for annual mileage between 5,000 and 20,000, while The Hartford asks policyholders to pay $86 for the same mileage categories.
Which is cheapest for drivers with high mileage?
For drivers with a high annual mileage of 20,000 and 15,000 miles, USAA remains the cheapest option, costing $42, while The Hartford costs $87 a month. USAA is also below the national average price of $68.
Annual Mileage | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
15,000-20,000 | $87 | $42 | $78 |
Which is cheapest for drivers with low mileage?
For drivers with a lower mileage between 5,000 and 10,000 annual miles, USAA is once again the cheaper option. USAA coverage costs $42 a month for both mileage categories, while The Hartford costs $87 for policyholders in the same mileage ranges.
Annual Mileage | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
5,000 | $87 | $42 | $78 |
10,000 | $87 | $42 | $78 |
Compare The Hartford vs. USAA Car Insurance by Credit Score
Credit scores are used by insurance companies to see how reliable you will be when making payments and filing a claim. Drivers with a good credit score tend to be a bit more reliable with payments and claims, justifying a lower price. Drivers with a lower credit score pay a bit more because insurance companies unfortunately assume they might be a bit less reliable.
With coverage from USAA, drivers pay between $36 and $65 per month depending on their credit history. Monthly rates from The Hartford range between $71 and $142 depending on where drivers fall on the credit tier.
Which is cheapest for good credit?
For drivers with excellent and good credit scores, USAA is the cheapest option, with rates often around half the price of coverage from The Hartford. Drivers with excellent credit face average rates of $36 from USAA and $71 from The Hartford. Those with good credit earn average monthly rates of $40 from USAA and $80 from The Hartford.
Credit Tier | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Excellent | $71 | $36 | $60 |
Good | $80 | $40 | $71 |
Which is cheapest for bad credit?
For drivers with average and poor credit, USAA is still the cheaper option. Coverage from USAA costs $42 for drivers with average credit and $65 for drivers with poor credit. Car insurance from The Hartford costs nearly twice as much, with average rates of $86 per month for those with average credit and $142 per month for drivers with poor credit.
Credit Tier | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Average | $87 | $42 | $78 |
Poor | $142 | $65 | $120 |
Compare The Hartford vs. USAA Car Insurance by Driving Record
Your driving record is the clearest indicator of your risk level on the road. Since insurance companies save the most when drivers are at their safest, policyholders with a clean driving record will receive the cheapest rates. Different driving infractions, such as speeding tickets, DUIs, and accidents, increase rates.
Drivers with coverage from USAA pay between $42 and $84 per month depending on their driving history and recorded infractions. Car insurance from The Hartford costs between $86 a $135 per month depending on specific driving history.
Which is cheapest for good drivers?
For drivers with a clean record, USAA is once again the cheaper option. USAA costs $42 a month, while The Hartford costs $87. As mentioned before, it is important to remember that USAA is primarily for members of the military. The Hartford still offers plenty of discount options and savings for those over 50 who don’t qualify for USAA.
Driver Type | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Clean Record | $87 | $42 | $78 |
Which is cheapest after a speeding ticket?
For drivers with a speeding ticket, USAA is the cheaper option. USAA coverage costs $51 a month, while The Hartford costs $119 a month. USAA is significantly below the national average of $104, while The Hartford is above.
Driver Type | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Speeding Ticket | $119 | $51 | $104 |
Which is cheapest after an accident?
After an accident, USAA is still the cheaper option, costing $60, while The Hartford costs $145. Despite USAA being the cheaper option, most insurance commissioners have determined that any coverage is important for drivers, especially those who are more prone to accidents.
Driver Type | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
At-Fault Accident | $145 | $60 | $113 |
Which is cheapest after a DUI?
USAA is the cheaper option for drivers with a DUI. USAA costs $84, while The Hartford costs $135. One or more DUI on a driver’s record tends to significantly increase rates for individuals, but rates for both The Hartford and USAA are cheaper than the national average.
Driver Type | The Hartford | USAA | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
DUI | $135 | $84 | $155 |
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The Hartford vs. USAA Car Insurance: What discounts does each offer?
The Hartford Discounts
AARP membership
Homeowners insurance bundling
Renters insurance bundling
Paid in full
Drive Safe & Save
Good Driver
Good student
TrueLane program
Antilock brakes
Anti-theft device
Airbags
Hybrid vehicle
Electric vehicle
Younger driver training
Defensive driver course
USAA Discounts
Good student
Driver training
Safe driver
Defensive driver
Military
SafePilot mobile app
New driver
New vehicle
Anti-theft
Multi-vehicle
Multi-policy
Homeowners insurance bundling
Renters insurance bundling
Annual mileage
Vehicle storage
Family discount
Paid in full
Discount | The Hartford | USAA |
---|---|---|
Defensive driver training | ||
Paid in full | ||
Safe driver | ||
Homeowners insurance bundling | ||
Renters insurance bundling | ||
Good student | ||
Anti-theft device | ||
Electric vehicle | ||
Hybrid vehicle | ||
Younger driver training | ||
AARP membership | ||
TrueLane program | ||
Drive Safe & Save | ||
Antilock brakes | ||
Airbags | ||
Military | ||
SafePilot mobile app | ||
New driver | ||
New vehicle | ||
Multi-vehicle | ||
Family discount | ||
Vehicle storage | ||
Annual mileage |
Our Methodology and How We Compared The Hartford and USAA
The car insurance quotes provided in Insurify’s insurance company comparison guides are based on the analysis of over 50,000 insurance quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates, including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more to give representative samples.
Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating calculated by weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.
Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
With the above insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offer car insurance shoppers a window into how insurance providers compare to one another in terms of both cost and quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Between the two companies, USAA is the cheaper option. In every driver category reviewed above, The Hartford costs at least double the price of USAA, making USAA a great choice for military members looking for an insurance policy that’s cheaper than most competitors. The Hartford offers additional discounts to AARP members over the age of 50.
USAA is a better insurance company for eligible policyholders who meet its qualifications surrounding military experience. For those who are not eligible for USAA and are over the age of 50, The Hartford is still a strong company with great coverage and discount options despite the higher price.
To compare The Hartford and USAA alongside other car insurance companies like Allstate, GEICO, and State Farm, check out Insurify’s comprehensive quote-comparison tool. Shopping around for all of your insurance options will allow you to do an easy side-by-side comparison of quotes to see which best fits your insurance needs and driving profile.