When picking the right kind of car insurance, there’s more at play than getting a low price. A good car insurance company offers low rates, but also has good customer service, fulfills common insurance needs, and even provides other benefits. Nationwide is one of the most well-known insurance providers. Here’s the full review on Nationwide to help you decide if it’s the right car insurance provider for you.
Nationwide Car Insurance Overview
Originally founded as Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company in 1926, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company offers home, life, commercial, and car insurance. Their catchphrase, “Nationwide is on your side,” comes from a lyric in the promotional song, “The Man From Nationwide Is on Your Side,” set to music by J.D. Miller in 1977.
Nationwide earned 4.1 out of 5 stars from U.S. News for car insurance and stands out for above-average customer loyalty and claims handling. U.S. News also rated them second best for customer loyalty and noted they were the most likely company to be recommended by a customer. If Nationwide can provide affordable insurance in your area, they may be a good fit due to their quality service. From their track record, they are indeed “on your side,” ready to answer your car insurance questions or concerns.
A full 50% of U.S. News-surveyed Nationwide customers found the car insurance customer service excellent, and 57% found the claim filing process very easy. For the car insurance industry, Nationwide’s customer satisfaction rates are better than many competitors.
Nationwide Car Insurance Types and Services
You can get the following types of car insurance coverage from Nationwide:
- Bodily injury liability
- Comprehensive
- Collision
- Gap insurance
- Medical payments
- Property damage liability
- Uninsured or underinsured motorist
You can also look to Nationwide for vanishing deductible insurance, roadside assistance plans, totaled car deductible waivers, towing and labor coverage, accident forgiveness, and rental car expense coverage.
Nationwide Car Insurance Pros
Nationwide is one of the more affordable car insurance companies on average. Thanks to their high overall customer satisfaction rates, you can expect to be treated fairly and to file a claim easily. The only common exceptions are minimum liability coverage policies or drivers with high-risk traffic violations. Overall, Nationwide is also more likely to offer low rates for drivers with poor credit.
If you live in a state where other companies offer more affordable rates than Nationwide on average, you may want to check them out, but think about service quality before you switch. Saving a little more per month on a cheaper policy isn’t worth much if your provider raises your deductible or refuses coverage.
After the unexpected happens, you might have to deal with a damaged car, injuries, or worse. The last thing you need is a frustrating car insurance claim process and poor customer service. Nationwide is one of the most likely companies to consistently keep you happy, and that can be worth paying a little extra per month.
Nationwide Car Insurance Cons
Nationwide generally has higher rates for minimum liability coverage over some competitors, although they aren’t that far behind. It’s also generally wise to get more than that because, depending on the state, minimum liability coverage can be low. Based on averages, bare-minimum car insurance plans might cost you more with Nationwide. If you’re deciding to get more thorough coverage, though, you have a better chance of finding discounts.
The average cost for Nationwide drivers with one speeding ticket is $1,970 per year, on the upper side of average. Renewing your insurance after getting a speeding ticket will increase your Nationwide policy’s cost by an average of $430 per year, which is a bit higher than some companies, like Progressive.
Nationwide is usually more about rewarding drivers with a clean record, although they could offer more rewards for good credit. They also have higher than average insurance prices for drivers with high-risk traffic violations like a DUI. If you’ve just gotten an SR-22 order and need more affordable insurance while you clean up your record, Nationwide probably won’t have the best rates, though it never hurts to check.
Nationwide Car Insurance Cost
The average car insurance cost annually for Nationwide customers is $1,327 per year. This is 14% lower than the national average, but everyone’s situation is different. Factors like your driving record, where you live, and more all have effects on your average cost of insurance. Let’s look at a few types of Nationwide car insurance coverage and how much they cost.
Teenage Drivers
Young, inexperienced drivers have the highest car insurance rates. With Nationwide, a 17-year-old female driver can expect around $4,409 per year in car insurance costs, 15% cheaper than what other 17-year-old female drivers pay nationally. The average cost is $5,329 for a 17-year-old male, which is 10% lower than the national average.
Young Adult Drivers
At 25 years old, a female driver with Nationwide pays $2,141 on average for car insurance, and male drivers pay $2,259. Both of these numbers are 13% below the national average.
Adult Drivers
The average 35-year-old female Nationwide car insurance customer pays $1,842 per year, which is 19% lower than the national female driver average. Male customers at 35 years old pay $1,836 per year, 17% lower than the male national average.
Senior Drivers
A 60-year-old female driver with Nationwide pays $1,668 per year in car insurance on average, with $1,754 on average for males. Nationwide’s senior driver insurance tends to be 21% cheaper than the national average for female drivers, and 17% cheaper for male drivers.
Nationwide Car Insurance Final Verdict
Nationwide offers some good rates in certain cases, like adult drivers purchasing higher coverage or drivers with low credit but a clean driving record. Responsible drivers with subpar credit pay an average of $1,836 per year for Nationwide car insurance, 33% lower than the national average.
All told, Nationwide might be the best car insurance provider for you if you want to save more for your good driving or want to save on extra coverage. You can check to see which companies are generally more affordable in your state, and then cross-reference that with good providers for drivers like you. Eventually, you can narrow down a few choices and compare their offers.
At FIXD, our mission is to make car ownership as simple, easy, and affordable as possible. Our research team utilizes the latest automotive data and insights to create tools and resources that help drivers get peace of mind and save money over the life of their car.
