The Hartford Renters Insurance Review: Cost & Service (2024)


Updated: October 3, 2024

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4/5

satisfaction

5/5

stability


pros

checkmarkHigh financial stability
checkmarkRobust customer service center
checkmarkExcellent BBB rating
checkmarkOption to bundle insurance and save on premiums

cons

closeRates not easily available
closeLimited discounts
closeMust be an AARP member to fully benefit from its policies

Verdict

The Hartford company features high financial stability and Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings. The insurer provides building additions and alterations coverage, which is a unique coverage that caters to the cost of built-in improvements such as wallpaper and bookshelves.

The Hartford has various online tools to make your experience more convenient. Based on The Hartford renters insurance review from MoneyGeek, however, the insurer has a customer complaint ratio higher than the national average.

Does The Hartford Have Good Customer Service?

While purchasing a renters insurance policy, one of the factors to consider is the provider’s customer service rating. Companies with exceptional scores are likely to provide better service as needed.

The Hartford received one of the highest scores in financial stability from AM Best. Its National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) score is higher than the national average, indicating that the insurer receives more customer complaints than other renters insurance companies.

Customer Satisfaction Rating

The Hartford received a score of 1.94 on the NAIC complaint index report, which is almost double the national median of 1.00. The NAIC score depicts the number of customer complaints registered by a provider compared to other companies in the market. Scores above the median mean the insurer received more complaints than the average provider.

Financial Stability Rating

The financial stability of an insurer reflects its reliability to pay off legitimate claims. AM best rates insurance providers by assigning them a financial rating across several categories. The Hartford received an A+ rating, which implies that the insurer has a superior ability to meet its financial obligations.

What to Expect From The Hartford Renters Insurance

It can be challenging to find out how to purchase renter’s insurance, as the process varies between providers. MoneyGeek outlined the steps for getting renters insurance from The Hartford to help you get started.

1
Getting a quote

The Hartford allows you to get a renters insurance quote online by providing your ZIP code. You can also call The Hartford’s representatives at 888-413-8970 to speak with an agent. MoneyGeek sourced some quotes from the insurer, which are available in the next section.

2
Customer support

The Hartford policyholders are allowed to contact the insurer at any time from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday. They can also make payments, file claims and download policy documents online through the customer service center. The mobile app offers the same services as the online customer service center.

3
Filing a claim

Renters can file claims through the company’s online portal or by calling the 24/7 claims team through 877-805-9918 for AARP members and 800-243-5860 for non-AARP members.

4
Canceling your policy

You can cancel The Hartford renters insurance policy by calling the account service number 800-835-0385.

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STATE AVAILABILITY

Renters insurance from The Hartford company is available in all 50 states and Washington D.C.

How Much Does The Hartford’s Renters Insurance Cost?

Renters insurance rates vary significantly depending on several factors, including the insurer you choose. Overall, renters insurance costs an average of $13 per month, although actual rates will vary based on the amount of personal property covered in the policy. To get your actual rates from The Hartford, you may need to talk to an agent.

The cost of renters insurance will depend on your coverage amount, so you don’t want to purchase too little or too much coverage. For most renters a $20,000-coverage limit is sufficient, but you can calculate the appropriate amount for your needs using MoneyGeek’s personal property calculator below.

Personal Property Coverage Calculator

When figuring out how much renters insurance you need, experts recommend the standard $100,000 in liability insurance and enough personal property protection to cover your possessions. Use MoneyGeek's calculator to estimate the value of your possessions so you know how much personal property coverage to buy.

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MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

Estimating the approximate value of your personal property can help you choose the right coverage amount for your situation. You can save on your renters insurance premium by not purchasing more coverage than you need.

What Discounts Does The Hartford Offer?

The Hartford provides renters insurance policyholders with two discounts, which is less than the industry average of five discounts. One of them is the secured community discount, which is rarely offered by other insurers. The provider also has a multi-policy discount, but this is commonly offered by other insurers.

Discount
Description

Multi-policy discount

The multi-policy discount from The Hartford is for individuals who combine renters insurance and auto insurance policies. It is only available to policyholders who purchase their car and home or renters insurance through AARP auto and home insurance programs from The Hartford.

A local agent can help you customize your policies to help reduce coverage costs.

Secured community discount

Renters staying in a gated or fenced community with a 24-hour security service may be eligible for the secured community discount. The entrance and exit to the building should be protected by uniformed guards.

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MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

While purchasing renters insurance from The Hartford, you can save on premiums by bundling it with other policies. For instance, if you own a car, you can save money by bundling your renters and car insurance policies.

That being said, Hartford does not offer many discount opportunities, so you may be able to get more affordable renters insurance from a different provider.

Which Coverage Types Does The Hartford Offer?

How much you pay for renters insurance depends on the coverage amount you choose. Generally, renters insurance providers advertise an average of seven coverage options.

Policyholders with The Hartford renters insurance may purchase up to four additional coverage options. Two of these are standard options, while the other two are unique to the provider.

The four additional coverage options available for The Hartford renters insurance policyholders include negligent water damage, personal property replacement cost, earthquake and building additions and alterations.

MoneyGeek outlined the details of each of these coverage options below.

1
Personal Property Replacement Cost

This endorsement replaces your damaged items with new ones of the same quality, regardless of the age and condition.

2
Building Additions & Alterations

Your renters insurance policy will cover the cost of repairing damages to any built-in improvements made on your rental, including the addition of wallpapers and bookshelves. The coverage amount will be up to 10% of your personal property coverage amount.

3
Earthquake

This covers damage as a result of earthquakes. Policyholders who need earthquake insurance can call The Hartford specialists at 888-413-8970.

4
Negligent Water Damage

This coverage only covers damage caused by a leak in your rental unit; water damage caused by storms and flooding is not included.

When buying a renters insurance policy, you need to ensure that it has all the standard coverage options you need. These include personal property coverage, personal liability coverage, medical payments coverage and additional living expenses protection.

You may also decide to get additional renters insurance coverage against floods, earthquakes and insect damage as required. These are rarely provided, so you may need to check if they are available with your insurer before purchasing the policy.

Renters Insurance Coverages: What to Expect

Standard:
  • Personal Property Coverage
  • Personal Liability Coverage
  • Medical Payments Coverage
  • Additional Living Expenses (Loss of Use)
Rarely Offered:
  • Flood Coverage
  • Earthquake Coverage
  • Insect or Bed Bug Coverage

What Online Renters Insurance Tools Does The Hartford Offer?

To ensure exceptional customer experience, The Hartford provides several online tools and features to policyholders. These include a quote tool, renters insurance calculator and a claims center. The insurer also provides a mobile application where you can easily file and mange your claim.

Online Quotation Tool
Mobile App
Payment Plan
Calculators
Online Bills Payment
Online Claims Filing

Other The Hartford Insurance Products

The Hartford provides its customers with several other insurance products, including car insurance, business insurance, condo insurance, flood insurance and umbrella insurance. You may purchase any of these options alongside your renters insurance.

Type of Product
Description

Auto Insurance

The Hartford auto insurance is available through the AARP auto insurance program. Policyholders can combine their renters insurance with car insurance from the insurer to qualify for the multi-policy discount.

Individuals with older cars receive specialized coverage known as classic car insurance. There is also coverage for recreational vehicles such as snowmobiles, boats and campers.

Business Insurance

If you own a business, you can purchase several business-related policies from The Hartford, including workers’ compensation, property, liability or data breach coverage. The insurer also provides benefits that employers can purchase for their employees including retirement, absence management among others.

Condo Insurance

Condo insurance protects the contents of your condo, including improvements and renovations made on the property.

Flood Insurance

Flood insurance covers the cost of damage resulting from flooding.

Umbrella Insurance

The Hartford umbrella insurance provides additional liability protection that extends your auto and homeowners insurance limits.

Methodology

To evaluate The Hartford’s quality as a renters insurance company, MoneyGeek analyzed The Hartford’s website, manually collected quotes and consulted consumer intelligence organizations such as J.D. Power, the NAIC and AM Best.

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