The Hartford was founded in 1810 and, in 1984, became the exclusive provider of car insurance and home insurance for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) members. AARP is a particularly trusted organization for seniors since AARP membership provides benefits to those aged 50 and older.
AAA auto insurance is available only to AAA members in various clubs spread across the country. AAA was established in 1902 in related club formats by early car enthusiasts. Today, it is one of the best known car insurers for its roadside and travel planning assistance for its members.
AARP vs AAA: car insurance rates comparison
These two membership-based auto insurers scored within one-tenth of a point of each other in their respective Bankrate Scores. Bankrate Scores are Bankrate’s proprietary ranking method that Scores insurers on a scale of 0 to 5 in terms of customer service, average premium, coverage options, discounts, digital experience, financial strength and accessibility. Comparing Bankrate Scores may help you find top-rated providers quickly during your insurance search.
AARP earned higher scores for both financial strength from AM Best and customer satisfaction from J.D. Power. AAA scores below average in customer satisfaction, but offers significantly lower average rates than AARP.
| Car insurance company | Bankrate Score | AM Best financial stability rating | J.D. Power customer satisfaction score | Average annual premium for minimum coverage | Average annual premium for full coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AARP* | 3.8 | A+ (Superior) | 905/1,000 | $754 | $2,270 |
| AAA** | 3.8 | A (Excellent) | 863/1,000 | $602 | $1,990 |
*The J.D. Power score for AARP is based on its underwriter, The Hartford.
**J.D. Power score listed is based on the Auto Club Group, an affiliate of AAA.
Below, we compare average annual full coverage rates from AAA vs. AARP, gathered from Quadrant Information Services, to help highlight how the providers stack up against each other.
Rates by credit score
Most states permit auto insurers to use drivers’ credit-based insurance scores when underwriting and pricing car insurance policies. However, a number of states ban this practice, including California, Hawaii, Maryland and Massachusetts. AARP is more forgiving than AAA in increasing premiums on average for drivers with poor credit, while AAA imposes a higher average cost on those with poor credit scores.
| Car insurance company | Poor | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AARP | $2,507 | $2,450 | $2,270 | $2,432 |
| AAA | $3,706 | $2,146 | $2,003 | $1,645 |
Rates by age
In every state except Hawaii and Massachusetts, car insurance providers are permitted to use your age as a rating factor to determine your insurance premium. Car insurance premiums are generally the highest for teens and slowly decrease until about the age of 70, when rates can begin to creep up again. Young drivers typically pay more for their car insurance because statistics show that young drivers are involved in more accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drivers between the age of 16 and 19 are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than older drivers.
On average, AARP is only cheaper for 16-year-old drivers on their parent’s policy. In every other age group, AAA offers cheaper average rates.
| Car insurance company | Age 16* | Age 18 | Age 25 | Age 30 | Age 40 | Age 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AARP | $1,864 | $5,802 | $3,112 | $2,816 | $2,270 | $2,134 |
| AAA | $3,210 | $5,446 | $2,317 | $2,034 | $2,003 | $1,808 |
*Cost to insure a 16-year-old driver when added to parents’ policy
Rates by driving record
Car insurance rates typically increase after an incident. Usually, the more serious the offense, the more your rates will increase. High-risk driving charges such as DUIs can cause significant increases in your premiums. At-fault accidents typically stay on your record for three to five years. After that, your rates will typically level off again. Across the board, after a moving violation, AAA offers cheaper average full-coverage rates than AARP.
| Car insurance company | Clean driving record | Speeding ticket conviction | At-fault accident | DUI conviction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AARP | $2,270 | $3,715 | $5,010 | $8,697 |
| AAA | $1,990 | $2,947 | $3,057 | $5,613 |
AARP vs AAA: discounts
AARP offers several benefits and discounts exclusively for its senior member base. AAA also caters to its members with many discounts and benefits that go beyond car insurance, including a strong focus on assisting members with travel plans and reservations. Both companies provide numerous options for improving policy affordability with discounts.
AARP
- Vehicle discounts: The company offers savings for safety features such as anti-lock brakes or more than one air bag; efficiency and environmental improvements with hybrid or electric cars.
- Driver training discounts: This category includes discounts for defensive driver courses and certain training for young drivers.
- Bundling: You may get a discount for purchasing home and auto insurance with AARP.
AAA
- Loyalty discount: This discount is for policyholders who maintain continuous AAA car insurance.
- Companion discount: This is a discount for bundling home and car insurance with AAA.
- Multiple vehicle discounts: Insuring more than one vehicle with AAA could save policyholders money.
AARP vs AAA: online and mobile experience comparison
AARP auto insurance policyholders can access their policies digitally through The Hartford’s online portal. The portal offers basic options such as access to billing, policy documents and claims service. AAA’s online portal also allows customers to access policy information and claims, but also offers additional services such as travel booking, auto purchasing and maintenance and financial services.
AARP
- App Store (3.9) — AARP offers car insurance through The Hartford. The Hartford’s auto and home insurance app allows policyholders to view ID cards, pay bills, make policy changes, track claims, contact claims handlers, manage documents and provide feedback.
- Google Play (2.9) — The Google Play version of The Hartford’s mobile app offers the same features as the App Store’s version.
AAA
- App Store (4.4) — The App Store version of AAA’s mobile app features maps, discounts, rental car booking capabilities and roadside assistance access.
- Google Play (4.4) — AAA’s Google Play app consists of the same features as the App Store version.
Frequently asked questions
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2021 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverages that meet each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2019 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Credit: Rates were calculated based on the following insurance credit tiers assigned to our drivers: “poor, average, good (base), and excellent.” Insurance credit tiers factor in your official credit scores but are not dependent on that variable alone. The following states do not allow credit to be a factor in determining auto insurance rates: CA, HI, MA
Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 18-60 (base: 40 years) applied. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations.
Incident: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket, single DUI conviction and lapse in coverage.
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