Nationwide is a well-known insurance provider with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. The company's auto insurance policies are available in all but four states, and its rates are significantly lower than the national average. Nationwide also stands out by providing various coverage options and giving customers multiple ways to request quotes and manage their policies.
These low rates and flexible policy options make Nationwide one of the best car insurance providers in the U.S.
Nationwide Auto Insurance Pros and Cons
Nationwide Auto Insurance Pros
- Wide selection of coverage options
- Variety of discounts
- Usage-based insurance programs (SmartRide® and SmartMiles®) are available
- Strong financial stability rating from AM Best
Nationwide Auto Insurance Cons
- Rates may be higher than some competitors
- Customer satisfaction ratings are somewhat mixed
- Policies are not available in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, or Massachusetts
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794
A+
- Strong customer satisfaction ratings with JD Power
- Provides nationwide auto insurance coverage with easy online quoting available
- Prices may rise substantially for higher risk drivers
- Customers may not get strong customer support via agents
- Nationwide auto good for senior drivers.
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- Compare quotes from more than 70 providers to find the policy that meets your specific budget and coverage needs
- Access to agents to answer questions about your unique situation
862
A+
- Many discounts and options to bundle insurance policies
- high customer satisfaction according to JD Power's auto insurance study
- Long history in the insurance industry
- Not available in Hawaii
- May not provide the most competitive rates for higher risk drivers
- Ranks high in customer satisfaction
- Discount for students and vehicle safety
842
A+
- Coverage available in all 50 states
- Discounts for bundling insurance products with competitive rates
- Highly rated with JD Power and AM Best
- Rates may jump significantly after your first accident or for higher risk drivers
- Mixed reviews on claims and customer service on sites like Consumer Affairs and TrustPilot
A highly ranked and long-standing insurance company, Progressive offers auto, home, motorcycle, and other insurance across the United States.
Progressive Auto Insurance- Ranked #17 out of 18 in auto claims satisfaction
- Bundling, vehicle safety, and student driver discounts
- Low rates
- Name your price tool
Nationwide Auto Insurance Overview
Nationwide Auto Insuranceis a popular option with lots of perks, from safe driving discounts to coverage for pets that are involved in a crash. It ranks highly for customer satisfaction according to J.D. Power, and it generally offers reasonable rates.
Nationwide is a major insurance company that's popular among people looking for affordable auto insurance. Nationwide allows you to save money by bundling different types of insurance, like home and auto.
The company offers a variety of other cost savings options, including a discount for students with at least a B average and another discount for using SmartRide, an app that tracks your driving habits and gives you discounts for driving safely. Plus, Nationwide ranks well, scoring a 627 in J.D. Power's latest auto insurance customer satisfaction study.
Here's what you should know about the plans, riders, and discounts available from Nationwide car insurance.
Nationwide Auto Insurance Plans Available
Nationwide offers an array of different coverage types. You choose what you want to build a customized car insurance plan that's right for you. While this might be considered "full coverage," there's no set full coverage plan — you'll need to opt into the coverage that you want.
Nationwide divides its coverage into 11 coverage categories. Those are divided into two categories: vehicle coverages and personal auto coverages.
Vehicle Coverages
These types of coverage are meant to repair damage to your car or someone else's, and cover expenses when you can't drive your car.
- Collision coverage: This covers damage to our vehicle if it hits another object, no matter whose fault the crash is.
- Comprehensive coverage: This covers damage to your car that isn't covered by collision. It includes things like theft, vandalism, weather-related damages, and crashes with animals.
- Towing and labor: This covers the cost of — you guessed it — towing your vehicle and having it worked on.
- Rental car expense: This covers the cost of a rental vehicle when your car is out of commission because of a covered accident.
- Gap coverage: This covers the difference between the actual value of your car, and what you owe on the loan. If your car is totaled, but appraises for less than you owe, gap coverage will pay for the difference.
Personal Auto Coverages
These types of insurance cover you, your passengers, and other people who might be hurt or even killed in an accident, plus their property.
- Bodily injury liability: This liability insurance covers medical bills and lost income for injuries to other people from an accident that you caused.
- Property damage liability: This covers damage to someone else's property, including their car, from accidents that you cause.
- Personal injury protection: This covers your medical expenses and lost income from accidents, no matter whose fault they were.
- Uninsured motorist: This covers damage from hit-and-runs and other at-fault drivers who weren't insured.
- Underinsured motorist: This coverage is similar to uninsured, but protects you if the at-fault driver doesn't have enough protection to cover your bills.
- Medical payments: Covers medical bills for you and your passengers who were injured in an accident.
Additional Coverage Options (Riders)
In addition to the coverage types listed above, Nationwide provides four riders, which it calls "special auto coverages." They are:
- Accident forgiveness: With this rider, you can avoid a rate increase the first time you or other people on your policy are at fault for an accident. Accident forgiveness is only available in select states, and can only be used once per policy.
- Vanishing deductible: This rider helps you lower your deductible after years of safe driving. The deductible drops by $100, up to a $500 discount, for each year that you (or others on your policy) don't have an accident. The deductible discount takes effect after 30 days. If you're in an accident, it reverts to the initial $100 discount.
- Roadside assistance: This rider gives you access to a roadside assistance service plan that can fix minor problems like a flat tire or an empty gas tank. Nationwide offers two roadside assistance riders: basic or plus. Basic covers the essentials like short towing (up to 15 miles), key lockouts up to $100, tire changes, and gas refills. Plus, it adds up to 100 miles of towing and up to $500 in trip interruption protection when you're stuck more than 100 miles from home.
- Total loss deductible waiver: If your car is totaled, this waives the deductible for physical damage.
While not officially a rider, Nationwide offers all customers an annual "On Your Side" review. This is a chance to ask questions about your policy and better understand your coverage.
How Much Does Nationwide Auto Insurance Cost?
Nationwide Auto Insurance costs appear to be slightly higher than average. According to Policygenius, Nationwide costs an average of $1,475 a year for full coverage. That's just above the national average of $ $1,128 annually. You can start to get a quote from Nationwide online, but you will likely need to speak with an agent to get a finalized price.
| Age | Average Nationwide Full Coverage Quote (Monthly) | Industry Average (Monthly) |
| Young Drivers (25 and under) | $218 | $484 |
| Middle age (25-29) | $109 | $265 |
| Senior Drivers (70+) | $77 | $242.67 |
Source: Insurify
Nationwide Auto Insurance Discounts
Nationwide stands out for offering many discount programs. Here are a few:
- Bundle home and auto insurance to save up to 20% on premiums. Customers save an average of $646 bundling their insurance, according to Nationwide.
- SmartRide: This app tracks your driving habits and gives you discounts of up to 40% for safe driving habits. You'll get 15% off just for signing up.
- SmartMiles: A discount for drivers who don't venture far, this allows you to price your policy based on how many miles you cover annually.
- Safe driver discounts are available to people who haven't been at fault for an accident in five years, while accident-free discounts are available to drivers who have never had an accident. Drivers over the age of 55 can also get a discount for taking a defensive driving course.
- Good student discounts are available to drivers under the age of 25 who maintain at least a B average in school.
Nationwide also offers discounts to people who set up automatic payments and those who drive cars with anti-theft technology.
How to Purchase and Manage a Nationwide Auto Insurance Policy
Getting a quote for Nationwide car insurance is a simple online process. Head to the official Nationwide website, where you'll find the quoting tool at the top of the homepage. Select "auto" from the dropdown menu, enter your zip code, and click "Start your quote." From there, you'll go through a series of questions about your driving history and policy choices.
Having your car's vehicle identification number (VIN) will speed the quoting process along since Nationwide can use it to automatically pull the vehicle specifications. But if you don't have the VIN, then make sure you know your vehicle's year, make, and model.
Requesting a quote should only take a few minutes, and you can purchase a policy online, too.
If you'd rather purchase auto insurance in person, Nationwide has a network of agents across the country. Head to the Nationwide website and scroll down to "Find a local agent." Enter your zip code and click "Go." You'll be taken to an interactive map with all the Nationwide insurance agents in your area.
You can also request a quote over the phone by calling 844-207-7609.
Once you're a Nationwide car insurance policyholder, you can pay your bills and file claims online or through the Nationwide mobile app.
How to File a Claim With Nationwide Auto Insurance
Nationwide customers can file a claim online, via the Nationwide mobile app, or over the phone at 800-421-3535. You can also contact roadside assistance using any of those methods.
Nationwide says it will take about 15 minutes to file a claim online. You'll need documentation, including any police report, repair cost estimates, or photos.
Once you've lodged a claim, you can track it online or by texting 25246 (CLAIMS).
Nationwide Auto Insurance Customer Reviews and Ratings
Nationwide provides a flexible customer experience, allowing policyholders to manage their policies through the Nationwide website, the Nationwide mobile app, and by contacting an agent. The company has a strong reputation, earning an A+ grade from the Better Business Bureau and an A (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best for financial stability.
However, it fares worse among customer reviews, receiving an average of 1.14 stars on its Better Business Bureau page and 1.5 stars on Trustpilot. Customers praise Nationwide for being responsive and providing quick service. Others complain that the claims process is stressful and that certain repairs aren't covered as promised. It's worth mentioning that these reviews pertain to Nationwide as a whole, not just its car insurance.
Nationwide has a 2.35 on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' company complaint index, which means it received
The Nationwide mobile app gets mostly positive reviews, earning an average of 4.5 stars on Google Play and 4.7 stars on the Apple App Store. Users say the app is convenient for paying bills, starting claims, and accessing policyholder ID cards.
Nationwide Auto Insurance Alternatives
Learn more about how Nationwide compares to other top auto insurance options.
Nationwide vs. Farmers Auto Insurance
Nationwide and Farmers Auto Insurance are both popular insurance providers available in most states. They offer similar discount programs, including accident forgiveness, deductible reductions for people who haven't had an accident in years, and safe driving discounts for people who download apps that track driving activities. Farmers offers a few more discounts than Nationwide, including deductions for military members and certain other professionals, and people who drive hybrid or electric vehicles.
Nationwide, in general, has much more affordable rates than Farmers. While Nationwide rates are usually on par with or slightly below the national averages, Farmers is one of the most expensive auto insurance companies traditionally. On the other hand, we found that Farmers was more affordable for some drivers than Nationwide. So, if you're considering these two companies, it's best to get quotes from both in order to compare costs for your specific situation.
Read our Farmers auto insurance review.
Nationwide vs. USAA Auto Insurance
USAA Auto Insurance is known for its affordable rates. There is one major drawback to USAA: It's only available to active military members, veterans, and their families. But if you call into those categories, you may be able to save on insurance. USAA is Insider's pick for the best auto insurance for military members.
There are slight coverage differences between USAA Auto Insurance and Nationwide. Both offer basic coverage options, including liability, collision, and comprehensive. USAA will cover rideshare drivers who use their automobile to work under Uber or Lyft, but Nationwide won't cover people using their cars for that purpose. On the other hand, Nationwide offers gap coverage, which USAA doesn't unless you also finance your vehicle through USAA.
Read our USAA auto insurance review.
Nationwide vs. Progressive Auto Insurance
Progressive Auto Insurance and Nationwide are both among the largest auto insurance companies in the country. They offer the same types of coverage and similar deductions, including reductions in your deductible. We've found that Progressive has slightly lower rates than Nationwide, especially for drivers who have an accident on their driving record. Those drivers will pay an average of $149 with Nationwide, but only $97 with Progressive. Partially for that reason, Progressive is Insider's pick for the best auto insurance for high-risk drivers, including people with accidents and DUIs on their record.
Another major difference is with the optional apps that the insurance companies use to review your driving habits. To be clear, you're not required to use Progressive Snapshot or Nationwide SmartRide. But if you do, Nationwide will only use the data to offer you a discount for safe driving habits. Progressive may also use Snapshot data to justify increasing your premiums.
Read our Progressive auto insurance review.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Nationwide Auto Insurance
To put together this review of Nationwide Auto Insurance, we carefully went over the insurance that Nationwide offers. We read the fine print so that you don't have to (at least at first). We reviewed different coverage types and riders that are available from Nationwide.
We also reviewed third-party reports about Nationwide auto insurance. We looked at the company's financial stability, rankings compared to other insurers, and overall customer satisfaction reports.
Read more about how Business Insider rates auto insurance here.
FAQs
Does Nationwide offer good auto insurance?
Yes, Nationwide is considered a good auto insurance provider because it has a solid financial rating and offers many discount policies. Customers like the convenience of the Nationwide app and generally have few complaints about the company.
Is Nationwide auto insurance good at paying out claims?
Nationwide has an A financial stability rating from AM Best, which indicates it should be reliable when paying out claims. You can file a claim online or through the app, which can help expedite the process.
What factors affect my Nationwide auto insurance rates?
Nationwide car insurance rates are based on numerous factors, including age, location, vehicle, driving record, and the type of coverage you need.
