National General vs. The Hartford: Which Is Best? (2024)

While The Hartford advertises more coverage options and discounts based on your driver profile, National General offers the cheapest rates.

Alani Asis
Written byAlani Asis
Alani Asis
Alani Asis
  • 3 years of content writing

  • Bylines with leading financial publications

Alani is a freelance writer specializing in personal finance. She aims to make complex topics more approachable through fun, digestible content.

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Katie Powers
Edited byKatie Powers
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Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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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 November 20, 2024

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National General and The Hartford are both companies in the insurance industry that sell coverage throughout the U.S.

The Hartford offers a variety of coverage options through its AARP auto insurance program. You have to be a member of the AARP network to access the benefits and coverage options. National General Insurance has cheaper average rates for drivers, but it advertises fewer coverage options and discounts than The Hartford.

Before deciding what company to take out an auto insurance policy with, you should conduct your own research and compare rates, customer service rankings, customer reviews, discounts, and coverages from National General, The Hartford, and other insurers.

Quick Facts
  • The average cost of liability insurance is $95 per month from The Hartford and $86 from National General.

  • National General offers a telematics program for personal auto insurance, and The Hartford has a telematics program specifically for businesses.

  • The Hartford earned higher rankings than National General in the 2023 J.D. Power claims and customer satisfaction studies.

National General vs. The Hartford: The verdict

The Hartford is a great option if you’re 50 or older and an AARP member. The company has affordable prices, better customer satisfaction rankings, and provides access to unique coverage options and discounts that can suit your needs as a senior driver.

If you’re younger than 50 and have a clean driving record, National General is the better option for you. The company offers cheaper average rates, access to specialized coverages, and several discounts.

Factor
National General
The Hartford
Insurify Quality (IQ) Score6.8N/A
Customer satisfaction score2.73.5
Average quote: liability only$86$95
Number of available discounts78
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.

National General

National General is a subsidiary of the Allstate company, one of the largest insurers in the nation. The company has an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best.

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User Reviews
2.7
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.
6.8/10
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.
$86/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.
$171/mo

In business for more than 100 years, National General is part of Allstate. The company offers personal and commercial car insurance, homeowners insurance, renters coverage, and more, through a network of independent agents across the country. In addition to liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, National General also offers accidental death and dismemberment, roadside assistance, and auto protection coverage. A.M. Best rates the company’s financial strength as excellent, meaning National General should be able to pay policyholder claims. However, the company has nearly seven times the expected number of complaints in the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Consumer Complaints Index.

Pros
  • Non-standard policies for high-risk drivers

  • Multiple add-on choices

Cons
  • Numerous online complaints

  • Quotes may be higher than some competitors

Read more driver reviews of National General
Jahmon - November 14, 2024
Verified

The Greatest

Excellent.

Mike - November 6, 2024
Verified

Too expensive

The monthly cost should be lowered.

Javier - November 5, 2024
Verified

I switched carriers to get a better rate, but they didn't update my paperwork with the DMV, which resulted in the cancellation of my driver's license. I had to get the paperwork faxed on my own, and it cost $55.00 to reinstate my license. Of course, National General blamed it on my carrier, A.I.S., and A.I.S. blamed it on National General. So, I'm not inclined to praise their treatment of me.

I switched carriers to get a better rate, but they didn't update my paperwork with the DMV, which resulted in the cancellation of my driver's license. I had to get the paperwork faxed on my own, and it cost $55.00 to reinstate my license. Of course, National General blamed it on my carrier, A.I.S., and A.I.S. blamed it on National General. So, I'm not inclined to praise their treatment of me.

The Hartford

The Hartford is the 18th-largest personal auto insurance company by market share, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).[1] It has an AM Best financial strength rating of A- (Excellent).

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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.
$95/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.
$171/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
Arthur - November 19, 2024
Verified

Hartford is an Excellent Choice

Excellent

Theresa - November 18, 2024
Verified

Friendly

Informative.

Glenn - November 18, 2024
Verified

Consider Other Insurance Companies

After one year, the premiums jumped by $200.

National General DynamicDrive vs. The Hartford FleetAhead

National General’s DynamicDrive is a telematics program that tracks driving behavior such as phone handling, sudden braking, and speeding. It also keeps track of what time of day you drive. Drivers who enroll need to download the Routely mobile app. You can earn up to 10% for enrolling and additional savings for driving safely.[2]

The Hartford FleetAhead program helps businesses track and improve their employees’ driving behavior. Business owners can potentially save money on insurance costs through the FleetAhead program. It’s not available for private auto insurance customers.[3]

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National General vs. The Hartford: Which is the cheapest?

National General is the cheaper auto insurer, on average. But your specific rate depends on different factors, including your location, age, gender, driving history, vehicle type, credit score, how much coverage you buy, and more.

See how much the companies charge different types of drivers for insurance below.

National General: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

National General sells car insurance to drivers with clean records at a rate lower than the national average. Drivers with clean records pay the cheapest average liability rates for car insurance by driving record.

Driver Type
National General
The Hartford
Clean driving record$86$95
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.

National General: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

Speeding tickets tend to increase insurance rates. So if you have a speeding infraction on your record, National General is the cheaper choice. The table below illustrates the price difference in liability insurance between both companies.

Driver Type
National General
The Hartford
Drivers with a speeding ticket$104$140
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.

National General: Cheapest for teen drivers

Teen drivers experience the highest insurance rates due to their lack of experience on the road. Both companies have expensive average liability insurance rates for teens, but National General is a bit cheaper. See the table below for the average premium for an 18-year-old driver.

Driver Type
National General
The Hartford
18-year-old$193$198
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.

National General: Cheapest for senior drivers

According to Insurify data, National General offers slightly cheaper average liability rates for senior drivers than The Hartford.

Driver Type
National General
The Hartford
Senior drivers$60$57
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.

National General: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

In many states, having bad credit can increase your insurance premiums. National General offers more favorable rates for people with less-than-perfect credit histories. Here’s how both car insurance companies compare in price for liability insurance.

Driver Type
National General
The Hartford
Drivers with bad credit$104$117
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: National General vs. The Hartford

Both companies sell standard car insurance products — such as bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection, uninsured/underinsured motorist, and full-coverage insurance, which includes collision and comprehensive coverage.

National General and The Hartford also offer unique coverages to customize your car insurance policy, but National General has slightly fewer options than The Hartford.

For example, The Hartford has gap insurance, rental car reimbursement, and full glass coverage, while National General has accidental death and dismemberment coverage.

National General has a unique Accident Protection Plan that covers medical bills after a car accident, including insurance coverage for accidental death and dismemberment, loss of sight, and loss of wages while injured.

Compare available additional coverages below.

Coverage
National General
The Hartford
Accidental death and dismembermentYesNo
Accident protection planYesNo
Full auto glass coverageNoYes
Gap insuranceNoYes
Rental car reimbursementNoYes
Roadside assistanceYesYes

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Compare discounts: National General vs. The Hartford

National General has more discount opportunities than The Hartford, but neither insurance company advertises all available discounts on their websites because offerings vary by state. So, you’ll likely have to call your insurance agent or get a quote on the insurer’s website to see which discounts you qualify for.

The Hartford has a discount for completing defensive driver training courses, and National General has a low-mileage discount. Compare discount offerings below.

Discount
National General
The Hartford
Clean driving recordYesYes
Defensive driving courseNoYes
Multi-policyYesYes
Multi-carYesNo
Low-mileageYesNo
Telematics (safe driving app)YesYes, for commercial fleets
Anti-theft deviceYesYes
New carNoNo
Military/affiliationNoNo
Good studentNoNo
Pay-in-fullYesYes
Auto payNoNo
Student away at schoolNoNo
HomeownerNoNo
Alternative fuelNoNo

National General vs. The Hartford FAQs

National General and The Hartford both have their strengths and weaknesses. The following information can help you compare the two companies further.

  • Is The Hartford good at paying claims?

    Yes. The Hartford is good at paying claims. It has an AM Best financial strength rating of A+ (Superior). This shows that the company has a good track record of meeting its financial obligations and would pay for your covered claim in the event of loss.

  • What’s the difference between National General and The Hartford?

    The Hartford primarily offers car insurance to senior drivers through its AARP auto insurance program. While non-AARP members can buy car insurance, AARP members 50 or older can take advantage of its full car insurance benefits at competitive rates.

    National General can be an excellent option for most drivers due to its customer inclusivity and affordable monthly payments.

  • Why is National General so expensive?

    National General costs $86 per month for liability insurance and $171 for full-coverage insurance. You may face more expensive rates if you have a high-risk driver profile. High-risk drivers include teen or senior drivers, people with moving violations, or consumers with poor credit scores.

    If National General is out of your price range, shop around to find the best policy for you at a less expensive rate. You can call an independent insurance agent for advice.

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. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "2023 Property and Casualty Market Share."
  2. National General. "DynamicDrive."
  3. The Hartford. "FleetAhead."
Alani Asis
Alani Asis

Alani Asis is a personal finance freelance writer with nearly three years of experience in content creation. She has landed bylines with leading publications and brands like Insider, Fortune, LendingTree, and more. Alani aims to make personal finance approachable through fun, relatable, and digestible content.

Katie Powers
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Photo of an Insurify author
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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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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