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Plymouth Rock vs The Hartford: which is better for car insurance in 2026?

Q: Is Plymouth Rock or The Hartford cheaper?

On average, Plymouth Rock. Our benchmark profile pays $2,156/yr with Plymouth Rock versus $2,277/yr with The Hartford — roughly $121 a year. But that is one profile: a 35-year-old with a clean record and good credit. Change the driver and the order can flip, which is why the only rate that matters is the one you are quoted.

Q: Which handles claims better, Plymouth Rock or The Hartford?

Neither has a clear edge. Plymouth Rock scores Not rated and The Hartford 716/1,000 on the claims measure we use — close enough that the individual adjuster you draw matters more than the company average.

Q: Is Plymouth Rock better than The Hartford overall?

Plymouth Rock scores higher overall in our review — 4.2 against 3.7 out of 5. "Better" still depends on you, though: The Hartford may quote you less, and our score weights six factors that we chose, not the ones you might weight most.

Q: Can I switch from Plymouth Rock to The Hartford mid-policy?

Yes. Auto policies can be cancelled at any time, and most insurers refund the unused premium pro-rata — though some charge a short-rate cancellation fee, so check your policy before you cancel. The one rule worth following: get the new policy bound and in force before you cancel the old one. Even a single day uninsured can count as a coverage lapse, which raises your rate at the next renewal and, in some states, exposes you to a registration penalty.

Plymouth Rock

The Hartford

Across our six scoring categories, Plymouth Rock comes out ahead in 1, The Hartford in 1, with 4 too close to call. Plymouth Rock edges the weighted overall score by 0.5 of a point, on the strength of complaint record. That is not a reason to skip The Hartford: it scores higher on financial strength, and a quote that comes in lower beats a review that scores higher. Plymouth Rock is the safer default; The Hartford is worth a quote if you are among aarp members over 50 who value the program's specific features.

Plymouth Rock vs The Hartford, side by side

Category

Plymouth RockRead the full review

The HartfordRead the full review

Overall scoreWeighted across the six categories below

Better

PriceAverage annual full-coverage premium · 25% of score

3.5$2,156/yr

Average full coverage vs. $2,356 national average

3.5$2,277/yr

Average full coverage vs. $2,356 national average

Claims satisfactionJ.D. Power 2025 claims study, out of 1,000 · 20% of score

Not rated

Below the sampling frame of the J.D. Power claims study, which covers only the largest insurers

4.0716/1,000

J.D. Power 2025 claims study, segment average 700

Complaint recordComplaints relative to company size · 15% of score

5.0Far fewer than expected

Complaints relative to company size, NAIC data 2022–2024

Better

1.5Far more than expected

Complaints relative to company size, NAIC data 2022–2024

Financial strengthAM Best Financial Strength Rating · 10% of score

3.5A-

AM Best Financial Strength Rating

4.5A+

AM Best Financial Strength Rating

Better

DiscountsBreadth of published discounts · 15% of score

4.010 published

Discounts on the carrier's own pages · Telematics: YUBI

4.010 published

Discounts on the carrier's own pages · Telematics: TrueLane

Digital experienceApp ratings and self-service depth · 15% of score

5.04.86 iOS / 4.7 Android

App Store (8.0K ratings) and Google Play (1.7K ratings), August 2026

5.04.80 iOS / 4.6 Android

App Store (12.1K ratings) and Google Play (2.2K ratings), August 2026

Availability

6 states in the Northeast

47 states and D.C. through the AARP program — membership required in most states, and no new business in California or Florida

Best suited to

Northeast drivers who want a strong app and low complaint volume

AARP members over 50 who value the program's specific features

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.

Plymouth Rock vs The Hartford across all six categoriesScored 1–5. Longer is better in every category — the price bar already accounts for cheaper being better.

Plymouth RockThe Hartford

Category by category

Price

Too close to call

Plymouth Rock averages $2,156/yr for full coverage against The Hartford's $2,277/yr — about $121 a year, or 10.1 dollars a month, in Plymouth Rock's favor for this profile.

Plymouth Rock

$2,156 a year for full coverage, 8% below the national average — mid-pack, and not the reason to pick it.

The Hartford

$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 call

Neither pulls ahead on claims satisfaction: Plymouth Rock posts Not rated and The Hartford 716/1,000, a difference too small to choose on.

Plymouth Rock

Not in the J.D. Power claims study, which covers only the largest insurers.

The Hartford

716 out of 1,000, sixteen points above the segment average and level with State Farm.

Complaint record

Plymouth Rock ahead

Plymouth Rock takes complaint record on Far fewer than expected against The Hartford's Far more than expected.

Plymouth Rock

Far fewer complaints than expected for its size — the strongest complaint band we assign, shared with only a handful of carriers here.

The Hartford

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

The Hartford ahead

The Hartford takes financial strength on A+ against Plymouth Rock's A-.

Plymouth Rock

AM Best A- (Excellent), with the outlook revised to positive in March 2026 — the only carrier in this review currently trending upward.

The Hartford

AM Best A+ (Superior).

Discounts

Too close to call

Neither pulls ahead on discounts: Plymouth Rock posts 10 published and The Hartford 10 published, a difference too small to choose on.

Plymouth Rock

Around ten published discounts, plus two distinct programs: YUBI for telematics and a separate Road Rewards points scheme.

The Hartford

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 call

Neither pulls ahead on digital experience: Plymouth Rock posts 4.86 iOS / 4.7 Android and The Hartford 4.80 iOS / 4.6 Android, a difference too small to choose on.

Plymouth Rock

4.86 on the App Store and 4.7 on Google Play — the highest combined app ratings of any carrier in this review, by a clear margin.

The Hartford

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 Plymouth Rock if…

You are among northeast drivers who want a strong app and low complaint volume.
You want the lower complaint record — Plymouth Rock sits at Far fewer than expected.
Availability fits: 6 states in the Northeast.

Read the full Plymouth Rock review →

Pick The Hartford if…

You are among aarp members over 50 who value the program's specific features.
Financial strength is a priority; The Hartford holds A+ from AM Best.
Availability fits: 47 states and D.C. through the AARP program — membership required in most states, and no new business in California or Florida.

Read the full The Hartford review →

Plymouth Rock vs The Hartford, answered

The questions people ask before switching between these two.

Is Plymouth Rock or The Hartford cheaper?

Which handles claims better, Plymouth Rock or The Hartford?

Is Plymouth Rock better than The Hartford overall?

Can I switch from Plymouth Rock to The Hartford mid-policy?

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