Is Allstate or The Hartford better?
Allstate is a great pick for car insurance due to its high customer satisfaction ratings, high auto claims satisfaction ratings through J.D. Power and other features. In addition to these excellent rankings, Allstate ranked ninth on Insure.com’s list of top auto insurance companies, earning a 2.7 overall rating.
The Hartford ranked lower than Allstate in general and did make the top 10 list of Insure.com’s best auto insurance companies. Despite that, it may be a good choice for seniors because of the discounts it offers through membership in the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
Continue reading to see how Allstate and The Hartford compare to each other based on Insure.com’s top auto insurance companies survey.
Pros of Allstate and The HartfordAllstate Pros
- High renewal rate
- High auto claims satisfaction
- Better policy offerings than The Hartford
The Hartford Pros
- Better rates than Allstate for teen drivers
- High renewal rates
- Offers a discount through AARP
How Allstate and The Hartford score on customer satisfaction
Allstate outperformed The Hartford for customer satisfaction. Both companies had average performances compared to competitors, but Allstate had a better rating than The Hartford – a 10-point difference.
| Insurance Company | Percent of customers that are satisfied, overall |
|---|---|
| Allstate | 84% |
| The Hartford | 74% |
Do Allstate and The Hartford customers plan to renew?
Allstate and The Hartford were comparable in the category of customers planning to renew. Survey data show that customers of both companies have strong intentions to renew their policies, with Allstate having a slight edge.
| Insurance Company | Percent of customers who plan to renew with the company |
|---|---|
| Allstate | 90% |
| The Hartford | 89% |
How Allstate and The Hartford score on policy offerings
Allstate scored higher than The Hartford when customers scored the insurance companies based on their policy offerings by nearly 10 percentage points.
| Insurance Company | Percent of customers satisfied with the company’s policy offerings |
|---|---|
| Allstate | 83% |
| The Hartford | 74% |
Which is cheaper, Allstate or The Hartford?
It’s a toss-up between Allstate and The Hartford regarding cheaper rates. Read on to have a more in-depth look at Allstate’s and The Hartford’s rates based on various driver’s profiles.
Which is cheaper at various ages?
Allstate offers more affordable premiums for every age group, except for teenagers, for which The Hartford has better premiums. Allstate’s premiums are cheaper than The Hartford for adults age 40, young adults 20-24 and seniors age 65.
| Company | Allstate | The Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| National Avg (40 yr old) | $2,086 | $2,341 |
| Teen (16-19) | $6,910 | $5,905 |
| Young Adult (20-24) | $3,275 | $3,583 |
| Avg for seniors (65 yr old) | $1,988 | $2,036 |
Which is cheaper with a ticket?
Allstate is much more affordable than The Hartford when it comes to getting a ticket. Rates increase nearly 18% at Allstate while they jump a whopping 60% with The Hartford.
| Company | Annual Premium | Average After Ticket | $ Increase | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,510 | $2,957 | $447 | 17.79% |
| The Hartford | $2,447 | $3,925 | $1,478 | 60.44% |
Allstate vs. The Hartford car insurance discounts
When it comes to car insurance discounts, Allstate offers a higher discount than The Hartford – more than double.
| Insurance Company | Percent Difference |
|---|---|
| Allstate | 8.2% |
| The Hartford | 4% |
Allstate vs. The Hartford available discounts
| Discount | Allstate | The Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-Theft Device | Yes | Yes |
| Daily Commute | Yes | – |
| Days Advanced Purchase | Yes | – |
| Days Per Week Driven | Yes | – |
| Education | Yes | – |
| Electronic Funds Transfer | Yes | – |
| Electronic Signature | – | – |
| Homeowner | Yes | Yes |
| Lower Annual Mileage | Yes | Yes |
| Loyalty – Years Renewal With Company | Yes | – |
| Marital Status | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Policy | Yes | Yes |
| Paperless/Electronic Documents | Yes | – |
| Payment Type | Yes | Yes |
| Primary Use | Yes | – |
| Profession | – | – |
| Purchase Status | – | – |
| Safety Devices | Yes | – |
| Telematics | Yes | Yes |
| Vehicle Ownership | – | – |
Allstate vs. The Hartford: AM Best credit rating
AM Best rates insurance companies on their financial strength and gave Allstate an A+ rating in this category. The Hartford received an A rating, both of which are high grades offered through AM Best, but Allstate’s is higher.
Allstate vs. The Hartford: J.D. Power auto claims satisfaction score
According to a 2022 auto claims satisfaction study from J.D. Power, Allstate received a score of 889, higher than the industry average of 873 and The Hartford’s 869.
FAQ: Allstate vs. The Hartford
Can I buy Allstate car insurance online?
Yes. Start an online quote on the Allstate website by entering your ZIP code and look into bundling products simultaneously. You also can find an agent and file or track a claim online.
Can I buy The Hartford car insurance online?
Yes. Get an online quote for auto, home and bundling from The Hartford. Additionally, you can find an agent, file a claim or log into your account online.
Who should get Allstate car insurance?
Allstate is a better choice than The Hartford for customers who want lower premiums due to discounts and who are looking for better than the average satisfaction on auto claims satisfaction, as indicated by J.D. Power.
Who should get The Hartford car insurance?
Parents who want affordable car insurance for their teens may like The Hartford for the lower premiums it has for teen drivers, compared to Allstate. Seniors, who are members of AARP, may also like The Hartford because of the exclusive car insurance it offers the organization.
What other types of insurance does Allstate offer?
Allstate also offers:
- Homeowners
- Renters
- Condo
- Term life
- Business
What other types of insurance does The Hartford offer?
The Hartford also offers:
- Homeowners
- Renters
- Condo
- Umbrella
- Flood
- Business
Resources & Methodology
Sources
J.D. Power. “Insurers Struggle to Manage Expectations in Auto Claims Process as Repair Times Increase, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed January 2024.
Methodology
Insure.com, which is CarInsurance.com’s sister site, surveyed more than 1,500 insurance consumers (1,080 people with auto insurance). Online market research company Slice MR conducted the survey.
Respondents were asked to name their auto insurer and grade it in the following categories – customer satisfaction, ease of service and policy offerings. The percentage of respondents who said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their insurer is presented in the results.
Respondents ranked their insurer’s top three attributes out of more than a dozen presented – including claims satisfaction, digital experience, discounts, military discounts, best for young drivers and teens, best for college students, best for senior drivers, best for drivers with a ticket, best for high-risk drivers and best for auto/home bundling.
For a number one choice, five points were given; for a second choice, three points; and for a third choice, a single point. The total points for each choice – first, second and third – were then divided by the number of each company’s customers who responded to that survey question to create a percentage. Those percentages are presented in the results as survey scores.
Respondents were then asked if they would recommend their auto insurer to someone else and whether they would renew with their company. The percentage who said yes is presented in the results.
Finally, respondents were given the statement “I trust my insurance company” and asked if they strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed or strongly disagreed with it. The percentage of those who said they agreed or strongly agreed is presented in the results.
The editors compiled the survey results and then selected – based on the number of survey responses – the top companies for further evaluation.
They then collected National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ complaint data, which ranks a company by the number of customer complaints it receives, and A.M. Best data, which measures financial strength.
They also collected insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services.
With the help of Prof. David Marlett, Ph.D., Managing Director of the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center at Appalachian State University, the editors created a rating system to determine which insurance companies were best in each sector.
For auto insurers, we took the following and gave each a weight.
- Survey: 40% of the total score (10% customer satisfaction, 10% recommended, 10% renewal rate and 10% claims handling)
- Annual premium: 20% of total score
- AM Best: 25% of total score
- NAIC: 15% of total score
Each insurer was awarded from 1 to 5 stars. No insurer in our star ranking received less than 1 star and 5 stars was the most any insurer could receive.
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Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura Longero is an insurance expert and Executive Editor at CarInsurance.com, where she specializes in helping consumers navigate the complexities of the financial and insurance industries. She has 15 years of experience educating people about finance and car insurance. Prior to joining CarInsurance.com, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network. Her expertise provides readers with practical guidance, helping them make informed choices about their financial and insurance needs.
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John McCormick
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John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Executive Editor
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
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Nupur Gambhir
Managing Editor
Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.