Nationwide Homeowners Insurance Review 2023
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Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
One of the 10 largest U.S. home insurers, Nationwide stands out for including coverage in its homeowners policies that would cost you extra elsewhere. Nationwide home insurance is available in most states and offers plenty of opportunities for discounts.
Nationwide home insurance star rating
Nationwide homeowners insurance earned 4.5 out of 5 stars for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The homeowners insurance scoring formula takes into account policy coverage options and discounts, ease of filing a claim, website transparency, the financial strength of the company, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.
Based on this rating, Nationwide is among NerdWallet’s best home insurance companies for 2023.
State availability
Nationwide sells homeowners insurance in Washington, D.C., and every state except Alaska, Hawaii and Louisiana.
Nationwide home insurance coverage
You can customize your homeowners policy with numerous add-ons, but below are the types of coverage that generally come standard:
Type of coverage | What it does |
|---|---|
Pays to repair or rebuild the structure of your home. | |
Covers damage to unattached structures such as a shed or fence. | |
Pays to repair or replace personal belongings such as furniture or clothing. | |
Pays for hotel stays, restaurant meals or other expenses if you have to live elsewhere while your home undergoes covered repairs. | |
Covers legal expenses and damages if you're responsible for injuries to other people or their property. | |
Medical payments | Covers injuries to guests in your home, regardless of fault. |
For more details, see What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
A Nationwide homeowners policy includes the standard coverage you’d expect as well as insurance that other companies often charge extra for. For instance, you may be able to get ordinance or law coverage for no additional cost; this pays to bring your house up to building codes during rebuilding or repairs after a claim, up to your policy limits.
A Nationwide home insurance policy also covers losses up to $500 due to unauthorized credit or debit transactions, forged checks or counterfeit money. You can upgrade to $10,000 worth of coverage.
Depending on where you live and which policy you have, you may be able to add the following features:
Extended or guaranteed replacement cost coverage, which pays out above your dwelling coverage limit in case it costs more than expected to rebuild your home after a covered disaster.
Brand New Belongings, which pays enough to restore damaged belongings or replace them with new items. (A default homeowners policy covers older items for only their depreciated value.)
Better Roof Replacement, which pays to rebuild your roof with stronger materials if it’s damaged for a covered reason.
Identity theft coverage to monitor your personal data and help with resolution if your identity is stolen.
Additional valuables coverage for jewelry, art and other high-value belongings.
Water backup coverage for damage due to an overflowing sump pump or a backed-up drain.
Personal injury coverage, which covers lawsuits for issues like slander, libel and other personal offenses.
Service line coverage, which pays for damage, excavation costs, additional living costs and other expenses that arise from needing to repair or replace underground service lines like piping and wiring.
Other optional coverage types may be available.
Nationwide home insurance rates
The average cost of Nationwide home insurance is $2,180 per year, according to a NerdWallet rate analysis. That's more expensive than the national average of $1,820 per year. It's also above the average rates of some of Nationwide's large national competitors.
Company | Average annual rate |
|---|---|
$1,500. | |
$1,660. | |
$2,180. | |
$2,190. | |
USAA* | $1,775. |
*USAA homeowners insurance is available only to active-duty military members, veterans and their families. | |
The sample rates above are for 40-year-old homeowners with good credit, a $1,000 deductible, $300,000 in dwelling coverage and $300,000 in liability insurance. Your rates will be different.
Discounts
Nationwide offers a variety of ways to save on your homeowners insurance depending on where you live, including discounts for:
Bundling homeowners and auto insurance with Nationwide.
Purchasing your home within the past 12 months.
Remaining claims-free.
Having a newer roof made out of qualifying materials.
Installing smoke detectors, fire alarms, burglar alarms or other protective devices.
Having been continuously insured by another carrier.
Living in a gated community.
Having select smart-home technology.
Homeowners may also receive a renovation credit for updating plumbing, heating, cooling or electrical systems.
Consumer complaints
Nationwide had close to the expected number of complaints to state regulators relative to its size for home insurance, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Consumer experience
Website: It’s easy to manage your homeowners policy on the Nationwide website, where you can pay bills, file and track claims, set up automatic payments and enroll in paperless billing. The site’s learning center features articles on a variety of home insurance topics.
App: On Nationwide’s mobile app, available for iOS and Android, you can view policy documents, file and track a claim, pay bills and enroll in autopay.
Claims: You can file a Nationwide home insurance claim online, on the Nationwide mobile app or by calling 800-421-3535. Nationwide will assign an adjuster who will help you through the process from there. For advice, see how to file a home insurance claim.
Customer service: You can reach out to your local agent or call 877-669-6877 for help. Customer service staff is available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET daily. After hours, you can get proof of insurance and pay your bill over the phone. You can also schedule a callback. Plus, there's a chatbot on the Nationwide site that can answer basic questions.
Where Nationwide stands out
Ways to save. Nationwide offers so many potential discounts that homeowners will likely qualify for at least one.
Coverage options. There are many ways to customize your policy with Nationwide, whether you’re looking for just the basics or a more comprehensive package.
Where Nationwide falls short
High rates. Nationwide’s average annual premium is higher than the national average, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis.
Not available in Alaska, Hawaii and Louisiana. Homeowners in these states will need to look for other insurers.
Nationwide vs. competitors
Nationwide vs. Allstate home insurance
The biggest difference between Nationwide and Allstate home insurance is the average cost. Allstate’s policies cost less than the national average, while Nationwide’s cost more, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. However, your rates may vary depending on where you live and how much coverage you need.
Aside from their rates, Nationwide and Allstate have a lot in common. They’re among the biggest insurance companies in the country, with long lists of coverage options and discounts that you may be eligible for. They have websites and apps where you can pay bills, file claims and manage your policy, but they also have local agents available for more personal service.
Check out our Allstate home insurance review to learn more.
Nationwide vs. Geico home insurance
The main difference between Nationwide and Geico home insurance is that Nationwide sells its own policies while Geico offers policies from third parties. The coverage and discounts you get from Geico will depend on which insurer it pairs you with, and if you need to file a claim, you’ll need to file with the third-party company.
You can get online quotes from Nationwide and Geico, and either company may offer you a bundling discount if you buy auto and home insurance. Both companies are well-established insurers serving homeowners across the U.S.
Get more details in our Geico home insurance review.
Is Nationwide home insurance right for you?
If you’re looking for a highly customizable homeowners insurance policy from a well-established national carrier, Nationwide’s policies are worth considering.
Other home insurance companies to consider
Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other homeowners insurance companies:
Amica: Known for good customer service and strong coverage options.
Liberty Mutual: Big national brand with plenty of discounts.
State Farm: Well-established insurer with a lengthy list of coverage options.
Travelers: Decent coverage, good discounts and options for eco-conscious homeowners.
Homeowners insurance star ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s homeowners insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints, coverage, discounts and online experience. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our full ratings methodology for home insurance.
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2019-2021. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
Homeowners insurance rates methodology
NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-old homeowners from various insurance companies in every ZIP code across the U.S. All rates are rounded to the nearest $5.
Sample homeowners were nonsmokers with good credit living in a single-family, two-story home built in 1984. They had a $1,000 deductible and the following coverage limits:
$300,000 in dwelling coverage.
$30,000 in other structures coverage.
$150,000 in personal property coverage.
$60,000 in loss of use coverage.
$300,000 in liability coverage.
$1,000 in medical payments coverage.
We made minor changes to the sample policy in cases where rates for the above coverage limits or deductibles weren’t available.
These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.
