Foremost vs. The Hartford: Which Is the Best? (2024)

The Hartford offers drivers more coverage options and discounts and cheaper average rates than Foremost.

Jamie Johnson
Written byJamie Johnson
Jamie Johnson
Jamie Johnson
  • 6 years experience in personal finance writing

  • Featured on Credit Karma and Insider

Jamie is a meticulous researcher who has published 2,000+ personal finance articles. Her expertise is trusted by major brands like Bankrate and Rocket Mortgage.

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Courtney Mikulski
Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
  • 3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content

  • Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score

Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin Halachev
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Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Updated October 29, 2024

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The Hartford and Foremost are both midsize insurance companies with nationwide availability. The companies offer similar types of auto insurance coverage, but Foremost advertises fewer car insurance discounts.

But The Hartford is available only to AARP members, so it’s not an option for everyone. It’s important to compare the customer reviews, customer service, discounts, and coverage options before choosing the best car insurance company for you. And comparing quotes from multiple insurers will help you find the best deal.

Quick Facts
  • The average cost of liability coverage is $98 per month with The Hartford and $137 per month with Foremost.

  • The Hartford is available only to AARP members and offers various coverage options and discounts.

  • The Hartford is a cheaper option for auto insurance than Foremost for most drivers.

Foremost vs. The Hartford: The verdict

Foremost and The Hartford target different types of drivers. The Hartford is the best choice for AARP members, while Foremost focuses on standard car insurance policies and partners with other companies to expand its offerings.

Both companies offer various coverage and add-on options, but The Hartford offers more discounts. Overall, The Hartford is your best choice if you can qualify for coverage with your AARP membership, but Foremost may be a solid second option if you aren’t an AARP member.

Factor
Foremost
The Hartford
IQ Score7.48.4
Customer satisfaction score3.253.5
Average quote: liability only$137$98
Number of discounts38
Number of states where it operates5050
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
  • Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.

    We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

    • Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
    • Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
    • Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
    • Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
    • Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.

Foremost

Foremost Insurance, also known as Foremost Signature Insurance Company, is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Farmers Insurance acquired the company in 2000, and it offers auto and homeowners insurance, as well as RV and mobile home insurance through its partnership with the AARP auto insurance program.

The company is a solid choice for auto insurance but has limited offerings compared to larger companies. And Foremost doesn’t offer online quotes, so you’ll have to work with an insurance agent to buy coverage.

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User Reviews
2.8
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
7.4/10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$137/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$292/mo

Founded in 1952, Foremost is a member of the Farmers Insurance Group and operates in all 50 states. Foremost offers car insurance through its partnership with Bristol West. In addition to car insurance, Foremost offers home insurance, classic car coverage, motorcycle insurance, and more. Its range of insurance products allow Foremost to offer discounts for multiple policies with the insurer, multiple cars, paperless billing, and more. Foremost has an A.M. Best rating of A for financial strength and credit, but more than five times the expected number of complaints in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Customer Complaint Index.

Pros
  • Covers a wide variety of vehicles

  • Coverage available for high-risk drivers

Cons
  • Poor A.M. Best ratings

  • Company website gives no information on the company’s history or affiliations

Read more driver reviews of Foremost
Barbara - October 22, 2024
Verified

Foremost Takes Care of My Home

I haven't had much contact with Foremost, but the interactions I've had have been very good and professional.

Tayla - October 8, 2024
Verified

Average

I could never get a hold of anyone.

Jessica - September 10, 2024
Verified

Somewhat Fair

During the COVID period, they didn't come out to my home for a claim. I feel they should have covered it based just on pictures.

The Hartford

The Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company currently offers property, personal auto, commercial auto, and business insurance.

The Hartford auto insurance comes with various coverage options, policy add-ons, and discounts. But to be eligible for insurance, you must be at least 50 years old and have an AARP membership.

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User Reviews
3.5
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
8.4/10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$98/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$174/mo

Founded in 1810, The Hartford is less known for its home and auto coverage than its other products, including worker’s compensation, professional liability, and other business insurance, and its employee benefits offerings. The company only sells auto insurance policies to AARP members, offering member incentives like a 10% discount on auto insurance. The Hartford offers several additional discounts for safe driving, certain vehicle safety features, and bundling auto with homeowners or another type of insurance.

Pros
  • Savings for AARP members

  • Above-average customer satisfaction

Cons
  • Only available for AARP members

  • No accident forgiveness coverage

Read more driver reviews of The Hartford
Thomas - October 29, 2024
Verified

Good

The cost of my insurance is high, despite my record being free of tickets or accidents.

Patrick - October 28, 2024
Verified

Can't Afford Semi-Annual Payments Anymore

I used to pay every 6 months. Since I can no longer afford to make semi-annual payments, Hartford has substantially increased my rates.

Angelina - October 28, 2024
Verified

Excellent

This is a very fair company.

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The Hartford TrueLane telematics program

The Hartford’s TrueLane mobile app rewards drivers for demonstrating safe driving behaviors. You’ll receive an immediate discount of 12% just for signing up for the telematics program. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll download the app and begin using it while you drive.

As the app analyzes your driving, you’ll receive driving tips and information about how to improve your score. When you renew your policy, The Hartford will give you a discount based on your driving score. The average savings amounts depends on your driving score, but you could receive a discount of up to 25%.

You’re free to stop using the app at any time, but that means you won’t qualify for a discount. Foremost doesn’t offer a telematics program, so this is a benefit The Hartford has over its competitor.

Foremost vs. The Hartford: Which is the cheapest?

Various factors influence your auto insurance rates, like your age, claims history, location, and vehicle type.[1] So the cheapest insurance company can vary from one driver to another.

But it’s helpful to know the average monthly rates of both insurers and what they offer to different drivers. Here’s how Foremost’s and The Hartford’s average rates compare.

The Hartford: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

People with a clean driving record always receive the cheapest auto insurance rates. A clean driving record means less risk of filing a claim, so insurance companies can charge cheaper rates. The Hartford is the cheaper overall option for drivers with a clean driving record.

Driver Type
Foremost
The Hartford
Clean driving record$137$98
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

The Hartford: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

Speeding contributed to 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2021 and is risky driving behavior, so drivers with a history of speeding tickets pay higher rates for auto insurance.[2] The Hartford has cheaper average rates than Foremost for drivers with a speeding ticket on their record.

Driver Type
Foremost
The Hartford
Drivers with a speeding ticket$191$142
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

The Hartford: Cheapest for teen drivers

Your age is another factor that influences your car insurance rates. Young and teen drivers always pay the highest rates for auto insurance due to their lack of experience behind the wheel. If you’re an AARP member who’s insuring a teen driver, The Hartford could be the slightly cheaper option, based on average rates.

Driver Type
Foremost
The Hartford
18-year-old$248$203
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

The Hartford: Cheapest for senior drivers

Senior drivers tend to pay lower rates on auto insurance since they usually drive less and display safer driving habits. The Hartford specializes in working with drivers older than 50 years, and the company offers cheaper rates to drivers in their 60s and 70s than Foremost.

Driver Type
Foremost
The Hartford
Senior drivers$105$58
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

The Hartford: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

Based on where you live, insurance companies may consider your credit-based insurance score when underwriting and pricing your policy. Insurers believe that drivers with bad credit are more likely to file a claim, so they charge more expensive premiums to offset the risk.[3]

If you have bad credit, check out The Hartford — it has cheaper average premiums for drivers with poor credit than Foremost.

Driver Type
Foremost
The Hartford
Drivers with bad credit$164$119
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Compare coverages: Foremost vs. The Hartford

Foremost and The Hartford offer similar auto coverage options to pay for damages and injuries in the event of a covered loss. Both provide standard coverages, like liability, collision, comprehensive, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorist coverage.

And both insurers offer add-on coverage options, like a diminishing deductible, accident forgiveness, new vehicle replacement coverage, and gap insurance. But Foremost offers rideshare insurance, which is something The Hartford doesn’t offer.

The Hartford offers personal umbrella insurance and complete auto glass coverage, which aren’t available through Foremost. Here’s an overview of both companies’ coverages.

Coverage
Foremost
The Hartford
Rideshare insuranceYesNo
Diminishing deductibleYesYes
New vehicle replacementYesYes
Gap insuranceYesYes
Personal umbrella insuranceNoYes
Auto glass insuranceNoYes
Accident forgivenessYesYes

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Compare discounts: Foremost vs. The Hartford

The Hartford is the cheapest insurer overall and also offers more car insurance discounts. Foremost offers discounts for safe driving, bundling policies, paying your annual premiums in full, and being a homeowner. But it doesn’t offer basic discounts most insurers advertise, like a good student discount, a discount for using safety features, or a discount for insuring a new car.

Discount
Foremost
The Hartford
Clean driving recordYesNo
Defensive driving courseNoYes
Multi-policyYesYes
Multi-carYesYes
Low mileageNoNo
Telematics (safe driving app)NoYes
Anti-theft deviceNoYes
New carNoYes
Military/affiliationNoNo
Good studentNoYes
LoyaltyNoYes
Auto payNoNo
Student away at schoolNoNo
HomeownerYesNo
Alternative fuelNoYes

Foremost vs. The Hartford FAQs

If you’re looking for auto insurance, Foremost and The Hartford are both great insurance options and offer a variety of policies that may meet your needs. Here’s some additional information about purchasing an auto insurance policy from Foremost versus The Hartford.

  • Is Foremost Insurance good?

    It depends. Foremost doesn’t offer as many discounts as other companies and has higher average rates than its competitors, but it may be a good option if you can’t find coverage elsewhere.

  • Is The Hartford good at paying claims?

    Yes. Despite earning a below-average J.D. Power rating for overall claims satisfaction, The Hartford did receive an A+ (Superior) AM Best rating, meaning it’s able to meet financial obligations when customers file claims.

  • Is The Hartford a good car insurance company?

    Yes. If you’re older than 50 and an AARP member, The Hartford may be a good option for auto insurance because it can help you save on coverage with its AARP partnership.

  • Does Foremost or The Hartford offer cheaper insurance?

    The Hartford has the cheaper average insurance rates for most driver profiles and offers more discounts than Foremost.

Methodology

Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.

Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).

Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:

  • Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
  • Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
  • No additional coverage
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
  • Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
  • Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible

Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

Sources

  1. III. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
  2. NHTSA. "Speeding and Aggressive Driving Prevention."
  3. NAIC. "Credit-Based Insurance Scores Aren’t the Same as a Credit Score. Understand How Credit and Other Factors Determine Your Premiums."
Jamie Johnson
Jamie Johnson

Jamie Johnson is a Kansas City-based personal finance writer whose work has been featured on several of the top finance and business sites in the country, including Insider, Credit Karma, Bankrate, Rocket Mortgage, Fox Business, Quicken Loans, and The Balance. For the past six years, she's dedicated more than 10,000 hours of research and writing to more than 2,000 articles about personal finance topics.

Courtney Mikulski
Edited byCourtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
Courtney Mikulski
Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
  • 3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content

  • Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score

Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.

Featured in

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

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