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Home insurance policies go a long way in protecting your most valuable investment. These policies can safeguard your asset from events like fires and hailstorms, as well as theft and vandalism. Instead of paying hundreds or thousands out of pocket for unexpected damage, you can rely on your policy and rest easy at night.
Unfortunately, not all home insurance companies are equal in terms of coverage, availability, and quality of customer service. The This Old House Reviews Team has created this in-depth AARP home insurance review to help you determine if the company is the best fit for you and your home.
Table of Contents
- Our Take
- Pros & Cons
- Coverage
- Availability
- How Much Does AARP Home Insurance Cost?
- Reviews of AARP Insurance
- AARP vs. The Competition
- Our Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Our Take
AARP partners with The Hartford, a Connecticut-based insurance group, to provide comprehensive homeowners insurance. The homeowners insurance is comprehensive, offering all industry-standard coverage in addition to many valuable endorsements. However, in most states, coverage is only available to members—and no coverage is available in the state of Florida. Also, the fact that the insurance is underwritten by The Hartford adds a layer of complexity to claims filing and tracking as well as contacting customer service representatives. We give AARP home insurance an overall score of 92.10 out of 100.
On AARP’s Better Business Bureau profile, common complaints cite administrative and billing issues. Reviews range from praising good discount opportunities to noting concerns about a lack of professionalism.
Pros & Cons
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of AARP home insurance through The Hartford.
AARP Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| Many endorsements | Mainly just available to AARP members |
| Available in 49 states | Doesn’t underwrite own policies |
| Few discounts |
Coverage
AARP offers all industry-standard coverage in its basic policy.
AARP Coverage
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Description |
| Dwelling + other structures | Covers your home’s interior and exterior structure, as well as detached structures like garages and sheds |
| Personal property | Covers your personal property, including furniture, electronics, appliances, and clothes, in case of a covered loss |
| Loss of use/Additional living expenses | Covers costs associated with living outside of your home, including dining and accommodations, due to covered damage |
| Personal liability | Covers legal fees if you are sued for injury or personal property damage to a guest on your property |
| Medical payments | Covers the medical expenses of a guest who gets injured at your home |
Many endorsements are available to help you customize your AARP homeowners insurance coverage.
Endorsements
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Description |
| “New for Old” Protection | Replaces covered personal property with brand new items of the same quality |
| Personal injury liability | Protects against damages from slander or libel |
| Reimbursement for replacing locks | Pays up to $500 for new locks if your keys are lost or stolen ($100 deductible) |
| Identity fraud expense | Covers out-of-pocket expenses up to the policy limit of restoring your identity |
| Disappearing property deductible | Reduces deductible by $50 for every three years you go without having a loss |
| Equipment breakdown | Covers cost of repairs or replacements of home systems, appliances, and electronics that break down (wear and tear damage does not apply) |
| Valuable items blanket coverage | Extends coverage for damaged or lost valuables |
| Green rebuilding | Raises policy limits up to 10% when you repair or rebuild with environmentally friendly materials |
| Replacement plus patented coverage | Covers additional costs to rebuild a bathroom or kitchen with Universal Design features |
| Assisted living care coverage | Extends liability, additional living expenses, and contents coverage to your relative in an assisted living care facility |
| Scheduled personal property | Covers 100% of selected items’ insured value if they are damaged or destroyed |
| Rental property protection plus | Provides liability coverage for up to four family rental units |
| Water backup and sump pump overflow | Covers damage from water backup and sump pump overflow |
AARP offers two tiers of coverage. All other endorsements can be added for an extra cost to either plan.
Cost
| Coverage | Advantage | Advantage Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Advantage | Advantage Plus |
| “New for Old” Protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Personal injury liability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reimbursement for replacing locks | ✓ | ✓ |
| Identity fraud expense | ✓ ($25,000 limit) | ✓ ($50,000 limit) |
| Disappearing property deductible | ✓ | ✓ |
| Equipment breakdown | N/A | ✓ |
Availability
AARP home insurance is available in every state but Florida.
How Much Does AARP Home Insurance Cost?
The exact cost of AARP homeowners insurance depends on a variety of factors, including your property value, size, the materials it was constructed with, where you live, the coverage limits you select, the insurance deductible you choose, and more.
Discounts
AARP offers only a few discounts to help lower the cost of your homeowners insurance coverage.
AARP Discounts
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Description |
| Multi-policy | Discount for bundling auto and home insurance policies |
| Protective devices | Discount for installed devices like burglar alarms or smoke detectors |
| Retiree | Discount for retired homeowners or homeowners who work less than 24 hours per week |
| Claims-free | Discount for going without filing a claim for a specified period of time |
Reviews of AARP
AARP is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, but it holds an A+ rating from the organization. See what real customers had to say about their experience with AARP.
Joan O. said:
“Good service. Good information. Good discounts.”
Val L. said:
“They are dishonest and deceptive. My husband canceled my mother-in-law’s subscription last year and they affirmed it was canceled. Well, this year they charged her account once again. My husband was on the phone forever...And after all this, it still is not resolved. AARP has no problem, whatsoever, taking advantage of the elderly and making a cancellation unbearable and impossible.”
AARP vs. The Competition
See how AARP stacks up against some of its top competitors on key metrics.
Comparison
| Provider | AARP | Lemonade | Amica® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | AARP | Lemonade | Amica® |
| Our score | 92.10 | 83.50 | 96.60 |
| State Availability | 49 | 27* | 48 (not available in AK or HI) |
| BBB Rating | A+ | B+ | A+ |
| Years in Business | 62 | 5 | 113 |
| 24/7 Claims Service by Phone | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Protective Devices/Safety Features Discount | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ordinance protection included | X | X | X |
| Bundling Discount | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Lemonade home insurance is available in AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, GA, IL, IN, IA, MD, MA, MI, MO, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
Our Conclusion
AARP offers robust home insurance coverage, along with an impressive range of endorsements nationwide. However, in most states, home insurance is only available to AARP members, which means if you are younger than 50 you won’t qualify. In addition, AARP does not underwrite its own policies, and the company offers few discounts. Overall, we give AARP home insurance a score of 92.10.
To ensure you find the right provider for your needs, we recommend getting quotes from multiple home insurance companies that serve your area:
Company Information
- Company name: AARP
- Company type: Public
- CEO: Jo Ann Jenkins
- Year founded: 1958
- Headquarters: AARP, 601 E. St, NW Washington, DC 20049
- State availability: 49
- BBB rating: A+
Our Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team values accuracy, transparency, and trust. With that in mind, we created a thorough, objective rating system to score each home insurance company based on the following six factors:
- Coverage (30)
- State availability (7.5)
- Customer service (15)
- Technology (12.5)
- Reputation (20)
- Additional benefits (15)
Our Reviews Team has a full-time researcher who collects and regularly updates data points from every company to help us compare them on key factors such as coverage, service, and dependability. Read more on our methodology here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AARP carry homeowners insurance?
AARP offers homeowners insurance through its partner, The Hartford. All industry-standard coverage is included, in addition to a long list of endorsements like equipment breakdown and disappearing deductible.
Does AARP have car and house insurance?
AARP offers both auto and home insurance through its partnership with The Hartford. Bundling your policies can lower your insurance premiums.
How do I get a quote for homeowners insurance?
It depends on the company. Many companies offer convenient, easy online quote tools. However, some others require that you contact them via email or phone. Some companies require you to contact a third-party agency.
How much should I pay for homeowners insurance?
According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average monthly cost for homeowners insurance is $101. However, the amount you pay will depend on a variety of factors including where you live, the age and size of your home, what it’s constructed of, and more.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.