State Farm vs. The Hartford: Which Insurer Is Better for You?

State Farm and The Hartford are both large, well-known car insurance companies with many coverage options to choose from. Both also offer homeowners insurance, but the companies are substantially different when it comes to customer service, costs, and eligibility.

We found that you’ll likely pay more for a policy from The Hartford, and you can’t actually buy coverage from it unless you’re an AARP member. State Farm doesn’t have this restriction, and its average premiums are far lower than The Hartford’s for most drivers, according to our data. That said, State Farm doesn’t have nearly as good of a reputation for customer service as The Hartford.

This guide explains key differences between State Farm and The Hartford so you can make the best choice for your auto insurance coverage.

Key Takeaways:

• State Farm’s average premiums are lower than The Hartford for most driver types.
• The Hartford has a better customer service reputation than State Farm among popular review sites.
• You can’t buy a policy from The Hartford unless you’re already a member of AARP.

How The Hartford and State Farm Stack Up

When shopping for auto insurance, you obviously want your monthly premiums to be as low as possible. After all, you probably have more fun things to spend money on.

That said, you can’t just look at which company has the cheaper average rates. You might end up with an insurer that isn’t really there for you if you make a claim — and problems getting the company to cover your claim could put your financial security at risk.

We’ve researched the most important details about both The Hartford and State Farm to help you make your choice. The table below shows our ratings for both companies across several key categories, including cost, customer experience, and how easy it is to actually access and use your coverage.

While both companies score incredibly well in our proprietary Compare.com Rating, State Farm comes out slightly ahead. While it boasts perfect scores for cost and ease of use, The Hartford ranks slightly higher in overall customer satisfaction.

State Farm vs. The Hartford: Breaking Down Average Rates

Your driving habits and history behind the wheel are likely somewhat different from your friends and neighbors. Your state may also have higher or lower accident and vehicle theft rates, or it may require more or less coverage than other places. Since all these factors (and more) affect how likely it is you’ll make a claim, insurers set your premiums based on your personal details.

Still, it’s helpful to compare how much State Farm and The Hartford charge the average driver. The table below uses Compare.com data to show average monthly premiums for both companies for various coverage types and driver profiles to help you get a better idea of what you might pay.

State Farm’s average premiums are clearly lower in most cases — sometimes by a lot. Still, while these are averages for many driver types, they’re still just averages. Remember, there’s often huge variation in how much companies charge based on the specifics of each driver, so it’s important to get multiple rate estimates to see which company offers the best deal for you.

State Farm vs. The Hartford: Average Rates by Age

As you get older, your driving habits usually improve with age and experience. Insurance companies know that the risk of a claim goes down for older drivers, so they tend to charge them less — but how much less depends on the insurer.

The table below shows the average premiums State Farm and The Hartford charge drivers in different age groups, according to Compare.com data.

Cheaper for teens: State Farm

Teens have three times the rate of fatal car accidents per mile compared to older drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It should come as no surprise that insurers charge these new drivers much higher premiums for an auto insurance policy.

State Farm’s average monthly premiums for teens are $140, while The Hartford charges these young drivers $325 per month on average, according to Compare.com data.

Cheaper for seniors: State Farm

Age tends to bring wisdom, ample driving experience, and cheaper auto insurance premiums. Older drivers pay lower average rates than any other group because there’s a reduced chance they’ll crash their cars and file an insurance claim.

Drivers in their 60s are looking at average monthly premiums of $62 from State Farm and $93 per month from The Hartford, according to Compare.com data.

The Hartford vs. State Farm: Average Rates by Driving Record

Insurance companies believe that if you’ve been in an accident in the past or done risky things like speed or drive impaired, you’re more likely to crash and make a claim — and data proves it. That’s why insurers charge you more if you have past missteps compared to someone who has a clean record.

The table below uses Compare.com data to show the average premiums charged by both State Farm and The Hartford for people with different driving records.

Cheaper for good drivers: State Farm

If you’ve never caused a crash or gotten into trouble for dangerous driving, you’re going to pay less for insurance. Insurers offer drivers with clean records the best rates because there’s less reason to worry their bad habits will cause them to file a claim.

Our data shows that State Farm charges average premiums of $84 for drivers with a clean record, while The Hartford charges $153 in average monthly premiums.

Cheaper after a ticket: State Farm

Going too fast makes serious crashes more likely. Since auto insurance companies worry speeding drivers will make more frequent and larger claims, they charge people with recent tickets more. Compare.com data shows average premiums are 27% higher nationwide for drivers with a speeding ticket compared to people with a clean history.

State Farm charges a driver with a ticket an average of $94 monthly, while The Hartford’s auto insurance rates for a speeding driver increase to $247 per month.

Cheaper after an accident: State Farm

Causing an accident indicates you’re more likely to have another, so insurers will charge you a lot more to cover you if you have a recent crash. Nationally, drivers who have a recent at-fault crash pay 34% more for coverage than drivers who have no past issues, according to Compare.com data.

State Farm’s average monthly premiums after an at-fault accident are $102, while The Hartford’s are $259.

Cheaper after a DUI: State Farm

Impaired driving causes 30% of fatal crashes in the U.S., according to the CDC. Insurers know the risks, so drivers with a DUI pay 50% more on average nationwide after a DUI conviction, according to Compare.com data.

Our research found that drivers with a DUI pay an average of $132 monthly with State Farm and $223 with The Hartford.

Comparing The Hartford and State Farm Car Insurance Coverages

Most states require all drivers to have liability insurance that pays for injuries or property damage you cause to others. No-fault states also require personal injury protection (PIP), which pays for your own medical bills for minor accident injuries.

All insurers offer liability car insurance, PIP coverage, and other standard protections that are part of full-coverage insurance, including collision and comprehensive coverage.

But many offer add-ons beyond the basics and insurers differ in what kinds of additional protections they offer. Check out the table below to see the different kinds of car insurance coverage State Farm Insurance and The Hartford let you buy.

State Farm offers rideshare insurance for its customers, which The Hartford doesn’t. That said, The Hartford has more add-on options available for customers than State Farm, including gap insurance, accident forgiveness, a vanishing deductible, and new car replacement.

The Hartford also offers some stand-out add-ons most insurance companies don’t, including RecoverCare, which reimburses you if you have to pay for cleaners or other household services you can’t do yourself after an accident.

Comparing The Hartford and State Farm Car Insurance Discounts

Most insurers give you the chance to get cheaper rates by qualifying for discounts. For example, many insurers often reward you with a discount for reducing your risk profile by taking a defensive driving class or buying a vehicle with good safety features. But keep in mind that discounts can vary between insurers.

Check out the table below to see how The Hartford and State Farm compare in terms of discount opportunities.

Both State Farm and The Hartford offer many standard discounts, but State Farm rewards drivers for low mileage, while The Hartford provides savings for vehicles that use alternative energy.

State Farm also offers a special discount program for teen drivers called Steer Clear, which is available to anyone younger than 25 without an accident in the past three years. This program provides a great opportunity for teen drivers to claim safe-driving rewards and save on coverage.

Comparing State Farm and The Hartford Customer Satisfaction

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reports a below-average number of complaints about The Hartford, while State Farm receives many more complaints than expected given its market share.

Both companies receive mixed reviews from customers, although The Hartford either rates slightly better or has ratings similar to State Farm’s.

While State Farm receives mixed reviews, many customers praise the insurance agents they worked with and say they’re happy with how the company handled their claims after a covered incident.

The review below shows a customer who’s satisfied with how their State Farm coverage worked out after an unexpected life event caused them to make a claim.

On the other hand, while customers give State Farm favorable reviews, a number of its negative ones center around the company canceling longtime policies or raising premiums after customers made a claim, as the reviewer below describes.

When it comes to The Hartford, customer complaints often focus on difficulty getting coverage or premium increases that customers feel were unjustified, including the example below.

On the positive side, some customers praise the way The Hartford handled their claims, indicating the process is swift and efficient. The reviewer below, for example, says their agent was compassionate and helpful.

More About The Hartford and State Farm

When deciding on auto insurance, it’s best to have as much accurate information as possible to find the best policy.

Here are a few other things to think about to help you find the right coverage, including details on special company benefits, as well as each company’s reputation for effectively managing claims.

Company perks

State Farm’s Steer Clear program gives teens a great chance to save, which young drivers may want to take advantage of to keep costs down. State Farm also offers many kinds of insurance, including home insurance, renters insurance, and life insurance, so there’s ample opportunity to bundle your coverage and earn discounts.

The Hartford, on the other hand, can help ease your recovery process after an accident by paying for household services through its RecoverCare Program. Because The Hartford is the AARP auto insurance program, AARP members also qualify for special savings.

Claims processing

The best car insurance companies make handling claims easy. With both State Farm and The Hartford, you can file a claim online, via phone, and via mobile app.

But you may have a better experience with The Hartford. The company received higher marks than State Farm on the 2024 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.

On the other hand, while some customers complain State Farm dropped their coverage after an incident, many reviewers praise the claims handling process. Overall, customers aren’t as positive about The Hartford.

Mobile apps

The Hartford and State Farm both offer full-featured mobile apps you can use on any device. But State Farm’s app seems to be easier to use. It receives significantly higher ratings on both the App Store and Google Play Store, with customers praising the app’s helpful features and intuitive design.

State Farm vs. The Hartford FAQs

If you still need answers about these two auto insurance companies and the products each one offers, here are some more details.

Is The Hartford auto insurance cheaper than State Farm?

State Farm offers lower average premiums than The Hartford, according to Compare.com data. The Hartford has average monthly rates of $153, while State Farm’s are just $85.

Who is State Farm’s biggest competitor?

Progressive is one of State Farm’s biggest competitors. State Farm is the largest auto insurance company by market share, according to the NAIC. Progressive comes in at number two in the U.S. Other close competitors include GEICO and Allstate.

How does The Hartford rank among insurers?

The Hartford is more expensive than many competitors, according to our data. While it doesn’t offer the cheapest rates, customers generally have positive things to say about its customer service.

Coverage from The Hartford is only available with AARP membership, though, so it has a limited market share since many people can’t sign up for a policy.

Does State Farm have a good reputation for paying claims?

State Farm earns above-average ratings on J.D. Power’s Auto Claims satisfaction survey, and many online reviewers praise the good service they received from State Farm insurance agents when making a claim.

Data Methodology:

Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.

All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.

Rating Methodology:

Compare.com’s mission is to help our readers make more informed decisions about their personal finances. Our editorial staff has crafted a proprietary, objective rating formula — the Compare.com Rating — to make it easier for our readers to analyze and compare many of the industry’s most well-known insurers. The score you see referenced in this article is based on several factors, including:

• Cost: How the insurer’s average rates compare to its direct competitors and the industry as a whole. This includes available savings opportunities, such as discounts and other factors.
• Customer satisfaction: How satisfied existing customers are with the service they receive. This includes the insurer’s scores among various third-party studies, such as the J.D. Power U.S. Insurance Shopping and Claims Satisfaction studies, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index, among others.
• Ease of use: How easy it is for policyholders to utilize their policies. This includes mobile app availability, customer service availability, payment flexibility, and other related factors.
• Availability: The overall scope of the company’s insurance offerings. This includes available coverage types, national footprint, and other related factors.
• Industry reputation: A measure of the insurer’s overall standing within the industry. This includes its AM Best financial strength rating, BBB accreditation, and other related factors.

Sources:

1. Insurance Information Institute, “Facts + Statistics: Auto insurance,” accessed August 11, 2024.
2. National Association of Insurance Commissioners, “2020/2021 Auto Insurance Database Report,” accessed August 11, 2024.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Teen Drivers,” accessed August 11, 2024.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Impaired Driving Facts,” accessed August 11, 2024.
5. National Association of Insurance Commissioners, “Consumer Complaint Database,” accessed August 11, 2024.
6. Trustpilot, “Statefarm,” accessed August 11, 2024.
7. Trustpilot, “The Hartford,” accessed August 11, 2024.
8. D. Power, “2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study,” accessed August 11, 2024.
9. National Association of Insurance Commissioners, “Property and Casualty Insurance Industry,” accessed August 11, 2024.