Nationwide Auto Insurance Review

Last Updated on January 25, 2026

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (“Nationwide”) is a mutual insurer headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1926, Nationwide has been insuring drivers for nearly a century and employs roughly 25,000 people nationwide. The company sells auto insurance (plus home, renters, life, and more) and is known for flexible add-ons, strong digital tools, and popular usage-based options like SmartRide® and SmartMiles®.

Note: Despite the name, Nationwide auto insurance isn’t sold in every state. Availability and coverages can vary by location, so it’s smart to confirm eligibility and options using your ZIP code.

Nationwide Auto Insurance at a Glance

• Best for: Drivers who want lots of optional coverages, strong online/mobile account tools, and telematics or pay-per-mile options.
• Biggest strengths: Customizable coverage, SmartRide® safe-driving discounts, SmartMiles® pay-per-mile pricing for low-mileage drivers, and solid financial ratings.
• Potential drawbacks: Pricing and customer experience can vary by state and driver profile, and some specialty programs (and endorsements) may not be available everywhere.

Types of Auto Insurance Coverage Offered by Nationwide

Nationwide offers the standard car insurance coverages you’d expect from a large national insurer, plus a long list of optional add-ons. Not every coverage is available in every state, and if you have a loan or lease, your lender may require certain protections (like collision and comprehensive).

Coverage That Typically Meets State Requirements

• Bodily Injury Liability: Required in most states, bodily injury liability coverage helps pay for injuries you cause to others, including medical bills and lost wages, up to your policy limits.
• Property Damage Liability: Also required in most states, property damage liability helps pay for damage you cause to someone else’s vehicle or property (like a fence or building).
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): Required in some no-fault states, personal injury protection can help cover medical costs (and sometimes lost income) for you and your passengers after an accident—regardless of fault.
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist: Required in some states, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverages help protect you if you’re hit by a driver with no insurance or not enough insurance to cover the damage.

Coverage for Injuries and Your Vehicle

• Medical Payments (MedPay): Medical payments coverage can help pay medical bills for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of fault (availability varies by state).
• Collision Coverage: Optional in all states, collision coverage helps pay to repair or replace your vehicle after a crash with another vehicle or object (subject to your deductible).
• Comprehensive Coverage: Also optional, comprehensive coverage (sometimes called “other than collision”) helps cover non-crash damage like theft, vandalism, hail, falling objects, and animal-related incidents.

Optional Add-Ons and Endorsements

Depending on your state, Nationwide may offer a wide range of add-ons that can make a “basic” policy feel much more like full protection:

• Towing and Labor Coverage: Optional towing and labor coverage can help reimburse towing and certain roadside-related labor costs after a covered breakdown or claim (details vary by policy).
• Rental Car Expense: Nationwide rental car coverage (also called transportation expense or loss of use in some states) can help pay for a rental while your vehicle is being repaired after a covered claim.
• Gap Insurance (Loan/Lease Payoff): If your vehicle is totaled, gap coverage can help pay the “gap” between your payout and what you still owe on your loan or lease.
• Accident Forgiveness: Nationwide accident forgiveness may help reduce (or avoid) a rate increase after a qualifying at-fault accident. Availability varies by state, and eligibility rules apply.
• Roadside Assistance: Nationwide roadside assistance is designed for common emergencies like towing, jump starts, fuel delivery, and flat tire help (limits and service rules apply).
• Vanishing Deductible: In many cases, Nationwide’s vanishing deductible feature reduces your deductible for each year of safe driving (often in $100 steps), up to a maximum reduction based on your policy.
• Total Loss Deductible Waiver: If your car is a total loss, this feature may waive your physical damage deductible (collision or comprehensive), depending on your policy.
• Glass/Windshield Coverage: Some policies and states allow lower (or waived) deductibles for glass repair or replacement. If you want specifics, see Nationwide windshield repair/replacement details.
• Non-Owner Car Insurance: If you don’t own a car but frequently rent or borrow vehicles, Nationwide non-owner insurance can help you maintain liability coverage.
• SR-22/FR-44 Filings: In many states, drivers who need proof of financial responsibility may be able to use Nationwide SR-22/FR-44 coverage to stay legal and keep coverage active.
• New Car Replacement or Similar Options: Some insurers offer “new car replacement” or “better car replacement” style endorsements that may pay more than actual cash value after a total loss. If you’re comparing carriers, it helps to understand new car replacement coverage and ask what Nationwide offers in your state.
• Rideshare Coverage: Nationwide offers rideshare coverage for drivers who use their personal vehicles to transport passengers through apps like Uber and Lyft. Rideshare coverage is designed to help address insurance gaps that can happen when your app is on and you’re working, since a standard personal auto policy may not cover “for-hire” driving and app-provided coverage can vary by trip stage.

What Makes Nationwide’s Auto Insurance Stand Out?

Nationwide’s biggest differentiators are its usage-based insurance programs and its long list of practical add-ons for drivers who want more than “basic” coverage.

SmartRide® Usage-Based Insurance

Nationwide’s telematics program, SmartRide®, can reward safe driving habits with meaningful discounts. In most states, Nationwide advertises an instant discount for enrolling and the potential to save up to 40% based on your driving behavior at renewal. If you’re wondering whether the program is worth it (and what data is tracked), see our breakdown of Nationwide SmartRide savings.

SmartMiles® Pay-Per-Mile Pricing

If you drive less than average—because you work from home, carpool, or have a second vehicle—SmartMiles® may be a better fit than traditional pricing. SmartMiles generally uses a base rate + a per-mile rate, so your monthly bill changes with how much you drive. It’s a form of telematics-based pricing, so make sure you’re comfortable with mileage tracking. If you’re comparing programs, start with this guide on whether usage-based car insurance is right for you.

Important: SmartMiles isn’t available in every state, and program details can vary by location.

How Much Are Nationwide’s Auto Insurance Rates?

Nationwide’s rates can be competitive, but your price depends heavily on your state, ZIP code, driving record, credit-based insurance score (where allowed), vehicle, mileage, deductibles, and coverage limits. The most accurate way to price Nationwide is to run a quote and compare it with at least two other insurers using the same coverages and deductibles.

What’s changed since older “average rate” articles: Car insurance prices have climbed significantly across the industry, driven by higher repair costs, parts prices, medical costs, and claim severity. That’s why older rate estimates (even from just a few years ago) often look low today.

Recent third-party studies show different “average” Nationwide premiums depending on methodology and driver profile. For example:

• Bankrate’s Nationwide review estimates an average full-coverage premium around $2,040/year (their benchmark driver profile).
• NerdWallet’s Nationwide review estimates an average full-coverage premium around $2,746/year based on its November 2025 analysis.

Use these numbers as ballpark context—not a guarantee. Your quote could be much lower (or higher) depending on where you live and your rating factors.

Nationwide’s Auto Insurance Discounts

Nationwide offers a variety of ways to save, and discount availability can vary by state and policy. For a full list and eligibility details, see Nationwide car insurance discounts.

Common discounts and savings opportunities may include:

• Multi-Policy (Bundling): Bundling can be one of the largest savings opportunities—especially if you combine home and auto. If you’re comparing providers, start here: best companies to bundle home and auto insurance.
• SmartRide®: Telematics discounts based on safe driving habits (often includes an enrollment discount, with additional savings possible over time).
• SmartMiles® (Low Mileage): If you drive very little, you may save with pay-per-mile pricing or other low-mileage discounts. Learn more: discounts for driving very little.
• Claims-Free / Accident-Free: Many insurers reward drivers who go years without filing claims. Here’s how the claims-free discount typically works.
• Good Student: Younger drivers who maintain strong grades may qualify. Details: good student discount.
• Defensive Driving Course: Completing an approved course may lower premiums, especially for older drivers in some states. Details: defensive driving discounts explained.
• Anti-Theft / Security Devices: Certain vehicle anti-theft features may earn a discount. Details: anti-theft device discounts.
• Safe Driver History: A long stretch of clean driving can translate to better rates. Details: good driver discounts.
• Automatic Payments: Some drivers can save by setting up autopay. More info: automatic payment options.
• Paperless Billing: Going digital may qualify you for a small discount in some cases. Details: paperless billing discounts.

Pros and Cons of Nationwide Auto Insurance

Nationwide Reviews and Third-Party Ratings

Nationwide tends to receive a mix of feedback—often because pricing, claims handling, and agent support can differ by state, claim type, and the specific affiliate underwriting the policy. A good way to evaluate Nationwide is to look at several types of signals (not just star ratings on one site):

• Customer satisfaction studies: J.D. Power publishes annual satisfaction studies that break results into regions and segments. In the 2025 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, Nationwide ranked highest in the Texas region and also scored well within usage-based insurance comparisons.
• Digital experience: If mobile and online tools matter to you, J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study ranked Nationwide highest in the service segment.
• Financial strength: You can view Nationwide’s current financial ratings (including A.M. Best and S&P) directly on the company’s ratings page. A.M. Best also publishes public rating announcements (for example, this Nationwide-related rating release).
• Complaints and licensing: To review complaint ratios and licensing information, use the NAIC’s Consumer tools (look for “Consumer Insurance Search”).
• BBB profile: Nationwide maintains a BBB profile here: Better Business Bureau listing. (BBB letter grades and customer reviews measure different things, so it’s worth reading the details.)

FAQs on Nationwide Auto Insurance

Nationwide Contact Information

If you’re an existing policyholder, the fastest path is usually the Nationwide mobile app or your online account. For quick reference, here are common contact options Nationwide publishes publicly:

Final Word on Nationwide’s Auto Insurance

Nationwide is a strong contender for drivers who want flexible coverage add-ons, strong digital servicing, and telematics options that can reward safe driving or low mileage. That said, pricing and customer experience can be very state-specific, so it’s worth comparing quotes—and making sure you’re comparing the same limits, deductibles, and coverages.

To learn more about Nationwide or request a quote, contact Nationwide today.