Liberty Mutual vs. Nationwide: Which Is Best? (2024)

Low rates and high customer satisfaction ratings make Nationwide a better option for car insurance than Liberty Mutual.

Daria Kelly Uhlig
Daria Kelly Uhlig
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Daria is a licensed Realtor and resort property manager specializing in personal finance, real estate, and insurance topics. In her spare time, she practices photography.

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Katie Powers
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Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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Konstantin Halachev
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Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
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  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Updated November 27, 2024

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Liberty Mutual and Nationwide are two of the largest U.S. auto insurance companies by market share, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).[1] Liberty Mutual offers an impressive list of optional car insurance coverages and discounts, but Nationwide has slightly cheaper average rates and a pay-as-you-drive insurance option that can save you money.

Before you decide which company is the best choice, you should check customer reviews and compare quotes, coverages, discounts, and customer satisfaction ratings.

Here’s what you need to know about coverage offerings from Liberty Mutual and Nationwide to find the cheapest car insurance for you.

Quick Facts
  • The average cost of liability insurance is $159 per month from Liberty Mutual and $83 from Nationwide.

  • You can save up to 30% on coverage from Liberty Mutual and up to 40% from Nationwide through the companies’ respective telematics programs.

  • Nationwide has an AM Best financial strength rating of A+ (Superior), and Liberty Mutual has a rating of A (Excellent).

Liberty Mutual vs. Nationwide: The verdict

Though both companies have great coverage options, Nationwide offers slightly cheaper average auto insurance rates and higher customer satisfaction than Liberty Mutual.

Nationwide has a below-average number of customer complaints filed with the NAIC, while Liberty Mutual has an above-average number of complaints for a company of its size.

The two car insurance companies have similar coverage offerings, but Liberty Mutual has a couple of add-ons Nationwide doesn’t, including better car replacement and teachers’ auto insurance. Nationwide has cheaper rates on average, but Liberty Mutual has a few extra discounts you can benefit from.

The best company for you will depend on your driver profile and coverage needs. See how Liberty Mutual and Nationwide compare below.

Factor
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
Insurify Quality (IQ) Score7.78.7
J.D. Power customer satisfaction score799 out of 1,000806 out of 1,000
Average quote: liability only$159$83
Number of available discounts1311
Number of states where it operates5048
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
  • Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.

    We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

    • Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
    • Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
    • Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
    • Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
    • Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.

Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual is the nation’s third-largest insurance company selling personal auto insurance, with a 4.95% share of the market. The company ranked 20th in overall customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, receiving a below-average rating.[2]

Liberty Mutual logo
User Reviews
3.7
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
7.7 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$159/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$258/mo
3.7
A solid optionBased on 2678 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Liberty Mutual

Drivers appreciate the initial low prices, quick claims handling, and easy account access but dislike the significant price increases over time.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Numerous discounts
New and financed vehicles
Accident forgiveness
How drivers feel about Liberty Mutual

Drivers appreciate the initial low prices, quick claims handling, and easy account access but dislike the significant price increases over time.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Numerous discounts
New and financed vehicles
Accident forgiveness
Reviews (1,564)

Byron

November 26, 2024

Verified Review

A Good Company, But...

Liberty Mutual is an accessible, reputable, and flexible insurance company. They are a good choice for immediate coverage, but their premiums just keep increasing. Despite not having a moving violation or accident in over 30 years, I feel that I could get rates substantially lower than the over $80 per month I am currently paying for state minimum coverage with roadside assistance. (Note: I have not been with Liberty Mutual for all 30 years.)

Adneris

November 25, 2024

Verified Review

Fair

It's too expensive. Every year when I renew, the policy price increases. I can't afford it.

Terry

November 25, 2024

Verified Review

My Thoughts

I appreciate Liberty, but I struggle to reach a real person to answer my questions and explain the insurance details I don't understand. I've completed the AARP Driving Course online and, unfortunately, my husband has passed away. I'm hoping Liberty will offer me a favorable renewal rate for 2025. I have good credit, no tickets or accidents. I'm only seeking the basic Florida required coverage for my car, and perhaps even a senior citizen discount. Thank you.
See all Liberty Mutual reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
819
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
3.95
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A
Why we picked this company

Liberty Mutual offers auto, homeowners, condo, renters, flood, life, and other insurance products. Auto policyholders can save with numerous discounts, including bundling, good student, military, student-away-at-school, claims-free, violation-free, and multi-car discounts. Liberty Mutual has an A rating for financial strength and credit from AM Best. The company often scores low for customer satisfaction and has more than three times the expected number of complaints from private auto policyholders, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Consumer Complaint Index.

Pros
  • Wide range of available discounts

  • Accident forgiveness available

  • Available in all 50 states and D.C.

Cons
  • Many negative reviews and customer complaints

  • Premiums are relatively high compared to industry average

  • Low customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power

Nationwide

With 1.99% of the personal auto insurance market share, Nationwide is the 10th-largest U.S. car insurance company. With a ranking slightly below the study average, Nationwide ranked 15th in overall customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.

Nationwide logo
User Reviews
4.4
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
8.7 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$83/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$182/mo
4.4
Best choiceBased on 786 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Nationwide

Drivers appreciate the excellent coverage, reliable claims process, and good initial rates but dislike the frequent price increases.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Usage-based savings
Accident forgiveness
Recreational vehicle coverage
How drivers feel about Nationwide

Drivers appreciate the excellent coverage, reliable claims process, and good initial rates but dislike the frequent price increases.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Usage-based savings
Accident forgiveness
Recreational vehicle coverage
Reviews (442)

George

November 25, 2024

Verified Review

Not Appropriate

It was great, except for the significant increase in cost. This made it unaffordable.

Richard

November 7, 2024

Verified Review

Excellent Company

Nationwide appears to be an excellent company. I have recommended this company to several of my friends. My daughter and her husband have also taken out policies and are very satisfied with this company. Thank you.

Irene

November 4, 2024

Verified Review

Sorry to be leaving you, Nationwide.

I used Nationwide for 32 years. I understand that insurance prices are going up, however, due to my limited income, I can no longer afford to stay with Nationwide.
See all Nationwide reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
815
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
0.64
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A+
Why we picked this company

Nationwide operates in 46 states and Washington, D.C., selling car, homeowners, life, umbrella, and more types of insurance coverage. In addition to liability, collision, and comprehensive, Nationwide provides optional coverages such as towing and labor, rental car, and gap insurance. The company also offers a vanishing deductible that lowers your deductible for each year you drive safely. Nationwide has an A rating from AM Best for financial stability and fewer-than-expected customer complaints in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Consumer Complaint Index.

Pros
  • Offers 24/7 roadside assistance coverage add-on

  • SmartRide (for safe drivers) and SmartMiles (for low-mileage drivers)

  • Accident forgiveness available

Cons
  • Below-average customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power

  • Some discounts and programs not available in all states

  • Not available in every state

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Liberty Mutual RightTrack vs. Nationwide SmartRide

Participating in the Liberty Mutual RightTrack program can earn you a 30% discount. You’ll earn a 10% discount when you enroll and can qualify for up to 20% more after you download the app on your phone and let it monitor your driving for 90 days. It’s an easy way to save money, but you might have to wait until your policy renews to benefit from the discount.

Nationwide’s SmartRide telematics program offers a discount of up to 40%. You get 10% off for enrolling and up to 30% more for downloading and activating the app. The potential discount is larger for SmartRide than RightTrack, but you’ll have to let the app monitor your driving for as long as six months.

Liberty Mutual vs. Nationwide: Which is the cheapest?

Nationwide has slightly lower average car insurance rates for both a liability-only and full-coverage policy.

On average, drivers pay $83 per month for liability insurance and $182 for full-coverage insurance from Nationwide. Liberty Mutual policyholders pay an average of $159 per month for liability insurance and $258 for full-coverage insurance.

Keep in Mind

Your own rate will depend on many different factors, including your driving record, gender, marital status, ZIP code, credit score, the type of car you drive, and whether the car has advanced safety features.[3]

Nationwide: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

People with a clean driving record earn the cheapest average rates because insurers view them as low-risk drivers. Nationwide is the cheaper option for liability insurance than Liberty Mutual, though the difference is marginal.

Driver Type
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
Clean driving record$159$83

Nationwide: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

If you have a speeding ticket or other violations on your record, you’ll pay more for coverage than someone with a clean record. Drivers with a past speeding ticket pay less for liability coverage on average with Nationwide.

Driver Type
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
Drivers with a speeding ticket$222$101

Nationwide: Cheapest for teen drivers

Teen drivers pay the highest rates of any age group due to a lack of driving experience and higher rates of accidents. Nationwide has cheaper liability insurance rates for teen drivers than Liberty Mutual, on average.

Driver Type
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
18-year-old$276$149

Nationwide: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

If you have poor credit, you’ll pay more for coverage than drivers with good credit because studies have shown a link between poor credit and filing insurance claims. Nationwide auto insurance rates for a full-coverage policy for drivers with bad credit are cheaper on average than Liberty Mutual.

Driver Type
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
Drivers with bad credit$285$219

Nationwide: Cheapest for senior drivers

Senior drivers can find cheaper liability insurance on average with Nationwide. Compare rates below.

Driver Type
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
Senior drivers$135$55

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Compare coverages: Liberty Mutual vs. Nationwide

Liberty Mutual and Nationwide both offer similar standard insurance products. You can find bodily injury and property damage liability insurance, personal injury protection, uninsured/underinsured motorist, and medical payments coverage, as well as the collision and comprehensive insurance that make up a full-coverage policy.

Both companies also offer similar insurance add-ons, like accident forgiveness, gap insurance, and roadside assistance coverage. The companies have some unique offerings as well. For example, Nationwide has a total loss deductible waiver, and Liberty Mutual offers Mexico car insurance.

Optional coverages help you customize your insurance policy according to your own needs and preferences. Here’s how Liberty Mutual and Nationwide auto insurance add-on offerings compare.

Coverage
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
Accident forgivenessYesYes
Gap insuranceYesYes
Vanishing deductibleYesYes
Roadside assistanceYesYes
Mexico coverageYesNo
Total loss deductible waiverNoYes

Compare discounts: Liberty Mutual vs. Nationwide

Liberty Mutual has higher rates than Nationwide for most categories of drivers, but it has a larger selection of discounts that can reduce your premiums.

Liberty Mutual offers discounts for students away at school, homeowners, new-car owners, and military members that Nationwide doesn’t. But Nationwide has savings opportunities for low mileage drivers that Liberty Mutual doesn’t.

Take a closer look at the discounts you might qualify for with each insurer.

Discount
Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
Clean driving recordYesYes
Defensive driving courseYesYes
Multi-policyYesYes
Multi-carYesYes
Low mileageNoYes
Telematics (safe driving mobile apps)YesYes
Anti-theft deviceNoYes
New carNoNo
Military/affiliationYesNo
Good studentYesYes
LoyaltyNoNo
Auto payYesYes
Student away at schoolYesNo
HomeownerYesNo
Alternative fuelNoNo

Liberty Mutual vs. Nationwide FAQs

Comparing quotes from multiple auto insurance companies is the best way to find the right insurance policy at the lowest price. The following information should answer your remaining questions about Liberty Mutual and Nationwide car insurance.

  • Which company is Liberty Mutual’s biggest competitor?

    State Farm is the largest competitor in the U.S. personal auto insurance industry, with 16.84% of the market share compared to Liberty Mutual’s 4.95%. USAA and Farmers, which have 5.92% and 4.55% of the market share, respectively, are Liberty Mutual’s closest competitors.

    All these companies are top national insurers with quality coverage offerings.

  • Is Nationwide a good insurance company?

    Yes. Nationwide has an AM Best financial strength rating of A+ (Superior) and receives high ratings in J.D. Power customer satisfaction surveys. The company also received a below-average number of customer complaints filed with the NAIC for a company of its size.

  • Is Liberty Mutual good at paying claims?

    Yes. Liberty Mutual has an AM Best financial strength rating of A (Excellent), which indicates an ability to pay out claims. But Liberty Mutual ranked 20th in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, indicating customers surveyed had some issues with the company’s claims handling.

  • What are the major differences between Liberty Mutual and Nationwide Insurance?

    Nationwide has lower average rates and higher customer satisfaction ratings, while Liberty Mutual offers better discounts. Both companies have high Insurify Quality (IQ) Scores, but Nationwide earns a 8.7 out of 5, and Liberty Mutual scores 7.7.

Methodology

Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.

Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).

Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:

  • Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
  • Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
  • No additional coverage
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
  • Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
  • Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible

Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

Sources

  1. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "2022 Property and Casualty Market Share."
  2. J.D. Power. "Auto Insurers Manage Customer Expectations as Repair Cycle Times Double in Two Years, J.D. Power Finds."
  3. Insurance Information Institute. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
Daria Kelly Uhlig
Daria Kelly Uhlig

Daria Uhlig is a freelance writer and editor with over a decade of experience creating personal finance content. Her work appears on USA Today, Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, Fox Business, GOBankingRates and AOL. As a licensed Realtor and resort property manager, she specializes in real estate topics, including landlord, homeowners and renters insurance. In her spare time, Daria can be found photographing people and places on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Katie Powers
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Photo of an Insurify author
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

Featured in

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

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