Nationwide Auto Insurance Review

Best for customer service

If you’ve recently acquired a vehicle in the U.S., you need to buy car insurance. One provider that can help you with that is Nationwide Auto Insurance. It’s one of the best auto insurance providers in the country with a great reputation for stellar customer service.

In almost all the states in the U.S., if you own a car, you’re required to have car insurance (except in New Hampshire, where you simply have to prove you are capable of paying for any costs when accidents happen). The minimums vary by state, so check what’s required in your state.

In New York, for example, all drivers are required to have personal injury protection (PIP), liability, and uninsured motorist insurance. On the other hand, Florida requires only liability and PIP coverage.

This doesn’t mean, however, that you should only get the minimum coverage. You may want to include other coverage types with your basic car insurance. Some coverage options to consider include personal injury protection, comprehensive coverage and collision coverage. Also worth looking into are uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Nationwide Auto Insurance pros and cons

Pros explained

Extensive history of customer loyalty

Nationwide has a long history of customer loyalty dating back to its founding in 1926. The company's commitment to its policyholders is demonstrated through its Vanishing Deductible program, which rewards safe driving habits, and its On Your Side® Review program, which offers policyholders a free, annual insurance review with a Nationwide agent. Nationwide Auto Insurance customers continue to renew their policy with the company for many reasons like car key replacement, minor accident forgiveness clauses and special deductible provisions.

In the 2022 J.D. Power Auto Insurance Study, Nationwide ranks in the top 14 for customer satisfaction in many geographic areas. In the Southeast region, Nationwide scored 850 out of a possible 1,000 points, just above the average score of 849 for the area and well above the overall average of 834 points. In 2023, J.D. Power also ranked Nationwide third among large auto insurers in providing a satisfactory auto insurance shopping experience.

Good customer service

Good customer service begins with how easily a person can contact the company, and Nationwide Auto Insurance provides multiple methods for customers to stay in touch. These include options like a Nationwide hotline, online portals and an app you can use to file Nationwide auto claims. Nationwide is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, a positive indication of good customer service and proper handling of complaints.

Multiple discounts available

Nationwide Auto Insurance offers customers a wide array of auto insurance discounts. One is the multiple policy discount for those who get both their home and car insurance from the company. Another is the anti-theft discount which gives policyholders a discount for installing anti-theft devices in their vehicles. The company also has an accident-free discount, a defensive driving discount and special programs like SmartRide and SmartMiles.

Cons explained

Not the lowest minimum coverage rates

While Nationwide’s rates are not the highest, they aren’t necessarily the lowest either. A full coverage policy from Nationwide will cost you pretty much the national average. A minimum coverage policy, however, is slightly below the national average. The takeaway is that, depending on your state and situation, you may be able to find lower rates than Nationwide. Consult our list of the best cheap car insurance for more information.

Not available in all 50 states

Interestingly, though the company is called Nationwide, it does not offer auto insurance policies in all 50 states. For residents of Alaska and Hawaii, as well as Louisiana and Massachusetts, Nationwide is not an option. Additionally, some of the other 46 covered states have only limited offerings to choose from.

Nationwide Auto Insurance plans/offerings

When you’re looking through your list of auto insurance agencies, it’s crucial to compare and contrast the plans that each one offers. Nationwide Auto Insurance has everything most of its competitors have and more. Here are some of its key offerings:

Bodily injury and property damage liability

The most basic insurance policy you can get is auto liability insurance coverage. The auto liability insurance Nationwide offers saves you from paying damages that you’re legally obligated to shoulder when you cause an accident. These can include medical bills, repair expenses to the other party’s property or vehicle, and even their loss of income.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

This type of auto insurance policy will help you defray the additional costs for repairs in accidents caused by another driver who is uninsured or underinsured. An uninsured motorist clause can help cover medical costs and repair costs in accidents where the party at fault doesn’t have car insurance. An underinsured motorist coverage, on the other hand, does the same thing, but for instances when the other driver doesn’t have enough insurance coverage to pay for these same expenditures.

Collision coverage

This insurance covers the cost of repairs to your vehicle, regardless of whether you or another party is at fault. Damage caused by you hitting a stationary object or another vehicle, your car overturning or another vehicle hitting yours is covered by this policy. Note that your deductible payments on a collision coverage policy are typically inversely related to your premiums; the higher your premiums, the lower your deductible will be, and vice versa.

Comprehensive coverage

The comprehensive coverage that Nationwide Auto Insurance offers will cover any non-collision-related damage caused to your vehicle. This includes damage via theft, vandalism, falling objects, accidents caused by or involving animals, civil commotions and weather disturbances like hail and tornadoes.

Nationwide Auto Insurance pricing

As with most other car insurance providers, Nationwide’s policies are priced based on several factors. These include the type of car you’re insuring (style, age and price of the vehicle), your age, your gender, your credit score, where you’re located and your driving record. Other factors that will also be considered include what kind of policy you choose, what your limits and deductible choices are and whether you qualify for any discounts.

To determine how much your chosen policy will cost, requesting a Nationwide Insurance auto quote is a must. This will help you get the most accurate pricing, along with discounts for things like policy bundling, multi-car insurance policies and even auto-pay discounts for those who choose to pay their policies automatically via a bank account.

Nationwide Auto Insurance financial stability

With over 45 years of industry experience, it’s safe to say that Nationwide as a whole is a company that knows the ins and outs of insurance. According to Moody’s, a credit rating agency, the financial strength of the company is rated A1, first received in 2009. This rating is a strong indicator of Nationwide’s financial stability over many years. A Nationwide policyholder can have peace of mind knowing the company is stable and able to cover its financial obligations, including claims fulfillment. Further, Nationwide is a Fortune 500 company with a valuation of $93 billion.

Nationwide Auto Insurance accessibility

Want to know whether Nationwide Auto Insurance is available in your state and how you can get in touch with its customer service arm? Here is some helpful information on the subject:

Availability

Before you can find out whether you can sign up for an auto insurance policy with Nationwide or even ask the company’s agents how much car insurance will cost you, you must find out whether the company operates in your state. As of this writing, Nationwide Auto Insurance is available in 46 states plus Washington, D.C. As mentioned previously, it isn’t available in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana and Massachusetts.

Contact Information

There are many ways you can get in touch with Nationwide — via website, phone or email.

To call the company, use the following numbers.

• For customer service needs: 1-877-669-6877
• For Nationwide Auto Insurance claims: 1-800-421-3535

For mail or in-person queries, the address of company headquarters is: One Nationwide Plaza, Columbus, Ohio 43215-2220

User experience

Whether you need more information on how to switch car insurance or want financial advice from the company’s experts, Nationwide has numerous services you can use. These include the following:

• Online calculators: These can be found on the website or the app. They estimate how much you need to pay in premiums for any of the company’s insurance options.

• Online bill pay: This allows you to pay your bills easily via the app or website — no more hassle over mailing checks or issuing post-dated ones for your payments.

• Online claims: You don’t have to call to file a claim since you can do this via an online portal or app.

• Online quotes: If you’re looking for pre-packaged quotes, you can get these via the company’s online quote tool. For custom auto insurance quotes, you can call the insurance quote hotline.

Nationwide Auto Insurance customer satisfaction

The Nationwide Auto Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reports that Nationwide Insurance scored a .64 in 2022 for customer complaints in the Private Passenger insurance category, lower than the national median average of 1.00 for the industry. As mentioned previously, J.D. Power ranked Nationwide as above average in its customer satisfaction study.

How we evaluated Nationwide Auto Insurance

Several factors were analyzed to evaluate Nationwide Auto Insurance and compare it to other auto insurance provider:

• Insurance rates
• Insurance options
• Availability
• Accessibility
• Customer reviews
• Third-party reviews
• Reputation and financial strength
• Add-ons
• Discounts

Summary of Money's Nationwide Auto Insurance review

Nationwide is one of the longest-running insurance companies in the country. The company has a wide array of insurance offerings to choose from, and if you’re looking for one of the best commercial auto insurance companies around, Nationwide has you covered there as well.

One of the company's strengths is its commitment to customer service. Nationwide has a large network of agents and customer service representatives who are available to assist policyholders with their insurance needs. Customers have reported positive experiences with Nationwide personnel, citing their helpfulness, responsiveness and willingness to go above and beyond to assist policyholders.

In addition to competitive pricing, Nationwide offers a range of discounts. These include safe driver, multi-policy and vehicle protection discounts. Nationwide also offers several loyalty incentives, including discounts for long-term customers. However, Nationwide is not available in all 50 states, making policy renewal impossible for policyholders who move to an excluded market.

Overall, Nationwide Auto Insurance is a solid choice for drivers looking for comprehensive coverage and good customer service. The company's commitment to customer satisfaction, loyalty incentives and discounts make it an attractive option for many drivers.

More on Car Insurance