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The Hartford - AARP Plans

• AARP Plans • Auto • Disability • Homeowners • Life --- News • The Hartford Apologizes, Pays $20 Million for Fraud in Annuity Sales • California Accuses Hartford Insurance of Charging Illegal Fees

Laura of St. Petersburg FL (10/8/03):
At AARP's recommendation, I switched to Hartford insurance last year. On 6/23/03, I bought a used car from a dealer. It was stolen a week later, on 7/2/03, and never recovered. Hartford values this car at substantially less than I paid for it: $1,240 less. They have adjusted the sales tax downward to reflect this lesser value.

I contacted the organization who made the evaluation of the value of this car, Valuescope. The representative told me that they depended on Hartford to describe the condition of the car. I recontacted the claims representative at Hartford and was told I paid too much for this car. She has maintained that position despite my sending her a number of ads for similar cars which substantiate that the price I paid was fair retail value.

The settlement of my claim leaves me with a loss of $1,395. This includes a downward adjustment for the sales tax which reflects their valuation of my stolen car. I am also legitimately out another $500 because I had a deductible.

Dana of Show Low AZ writes (4/15/02):
Upon joining AARP, I contacted Hartford Insurance and was informed that I could save 10% on my insurance by attending the "55 Alive" driving class. I paid $10 for the class, which I took in March, got my certificate, and contacted Hartford Insurance.

They informed me that my savings would be $4.00, which I immediately questioned, and was informed that the rate is calculated on the base rate insurance for only my primary vehicle, and not my policy premium. None of this was told to me at the time that I bought the insurance policy, nor is it included with any of the information I received from AARP. None of this was told to me when I signed up and took the class.

The result is that I spent $10 for the class; spent $5 for gasoline to go to the class; took an entire day away from pursuits that would have made money for me. For this, they are going to reduce my insurance by $4.00? Just the $15 in expenses will not be recovered in the time period that this certificate is valid (3 years). Such miniscule amounts of money may not be worth protesting, but I think it points at a much broader problem, and it may just be the mighty insurance companies in general, of which I've had, and heard nothing but horror stories for the past 30 years.

Bear of Masonville CO (4/9/03):
Over the past 5 yrs. I have had both automobile and homeowners insurance with Hartford through AARP. In both cases they have turned out to be totally dishonest, disreputable, and wholly consumer (especially retired consumer) unfriendly.

As a retired person, I live on two checks per month. My annuity payout, and my small Social Security check. Thus, I am able to pay my bills once a month. This seems to have been a problem for Hartford, as their billing date for my homeowners policy assured that I would get their statement too late for the date I pay my bills. As with many retired people the income does not stretch far enough to cover all the outgo. Over the past 7 1/2 years I have asked Hartford to change the statement date so that I would get the statement towards the end of the previous month in which the premium was due. They refused.

As a result, about every 8 or 9 months I would get a certified letter from them cancelling my policy because of non-payment of premiums. Of course, usually, my payment the following first of the month would cross the certified letter in the mail. They would then reinstate my policy. Most recently, this happened, and they started asking for payment of two premiums at once to reinstate. When I called they informed me I had to pay them the equivalent of three premium payments to get reinstated.

I told them I couldn't afford that. Their agent, "Jeff" was demeaning to me, and insulting and nasty. I asked to speak with a supervisor, and was told one would call me. Eventually a "Danielle" called me from San Diego office. She claimed she would try to arrange to have me reinstated by paying two premiums and spreading the payment for the others over the next number of months. She promised to call back within the hour, or next day latest. Never heard from her again.

I have since gotten a policy with Country Insurance, and will never do business with HARTFORD again. With the auto policy, after an accident at which I was to blame, they increased my policy rate with so large a surcharge as to make it impossible to maintain the policy. I got coverage elsewhere at about half the cost.

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