Nationwide reviews and ratings
- Customer satisfaction ratings are above average for auto insurance shopping.
- Fewer customer complaints than expected for auto insurance products.
- One-stop insurer offers most types of personal insurance policies.
Although it’s probably best known for car insurance, Nationwide offers many types of insurance and financial products. If you prefer to bundle insurance products with a financially strong company, Nationwide might be a good fit.
Nationwide pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators for auto insurance | Offers fewer discounts than some other auto insurance companies |
| Customer satisfaction for auto insurance is better than most other comparable companies | |
| Wide variety of options for customers who want to buy multiple products from one company |
Nationwide auto insurance
Nationwide auto insurance earned 4.0 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account pricing and discounts, ease of filing a claim, website transparency, financial strength, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.
Common types of car insurance coverage
When you’re shopping for car insurance, it’s important to understand what car insurance coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. Most states require car insurance to drive a vehicle. Although minimum coverage requirements vary from state to state, they generally include liability insurance and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
If you want extra protection, you may be interested in full coverage insurance. Full coverage isn’t a specific policy you can buy, but rather a combination of coverage types like liability, collision and comprehensive insurance.
Check out the most common types of car insurance coverage below to see how they work:
| Coverage type | What it pays for | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury and property damage liability | Costs for injuries, deaths or property damage from an accident you caused. | Typically required. |
| Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage | Medical and property damage costs after an accident with a driver who has insufficient insurance or none at all. | Often required. |
| Collision coverage | Repair expenses from traffic-related accidents, regardless of who's at fault. | A car loan or lease may require it. |
| Comprehensive coverage | Repair costs from events outside of your control, including weather events, hitting an animal while driving, theft and vandalism. | A car loan or lease may require it. |
Nationwide offers all that you would expect from an auto insurer, plus a few additional options and perks:
- Gap insurance pays the difference between the cash value of your car when it was totaled or stolen and the amount of money left on your loan or lease. This insurance may be required by your lender, and you must purchase comprehensive and collision coverage to get it.
- Vanishing Deductible: This optional program allows you to chip away at your deductible by driving safely. For every year you don’t have an accident, your deductible goes down by $100, up to a $500 reduction.
- On Your Side Review: Every year and after a major life event, you can take advantage of a free assessment by one of Nationwide’s agents to help you determine whether your insurance policies are right for you and go over any available discounts.
- Accident forgiveness: This helps you avoid a rate increase after you or someone on your policy causes a crash. It’s not available in every state, and Nationwide will forgive one accident per policy only.
- Total loss deductible waiver: If your car is totaled, this coverage lets you waive your comprehensive or collision deductible.
» MORE: Car insurance comparison tool
Nationwide’s auto insurance discounts include:
- Multipolicy discount.
- Anti-theft discount.
- Accident-free discount.
- Good student discount.
- Safe driver discount.
- Paperless discount.
- Discount if you sign up for automatic payments.
- Affinity member discount for being part of groups like alumni associations or professional organizations.
- Defensive driving discount for those age 55 and older who complete an approved safety course.
SmartRide uses an app or device that plugs into your car’s diagnostic port to monitor your driving behavior. It can track mileage, fast acceleration, hard braking and the time of day you drive. Nationwide uses the data to determine your discount, up to 40%, for safe driving. Drivers can get an initial discount just for signing up.
SmartMiles could save you money if you don’t drive often. This pay-per-mile program charges a base rate, plus a variable premium based on how many miles you drove in the previous month. In addition to savings based on low mileage, you could also get a 10% discount for safe driving.
» MORE: Car insurance quotes: What you need to know
Auto insurance buying guide
Before you compare car insurance companies, you’ll need to collect some basic information. This includes the driving history of everyone who will be on the policy, as well as facts about your car, such as safety features and annual mileage driven. You’ll also want to determine which types of coverage you need. For example, do you want only the bare minimum insurance that your state requires, or do you need more extensive coverage, such as gap insurance or rideshare coverage? Check that each company you’re considering has the options you want.
When comparing rates among insurers, make sure each is offering the same coverage limits and deductibles. You may not want to make your decision based on price alone. Look at how many consumer complaints each company has, as a high number of complaints could be a red flag about the quality of service you'll receive.
Depending on which company you choose, you may be able to buy insurance online, over the phone or through an agent. For more guidance, see how to get car insurance.
Nationwide homeowners insurance
Nationwide offers homeowners insurance with typical coverage options, plus a few extra perks. Learn more in NerdWallet’s Nationwide home insurance review.
Nationwide complaints and customer satisfaction
Nationwide had fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators for auto insurance relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Nationwide ranks better than average for auto insurance customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power studies.
| 2020 J.D. Power study | Nationwide ranks... |
|---|---|
| Auto insurance shopping | Better than average |
| Auto insurance claims satisfaction | Better than average |
More about Nationwide
Website: Nationwide’s website has a portal where you can pay bills, file and track claims, manage policies and view documents. The site also has tools for planning your retirement.
Mobile apps: You can manage your policy, start a claim, call for roadside assistance and get auto insurance ID cards on the Nationwide mobile app, available for iOS and Android. The company has a separate app for its SmartRide program, which tracks your driving behavior and offers discounts for safe habits.
Nationwide life insurance
Nationwide offers term, whole, universal and variable life insurance policies. To learn more, see our Nationwide life insurance review.
| Other types of insurance from Nationwide include: | |
|---|---|
| Condo insurance | Identity theft insurance |
| Renters insurance | Boat and personal watercraft insurance |
| Motorcycle insurance | RV insurance |
| Dental insurance | Business insurance |
| ATV insurance | Umbrella insurance |
| Travel insurance | Snowmobile insurance |
| Scooter and moped insurance | Pet insurance |
Nationwide also partners with third parties to sell classic car insurance, wedding insurance and special liability insurance.
» MORE: Nationwide renters insurance review
