Nationwide is the tenth-largest insurer by direct written property and casualty premiums, as per the Insurance Information Institute (III). It boasts a wide selection of insurance, banking, investment, and life planning products and services. The company has its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.

In this guide, we’ll cover Nationwide’s auto, homeowners, and renters insurance in depth. This includes a detailed review of the company’s coverages and discounts, as well as the factors it uses to set your rates. We’ll also provide key company information, such as its customer satisfaction ranking, mobile apps, claims process, and more. After reading our shopping guide, you’ll be able to decide if Nationwide is the right insurer for you.

Nationwide Auto Insurance

Nationwide is the eighth-largest auto insurance company in the US, according to the III. It offers a wide range of auto coverages, discounts, and ranks high among other providers for customer satisfaction. J.D. Power gave it a score of 858 out of 1,000 for overall customer satisfaction in 2022. This score places them fifth out of all other insurer.

Auto Coverages

With Nationwide, you’ll have plenty of auto coverages to choose from. These include basic ones, such as uninsured motorist (UM) and personal injury protection (PIP), but they also include extras like guaranteed asset protection (GAP).

Below is a complete list of auto coverages:

• Liability. Liability pays for any property damage or injuries you’re liable for from an at-fault accident.
• Collision. Collision pays to fix damages to your car after a collision with an object, animal, or pothole.
• Comprehensive. Comprehensive pays for vehicle damages that a crash didn’t cause. Examples include natural disasters, theft, vandalism, water damage, and fires.
• Personal injury protection (PIP). PIP covers injuries that you or your passengers suffer from a car accident. This kicks in no matter who caused the collision.
• Medical payments (MedPay). MedPay covers the medical bills for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of fault.
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM and UIM). UM and UIM pays for any expenses that an uninsured driver or one with insufficient coverage causes in a car accident.
• Towing and labor. If your car is broken down on the side of the road, this will pay for the towing and labor costs.
• Rental car expense. After an accident, this covers the expenses of a rental car until your vehicle gets the repairs it needs.
• Guaranteed asset protection (GAP). If your car is a total loss, gap coverage will help pay the difference between what you owe and the actual cash value (ACV) of a vehicle. Otherwise, you’d have to pay the remainder of your loan.
• Classic and collector cars. Every vehicle needs coverage, and collector cars are no different. They may not be on the road much, but they need protection when they are. Classic cars need special coverage which Nationwide offers through it’s Hagerty partnership.
• Accident forgiveness. If you’ve gone years without crashing, Nationwide will forgive your first at-fault accident. Availability varies depending on the state.
• Vanishing deductible. With each year of safe driving, take $100 off your deductible.
• Total loss deductible waiver. For an extra cost, this coverage will remove any deductible if your car is a total loss.
• Umbrella. An umbrella policy adds extra liability protection, helping cover you from expensive lawsuits and claims.

Roadside Assistance

Nationwide provides 24/7 roadside assistance to help you out when your car breaks down. The insurer provides this coverage through a company called Agero. Calling for help will get you any of the following:

• Towing up to 15 miles
• Dead battery jump-start
• Fuel delivery
• Flat tire change
• Winching
• Lockout services (up to $100)

There are two forms of roadside coverage (both of which include the above)—Basic and Plus. Roadside Assistance Basic just includes the above, while the Plus plan adds the services below:

• Towing up to 100 miles
• Trip interruption coverage that goes up to $500 if you’re stuck 100 or more miles away from home. This includes things like lodging, meals, and other modes of transportation.

We ranked Nationwide number two on our list of the best auto insurers for roadside assistance. To get emergency assistance coverage, you’ll have to add it to your policy.

How to Request Roadside Assistance

You can call upon emergency assistance on the mobile app or on the insurer’s website. It also works to call the roadside assistance phone number: (800) 421-3535.

Policy Term Length

You can get either six- or 12-month policy terms. It’ll be up to you to decide which one is better for you. Six-month periods allow for more flexibility. However, 12-month terms allow you to keep the same rates for a longer time. It’s important to note that short-term or temporary policies are not offered.

High-Risk Coverage

This provider insures some high-risk drivers, but whether they do depends on how severe your record is. You can also get help filing your SR-22 if your state required you to do so. Keep in mind that while you may be offered a policy as a high-risk driver, it’ll be much more expensive than normal.

Salvage Titles

Cars with salvage titles were once a total loss. Nationwide, like most insurance companies, won’t insure them. There’s no point in paying for auto insurance because driving a salved vehicle is illegal. Once the words “salvage” are branded onto your car title, it must remain parked.

Rebuilt Titles

Nationwide insures rebuilt titles and cars with similar branding. Be aware that despite the significant time and money the vehicle restoration took, you may only qualify for a liability-only insurance policy. This is because, even though the rebuild went through state inspections, it was still a total loss at one point.

How to Get a Quote

Whether you’re a first-time customer or renewing your policy, getting a quote is a breeze. There are three easy ways to get one:

• By visiting the website
• Calling (877) 669-6877
• Contacting your agent

Information You May Need to Provide

When you get a quote, you must provide information about yourself. This helps determine how much to fairly charge you for coverage. Here’s what you need to get an accurate rate:

• Your name
• Your address and ZIP code
• Information about your car, such as make and model
• Desired coverage and limits
• Marital status
• Sex
• Mobile phone number
• Email address
• Driver’s license number
• Completion date of any accident prevention or defensive driving courses you’ve taken

This may seem like a lot. But all of this information is necessary to provide you with an accurate and fair price. Keep in mind that online quotes won’t give you a final rate. You’ll normally need to speak with a representative to find out what your final price will be.

Auto Insurance Rates

Auto premiums vary depending on many factors. Nationwide will consider many details about you and your record to determine how risky of a driver you are. Here are a few things taken into consideration when setting your rates:

• Age
• Area of residence
• Driving history
• How much coverage you buy
• Car make and model

While many of the factors above aren’t in your control, there are still ways to pay less for car insurance. Nationwide makes it easy to lower your rates by offering several discounts, such as its SmartRide and SmartMiles programs. When you’re getting a quote, be sure to ask your agent about the discounts you could qualify for.

Auto Discounts

Nationwide allows you to save money on car insurance with discounts. The company’s discount selection isn’t as extensive as some other insurers. However, there are still enough options to lower your rates by a wide margin. Below is a full look at the carriers discounts:

Bundling/Multi-Policy

You qualify for the multi-policy discount if you combine two or more policies together. Bundling is a no-brainer, with up to 20% of savings at stake. Based on our findings, Nationwide has the third-best home and auto bundle out there.

The website claims that most save an average of $646 a year when they bundle home and auto.

The following are examples of some policy bundling options:

• Auto and home
• Auto, home, and life
• Auto and renters
• Auto and boat

There’s also a multi-car discount option that lets you add two or more vehicles into one policy.

Driver and Driving History Discounts

Nationwide provides discounts based on your driving habits and history. These reward you for minimizing claims and taking steps to be a better driver.

Defensive Driving

The defensive driving course discount is available for older drivers once they reach the age of 55. If that were the only requirement, it’d be a senior driver discount. But this reward concerns defensive driving. To receive these savings, you must have:

• At least 55 birthdays
• No at-fault accidents on your record within the past 35 months
• Completed state-approved accident prevention or driver safety course

You must pass the defensive driving course to qualify for the discount. How much you save can vary. But most customers save about 5%.

Good Student

The good student discount is for families with kids in school to lower their premiums. They don’t publish the actual savings, but you’ll see lower rates on your bill if you meet the discount requirements. Here’s how to qualify:

• Age 16 to 24
• Full-time high school or college student
• B average or 3.0 GPA

You must provide proof of your student’s scholastic achievement before you’ll see a rate reduction:

• Current grade report card
• Form signed by school admin

Homeschool families can also get in on the good student discount. Students must take standardized tests such as the PSAT, SAT, or ACT and score in the top 20% nationally.

Safe Driver

The safe driver discount kicks in when you’ve gone five years without an accident or moving violation. So, if you can go five years without incident, you’ll be rewarded. Exactly how much you’ll save, the company doesn’t say. Like most auto discounts, your savings depend on a variety of factors.

SmartRide

SmartRide is a telematics program that rewards safe drivers with lower rates. You’ll also get driving tips to help you improve your score. Policyholders save 15% just for signing up. After that, it’s simple. The safer you drive, the more you save. The provider claims that the safest drivers can lower their auto rates up to 40%. Because of these high savings, we ranked Nationwide as having the second-best telematics program.

SmartRide isn’t watching your every move. It only tracks and records these four things when you drive:

• Miles driven. Driving is a risky business. The more you do it, the greater your chances of getting into an accident. It’s sort of obvious if you think about it.
• Hard braking and acceleration. Quick starts and stops are an aggressive driver’s bread and butter. The app flags accelerations faster than 7.7 mph/second. Sorry Tesla owners!
• Idle time. The SmartRide app records how long you’re stopped idling on a trip. This often happens when you drive during periods of high traffic congestion.
• Nighttime driving. The app measures driving time between 12 AM and 5 AM. Driving very early in the morning puts you at higher risk for an accident.

You can track your progress in the program once you activate the app. You’ll be able to see your projected discount and tips on how to improve it. At the end of the program period (about four to six months), your final discount is locked in. Your savings are applied to your auto insurance rate when the policy renews. Most drivers save an average of 21% with the SmartRide discount.

Can Using SmartRide Raise Your Rates?

Nationwide states that your rates won’t increase because of the data collected by the SmartRide app. You’ll only see lower rates. And everyone gets a 15% discount for joining. Even so, bad driving is its own reward. People that get into accidents and acquire moving violations should expect their rates to go up.

Call (855) 241-9720 or your agent to join SmartRide.

The SmartRide program includes a lot of small print. Actual savings vary because of too many factors to list. Program rules in California and North Carolina differ. The most important one is that your final discount could be zero.

SmartMiles – Pay by Mile

SmartMiles is a pay-per-mile program that allows you to pay based on your mileage. Your rates are split into two parts. One is your base rate, or the part that won’t change. The other part is variable. The variable rate is based on how much you drive each month, or your “cost-per-mile.”

If you only drive a few miles a week, this is something worth looking into. Signing up is easy. But to start recording trips, you’ll need to install a small device on your car. Once the device is active, it begins tracking your trips. You can check the app or log into your account on their website to monitor your mileage and payment.

After your first policy renewal, participants qualify for the safe driving behavior discount. This discount lowers your rates up to 10%.

Not available in AK, HI, NC, NY, and OK

Car-Based Discounts

These discounts help lower rates based on features installed on your vehicle. Most new cars will have some or all of the features that can get you a discount.

Anti-Theft

The anti-theft discount is for drivers with both factory-installed and aftermarket anti-theft devices. Not every device qualifies for this discount. But if the device disables your car so a crook can’t drive off with it, there’s a good chance it does.

How much you save depends on where you live and what kind of anti-theft device you installed. Not available in all states.

Account-Based Discounts

Nationwide applies the following discounts based on how you set up your policy and payment methods. Here’s a breakdown of account-based discounts.

Automatic Payments

Get the automatic payment discount by setting up auto pay at your bank or credit union.

On Your Side Review

This isn’t really a discount. But it’s an opportunity for you to sit down with Nationwide and make sure you’re getting every discount you qualify for.

Paperless Billing

Help save the planet by opting electronic invoicing and receive the paperless billing discount. You’ll see fewer bill piles and more money in your bank account. Just log into your account to edit your preferences and select “Go Paperless.”

Filing an Auto Claim

You can file an auto insurance claim by either going to going to the website, using the mobile app, or by calling (800) 421-3535. From there, you’ll be able to document the events of the accident. After you file the claim, your damages are assessed, and necessary repairs identified. Then, they’ll help you find a local repair shop and pay you the right amount so you can get your car back on the road.

Nationwide Homeowners Insurance

Nationwide is the eighth-largest home insurance provider in the United States. It also appeared on J.D. Power’s 2021 homeowners satisfaction study, with a score of 812, which ranks them 14th in the country.

Homeowners Coverages

Nationwide has a wide array of homeowners insurance coverages that help protect your home and everything in it. Here’s a complete list of the types of homeowners coverages available:

• Dwelling. Covers the physical structure of your house. This includes walls, floors, and your roof.
• Other structures. This protects any other structures on your property, such as swimming pools, gazebos, sheds, and fences.
• Contents. Helps pay for or replace personal items you lose in a disaster.
• Personal liability. This helps pay for any injuries or damages you or other household members cause.
• Medical payments to others. If someone gets injured in your house or on your property, this will step in to pay for the medical bills or funeral costs.
• Loss of use. If a covered disaster renders your house unlivable, loss of use coverage will pay for living expenses until your house is back to normal.
• Ordinance or law. This will help you rebuild your home to local codes and ordinances if a covered disaster destroys it.
• Credit card coverage. Protects you from expenses resulting from fraud or unauthorized payments.

Homeowners Discounts

Nationwide has many discounts to help make your home insurance policy more affordable. Below is a complete list of homeowners discounts:

• Multi-policy. Bundling your home and auto policies can get you a discount.
• Protective device. Installing safety devices, such as fire and burglar alarms, can get you a discount.
• Claims-free. You may be eligible for a discount if you remain claims-free.
• Home renovation credit. Renovating your plumbing, cooling, heating, or electrical systems can make your home safer. It can also get you a discount. A win-win!
• Roof rating. Depending on your roof type, you could get a discount.
• Prior insurance. You could get a discount if you recently switched to Nationwide and were with your previous insurer for several years.
• Home purchase. Did you buy a home in the last year? You could be in line for a discount.
• Gated community. If you live in a gated or secure neighborhood, your rates are reduced.
• Smart home. Installing smart home systems can get you a discount.

Extra Coverage Options

A standard homeowners policy offers a tremendous amount of financial security. But you can further protect your house and property by adding extra coverages that fill coverage gaps in your policy, so you don’t have to pay out of pocket for unexpected disasters. Below is a complete list of coverage add-ons to bolster your protection:

• Identity theft. This helps secure your identity and pay for any expenses if ID theft were to occur.
• Valuables Plus. Raises coverage limits for valuable items, such as jewelry and art.
• Dwelling replacement cost. This doubles the limits for your dwelling coverage, ensuring that you’re able to replace your home.
• Water backup. If your sump pump, sewer, or drain overflows, this coverage will pay for the damages.
• Flood insurance. This protects your house from flood damage. Keep in mind that this is separate from your current policy.
• Earthquake insurance. Covers damage to your home from an earthquake. Like flood insurance, this is a separate policy with its own deductible.

Homeowners Insurance Rate Factors

Your homeowners insurance rates depend on a few different factors. The following are details about you and your home that Nationwide may consider when setting your rates:

• Value of your home
• Claims record
• Credit rating
• Replacement cost vs. actual cash value
• What your deductible is set at
• Where you live

Filing a Homeowners Claim

To file a homeowners claim, visit the website or call (800) 421-3535. When you file a homeowners claim, you’ll need to be sure you have the following information ready to go:

• Your personal info i.e., name, address, and phone number
• When the damage happened
• What type of damage it is
• The extent of the damages

After you file the claim, you’ll be assigned a claims associate. They’ll assess the damages to your property and estimate the settlement. Then, your claim is settled and you should be able to repair your house.

Nationwide Renters Insurance

In addition to homeowners, renters coverage for tenants is also available. This protects your personal property from random disasters. J.D. Power gave it a score of 834 out of 1,000 for overall renters insurance customer satisfaction, which is fourth in the US.

Renters Coverages

Renters insurance policies typically offer coverage for your personal belongings and liability. A standard renters policy includes more than the average insurer:

• Contents. This covers your personal property from damage, even if they aren’t in the rental unit.
• Loss of use. If a covered disaster makes your rental unit unlivable, this will pay for your living expenses until the place is fixed.
• Personal liability. Covers any damages you’re liable for. This also pays for lawsuits.
• Medical payments to others. Pays for the medical bills if someone suffers an injury on your property.
• Credit card coverage. Pays for any fraudulent charges on your credit and debit cards.
• Building additions and alterations. If you add or alter something in your rental unit, this will cover it if covered damage occurs.

Renters Discounts

A renters insurance policy should already be pretty cheap. However, Nationwide offers a few discounts that can go a long way towards saving you even more cash.

Below is a complete list of discounts for renters:

• Claims-free. Going an extended time without claims on your policy can get you a discount. Be sure to ask your agent about this discount if you don’t have any claims.
• Protective device. Adding security features to your rental unit can get you a discount. This includes devices like fire and burglar alarms, security cameras, and smoke detectors.
• Multi-policy. Bundling your renters and auto coverage can save you big money. You can also bundle your renters with another policy, such as life insurance, to get this discount.

Extra Renters Coverage Options

You have the option of adding extra coverage to your renters policy if you feel the need to do so. There are many extra coverages that add even more protection from the unexpected. Here’s what’s available:

• Valuables Plus. If you own expensive items like jewelry or art, chances are your current limits won’t be enough to cover them. This coverage will increase your limits for specific items.
• Theft extension. Covers personal belongings that you keep in motor vehicles, boats, trailers, etc.
• Water backup. Pays for water damage that sump pumps, sewers, or drain backups cause.
• Earthquake. Protects you from damages that an earthquake causes.

Renters Rate Factors

Nationwide will likely consider several different factors when they’re setting your renters insurance rates. These mostly have to do with how you set up your policy. But some have to do with your record. Below are common rate factors:

• Claims history
• Credit rating
• Where you live
• How high or low your deductible is
• How much coverage you buy

Filing a Renters Claim

Filing a claim is a simple process. You can file online or by calling the claims center at (800) 421-3535. When you file a claim, it’s important to keep certain info on hand, such as:

• When the disaster was
• Which items got damaged
• What type of damage it is
• Your personal info i.e., name, phone, address

For property claims, a claims associate is assigned to you. This person will walk you through the entire process. They’ll assess the damages to your property and estimate how much money you’ll need. Then, your claim should be settled and you’ll receive payment.

Company Information

Nationwide wrote roughly 19.4 billion property/casualty premiums in 2021, per data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). This gave it a market share percentage of 2.44%, placing it firmly as the tenth-largest insurer.

Below are some further facts about Nationwide:

• Revenue: $47.376 billion
• Number of employees: over 25,000
• CEO: Kirt Walker
• Headquarters: Columbus, OH

History

Nationwide was founded in 1926 as the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, an auto insurer for Ohio farmers. The company started with 1,000 policyholders. By 1943, Farm Bureau Mutual had begun doing business in 12 east coast states, as well as Washington, D.C.

In 1955, Farm Bureau Mutual officially changed its name to Nationwide, marking its goal of operating all around the country. Since then, it’s expanded far beyond covering automobiles. It now offers property and life insurance, banking and investment services, retirement planning, and much more.

You may have heard the famous jingle, “Nationwide is on your side.” This debuted in 1969. However, that wasn’t its first form. It originally said, “the man from Nationwide is on your side,” referring to its all-male agents. In the early 70s, the jingle was changed to its current form. This was done to be more inclusive once women began to work as agents.

Customer Satisfaction

Several companies, such as A.M. Best, S&P Global, and J.D. Power, rank Nationwide favorably for financial strength and customer satisfaction.

Here are up-to-date customer satisfaction ratings:

• A.M. Best Rating: A+ (Superior)
• S&P Global: A+
• NAIC Complaint Index: 0.65

J.D. Power releases a yearly study on the top auto, home, and renters insurance providers. The study uses a scale of 1,000 points to score each company. The study includes four large states and seven regions. The homeowners and renters studies, on the other hand, hold scores for the whole country.

Nationwide had below-average customer satisfaction scores in J.D. Power’s 2022 auto insurance study. It appeared on only five of the lists in the study with an average score of 815. Nationwide didn’t rank well enough to appear on the lists for these states and regions:

• Florida
• New England
• New York
• Northwest
• Southwest
• Texas

Nationwide was the 14th best company in J.D. Power’s 2021 homeowners study with a score of 812. It did, however, score very high for renters. In the 2021 renters study, the insurer came in fourth with a score of 834.

Types of Insurance Available

Vehicle

• Car
• Motorcycle
• Snowmobile
• Classic car
• ATV
• RV
• Boat
• Personal watercraft
• Scooter
• Golf cart

Property

• Homeowners
• Renters
• Condo
• Private Client
• Flood

You can get a lot more than just vehicle and property insurance. Nationwide also offers Life, pet, umbrella, and travel coverage are just some of the products in this provider’s large portfolio.

Claims Process

You can file a claim on the carrier’s website, with the mobile app, or over the phone. Be aware that, if you’re able, it’s generally the fastest to file online or with the app. When you file a claim, you may need to provide the following details:

• Name and address
• Names and addresses of any other people involved
• Policy number
• What happened
• Date and time of the incident

After you file, you should be in contact with a claims representative. This person will look at your claim and begin the process to settle your claim. The process usually starts with the company assessing the damages to your car or home. Then, you’ll receive a repair estimate. After that, you’ll be able to figure out how you’ll get your home or vehicle repaired.

Nationwide offers the On Your Side Claims Service for auto claims. This gives you a written guarantee on repairs for the duration you own your car, so long as you take your vehicle to a shop in the On Your Side network. The insurer claims that the shops in the network have been thoroughly screened and recognized as the highest quality.

These are some useful links if you need to file a claim:

• File a claim
• Track a claim
• Auto claims process page
• Home and renters claims process page
• Claims FAQ page

Claims hotline: (800) 421-3535

Policy Cancellation Process

You must contact your agent if you want to cancel your policy. You can use this tool to find your agent or call (877) 669-6877 if you don’t have one.

Canceling your policy can lead to fees. This is most often the case if you cancel without enough notice. State laws and policy details could also affect the cancellation fees you may receive.

Mobile Apps

The Mobile App gives you an easy way to access various aspects of your policy on your phone or tablet. Here are its main features:

• Digital ID cards
• Pay bills and/or enable auto-payment
• Add vehicles and drivers to your policy
• Change the coverages you have
• Change your policy due date
• File and track claims

Download links:

• Apple
• Android

SmartRide

SmartRide is Nationwide’s safe driving program. By enrolling, you can qualify for a discount on your premium, including a 15% reward for signing up. Once you enroll, you’ll just have to download the app and let it track your driving habits. If you drive safely, you can earn a discount. The mobile app tracks the following:

• Miles driven
• Acceleration and braking
• How long you’re idle
• Time of day you drive

Download links:

• Apple
• Android

Contact Information