Elephant vs The Hartford: which is better for car insurance in 2026?
Across our six scoring categories, Elephant comes out ahead in 1, The Hartford in 0, with 5 too close to call. There is no overall score to compare, though: Elephant does not publish enough of the underlying data to earn one, and we would rather leave it blank than build a number out of the two or three figures that happen to exist. The Hartford is the better-documented of the two, which is not the same as being the better insurer for you. Judge these two on the categories where both have real figures — and on what they actually quote you.
Elephant vs The Hartford, side by side
Sources: average premiums from NerdWallet's August 2026 rate analysis (Quadrant Information Services), for a 35-year-old driver with a clean record and good credit in a 2023 Toyota Camry LE at 12,000 miles a year, 100/300/50 limits with $1,000 deductibles — national average $2,356. Claims satisfaction from the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study (segment average 700). Complaint record from NerdWallet's analysis of NAIC complaint data, 2022–2024. Financial strength from AM Best. Discounts and app data from each carrier's published pages and the Apple App Store / Google Play, retrieved August 2026. Updated August 2026.
Category by category
Price
Too close to callElephant does not release public rate data, so there is no like-for-like premium to set against The Hartford's $2,277/yr. That is a real gap in the comparison, not a rounding error — treat Elephant's price as unknown until you have a quote in hand.
Elephant is not included in the rate study behind every other premium in this review.
$2,277 a year for full coverage, 3% below the national average. Its $748 minimum-coverage average is higher than most.
Claims satisfaction
Too close to callNeither pulls ahead on claims satisfaction: Elephant posts Not rated and The Hartford 716/1,000, a difference too small to choose on.
Not in the J.D. Power claims study, which samples only the largest insurers.
716 out of 1,000, sixteen points above the segment average and level with State Farm.
Complaint record
Elephant aheadElephant takes complaint record on More than expected against The Hartford's Far more than expected.
More complaints than expected for its size — better than the other app-first insurers here, but still below par.
Far more complaints than expected for its size — the worst complaint record in this review, and the figure that most undercuts an otherwise good showing.
Financial strength
Too close to callNeither pulls ahead on financial strength: Elephant posts Not published and The Hartford A+, a difference too small to choose on.
No AM Best rating we could verify, and no alternative rating found.
AM Best A+ (Superior).
Discounts
Too close to callNeither pulls ahead on discounts: Elephant posts Not published and The Hartford 10 published, a difference too small to choose on.
No discount list we could read on Elephant's own site.
Ten published discounts, several tied to AARP membership, plus TrueLane at up to 15% for participating and up to 40% at renewal.
Digital experience
Too close to callNeither pulls ahead on digital experience: Elephant posts Not published and The Hartford 4.80 iOS / 4.6 Android, a difference too small to choose on.
No app-store figures we could verify from a primary source.
4.8 on the App Store and 4.6 on Google Play — strong on both platforms, across a modest rating base.
So which one?
Pick Elephant if…
- You are among drivers in its eight states comparing it against other budget options.
- You want the lower complaint record — Elephant sits at More than expected.
- Availability fits: 8 states.
Pick The Hartford if…
- You are among aarp members over 50 who value the program's specific features.
- Availability fits: 47 states and D.C. through the AARP program — membership required in most states, and no new business in California or Florida.
Elephant vs The Hartford, answered
The questions people ask before switching between these two.
Other comparisons
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Averages are a starting point. Your rate is the only number that decides it.