Nationwide and Farmers are top insurance companies with long-established histories. Both companies are well-known for selling car insurance along with other types of insurance, including homeowners insurance, life insurance, and more.

Nationwide provides car insurance everywhere in the U.S. except for Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Maine. Farmers’ auto insurance coverage options are slightly more limited, offering coverage in 42 states.

If you’re trying to decide whether Nationwide or Farmers is a better fit for your car insurance needs, it’s important to compare rates, customer service reputation, discount opportunities, coverage options, and other factors.

Nationwide vs. Farmers: The verdict

Nationwide will be the better choice for most drivers. Nationwide’s average car insurance rates are lower in every driver category, including for teen drivers, people with clean driving records, drivers with tickets, senior drivers, and people with bad credit. And while neither insurer offers coverage in every U.S. state, Nationwide offers car insurance to drivers in more states than Farmers.

But Farmers outshines Nationwide in one area: discounts. If you can qualify for multiple auto insurance discounts from Farmers, it might be worth considering a policy from this insurance company because you may be able to find coverage at a more affordable rate.

It’s worth the effort to compare quotes from both companies to see which insurance company can offer you the best rate. The table below can also show you some key features that Nationwide and Farmers have to offer.

Nationwide

Nationwide is one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. In 2022, it was the 10th-largest insurance company, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).1

Farmers

Farmers has a slightly larger market share than Nationwide, holding the No. 9 spot among the top 25 insurance companies.1

Nationwide SmartRide vs. Farmers Signal

Both Nationwide and Farmers offer telematics programs that reward safe driving behavior. Both require you to download a mobile app to your smartphone. Once you install the app, it’ll track a variety of driving behaviors — positive and negative — and price your coverage according to your driving habits.

For example, if you’re someone who frequently speeds, brakes hard, or drives often during rush hour or in the evening, you might pay more for insurance coverage. But if you pay attention to speed limits, drive fewer miles, and don’t drive while distracted (using your mobile phone while operating a vehicle), you may qualify for discounts.

Nationwide vs. Farmers: Which is the cheapest?

Overall, Nationwide’s average rates are cheaper than Farmers. But it’s important to remember that the insurance company you choose is just one important factor that affects your final car insurance premium costs. Other details that may affect the price you pay for auto insurance include your driving record, age, ZIP code, credit history, gender, and more.

You can see how Nationwide and Farmers compare for different driver profiles in the sections below.

Nationwide: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

If you’re a safe driver with a blemish-free driving record, Nationwide has more affordable rates. Farmers customers pay nearly 25% more for the same type of coverage, on average.

Nationwide: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

If you have a speeding ticket on your driving record, Nationwide’s car insurance rates are cheaper than Farmers.

Nationwide: Cheapest for teen drivers

Nationwide offers significantly lower rates to teen drivers. But remember that young drivers pay higher insurance premiums because their lack of driving experience leads to an increased risk of filing claims.

Nationwide: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

In many states, you’ll pay more for car insurance if you have bad credit. Drivers with poor credit pay lower average car insurance premiums with Nationwide than they do with Farmers.

Nationwide: Cheapest for senior drivers

Nationwide offers cheaper insurance rates to senior drivers compared to Farmers.

Compare coverages: Nationwide vs. Farmers

Nationwide and Farmers offer a similar suite of insurance coverage options. Both insurance companies provide drivers with standard liability car insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection (PIP), medical payments coverage, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage.

Both insurance companies also offer an assortment of add-ons you can consider for your car insurance policy. You can see the offerings for Nationwide and Farmers in the table below.

Compare discounts: Nationwide vs. Farmers

Farmers offers more discounts than Nationwide. In some cases, this might make up for the fact that Farmers has higher average insurance rates.

Here’s a look at some of the different types of discounts available from each insurer.

Nationwide vs. Farmers FAQs

Nationwide or Farmers might be a good fit for your car insurance needs depending on your specific situation. As you search for the best car insurance company for you, consider this additional information about these two popular insurance companies.

  • Is Nationwide a strong insurance company?

    Yes. Overall, Nationwide is a strong insurance company. The company earns a high IQ Score of 9.0 out of 10 based on a combination of factors, including low rates, strong financial stability, a variety of discounts, and numerous auto insurance options.

    Nationwide also has an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best, indicating a strong ability to pay claims.

  • Does Farmers or Nationwide typically offer lower premiums?

    Nationwide offers car insurance coverage at a lower cost, on average, when compared to Farmers.

    The average rate for liability car insurance with Nationwide is $94 per month. Farmers customers pay an average of $110 per month for liability car insurance.

    Full-coverage car insurance costs an average of $177 per month with Nationwide versus $215 per month with Farmers.

  • What are the key differences between Nationwide and Farmers insurance?

    Perhaps the biggest difference between Nationwide and Farmers is the rates that the two insurance companies charge their customers. If cheaper rates are your priority, Nationwide offers lower insurance premiums in every category.

    But Farmers gives its customers more opportunities to earn discounts. If you’re eligible to stack multiple discounts together with Farmers, you might want to consider it in certain situations.

Michelle Lambright Black
Michelle Lambright Black

Michelle Lambright Black is a credit expert, freelance writer, and founder of CreditWriter.com. She has over 20 years of experience writing and speaking about credit and money, and focuses on helping families and small business owners make smart, informed decisions about their credit, money, and financial products (including insurance). Michelle's work has appeared in publications such as Yahoo! Finance, Reader's Digest, Parents, FICO, Forbes, Bankrate, The Seattle Times, MarketWatch, BuySide from Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and more. She's also a three-time finalist for the best personal finance freelancer award from the Plutus Foundation. When she isn't writing or speaking about credit and money, Michelle loves to travel with her family or read a good book. You can connect with Michelle on Instagram or Twitter

Michelle has been a contributor at Insurify since September 2023.

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