Compare Nationwide vs. Progressive: Quotes, Discounts (2023)

Nationwide vs. Progressive: A Summary

Nationwide and Progressive are household names in large part because of their many commercials. But which of the two has the best ratings? Nationwide car insurance is the clear winner in some areas, and in other categories, Progressive comes out on top. That’s why we’ve broken down all the data, so you can compare car insurance providers and make the right choice.

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 claims to be “on your side,” offering a variety of insurance products and add-ons like roadside assistance, vanishing deductibles, and various coverage options. Another leading feature is the SmartRide program, which tracks driving habits and rewards safe drivers with cheaper rates.

Progressive

With features like the Name Your Price Tool, choosing Progressive may be perfect for your insurance needs. Its premiums are significantly lower than competitors, yet it still offers robust benefits like accident forgiveness, gap insurance, and Snapshot, which monitors driving behavior to give safe drivers another way to save.

The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022

Nationwide is our top recommendation for safe drivers. That means if your driving record is free of accidents or tickets in the past three years, it should be a great place to find a reasonable quote. And if you’re already a safe driver, Nationwide’s SmartRide will reward you even further with lower premiums.

On the other hand, Progressive is ranked best for senior drivers. Unfortunately, at age 65, car insurance rates start to go up again as drivers get older and lose dexterity. Thankfully, Progressive offers rates that are still competitive through the golden years. And whether you choose Progressive or Nationwide, it’s great that both companies made the top 10 list.

Compare Nationwide vs. Progressive: Which Is Cheaper?

Progressive is the clear winner with a price that’s $23 per month, or $276 per year, less than Nationwide. After analyzing the numbers, we found Progressive’s price is 29 percent cheaper than Nationwide. However, the figures provided are based on averages, so the difference may not be as drastic when you decide to get quotes.

The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in 2022

Progressive’s rates are far more budget-friendly than Nationwide’s for most drivers. At $87 per month overall and a rate below $100 for most age groups, Progressive is the most cost-effective option. That said, the numbers come from averages, and you won’t know which is truly the best for you until you get quotes at Insurify.

Compare Nationwide vs. Progressive Car Insurance by Age

Your age is an essential factor that auto insurance companies use to generate quotes. Insurers believe that more experienced drivers are safe drivers.

For instance, it’s common for older policyholders to pay less for full coverage than young drivers pay for just bodily injury liability and property damage liability (often called “liability-only”).

Average car insurance rates for both companies follow a similar pattern. The prices are highest in the teenage years up to around 25 and then decrease through the 50s. In fact, drivers in their 50s get the best deal, at $75 per month with Nationwide and $65 per month with Progressive. Then, right around retirement age, rates start to go back up.

Compare Nationwide vs. Progressive Car Insurance by Gender

Gender can affect the price of your car insurance policy. Typically, the difference in rates between men and women is negligible. However, the difference is most pronounced with men up to their mid-30s. Statistically, men engage in riskier driving behavior, so insurers charge young men slightly more to offset the added risk.

Nationwide charges men about 7 percent more than women, which amounts to $7 per month, or $84 per year. In contrast, at Progressive, men, and women pay almost the same thing. But, surprisingly, at Progressive, women have the higher premium, at $79 per month.

Which is cheapest for men?

Progressive is much less expensive for men than Nationwide. Progressive saves you $27 per month on average, a difference that amounts to over $320 per year—both companies are higher than the national average of $70. Nationwide is $35 per month higher, and Progressive is $8 per month higher.

Which is cheapest for women?

Progressive is the cheaper choice for women. At Nationwide, women pay less than men on average, and at Progressive, they pay about the same as men, but both companies end up above the national average of $69. However, women at Nationwide pay 27 percent more than women at Progressive, with a $19 per month, or $228 per year, difference between the two companies.

Compare Nationwide vs. Progressive Car Insurance by Mileage

Usually, drivers with high annual mileage can expect to pay more than those who drive less. This is because insurers believe more time on the road increases the risk of you having an accident. Even so, the differences can be relatively small at some companies, so it’s a good idea to get a picture of the potential cost relative to how much you drive.

Regardless of annual mileage, drivers at both Nationwide and Progressive can expect to pay more than the national average. The cost difference among the various mileage levels is $4 per month with Nationwide and $1 per month with Progressive.

Which is cheapest for drivers with high mileage?

Progressive is the cheaper choice for drivers with high mileage. Nationwide is $19 more expensive per month, resulting in a whopping $228 difference over a year. And even though Progressive is cheaper than Nationwide, it’s still $10 per month higher than the national average of $69.

Which is cheapest for drivers with low mileage?

Progressive is once again the cheaper option for low-mileage drivers. At $78 for 5,000 annual miles and $79 for 10,000 annual miles, Progressive is $24 cheaper per month at 5,000 annual miles and $19 cheaper per month at 10,000 annual miles. So progressive could save you anywhere from $228 to $288 per year, depending on how much you drive.

Compare Nationwide vs. Progressive Car Insurance by Credit Score

In every state except California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, credit is used to help insurers determine rates. Historically, studies have shown a relationship between higher credit scores and safer driving behavior. Despite that, it’s still possible to find affordable car insurance with a less-than-perfect credit history at Insurify.

When you look at the data for Nationwide and Progressive, you can see those with excellent credit pay the least, and those with poor credit pay the most. This trend is also reflected in the national averages. The most shocking numbers come when you compare rates for drivers with poor credit pay to rates for those with excellent credit. It’s a great incentive to boost your score.

Which is cheapest for good credit?

Progressive shows up with the cheapest rates again for those with good or excellent credit. Excellent credit will get you the best rates from both companies, but Progressive is much closer to the national average of $52 per month. So if you have good credit, expect to pay slightly more than those with excellent credit.

Which is cheapest for bad credit?

Progressive has cheaper rates for those with average and poor credit. Both companies are higher than the national average. Nationwide’s drivers with average credit pay $25 per month more than Progressive and $35 per month more than the national average. The difference is less stark with poor credit, but Nationwide’s drivers still pay more.

Compare Nationwide vs. Progressive Car Insurance by Driving Record

Insurers look at the past as the best predictor of future driving behavior. That’s why your driving record plays such a large part in the price you pay for car insurance. Maintaining an accident-free driving history without speeding tickets or DUIs is one of the best ways to earn insurance discounts and a low price. Conversely, drivers with lots of mishaps on their records pay more.

Furthermore, speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, and DUIs raise insurance rates. For example, drivers with DUIs pay the most, with a national average of $113 per month, a price that’s 69 percent higher than the national average for good drivers of $67 per month. But even a simple speeding ticket can mean a 31 percent increase on your monthly bill.

Which is cheapest for good drivers?

Good drivers get the best deal at Progressive, saving $25 per month on average, or $300 per year, compared to Nationwide. Nationwide is $102 for good drivers, which is $35 above the national average of $67 per month. However, even Progressive is above the national average but only by $10 per month.

Which is cheapest after a speeding ticket?

If you have a speeding ticket, you’d most likely pay less with Progressive. At $99 per month, you’d still be paying $11 more than the national average, but you’d be beating Nationwide’s premiums by $33. A $33 per month savings translates to $396 per year. For some people, that may be all the reason they need to choose one company over another.

Which is cheapest after an accident?

You should think about going with Progressive if you have an accident on your record. At $111 per month, it’s $43 per month cheaper than Nationwide, an amount that adds up to $516 per year. Both companies are higher than the national average of $99 per year, but Progressive is much closer, while Nationwide is over 50 percent more expensive.

Which is cheapest after a DUI?

After a DUI, your state might require you to pay fines and other penalties, so saving money on car insurance is even more critical. Once again, Progressive offers a substantial price break, at $95 per month; that’s considerably below the national average. In contrast, Nationwide’s premium is nearly double for drivers with a DUI.

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

Our Methodology and How We Compared Nationwide and Progressive

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.