Nationwide Auto Insurance Review

Overview

Nationwide can offer customers the satisfaction of knowing they’re covered by one of the biggest — and most recognizable — names in the auto insurance business. From Nationwide’s well-designed and easy-to-use website to special offers like its Vanishing Deductible option, there’s a lot that makes Nationwide an attractive choice for drivers looking for reliable auto insurance coverage.

When it comes to claims satisfaction, Nationwide stacks up fairly well against its competitors in the auto insurance industry. Nationwide scored slightly below industry average on the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, but still came in above competitors like Allstate, GEICO, MetLife, Progressive and Safeco. Nationwide also earned a reader score of 88 on the Consumer Reports’ ranking of car insurance providers, and got especially high marks for its claims agents’ top-notch courtesy to customers. Speaking of customer service, Nationwide also offers a free annual assessment to go over your policies with them and see if you have all the coverage you need.

Nationwide makes it pretty easy for drivers to customize all the specifics of their policy, which is a great option for buyers who’ve done their research. And Nationwide auto is available in most states, but not all. For drivers who are looking for a solid, big-name auto insurance provider that also offers homeowners, renters and condo insurance, though, Nationwide is a quality choice.

Nationwide by the numbers

Founded: 1926

Market Share: 3.23%

A.M. Best rating: A+ (Superior)

Better Business Bureau rating: A+

J.D. Power Claims Satisfaction rating: 858

Which states is Nationwide car insurance available in?

Nationwide auto insurance is available in 46 states and the District of Columbia. It is not available in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. In some states, although Nationwide auto is available, it may not be possible to get an online quote through the Nationwide site. Those customers will be directed to contact an agent in person or over the phone.

Policy Details

Nationwide is major carrier, and it’s got basically all the standard coverage options most drivers need. As we mentioned above, Nationwide gives drivers the option to customize the amount of each type of coverage they want, and generates three different quotes tiers: “basic”, “standard” and “premium.” And non-standard options like accident forgiveness and identity theft coverage can be added to most policies.

In addition to the types of coverage you’d find from other carriers of its size and statue, Nationwide has some speciality features on offer, like its optional Vanishing Deductible feature that lets drivers knock $100 off their deductible for every year of accident-free driving, or its SmartRide) program, which gives you a discount for installing a device that tracks your driving habits.

Standard coverage options

• Liability protection - Required in most states, liability coverage covers the costs if you cause damage to someone’s car or other property, or injure them in an accident.

• Personal injury protection - Helps cover costs like medical bills, lost wages and rehab costs if you or your passengers are injured in a covered accident.

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage - Covers you if you’re in an accident caused by a driver who doesn’t have insurance, or whose insurance doesn’t cover the extent of the damage.

• Collision coverage - Covers damage to your vehicle after an accident, no matter who was at fault.

• Comprehensive coverage - Covers damage to your car that can happen when you’re not driving, like damage from extreme weather, falling objects, fire, flood, vandalism and theft.

Additional coverage and features

• Rental reimbursement - Covers a rental car or other alternate transportation if your car is in the shop after a covered accident.
• Roadside assistance - This covers emergency costs after a breakdown, like fuel delivery, jump starts, flat-tire change and towing.

How much does Nationwide cost?

It’s hard to estimate the cost of car insurance for any given individual, since car insurance premiums are calculated based on so many individual factors, including address, age, driving history, and the car you drive. But let’s look at a sample Nationwide policy to get a general idea of how much some drivers might pay for Nationwide auto.

A Nationwide policy for a married driver in Portland, Oregon, with one car, a 2014 Subaru Legacy, came out to $1,076 for a six-month, standard policy. Compare that to the average annual premium for Oregon, which was $904.83 in 2015.

Total six-month premium = $1,076

Discounts

Nationwide offers a wide range of discounts, and its online quote generator makes it easy to see which ones you qualify for. Like many other carriers, it offers discounts for bundling your auto coverage with home, life or other policies. There’s also a discount for joining the SmartRide program, which we mentioned above, which tracks your driving and gives you feedback.

Other discounts include a safe-driving discount for drivers who have been accident-free for five years, a good-student discount for drivers between 16 and 24 who maintain above a certain GPA, discounts for going paperless and for signing up for auto-pay, and a range of affiliate discounts for members of participating organizations and groups.

Company details

Application process

The Nationwide website is notably user-friendly, and the online quote generator was easy to use and gave us our three tiers of quote options in just a few minutes, with options to customize almost all of the coverage limits. Buyers can also get a quote by calling a Nationwide agent on the phone.

Claims process

When it comes to claims satisfaction, Nationwide had just-okay scores, coming in slightly under the industry average on the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. It wasn’t at the top of the pack when it came to customers’ happiness with the claims process, but it wasn’t too lacking either.

Nationwide auto customers can file claims online or over the phone, and the Nationwide mobile app allows users to start a claim on their smartphone. You can also track your claim status online.

Other types of insurance offered

• Classic car insurance - Insurance for your vintage ride

• Boat insurance - Coverage for your water vessel

• Motorcycle insurance - Coverage for your bike

• RV, motorhome, travel trailer and camper insurance - Coverage for your vacation home on wheels

• Snowmobile insurance - Coverage for your winter ride

• Homeowners insurance - Insurance for your house

• Renters insurance - Insurance to protect your rental home and everything in it

• Condo insurance - Covers the things you HOA master policy doesn’t

• Pet insurance - Covers your pet in case of accident, illness and emergency

• Wedding insurance - Covers your loss if something goes wrong on your big day

Digital tools

• Simple online quote tool

• Online bill paying and claim filing

• Nationwide mobile app for smartphone lets you start a claim, view your policy details, and pay your bill on your phone

Contact info

Website: www.nationwide.com

Phone: 1-800-882-2822

Headquarters: 1 Nationwide Plaza, Columbus, OH 43215