Nationwide insurance review 2023
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At a glance

Auto
3.9
Cost & ratings
4.0
Coverage
3.5
Support
4.4
Home
3.2
Cost & ratings
2.8
Coverage
4.0
Support
3
About Bankrate Score
Bottom Line
Policyholders who value bundling insurance coverage, robust coverage options or have unique coverage needs might consider Nationwide as their company of choice.
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Robust policy offerings
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Superior financial strength ratings
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Generally receives lower-than-average J.D. Power rankings
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Not available in all states
In 2014, Nationwide rebranded its subsidiary companies — including Allied Insurance, which had long been a Nationwide brand — into the Nationwide name. If you’re searching for Allied car insurance or Allied home insurance, you’ll need to get quotes from Nationwide now, as the companies are officially one and the same.
Nationwide car insurance
Nationwide car insurance coverage could be a good fit for drivers who prioritize policy customization. Our Nationwide Insurance review found that the company offers coverage options that may not be found at other insurance carriers. These include accident forgiveness and a vanishing deductible, although the availability of these features may depend on your location and state regulations.
In addition to insuring personal vehicles, Nationwide also offers car insurance for classic cars through its partnership with Hagerty. Those who own vehicles like antique, classic and muscle cars might be interested in coverage, but it’s interesting to note that Hagerty also extends coverage to collector motorcycles and scooters, classic military vehicles and even retired commercial vehicles.
Nationwide car insurance is not available in all states. Coverage is sold in 46 states and Washington, D.C. Drivers in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana and Massachusetts are not currently eligible for coverage. The lack of nationwide availability combined with no 24/7 customer service kept Nationwide’s Bankrate Score from being higher.
Pros and cons of Nationwide car insurance
As you’re shopping for the best car insurance company, it may be helpful to get several auto insurance quotes to compare rates and coverage offerings. There’s more to a company than what shows up on a quote, though, and comparing car insurance rates may only give you a limited view of how a company might suit your needs. It may be helpful to know other areas where each company excels and lacks. Here are some of the pros and cons of Nationwide car insurance that we identified in our analysis:
PROS
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Robust coverage options available
10 advertised discounts
Offers two telematics programs
CONS
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Below-average J.D. Power claims satisfaction score
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Most regional J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores are below average
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Not available in all states
Nationwide car insurance cost
According to Bankrate’s study of average premiums obtained from Quadrant Information Services, Nationwide’s annual premium is $1,422 per year for full coverage and $567 per year for minimum coverage. For comparison purposes, the national average cost of car insurance is $2,014 per year for full coverage and $622 per year for minimum coverage. Your rates may vary based on your unique rating factors.
Nationwide car insurance rates by driving history
Your driving record may have a substantial impact on your car insurance rates. Maintaining a clean driving record could be one of the best strategies for finding cheap car insurance. If you have incidents like at-fault accidents or moving violations on your record, you’ll likely pay more for coverage. Below you can see average Nationwide rates after one speeding ticket and one at-fault accident. We chose not to feature DUI rates because some companies may not extend coverage to drivers with a DUI conviction. You may contact Nationwide directly to discuss your eligibility if you have a DUI on your record.
Nationwide average monthly full coverage premium Nationwide average annual full coverage premium National average annual full coverage premium Clean driving history $119 $1,422 $2,014 Speeding ticket conviction $140 $1,684 $2,427 At-fault accident $154 $1,852 $2,854 Nationwide average monthly minimum coverage premium Nationwide average annual minimum coverage premium National average annual minimum coverage premium Clean driving history $47 $567 $622 Speeding ticket conviction $56 $668 $748 At-fault accident $63 $754 $892 Nationwide car insurance quotes by age
In most states, your age is also a rating factor for your car insurance, with younger drivers usually paying higher premiums due to their inexperience behind the wheel. If you have a young driver in your household, it’s typically cheaper to keep them on your policy until they move out and establish their own households. Below, we show Nationwide’s average premiums and the national average for a range of drivers with clean driving records both on and off their parents’ policy.
Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their parents’ policy
Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their own policy
Nationwide car insurance discounts
Discounts may be one of the easiest ways to save on your car insurance. Nationwide offers several discount opportunities to help drivers lower their premiums. Keep in mind that discounts and eligibility could vary by state. Nationwide’s car insurance discounts include:
Drivers 55 and over who complete a state-approved safety course may qualify for this discount.If you or a driver on your policy is between the ages of 16 and 24 and is also a full-time student, you may qualify for this discount if you show proof of a B-or-better grade average.Designed for low-mileage drivers, this program tracks your actual miles driven and may adjust your monthly rate accordingly. Driving fewer miles generally means less chance of an accident, so you may see lower rates.By enrolling in the SmartRide usage-based telematics program, drivers could earn a discount on their auto policy while also receiving feedback to build safe driving habits.Nationwide car tools and benefits
Although Nationwide started with standard auto insurance, it has since expanded its offerings to a wide variety of other vehicle types. If you own a motorcycle, recreational vehicle, motorhome, travel trailer, camper, scooter, golf cart or personal watercraft, Nationwide’s menu of vehicle coverages may make it easy to insure them all in one place. Nationwide also maintains a blog with helpful articles on topics like car maintenance and tips for buying a car.
Nationwide policyholders who prefer handling their policies digitally may be interested in the Nationwide mobile app. Nationwide’s app is one of the few in the industry that lets you make changes to your policy without contacting an agent (although you may still want to talk with a licensed professional before updating your coverage). Within the app, you can also access your ID cards, pay bills and file claims. While the features of the app are robust, it may be worth noting that the company’s digital sales and service received some of the lowest ratings in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study.
Nationwide home insurance
Based on Bankrate’s assessment of Nationwide homeowners insurance, the company could be worth considering for homeowners with high-value homes. On top of the standard homeowners insurance coverage options, Nationwide offers a variety of endorsements to enhance your policy. Homeowners can add Better Roof Replacement, which allows for the use of stronger and safer roofing materials to be used to repair your roof if it is damaged due to a covered loss. The company also offers Valuables Plus which provides additional coverage for high-value items.
Nationwide home insurance isn’t available nationwide. It’s sold in 43 states and Washington, D.C., but Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Mexico currently do not have access to Nationwide home insurance. Nationwide also received a below-average score for overall customer satisfaction in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Home Insurance Study, which contributed to its lower Bankrate Score.
Pros and cons of Nationwide homeowners insurance
Nationwide might be the best home insurance company for some, but it still has potential drawbacks. Comparing home insurance quotes, coverage options, digital tools and third-party scores may be a valuable step in finding the right insurer for your needs. Here are some pros and cons of Nationwide home insurance that you may want to consider:
PROS
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Numerous policy endorsements
A variety of discounts
Local agents available
CONS
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Only available in 43 states and Washington, D.C.
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Lower-than-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction score
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No 24/7 customer service
Nationwide home insurance cost
On average, Nationwide home insurance costs $1,153 per year for a policy with $250K in dwelling coverage. The national average cost of homeowners insurance is $1,428 for the same coverage amount. Rates may vary based on a number of underlying factors, like the unique details of your home, your claims history and how much coverage you need. Below is a comparison of Nationwide’s average rates compared to the national average for several different dwelling limit amounts.
Dwelling coverage limit Nationwide average annual premium National average annual premium $150,000 $795 $975 $250,000 $1,153 $1,428 $350,000 $1,519 $1,879 $450,000 $1,884 $2,343 $750,000 $3,237 $3,761 Nationwide home insurance discounts
If you are searching for the cheapest homeowners insurance policy, taking advantage of Nationwide’s home insurance discounts could help lower your premium. Some of Nationwide’s home insurance discounts are listed below, but remember that eligibility and availability vary by state.
If you live in a community where the vehicle entrances require a resident key or are monitored by security guards, you might save on your Nationwide home insurance.If your home was purchased within the last 12 months, this discount could be applied to your policy.If you have recently renovated the plumbing, heating, cooling or electrical systems in your home, this discount could reward you with premium savings on your homeowners policy.If you add the Notion Smart Home Monitoring System to your policy, you might save on your home insurance. This discount and program is only available in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Washington, D.C.Nationwide home tools and benefits
The Nationwide mobile app is also available for home insurance, and many of the features — including making payments and filing claims — are available.
Through its partnership with Axos Bank, Nationwide also offers financial services like home buying, obtaining a new mortgage and refinancing your existing mortgage. Axos Bank can walk both first-time and experienced home buyers through the full process of purchasing a home, as well as the mortgage application and approval process. Interested customers may call 844-296-7466 to speak with an Axos Bank mortgage specialist or start their application online.
Nationwide life insurance
Nationwide life insurance may be a good option if you like having all your policies with one company and are looking for a company that offers several life insurance options. The company has four different types of life insurance products — term, whole, universal and variable — and could be the best life insurance company for you if you're looking for policy customization.
Pros and cons of Nationwide life insurance
If you’re shopping for life insurance and comparing life insurance quotes, it may be helpful to understand that life insurance rates don’t typically vary as much between companies as car or home insurance rates. Your cost of life insurance will likely depend more on your personal rating factors and the coverage types and limits you choose. This means that other features of a company may be more important to review than price. These are some of the pros and cons we identified with Nationwide life insurance:
PROS
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Four types of coverage available
Licensed local agents available to help you through the process
Online access available to manage and review policies
CONS
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Only term products can be quoted online
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No final expense coverage available
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No online live chat feature
Nationwide life insurance endorsements
Nationwide offers several life insurance riders to help you personalize your coverage. Available riders may vary based on your eligibility and the product you choose. You may be able to add chronic, critical or terminal illness riders; a children’s term rider; an estate protection rider and more. Speaking with a Nationwide representative may help you determine which riders fit your needs, but keep in mind that riders will likely increase your overall life insurance cost.
Nationwide life tools and benefits
Life insurance products may be an essential part of your financial plan, but knowing what coverage is right for you might also be a complicated process. To get started, Nationwide has life insurance specialists available at 866-207-9160 to help you learn more about their products and what could work for you. You can also speak to a local Nationwide agent about your life insurance needs.
Nationwide customer satisfaction
If you want the best insurance company for your needs, looking at third-party reviews may be an important step. AM Best gives Nationwide an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating, which is the second-highest level possible. This means that, historically, Nationwide had shown a strong ability to pay claims.
In addition to financial strength ratings, you may also want to consider customer satisfaction. J.D. Power is a data analytics company that ranks insurers based on their overall customer and claims satisfaction, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is an organization that, among other things, tracks complaints filed by policyholders against insurance companies. We’ve broken down Nationwide’s scores in the sections below.
Nationwide auto satisfaction
Nationwide was rated in five of the 11 regions in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study. In four of those five regions, though, it received a below-average rating for overall customer satisfaction. Only in the Southeast was Nationwide rated above average. Nationwide also received a below-average score in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. These ratings could mean that some customers are not satisfied with Nationwide’s service.
On the other hand, Nationwide’s private passenger (personal auto) product receives a NAIC complaint index of 0.39. The baseline is 1.00, which indicates a normal level of complaints. A score of 0.39 means that the NAIC receives fewer complaints than average regarding Nationwide’s auto insurance service.
Nationwide homeowners satisfaction
Nationwide fares slightly better for home satisfaction than it does with auto satisfaction. The 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Home Insurance Study, which analyzes overall customer satisfaction across a range of metrics, still ranked Nationwide below average, but only by a three-point margin. Additionally, in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study, Nationwide was ranked well above the industry average.
The NAIC gives Nationwide home insurance a complaint index of 0.59, which is higher than its auto score but still lower than the baseline.
Nationwide life satisfaction
The 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study awarded Nationwide a score of 791 out of 1,000, which places the company above the industry average of 774. This indicates that policyholders are generally satisfied with Nationwide’s life insurance service.
How to file a claim with Nationwide
Nationwide allows you to file a claim in several ways:
- Contact your local agent
- File through the mobile app
- File online
- Call 1-800-421-3535 for auto and property insurance claims
- Call 1-800-848-6331 for life insurance claims
Once your claim is filed, you’ll likely speak with a claims adjuster who will walk you through the next steps.
Nationwide offers some potentially helpful perks when it comes to the claims process. If you have an auto insurance claim, you could opt to have your vehicle fixed with the On Your Side Auto Repair Network. These are repair shops that partner with Nationwide to offer a guarantee on the repairs as long as you own the car. Nationwide offers a similar program for home insurance claims, called the On Your Side Property Repair Network.
Nationwide availability
Nationwide auto insurance is available in 46 states and Washington, D.C. Drivers in the following states are not currently eligible for coverage:
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
Nationwide home insurance is a bit more restricted and is only sold in 43 states and Washington, D.C. These are the states where home insurance from Nationwide isn’t available:
- Alaska
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
Other Nationwide perks worth considering
Auto, homeowners and life insurance are common products, but Nationwide offers many more products and services including:
- Banking: Nationwide’s partner Axos Bank offers customers an array of personal banking and lending services. These include checking, savings, money market and CDs, mortgages, refinancing for home and auto loans, and personal loans.
- Renters insurance: If you are a renter, a renters insurance policy insures your belongings and provides liability protection and additional living expenses. You may even qualify for a bundling discount on your auto insurance and renters insurance.
- Umbrella insurance: Umbrella coverage provides an additional layer of liability protection above the standard liability limits on any underlying policies you have.
- Pet insurance: With Nationwide’s pet health insurance, eligible veterinary costs can be reimbursed and existing Nationwide customers can even earn a 5 percent discount off their pet health insurance policy premium.
Nationwide's corporate sustainability
The Nationwide Foundation was founded in 1959 and has given more than $585 million to nonprofits in the U.S. since 2000. Its focus is specifically in four areas: food security, crisis assistance, social and economic issues and children’s welfare. Nationwide also encourages personal gifts from its employees by matching their donations to certain programs, including Nationwide’s Hunger Relief Campaign, Community Giving Campaign and Associates Helping Associates.
Not sure if Nationwide is right for you?
If you’re not sure if Nationwide is the right fit for your insurance needs, you might want to research these similar companies:
Nationwide vs. State Farm
State Farm might be appealing if you are considering Nationwide in part because of its banking products. State Farm also sells both insurance and banking products that may allow you to consolidate your policies in one place. State Farm doesn’t offer an accident forgiveness endorsement though; you have to earn the coverage by being accident-free for a certain amount of time.
Learn more: State Farm Insurance review
Nationwide vs. Geico
If you’re looking for a company that has options for high-risk drivers, you might consider Geico. Coverage is available nationwide, but keep in mind that Geico’s home insurance is sold by third party partners. If you’re looking for a company with a track record of home insurance offerings, Nationwide could be a better option.
Learn more: Geico Insurance review
Nationwide vs. Auto-Owners
If Nationwide’s robust endorsements appeal to you, you could check out Auto-Owners. The company offers robust auto and home insurance options and a long list of discounts for each policy type. Auto-Owners is only available in 26 states, though, so Nationwide is available more widely.
Learn more: Auto-Owners Insurance review
Is Nationwide a good insurance company?
After reviewing Nationwide's offerings and comparing these with our insurance editorial team's knowledge of more than 100 other insurance companies, we determined that Nationwide might be a good company for drivers and homeowners looking for personalized insurance coverage and banking products.
The insurer offers a range of insurance products and robust optional coverage types that might help you build the coverage that you need. While Nationwide has a relatively high AM Best financial strength rating and lower-than-average NAIC complaint indexes for auto and home, it doesn’t have the most outstanding J.D. Power customer or claims satisfaction ratings. You may want to talk with current Nationwide policyholders before deciding if the company is right for you.
46years of industry expertise122carriers reviewed20.7KZIP codes examined1.2Mquotes analyzedMethodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on 40-year-old male and female homeowners with a clean claim history, good credit and the following coverage limits:
Auto
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our sample drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 16–60 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts.
The rates for drivers ages 16–20 added to their parents’ policy reflect the good student and driver's training discounts applied. The rates for drivers aged 16–20 on their own policy do not include the good student and driver's training discounts. Additionally, 25-year-old rates are based on the driver as a renter and 30+ on the driver as a homeowner.
Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), single speeding ticket and single at-fault accident.
Homeowners
- Coverage A, Dwelling: $150,000, $250,000, $350,000, $450,000, $750,000
- Coverage B, Other Structures: $15,000, $25,000, $35,000, $45,000, $75,000
- Coverage C, Personal Property: $75,000, $125,000, $175,000, $225,000, $375,000
- Coverage D, Loss of Use: $30,000, $50,000, $70,000, $90,000, $150,000
- Coverage E, Liability: $300,000, $300,000, $300,000, $300,000, $500,000
- Coverage F, Medical Payments: $1,000
The homeowners also have a $1,000 deductible and a separate wind and hail deductible (if required).
These are sample rates and should be used for comparative purposes only. Your quotes will differ.
Bankrate Scores
Our 2023 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.
Like our previous Bankrate Scores, each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. This year, our 2023 scoring model provides a more comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and better highlighting where they fall short.
- Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, 2023 quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best and the NAIC, were analyzed.
- Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
- Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto and home insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.
Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.