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

GEICO’s low rates, robust discounts, and wide availability earn it an IQ Score of 9.0, which is higher than The Hartford’s score of 8.4.

Emily Guy Birken
Emily Guy Birken
  • Plutus Award winner

  • 12+ years writing about insurance and personal finance

Emily is a widely recognized expert on personal finance and has authored several personal finance books. She’s a frequent guest on national and regional media.

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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
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.

Updated October 29, 2024

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GEICO is one of the largest auto insurance companies in the United States by market share, and its long-running advertisements suggest that a call to GEICO can save drivers 15% or more on their insurance.[1]

The Hartford doesn’t have as large a market share, but it’s offered auto insurance since 1913, a full 23 years before GEICO’s founding. The Hartford offers specialty insurance that caters to drivers older than 50.

To determine if The Hartford or GEICO is the best car insurance company for you, take the time to compare quotes, discounts, customer service, and coverage options from each company so you can make an informed decision.

Quick Facts
  • Hybrid and electric vehicle drivers are eligible for a discount with The Hartford’s AARP Auto Insurance Program.

  • The Hartford’s average rates for drivers in their 60s are higher than GEICO’s rates for the same age group.

  • GEICO has a high complaint index score with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), meaning it receives more complaints than expected for its size.[2]

GEICO vs. The Hartford: The verdict

While both GEICO and The Hartford offer similar auto insurance coverages, senior drivers may find exclusive services with The Hartford’s partnership with AARP.

Drivers of any age can get insurance through GEICO, while The Hartford specializes in auto insurance products for drivers 50 years and older. GEICO’s average monthly rates are also significantly cheaper than The Hartford’s for all drivers, whether they have clean records or spotty driving histories.

GEICO insurance may have the best rates, but it has a much worse record for customer satisfaction. GEICO’s National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint index is 1.35, meaning it has a higher rate of complaints compared to the average.[2] In other words, GEICO receives nearly one and a half times the number of complaints as the national average. The Hartford’s NAIC index of 0.78 means it receives fewer complaints than expected.[3]

Factor
GEICO
The Hartford
IQ Score9.04.0
Customer satisfaction score3.33.5
Average quote: liability only$55$98
Number of discounts168
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.

GEICO

GEICO is the third-largest auto insurance company by market share, according to the NAIC, and it offers competitive rates and a long list of potential discounts. While it’s a nationally known insurer, it also has a lower-than-average J.D. Power rating for claims satisfaction.[4]

GEICO logo
User Reviews
4.0
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.
9.0 /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.
$55/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.
$121/mo
4.0
Best choiceBased on 10113 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about GEICO

Drivers appreciate the excellent customer service and initial low prices but dislike the frequent price increases.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Teen drivers
Cheap rates
Accident forgiveness
How drivers feel about GEICO

Drivers appreciate the excellent customer service and initial low prices but dislike the frequent price increases.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Teen drivers
Cheap rates
Accident forgiveness
Reviews (5,563)

Herman

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

Excellent

For us, it came down to cost and having all of our insurance with the same company, not farmed out.

Greg

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

It's Expensive

It's expensive.

Robert

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

Unpleasant Experience on Cape Cod

My insurance has gone from $37 a month to $82. Stay far away from this company.
See all GEICO reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
835
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
0.74
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A++
Why we picked this company

A highly recognizable name in car insurance, GEICO is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. The company started out as the Government Employees Insurance Company, serving U.S. government workers and military personnel. In addition to auto insurance, GEICO also sells homeowner, flood insurance, life insurance, business insurance, and identity protection, among other products. A.M. Best gives GEICO its highest rating for financial stability and credit. However, GEICO has nearly twice as many complaints as expected in the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Consumer Complaints Index.

Pros
  • Good rates for good drivers, seniors, and young drivers

  • Accident forgiveness available

Cons
  • High rates for drivers with certain violations, like DUIs

  • No rideshare or new car replacement coverage available

The Hartford

Only AARP members can qualify for car insurance policies with The Hartford, but the company offers a number of benefits to customers, including customer support via local agents, disappearing deductibles, discounts for hybrid or electric cars, and new car replacement coverage.

The Hartford logo
User Reviews
3.9
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
3.9
A solid optionBased on 1277 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about The Hartford

Drivers appreciate the excellent customer service, ease of use, and affordability, but some are concerned about unexpected price increases.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Senior drivers
Bundling discounts
Customer service
How drivers feel about The Hartford

Drivers appreciate the excellent customer service, ease of use, and affordability, but some are concerned about unexpected price increases.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Senior drivers
Bundling discounts
Customer service
Reviews (724)

Thomas

October 29, 2024

Verified Review

Good

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

Patrick

October 28, 2024

Verified Review

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 Review

Excellent

This is a very fair company.
See all The Hartford reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
837
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
0.84
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
NR
Why we picked this company

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

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GEICO DriveEasy vs. The Hartford TrueLane

GEICO and The Hartford both offer telematics programs that could potentially help safe drivers save money on their premiums.

The GEICO DriveEasy program is in the insurer’s main mobile app, and drivers can sign up for it by logging into their accounts on their phones. Once you sign up for DriveEasy, the mobile app uses your phone’s sensors to track various driving behaviors, including distracted driving, hard braking, cornering, and smoothness. It also tracks factors like distance driven, time of day, route regularity, and weather. The program assigns you a driving score based on this information.

Each time you renew your policy, GEICO partly determines your premiums based on your DriveEasy score. This means it’s possible to lower or raise your premiums with DriveEasy, and there’s no guaranteed discount. Additionally, every driver on your policy must enroll in DriveEasy if you sign up for the program.

The Hartford’s telematics program, TrueLane, offers an automatic discount of up to 12% when you enroll. The app automatically collects information about your driving behavior, including your speed, phone usage, cornering, braking, and acceleration.

When it’s time to renew your policy with The Hartford, your new policy premium will depend partly on your driving behavior. Good drivers can potentially save up to 25% at renewal. Not every driver on your policy has to enroll in TrueLane for you to take advantage of this program.

See Next: How Does Usage-Based Car Insurance Work?

See Next: How Does Usage-Based Car Insurance Work?

GEICO vs. The Hartford: Which is the cheapest?

GEICO has cheaper car insurance rates than The Hartford, based on Insurify data. GEICO’s average rates are cheaper for every type of driver, including senior drivers, drivers with good credit, drivers with a DUI, and other high-risk drivers.

Because insurance companies use different factors to determine your car insurance rates, including your age, marital status, credit, ZIP code, and driving history, your rates with GEICO and The Hartford may vary.

Here’s what you need to know about both insurers’ average rates.

GEICO: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

Keeping a clean driving record is a major factor in lowering your average annual premium, but GEICO’s rates for both full-coverage insurance and liability-only insurance are cheaper than The Hartford’s rates.

Driver Type
GEICO
The Hartford
Clean driving record$55$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.

GEICO: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

GEICO has lower rates for both full-coverage and liability insurance than The Hartford for drivers with a speeding ticket on their record.

Driver Type
GEICO
The Hartford
Drivers with a speeding ticket$65$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.

GEICO: Cheapest for teen drivers

Considering The Hartford specializes in insuring drivers older than 50 rather than young drivers, it’s not surprising that GEICO offers much lower average rates for teenage drivers.

Driver Type
GEICO
The Hartford
18-year-old$78$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.

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GEICO: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

Drivers with bad credit generally pay more for their auto insurance than drivers with good or excellent credit. GEICO’s premiums for drivers with bad credit are cheaper than The Hartford’s premiums for the same drivers.

Driver Type
GEICO
The Hartford
Drivers with bad credit$62$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.

GEICO: Cheapest for senior drivers

Even though The Hartford specializes in senior drivers, GEICO’s premium rates are lower for drivers in their 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Driver Type
GEICO
The Hartford
Senior drivers$42$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.

Compare coverages: GEICO vs. The Hartford

Drivers looking for liability-only policies can get the coverage they need from either GEICO or The Hartford. Liability insurance policies usually include bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage, which together pay for damages to another party if you cause an accident.

Both insurers also offer additional coverages, like personal injury protection, medical payments, uninsured/underinsured motorist, comprehensive, and collision insurance.

Drivers looking for add-on coverage will find similar options at both GEICO and The Hartford.

Coverage
GEICO
The Hartford
Gap insuranceYesYes
Rental coverageYesYes
Roadside assistanceYesYes
New-car replacementNoNo
Accident forgivenessYesYes
Mechanical breakdownYesNo

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Compare discounts: GEICO vs. The Hartford

GEICO offers a more robust list of car insurance discounts than The Hartford. Drivers with GEICO who insure multiple cars, install anti-theft devices, drive a new car, and get good grades may be able to access savings on their insurance bill. The Hartford doesn’t offer any of these types of discounts.

However, The Hartford does beat GEICO when it comes to alternative fuel discounts. Hybrid and electric car drivers can save with The Hartford and help the environment at the same time.

Discount
GEICO
The Hartford
Clean driving recordYesYes
Defensive driving courseYesYes
Multi-policyYesYes
Multi-carYesNo
Low mileageNoNo
Telematics (safe driving app)YesYes
Anti-theft deviceYesNo
New carYesNo
Military/affiliationYesYes (AARP members)
Good studentYesNo
LoyaltyNoNo
Auto payNoNo
Student away at schoolNoNo
HomeownerNoNo
Alternative fuelNoYes

GEICO vs. The Hartford FAQs

Use Insurify’s guide to the best and worst comparison sites while you shop for insurance, and check out the answers to common questions about GEICO and The Hartford below.

  • Is The Hartford good at paying claims?

    The 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Claims Satisfaction Survey found that The Hartford scored 877 out of 1,000 points for customer satisfaction with the insurance claim process. This is only one point below the study average of 878, which indicates that policyholders with The Hartford were reasonably satisfied with the insurer’s claims process.[4]

  • Is GEICO the most expensive car insurance?

    GEICO’s auto insurance rates aren’t the most expensive, according to Insurify data. They’re within the top 10 cheapest rates of the insurers Insurify analyzed. While several insurers have cheaper rates than GEICO, this company’s rates are quite competitive.

  • How is The Hartford auto insurance rated?

    The Hartford generally rates well in a number of areas. It has a 0.78 complaint index with the NAIC, which means it receives fewer complaints than expected for a company of its size. It also scored 877 in claims satisfaction for J.D. Power, meaning its satisfaction rating is about average.[3] [4] The Hartford enjoys the highest customer satisfaction rating from J.D. Power in the Northwest region, as well as above-average ratings in several other regions.

Sources

  1. NAIC. "Property and Casualty Insurance Industry 2022 Top 25 Groups and Companies by Countrywide Premium."
  2. NAIC. "Government Employees Ins Co National Complaint Index Report."
  3. NAIC. "Hartford Cas Ins Co National Complaint Index Report."
  4. J.D. Power. "2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study."
Emily Guy Birken
Emily Guy Birken

Emily Guy Birken is a former educator, lifelong money nerd, and a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer who specializes in the scientific research behind irrational money behaviors. Her background in education allows her to make complex financial topics relatable and easily understood by the layperson.

Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Kiplinger's, MSN Money, and The Washington Post online.

She is the author of several books, including The 5 Years Before You Retire, End Financial Stress Now, and the brand new book Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management, written with Joe Saul-Sehy.

Emily lives in Milwaukee with her family.

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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