Compare Nationwide vs. The Hartford: Quotes, Discounts (2023)

Nationwide vs. The Hartford: A Summary

If you’re 50 or older and looking for car insurance coverage to keep you safe and legal when you drive, two of the auto insurance companies you may consider are Nationwide and The Hartford. We’ll go over what each company has to offer for you and your insurance needs, but first, you should compare quotes from the numerous auto providers available to you.

ICS Score Explanation:

The Insurify Composite Score (ICS) is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.

Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.

Nationwide

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company was founded in 1925 and is a Fortune 100 company offering a variety of insurance products. You can buy auto, life, pet, and homeowners insurance from Nationwide, along with additional investment and retirement products. The company gets high marks for financial stability from multiple independent rating agencies.

However, Nationwide has some issues with customer satisfaction. The company was the bottom-ranked large insurer in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study and also ranked below average for insurance claims satisfaction. On the other hand, Nationwide had fewer complaints with the NAIC in 2021 than expected, given the company’s size.

In addition to standard coverage options, you can get gap insurance, rental car reimbursement, roadside assistance, and more from Nationwide. You can also add accident forgiveness and vanishing deductible to your policy. The company also offers a pay-per-mile plan and a usage-based safe driving program that can save you up to 40 percent.

The Hartford

The Hartford Insurance is a Fortune 500 company that was founded in 1810 and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. The company offers several types of insurance, including auto, business, and home insurance. Since 1984, the company has offered car insurance exclusively to AARP members aged 50 and older. While the company reports that AARP members get exclusive discounts, rates exceed the industry average.

The Hartford has excellent financial strength ratings from independent rating agencies and is also recognized for customer satisfaction. Not only does The Hartford rank above average in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, but it’s also the top-ranked insurer for claims satisfaction. And the company had zero complaints with the NAIC in 2021.

Policies from The Hartford include more coverage than most. You get roadside assistance, no-deductible windshield repair, and new car replacement coverage, along with RecoverCare, which helps pay for essential services if you are injured in an accident. The company also offers a variety of discounts, including a safe driving telematics program.

The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022

Nationwide and The Hartford are two of the best insurance companies we reviewed. Both are highly reputable, financially stable companies with great coverage options. Drivers aged 50 and older can’t go wrong with either choice. To get the best price, compare your car insurance quotes with Nationwide, The Hartford, and more through Insurify before making a decision.

Compare Nationwide vs. The Hartford: Which Is Cheaper?

The Hartford offers cheaper rates than Nationwide on average. However, the two are fairly close in price, and for certain types of drivers, Nationwide offers cheaper coverage. For example, Nationwide is the more affordable option for drivers in their 70s and 80s and drivers with poor credit.

The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in 2022

Nationwide and The Hartford are not the cheapest insurance companies out there. Policyholders pay average rates that exceed the industry average at both companies. Most drivers can find cheaper rates at providers like GEICO or State Farm, but keep in mind that car insurance rates vary on a driver-by-driver basis in accordance with driving history and location.

Compare Nationwide vs. The Hartford Car Insurance by Age

Younger drivers have less experience on the road, and research shows that teen drivers are more likely to be involved in a crash than any other age group. Insurance providers charge higher rates to younger drivers to account for that risk. Drivers in their 50s and 60s tend to pay the lowest rates for car insurance coverage.

Every insurer weighs age a little differently, so some companies offer cheaper rates to young drivers than others. Many companies offer discounts to offset age-related price hikes through eligible discounts and safe driver programs. Find what you can expect from Nationwide and The Hartford based on your age in the chart below.

The Hartford offers cheaper premiums to drivers in their 50s and 60s than Nationwide. For example, drivers in their 50s pay $23 less at The Hartford on average. But The Hartford hikes up rates for older drivers, so policyholders in their 70s and 80s pay less on average at Nationwide. Nationwide costs $22 less than The Hartford for drivers in their 80s.

Compare Nationwide vs. The Hartford Car Insurance by Gender

Car insurance companies tend to offer slightly lower rates to women. The difference is more apparent at younger ages because studies show that male teen drivers are more likely to be in a fatal accident as female teens. That said, variations between genders persist at older ages as well. Here’s what you can expect from Nationwide and The Hartford.

Which is cheapest for men?

The Hartford is cheaper than Nationwide for men. However, both companies charge more than the industry average. For example, The Hartford charges $16 more than the national average rate for men, while Nationwide charges $24 more than the national average. Men can find cheaper average rates at companies like Allstate and GEICO.

Which is cheapest for women?

The Hartford is $11 cheaper than Nationwide for women, but both companies charge women more than the national average. Nationwide exceeds the industry average by $20. Women can find cheaper average rates at companies like State Farm and Erie.

Compare Nationwide vs. The Hartford Car Insurance by Mileage

When you apply for an auto insurance policy, you provide your estimated annual mileage. Some companies reduce premiums for low-mileage drivers, but the savings are typically minimal. If you’re a low-mileage driver, consider enrolling in Nationwide’s SmartMiles program—you’ll realize greater savings with a program that tracks your actual mileage.

Which is cheapest for drivers with high mileage?

The Hartford is cheaper than Nationwide for high-mileage drivers but still exceeds the industry average by $9. Nationwide chargers drivers $20 more than the industry average.

Which is cheapest for drivers with low mileage?

The Hartford also is the cheaper option for drivers with a low estimated annual mileage. The lowest-mileage drivers save $15 on average when choosing The Hartford over Nationwide. However, The Hartford still charges $9 more than the industry average.

Compare Nationwide vs. The Hartford Car Insurance by Credit Score

In most states, auto insurance companies refer to your credit-based insurance score when determining your car insurance rates. That score is based on information in your credit report, like your payment history. Unlike how lenders use credit scores to assess the likelihood of default, insurance companies use them to assess the likelihood you’ll file a claim.

That’s because several studies have found a correlation between bad credit and more claims-filing. Unless you live in certain states like California, you’ll pay significantly more for car insurance if you have bad credit. Ultimately, every company weighs credit information a little differently. Here are the average rates based on credit tier from Nationwide and The Hartford.

Which is cheapest for good credit?

The Hartford is cheaper than Nationwide for drivers with good and excellent credit. For example, drivers with excellent credit pay $10 less on average for car insurance from The Hartford than for Nationwide. However, neither company is less expensive than the national average.

Which is cheapest for bad credit?

Drivers with average credit pay less at The Hartford than at Nationwide. However, The Hartford drives up rates for drivers with poor credit, making Nationwide the cheaper option by $17. Still, neither company offers rates less expensive than the national average.

Compare Nationwide vs. The Hartford Car Insurance by Driving Record

Car insurance companies will review your driving history to estimate the likelihood you’ll file a claim in the future. If you have past infractions like speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, or DUIs on your record, insurance providers will assume a lack of precaution on the road. The more tickets you’ve received, the more you’ll pay for car insurance.

That said, every company weighs the information in your driver profile differently, and some are more generous with rates after a violation than others. Here’s what you can expect from Nationwide and The Hartford based on your driving history.

Which is cheapest for good drivers?

Policyholders without any violations pay cheaper average rates at The Hartford than at Nationwide. On average, The Hartford is $15 cheaper than Nationwide for good drivers. However, both companies charge rates slightly higher than the national average.

Which is cheapest after a speeding ticket?

The Hartford is $13 cheaper than Nationwide for drivers who have been caught speeding, but The Hartford still charges $15 more than the national average. For drivers with a speeding ticket, the average rate for Nationwide coverage is $28 more than the national average.

Which is cheapest after an accident?

The Hartford is about $9 cheaper than Nationwide on average for drivers with at-fault accidents, but both companies charge significantly more than the national average rate. The Hartford exceeds the industry average by $32, and Nationwide exceeds the national average by $41 per month.

Which is cheapest after a DUI?

The Hartford offers fairly generous rates to DUI drivers, considering rates from other insurance providers. With an average rate of $135, The Hartford is less expensive than the national average by $20 and is $47 cheaper than Nationwide. However, DUI drivers may be able to find cheaper rates at providers like State Farm or Progressive.

Nationwide vs. The Hartford Car Insurance: What discounts does each offer?

Nationwide Discounts

• Multi-policy

• SmartRide

• SmartMiles

• Defensive driving

• Safe driver

• Accident-free

• Autopay

• Paperless

• Good student

• Anti-theft

The Hartford Discounts

• Multi-policy

• TrueLane

• Full pay

• Quote online

• Safety features

• Vehicle fuel type

• Driver training

• Defensive driving

Our Methodology and How We Compared Nationwide and The Hartford

The car insurance quotes provided in Insurify’s insurance company comparison guides are based on the analysis of over 50 thousand insurance quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates, including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more to give representative samples.

Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating calculated by weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.

Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.

With the above insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offer car insurance shoppers a window into how insurance providers compare to one another in terms of both cost and quality.

Frequently Asked Questions