The American Association of Retired Persons — or AARP — offers one of the most popular car insurance programs for retired people and drivers over 50 years old in the United States and its territories. If you need to protect yourself and your vehicles, keep reading to find out what you should know about AARP car insurance.
What Does AARP Car Insurance Cover?
AARP car insurance is available to people who are at least 50 years old. When someone signs up for AARP car insurance, they are actually being insured by The Hartford. AARP members have utilized the discounted car insurance through the organization since it was first offered in 1984.
The nature of your coverage through AARP and The Hartford varies depending on your state of residence, your driving history, your vehicle’s make and model, and other factors.
The Hartford via AARP offers a wide range of auto insurance coverage options, including collision, liability, comprehensive, medical, uninsured motorist, and personal injury protection options.
AARP members will generally have two coverage plan levels to choose from: the Advantage plan and the Advantage Plus plan. The entry-level plan will give you access to features such as 24-hour roadside assistance, legal representation should you find yourself in an accident, and a repair service program. The Advantage Plus level adds benefits such as accident forgiveness, deductible reductions and waivers, and more.
AARP Car Insurance Benefits
When you choose to insure your car through AARP and The Hartford, you’ll receive several benefits depending on whether you choose the Advantage or Advantage Plus plan.
| AARP Advantage Plan | AARP Advantage Plus Plan (includes everything in the AARP Advantage Plan PLUS the following benefits:) |
| RecoverCare. This uncommon benefit is included in AARP car insurance. If you do get into an accident that results in a change in your lifestyle, RecoverCare can help. RecoverCare pays up to $2,500 for needs and services such as grocery shopping, acquiring transportation, cooking, and more until you get back on your feet after a car accident. | Accident forgiveness. Your insurance plan’s premium will not increase if you get into an accident. This only applies to the first accident. To be eligible for this accident forgiveness policy, you and any other driver using your plan must not have been in an accident in the last five years.
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| New car replacement. For up to 15 months or 15,000 miles after you purchase a new car, your AARP car insurance will help you cover the cost of replacing it if it gets totaled. You can only replace it with the same make and model if you want to take advantage of this feature. | Disappearing deductible. For every year you drive with a clean driving record, your deductible is reduced. Eventually, your deductible could reach $0. This feature isn’t available in the state of California.
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| Zero deductibles on windshield repairs. If your windshield is damaged, your AARP car insurance covers the cost. | Deductible waiver. If a car accident you are involved in is not your fault, you may not have to pay your property damage deductible. This feature is only offered in select states.
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Deductible reductions at authorized repair shops. The Hartford will reduce the amount of deductible you have to pay for vehicle repairs due to a collision by $100 if you choose an authorized shop.
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The list of benefits from AARP car insurance goes on, but these are some of the most significant ones. Many of these benefits are very appealing to drivers over the age of 50. Learn more about it by visiting their website here.
What Affects the Cost of AARP Car Insurance?
A handful of factors influence the discounts you can use to lower the cost of your AARP car insurance plan. For the most part, AARP’s discounts are similar to those of other car insurance companies. The Hartford offers discounts for safety features, including multiple airbags, anti-lock brakes, and more. Click here to discover all the car insurance discounts available to AARP® members.
Here are some of those safety features and their discount amounts include:
- Airbags: 10%-20%.
- Anti-lock braking system: 5%.
- Anti-theft features: 5%-15%.
As you can guess, the more recent your vehicle’s model year, the more discounts you can receive through modern safety features. Read this article to learn about the cars with the best driver-assistance aids available in showrooms today, according to U.S. News & World Report safety ratings.
The Hartford offers more discounts to drivers of hybrid and electric vehicles, but generally not through the AARP plans. Sign up for the TrueLane Program to save up to 12% on your payments and up to a 25% renewal discount that increases according to your driving habits.
Many factors go into deciding how many discounts you can get for insuring your car through AARP. The above are just a few. Below are some other great opportunities to save some money on your AARP car insurance.
Driver Safety Program
You might be able to get a discount on your AARP car insurance by taking part in a driver safety program. The AARP Smart Driver course is an online defensive driving and safety refresher that focuses on driving over the age of 50. Visit their website here for more information about the course.
You do have to pay for the course — $29.95 at full price — but you may be eligible for a multi-year discount on your AARP car insurance afterward.
If you choose to take part in this class, you’ll have up to 60 days to complete it. It’s completely online and if you do not complete it, you can get a refund on the class. If you do complete the course, you can potentially get rate discounts for up to three years afterward.
Bundling
You can lower the cost of your AARP car insurance by bundling your homeowner’s insurance with your auto insurance. You can save up to 20% by doing this. Read this guide to learn about the benefits of bundling insurance policies.
AARP’s automotive and homeowners insurance offerings are both well-rated, so if you’re thinking of streamlining your protection, you can save some money by getting both through The Hartford and AARP.
Other things you can do to reduce the cost of your insurance include making sure your annual payment is paid in full and installing anti-theft devices into your vehicle.
According to ValuePenguin, the average annual cost of AARP car insurance is $1,818 for a 50-year-old single male. The average cost for a 60-year-old single female is $1,683. This competitive rate and the many benefits and discounts designed for more experienced drivers make AARP car insurance one of the best options for drivers over the age of 50.
At FIXD, our mission is to make car ownership as simple, easy, and affordable as possible. Our research team utilizes the latest automotive data and insights to create tools and resources that help drivers get peace of mind and save money over the life of their car.
