Nationwide Auto Insurance: Good Or Bad?

Nationwide is one of the largest insurance providers in the U.S. It is a mutual insurance company owned by its policyholders, which means it can focus on clients without having to cater to investors. It offers auto insurance for drivers across the country, with basic, standard and premium coverage options, as well as a range of add-ons and discounts.

Nationwide's auto insurance is highly customisable, with options for bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and medical payments. It also offers several other coverage options, including collision, comprehensive, rental car, and towing.

Nationwide's rates depend on your customisations and coverage needs, with an average annual policy cost of around $1,864. While this may be considered pricey, Nationwide offers several discount programs, including SmartRide, SmartMiles, and Vanishing Deductible.

Nationwide has received mixed reviews, with some customers praising its highly-rated customer service and quick claims process, while others have complained about issues with claims, unexpected rate increases, and poor customer support.

Overall, Nationwide is a good insurance company, offering reliable customer service and the convenience expected from a large national company. It provides a wide range of coverage options and discounts, making it a solid choice for many consumers.

Nationwide's auto insurance coverage options

Nationwide offers a range of auto insurance coverage options, including basic, standard, and premium coverages, as well as add-ons and discounts. Its policies are highly customizable, allowing customers to create and pay only for the coverage they need. Here are some of the coverage options available:

• Bodily Injury Liability: This coverage helps pay for medical bills or loss of income resulting from an accident caused by the policyholder.
• Property Damage Liability: This coverage aids in covering damages to another person's vehicle or property due to an accident caused by the policyholder.
• Personal Injury Protection: This coverage assists with medical bills and loss of income due to a covered accident.
• Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist: This coverage protects against costs incurred if the policyholder is hit by someone without sufficient auto insurance or with no insurance at all.
• Medical Payments: This coverage helps pay for medical expenses if injuries from a covered auto accident result in hospitalisation for the policyholder or their passengers.
• Collision: This coverage pays for damage to the policyholder's vehicle, regardless of who is at fault, in the event of a collision with another vehicle or object, or if the vehicle rolls over.
• Comprehensive: Also known as "other than collision," this coverage helps pay for damage to the policyholder's vehicle from incidents such as vandalism, theft, weather events, and accidents involving animals.
• Rental Car and Towing: These coverages provide reimbursement for rental car expenses and towing services if the policyholder's vehicle is inoperable due to a covered accident.
• Accident Forgiveness: This add-on coverage helps prevent an increase in insurance rates after the policyholder's first at-fault accident or minor violation.
• Gap Insurance: This coverage assists in bridging the gap between what the policyholder owes on their car and its actual cash value in the event of a total loss.
• Roadside Assistance: Nationwide offers roadside assistance services, providing help with towing, fuel delivery, tire changes, and jump-starts.
• Vanishing Deductible: This feature reduces the policyholder's deductible by a certain amount for each year of safe driving, up to a maximum amount.
• Total Loss Deductible Waiver: In the event of a total loss, this waiver eliminates the need to pay the physical damage deductible (comprehensive or collision) on the policy.

Nationwide also offers special auto coverages, which are optional features that can be added to the standard policy. These include Accident Forgiveness, Emergency Roadside Service, Vanishing Deductible, Total Loss Deductible Waiver, and more.

Nationwide's auto insurance discounts

Nationwide offers a range of auto insurance discounts to help lower your monthly premiums. Here are some of the discounts available:

Usage-Based Discounts

• SmartRide: This program uses an app, plug-in device, or in-car system to track your driving habits and offers a discount of up to 40% for safe driving. You also get an instant 10% discount just for signing up.
• SmartMiles: This is a pay-per-mile program that offers flexible monthly rates based on how many miles you drive. It's a great option if you don't drive much, as you can save money by driving less.

Driver-Based Discounts

• Accident-Free Discount: If you have a clean driving record and have been accident-free for a set amount of time, you can qualify for this discount.
• Good Student Discount: Drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 who maintain a B average or better in school are eligible for this discount.
• Defensive Driving Discount: Drivers aged 55 or older who complete a state-approved defensive driving course can receive a discount of around 5%.
• Safe Driver Discount: If you have a safe driving record, with no at-fault accidents or major violations for a certain period (usually five years), you may be eligible for a lower premium.

Payment-Based Discounts

• Automatic Payments Discount: You can get a one-time discount by setting up automatic payments from your bank account.
• Paperless Billing Discount: You may receive a recurring discount if you choose to receive your bills and policy documents via email.

In addition to these discounts, Nationwide also offers a vanishing deductible program, where you can earn a credit of up to $500 towards your deductible for each year of safe driving. They also offer accident forgiveness, so your premiums won't necessarily increase if you file a claim.

Nationwide's auto insurance pros and cons

Nationwide Auto Insurance Pros

Nationwide is one of the largest insurance providers in the U.S. and offers a range of auto insurance coverage options, including bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and medical payments. It also offers several other customizable coverage options, including collision, comprehensive, rental car, and towing.

Nationwide's auto insurance is available in most states and has highly-rated customer service. The company is a mutual insurance company, meaning it is owned by its policyholders, so it can focus on clients without catering to investors.

Nationwide offers customizable policies, with basic, standard, and premium coverage options, as well as a range of add-ons and discounts. Its SmartRide program offers a discount of up to 40% based on tracked driving habits, and the SmartMiles program offers pay-per-mile insurance for those who don't drive often.

Nationwide also has a good reputation for paying out claims, with an A+ Financial Strength Rating from A.M. Best, indicating it has the ability to pay insurance claims.

Nationwide Auto Insurance Cons

Nationwide's auto insurance quotes tend to be more expensive than other major insurance companies. Its average annual policy cost is around $1,864, which is a bit pricey compared to competitors.

Nationwide also has lower-than-average customer satisfaction ratings for auto insurance. It is also not available in all states, including Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Massachusetts.

While Nationwide offers accident forgiveness, it is only for the first at-fault accident or minor traffic ticket, and it is not available in every state.

Nationwide's auto insurance customer reviews

Nationwide auto insurance has received mixed reviews from its customers. While some customers have praised the company for its customer service, others have criticised it for its claims handling process.

One five-star reviewer on ConsumerAffairs wrote:

> "I've had Nationwide for decades and have always been happy with my coverage and service. On the few occasions I've needed to file a claim they have responded rapidly, and took care of everything."

However, another reviewer on the same site gave the company one star, saying:

> "Absolute worst insurance company I've dealt with in 40 years and all I'm trying to do is log on to their app or website to pay bills. I've wasted hours resetting passwords to find the next day they are invalid. The agents 1 out of 5 are competent."

On Reddit, positive reviews of Nationwide cite the low cost of its pay-per-mile programme, while negative comments mention difficulty with the claims process and cancellation policy.

In a 2022 car insurance satisfaction survey conducted by MarketWatch, 3% of respondents had a Nationwide car insurance policy. The survey found that 43% of these respondents had filed a claim, while 57% had not. Most participants in the survey were happy with Nationwide's customer service during the claims process, giving it a rating of 4.2 out of 5.

In terms of customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, Nationwide has received a mix of positive and negative feedback. Positive reviews mention the company's customer service, timeliness and professionalism, while negative reviews focus on the insurance claims process, with some reporting that their claims were denied or that they had trouble communicating with representatives.

Nationwide's auto insurance claims

The Nationwide claims process typically takes 10-15 minutes. After filing a claim, a Nationwide claims professional will review the report and initiate the claims process. The company will then assess the vehicle, evaluate the claim details, determine the repairs needed, and help the customer find and schedule repairs. Once the repairs are completed, Nationwide will provide payment and inform the customer that the claim has been closed.

Nationwide also offers text updates to track the progress of auto claims. Customers can log in to their Nationwide account to view the status of their claim, including inspection details and payment summaries. Additionally, customers can upload photos and documents or contact their claims associate at any time after submitting the claim.

To file an auto insurance claim, customers can log in to their Nationwide account, call the Nationwide Claims phone number at 1-800-421-3535, or use the Nationwide mobile app.

Frequently asked questions