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Nationwide Auto Insurance Review: Lots of Rewards for Safe Drivers

Review Updated
Kailey Hagen
Author: Kailey Hagen
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Kailey Hagen has been writing about small businesses and finance for almost 10 years. Articles she's written for The Motley Fool have been syndicated to USA Today, MSN, and Yahoo! Finance. She specializes in personal and business bank accounts and software for small to medium-size businesses. She lives on what's almost a farm in northern Wisconsin with her husband and three dogs.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

Nationwide auto insurance is a good fit for safe drivers who want to be rewarded for good behavior behind the wheel. It offers a variety of easily achievable discounts and some rare coverage options that could help drivers save big in an accident. Dive into our full Nationwide auto insurance review below to learn more about what it has to offer.

Logo for Nationwide
Best for bundling home and auto insuranceNationwide
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line

Nationwide offers flexible policies with some rare savings opportunities for safe drivers. It also offers reasonable rates, especially for those who qualify for some of its many auto insurance discounts. But its customer service falls a little behind the pack.

Pros

  • Flexible customization options
  • Great rewards for safe drivers
  • Lots of discounts

Cons

  • Doesn't serve all states
  • Below-average customer satisfaction ratings
  • Finicky quote tool

Full Nationwide auto insurance review

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Monthly premium costs

Nationwide's auto insurance rates fell near the middle of the pack compared to other insurers we reviewed. But everyone's rates are different, so drivers should get a quote to see how much a Nationwide auto insurance policy will cost. People with clean records and low annual mileage on their vehicles will score the most affordable auto insurance rates.

35y, female, clean record 35y, male, clean record 35y, female, one accident 18y, male, clean record
$162.67 163.67 $260.17 $468.42
Data source: Motley Fool Money's analysis of standardized personas.

Cost comparison

See how Nationwide car insurance rates compare to the national averages across the auto insurance industry. These rates are broken out by common driver profiles, but specific quotes can vary.

Nationwide Insurance Average Rate National Average Rate
Clean Driving Record $1,958 $2,389
Accident on Record $3,122 $3,370
Speeding Ticket on Record $2,662 $3,032
DUI on Record $4,585 $4,380
18 Years OId - New Driver $5,621 $6,291
65 Years Old - Senior $1,657 $2,140
Military Service $1,964 $2,375
Minimum Coverage (Liability Only) $746 $787
Data source: Motley Fool Money's analysis of standardized personas.

Discounts

Nationwide is a good source for cheap auto insurance, thanks to a competitive selection of discounts. This includes some rare options like affinity discounts for members of certain organizations. Here's a look at all the ways drivers can save with this insurance company:

  • Accident-free discount
  • Affinity discount
  • Anti-theft device discount*
  • Automatic payments discount*
  • Defensive driving discount
  • Good student discount
  • Multi-policy discount
  • Paperless discount
  • Safe driver discount*
  • SmartMiles discounts
  • SmartRide discounts

*Discounts available in certain states.

Coverage

Policy types

  • ATV
  • Auto
  • Boat
  • Business auto
  • Classic car*
  • Golf cart
  • Motorcycle
  • Personal watercraft
  • RV
  • Scooter
  • Snowmobile

*Product underwritten by Hagerty.

Nationwide offers a good mix of vehicle insurance policies, including some options not seen with every insurer, like boat and personal watercraft coverage. But it is missing rideshare coverage, which many of its competitors now offer.

Coverage types

  • Accident forgiveness
  • Bodily injury liability
  • Collision
  • Comprehensive
  • Gap insurance
  • Medical payments
  • Personal injury protection (PIP)
  • Property damage liability
  • Rental car
  • Roadside assistance
  • Total loss deductible waiver
  • Towing and labor
  • Underinsured motorist
  • Uninsured motorist
  • Vanishing Deductible

Nationwide's policy options cover all the basics and then some. Its standout features include a vanishing deductible and total loss deductible waiver, both of which can save drivers money in the event of a claim. Nationwide's competitors lack many of these options.

Customer service and ratings

Nationwide didn't have the most impressive ratings in J.D. Power's latest Auto Insurance Satisfaction Survey, scoring below average in nearly every region it's featured in. It also has an above-average complaint ratio with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). This indicates that drivers have more problems with Nationwide than they do with other insurance companies of a similar size.

But Nationwide has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is a BBB-accredited business.

Other insurance available

Nationwide has an above-average selection of insurance products, making it a great pick for drivers looking to purchase several policies from the same company.

Alternatives to consider

Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
Logo for Geico
Best for price conscious consumersGeico
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Get a Quote

Read our Geico review

Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
Logo for Progressive
Best for coverage options and discountsProgressive
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Get a Quote

Read our Progressive review

When looking for an auto insurer with affordable rates in all 50 states: Geico is worth a closer look. The company has a variety of discounts and low average rates for most drivers. But it's missing some options Nationwide offers, like gap coverage.

When looking for other rare coverage options: Progressive is an industry leader in terms of offering rare protections, like ridesharing, custom parts, and pet injury coverage. Like Nationwide, it also offers a disappearing deductible for safe drivers. But unlike Nationwide, Progressive doesn't limit the amount drivers can shave off their deductibles.

Nationwide auto insurance summary

  • Drivers who hope to bundle multiple types of insurance
  • Drivers interested in rare coverage options and discounts
  • Drivers who want an insurer that rewards good driving

But drivers looking for an insurer that provides reasonable rates in all states may want to take a look at Geico. And Progressive might be a good choice for drivers who can't find certain optional coverages with Nationwide.

Our auto insurance rating methodology

At Motley Fool Money, insurers are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on pricing, coverage options, and customer satisfaction; however, we also take into account features like unique discounts, online and app-based experiences, and branch access. Our highest-rated auto insurances generally include low costs, solid coverage, and high customer satisfaction.