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 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.