How likely to recommend?
Customer Complaint Ratio
About The Hartford
Homeowners policies offered
- Home
- Renters
- Condo
- Flood
Additional policies offered
- Auto insurance
- Classic car insurance
- Business insurance
- Umbrella coverage
Best Home Insurance Companies 2021: How Hartford compares
The Hartford earned a three and a half out of five-star InsureScore in our annual Best Home Insurance Companies review. This score traveled across the board in all categories including claims, price, customer service and website & apps.
Ninety-four percent of customers surveyed said they planned to renew their policies with The Hartford and 72% of customers said they would recommend The Hartford to a friend.
Gauging an insurance company
Before buying with a company it is wise to check on a company's financial strength and complaint record. The A.M. Best rating listed above gives you an idea of The Hartford's financial strength to pay claims. A complaint ratio can be found on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) site. The median complaint ratio from the NAIC is always 1.00. This means half of the insurers have a complaint ratio of under 1.00 and half have a ratio above. Basically, numbers lower than 1.00 are better with fewer complaints than the median and a number higher than 1.00 has more complaints than the median.
Company Background
Historic beginnings
Being around as long as they have, the Hartford has some incredible historical bragging rights. In 1825, they were the first insurance company to cover an institution of higher learning – Yale University. In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln bought a fire insurance policy from the Hartford to keep his home and property in Illinois safe. Interestingly enough, Robert E. Lee, who would lead the Confederate Army during the Civil War, also bought a home insurance policy from The Hartford for his property in Virginia.
In the 20th Century, some notables who bought insurance from The Hartford: Babe Ruth and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Today, it's a company that has been named as one of the world's most ethical companies eight times since 2008, by the Ethisphere Institute, a nonprofit that specializes in advancing the standards of ethical business practices.
Consider The Hartford if you are an AARP member
The Hartford is a perfectly good insurer for young people, too, but for decades now, AARP and The Hartford have been partnering together. You'll get additional discounts on your insurance if you're also a member of AARP. Exactly how much you'll save is hard to say; it depends partly on your state of residence. But it may be worth obtaining a quote to see how much you could save if you make the switch.
The Hartford homeowners programs
- Full Replacement Cost, Maybe More – This will pay the full cost to rebuild your home if it's a total loss, up to 125 percent of your coverage limits. Depending where you live, you may be able to get up to 150 percent coverage.
- ProtectorPLUS Zero Deductible Benefit -- You may get up to $5,000 of your homeowner's insurance deductible waived if your home is extremely damaged (i.e., by lightning, and you have over $25,000 in damages).
Contact information
Corporate Headquarters
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
One Hartford Plaza
Hartford, CT 06155
Telephone: (860) 547-5000
Home insurance: (800) 624-5578
Types of special coverages
Full placement cost and more. Pays full cost to rebuild your home if it's a total loss up to 125 percent of coverage limits.
ProtectorPLUS zero deductible. Waives deductible if home is severely damaged by qualifying loss.
Replacement lock reimbursement. Pays to replace locks if a key is lost or stolen.
Disappearing property deductible. Rewards owners who haven't filed claims in a certain amount of time.
Equipment breakdown. Covers part of the cost of repairing or replacing appliances and electronics.
Identity fraud. Helps you with out-of-pocket expenses if you're the victim of identity theft or fraud.
Green rebuilding. Increases policy limits when you use green materials.
Water backup and sump pump overflow. Covers property for damage caused by water backups and sump pump overflows.
Discounts
Multi-policy. Discount for more than one type of policy with the same insurance provider.
Alarm systems and safety devices. Discount for having security and fire-suppression systems.
Renewal credit. Discount if you renew with company for a certain number of years.
Retiree credit. Discount for retirees.
In which states is Hartford home insurance available?
Our survey asked policyholders to share experiences or give feedback that they would like to share with others looking to potentially buy from their current insurance company. Here's what they had to say: