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The Hartford disability insurance review 2023

This provider dominates the group disability insurance market thanks to its policy lineup and built-in benefits.

  • Consider The Hartford if… your employer offers a policy as part of your benefits package.
  • Look elsewhere if… you want an individual disability insurance policy, or your employer doesn’t partner with The Hartford.
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By

Katia Iervasi

Updated

Fact checked

Yes

Short term disability

Yes

Long term disability

Details

Benefit period Short term - 9 to 52 weeks, depending on the size of the group
Long term - 5 years, or until retirement age
Waiting period Short term - 1, 8, 15 or 30 days
Long term - 7, 14, 30, 60, 90 and 180 days
Coverage amount Short term - 50% to 67% of your weekly income, up to $2,000
Long term - 50% to 67% of your monthly income, up to $10,000
Individual credit Not offered
Available states All 50 states and DC
Policy riders Array
Simplified issue Not offered

Pros

  • Portable policies
  • Range of coverage options
  • Professional claims process
  • Size and experience
  • Financial strength

Cons

  • Bias toward total disability
  • Low maximums
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Review by

Katia Iervasi is a lead writer and spokesperson at NerdWallet and a former editor at Finder, specializing in insurance. Her writing and analysis on life, disability and health insurance has been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, Yahoo, Entrepreneur, Best Company and FT Advisor. She holds a BA in communication from Australia's Griffith University.

Expert review

The Hartford leads the group disability insurance market in the US — and for good reason. The coverage is often portable, and its policies include features other insurers charge for, like a survivor income benefit.

But the limits are on the lower side. If you’re a high-income earner, it’s worth investing in an individual policy by comparing disability insurance companies.

Built-in benefits

Policy details vary between employers. Your coverage may include the following benefits:

  • Residual disability benefits. Pays a partial benefit if you’re disabled but still able to work on a limited or part-time basis.
  • Waiver of premium. After your elimination period has passed, you won’t have to pay premiums for as long as you’re receiving disability benefits.
  • Capital sum benefit rider. If you lose your sight in one eye, or the use of one hand or foot, you’ll receive an additional lump sum benefit.
  • Survivor income benefit. If you die during a claim, this pays a lump sum to your beneficiaries equal to three times your monthly benefit.
  • Family care benefit. Offers an additional benefit if you experience a loss of income or working hours while you’re caring for a family member.
  • Workplace Modification. Your employer may be reimbursed for expenses used to accommodate your disability at work.

Available riders

Typically, riders on a group policy are determined by your employer. But The Hartford offers a couple of added-value services to policyholders who suffer a disability:

  • Access to Ability Assist This program offers confidential emotional, legal and financial support during the recovery process.
  • “Return-to-work” coordinators. To help you get back to work after a disability, the insurer will connect you with a clinical specialist.

Pros and cons of The Hartford disability insurance

Pros

  • Portable policies. If your employer opts into a portable plan, you can take your coverage with you if you change jobs, as long as the original policy is active.
  • Range of coverage options. Employers can choose between traditional or guaranteed issue policies. These are open to anyone — regardless of their health.
  • Professional claims process. Nurses help handle claims, adding an extra level of expertise to the process.
  • Size and experience. When it comes to group policies, The Hartford is among the three largest providers in the US for both short- and long-term disability, according to Milliman. This points to its positive reputation with employers across the country.
  • Financial strength.The insurer has an A+ (Superior) rating with AM Best, which means it has the cash reserves to pay out claims.

Cons

  • Bias toward total disability.Your policy will likely only pay benefits if you’re totally disabled
  • Low maximums. The Hartford’s coverage is capped at small amounts. This isn’t unusual for group policies, but it may be insufficient for executives earning close to $200,000.

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The Hartford disability insurance reviews and complaints

The Hartford isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but it’s earned an A+ rating for its customer interaction, as of October 2020. The BBB has recorded 115 complaints over the past three years, which is relatively high for an insurance company — though most of the complaints apply to the auto insurance department.

To get a better idea of how The Hartford treats its disability insurance policyholders, we referred to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The insurer has a complaint ratio of 0.32. This is well below the national average of 1, which means The Hartford has received fewer complaints than many of its competitors.

How do I apply for The Hartford disability insurance?

Since The Hartford offers disability insurance through the workplace, you’ll need to ask your employer if your company participates. If so, your HR team should be able to guide you through the application process.

Frequently asked questions

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