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Turning 50? You should receive at least two birthday cards: one from your doctor, suggesting you schedule a colonoscopy; and one from the AARP, inviting you to join the six-decade old organization that serves and advocates on behalf of senior citizens.
Before you wince at your age, however, consider that by lowering its eligibility to a mere 50, the AARP has extended its membership perks to a large group of middle-aged Americans — perks that include a wide range of insurance products and discounts.
Here we summarize some of those AARP benefits with a particular focus on the organization’s insurance offerings.
The AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, has several arms. Its nonprofit organizations provide direct services to seniors — tax preparation, job training, food drives, fraud-protection tools, and more — while also lobbying lawmakers to protect the health and independence of America’s elder population.
AARP’s for-profit subsidiaries, meanwhile, make available financial and insurance products. The insurance products offerings are serviced by third parties, such as The Hartford and UnitedHealthcare, but the AARP maintains quality control and policies are designed to serve the needs of older Americans. The AARP also provides information that can help members receive lower rates with their own insurance companies — its online safe-driving course is one example.
It currently costs $16 a year to join AARP, or $12 if you auto renew. Members are eligible for discounts on travel, dining, and entertainment, on parking, prescriptions, groceries, clothes and more. In addition, AARP links seniors with available volunteer opportunities nationwide, and gives members free access to things like financial publications, job training webinars, and resume and small-business advice.
The Fraud Watch Network, for example, displays updated scam alerts and lets people call and talk to a real person to help screen organizations that may be asking for money or personal information.
Are you wondering, what insurance AARP offers? As we briefly detail here, the organization make available to members access to AARP-branded insurance products, which together provide coverage for health, nursing home, dental, vision, life, auto, home, renters, small business, and even pets.
Yes, review AARP health care options. How does AARP health insurance work? Well, it’s taken care of by a branch off of the main AARP tree. AARP Services, a for-profit subsidiary of AARP, makes available to those who are eligible for medicare a variety of plans provided by UnitedHealthcare.
This includes:
Review our comprehensive assessment of UnitedHealtcare by surveyed policyholders to find out what to expect if you choose UHC as your health insurance provider.
While Medicare and its related coverages are for those 65 and older, other medical plans that AARP makes available to its members are for those 50 and older.
This type of coverages include:
You can learn more about these healthcare offerings, AARP health insurance rates and other medical plan offerings on our AARP health insurance page.
AARP makes available three life insurance plans through New York Life, a 175-year-old mutual life insurer — one owned by policy holders and not investors. All of the plans are available to AARP members beginning at age 50 and to their spouses at age 45. No medical exam is required, and coverage levels range from $10,000 to $50,000.
Instant quotes and details for all three plans are available online.
The Level Benefit Term Life Insurance is among least expensive of AARP’s three plans. However, you can only apply up to the age of 74 and benefits are only paid out up to age 80. Furthermore, the rates are not locked in and increase by 5-year age brackets. Premiums are waived after six months of doctor-ordered residency in a nursing home.
A 70-year-old female non-smoker in Des Moines, Iowa, would pay $33 a month for a $10,000 benefit, $60 a month for a $20,000 benefit, or $141 for $50,000.
For the Easy Acceptance Plan, the rates quoted online were the same, but the benefits are different. The rates are locked in, and the coverage does not end at age 80. Premium payments end at age 95. Acceptance is guaranteed for everyone but the terminally ill. However, only limited benefits are paid in the first two years in the case of a death by natural causes. The Easy Acceptance Plan is not available in every state.
For AARP’s Permanent Life Insurance, the quoted rates for the same Des Moines woman were about twice as high. Also good for life, with locked-in rates and premium payments ending at age 95, a $10,000 benefit cost $63 per month and a $50,000 benefit cost $308 a month. If she bought the plan at age 50, it would cost $25 for a $10,000 benefit and $119 for a $50,000 benefit.
Take a look at our New York Life insurance consumer-based review. And also check out the 2020 results of our annual Best Life Insurance company survey which shows how New York Life compare to other top life insurance companies.
Learn more about life insurance. To determine how much life insurance you need, use our simple life insurance calculator.
AARP makes available auto insurance through The Hartford, which for 30 years has been tailoring the insurance specifically for older drivers. In most states the AARP Auto Insurance program guarantees it won’t drop its drivers unless they don’t pay their premium, have a serious violation, or lose their license. It is available in every state but not in U.S. territories.
Find out if The Hartford is right for you for auto insurance by checking out our company assessment as well as comparing to other insurers by reviewing our Best Auto Insurance report for 2020. Rankings and ratings, straight from current policyholders, give you the pros and cons of The Hartford and other top car insurance companies.
The Hartford insurance, which tends to fare well in surveys of inexpensive car insurance for seniors, also gives members discounts up to 25% for bundling their auto and homeowner’s, condo, or renter’s insurance. Its RecoverCare even helps pay for essential home services that a customer cannot do because of a covered automobile accident, such as lawn maintenance, food preparation, or dog walking.
In addition to auto insurance, the AARP also offers a defensive driving class that often nets drivers a discount with other insurance companies. The AARP Smart Driver Course, which can be taken online, is a refresher on the rules of the road that also covers things like navigating new car technology, how to reduce distractions, and the effects of medication on driving. The class takes four to eight hours to complete and AARP members get a discount, typically $5 off the $25 cost.
Learn more about car insurance for seniors.
The AARP also offers specialized insurance from The Hartford for recreational vehicles, collectible vehicle, boats and personal watercraft, ATVs, golf carts and snowmobiles. The policies are available in every state but not in the U.S. territories.
As with standard auto insurance, AARP members are also eligible for up to a 20% discount on their home insurance and up to a 5% discount on their RV insurance if they bundle their home and RV insurance.
Dedicated golf cart insurance can protect you if your golf cart is not covered in an endorsement on your homeowners insurance or if you drive it off the golf course. The insurance may also be required by your state or homeowners association.
AARP’s watercraft and boat insurance offers discounts that seniors, in particular, may qualify for, such as for experience operating a boat and the completion of boat safety courses. Homeowners insurance typically provides limited coverage on boats and excludes jet skis and other personal watercraft.
AARP motorcycle insurance is provided by Foremost Insurance, a subsidiary of Farmers Insurance Group. You can find more information and get an online quote here.
It is not available in Washington, D.C., Hawaii, or the U.S. territories. If you drive a scooter, you’ll need motorcycle insurance, too. The AAARP plan includes a discount for completing a motorcycle safety course and a diminishing deductible of 25% for each year of coverage without a paid loss.
You can learn more about motorcycle insurance.
The AARP offers homeowner’s, condo and renter’s insurance through The Hartford, which has been partnering with the AARP for decades to serve seniors. AARP members receive a rate discount, as well as discounts if they bundle their home and auto insurance. AARP members who are retired or work fewer than 24 hours a week are eligible for credit on their home insurance premium. The coverage is not available in the U.S. territories.
Take a look at our Best Home Insurance report for 2020 to see how The Hartford ranked in comparison to other top home insurance companies.
Given the high cost of homeowners insurance in some areas, it could be worth getting an online quote for AARP members. An Insure.com analysis showed a national average rate of $1,737 a year for $300,000 dwelling coverage with a $1,000 deductible and $300,000 in liability. In the most expensive ZIP codes, the same coverage hovered at around $6,000.
Learn more about homeowners insurance and compare quotes.
Renters insurance is far less expensive than homeowners insurance, and is often called one of the best values for the money. An Insurance.com analysis found that the national average renters insurance cost for a policy with recommended coverage levels of $40,000 for personal property, a $1,000 deductible and $100,000 of liability protection is $326, or about $27 a month
The AARP rental insurance from The Hartford offers additional options that may be attractive to seniors. These include an extension of coverage to a relative who was covered in the apartment but had to move into assisted living; blanket coverage for valuable items, which eliminates the need for an individual appraisal of each expensive piece of jewelry, art work, and dinnerware; and identity fraud coverage that reimburses up to $25,000 in costs associated with restoring your identity.
In fact, anyone with insurance from The Hartford can call the company’s identity theft hotline and talk to a fraud specialist for help in preventing or recovering from fraud.
You can learn more about renters insurance and compare quotes.
The AARP also offers mobile home insurance from Foremost Insurance, a subsidiary of Farmers Insurance Group formed in 1952 specifically to insure mobile homes. Mobile home insurance provides the same coverage as homeowners insurance, and the AARP plan includes coverage for golf carts, credit card and check forgery, food spoilage, additional living expenses, and more. It is not available in Hawaii, Washington, D.C., the U.S. territories or coastal areas of Florida.
Insurance for mobile and manufactured homes can be expensive relative to the cost of the home, largely because mobile structures risk sustaining extensive damage from things like fire, wind and extreme cold.
AARP members in every state except Florida, Hawaii and Tennessee are eligible for a 5% discount on pet insurance premiums through PetPlan, a national insurer, and an additional 5% discount for signing up online, unless they live in California, Florida, New York or Tennessee. Members also receive a $35 sign-up bonus in 47 states.