USAA vs. Nationwide Insurance

Which insurance provider is right for you? Compare cost, savings, and quotes from USAA and Nationwide.

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USAA vs. Nationwide: What You Need to Know

USAA is an organization founded by military members for military members and their families. USAA was founded in the 1920s, during a time of social and political change. In San Antonio, Texas, 25 army officers met to insure each other’s vehicles and named William Garrison as the first president. This tiny group of men would later turn into one of the largest insurance companies, serving millions of members and becoming a fully integrated financial services organization. In 1923, the group expanded membership to include Navy and Marine Corp officers. In the 1930, membership grew despite the financial crisis, called the Great Depression, and several natural disasters that only exasperated an already desperate situation. By 1931 membership doubled from 15,000 to 30,000. The first annual report to members was published in 1932, and it highlighted financial success and commitment to the organization’s members. During World War II, USAA automatically renewed auto insurance policies, making things a little easier for those who were deployed abroad. In 1946, the organization became an industry leader in technology with its new automated office machines. In 1948, membership was opened to Air Force officers after the National Security Act of 1947 created the department. In 1952, USAA opened an office in Frankfurt, Germany, the first office outside of Texas. In 1961, USAA changed its bylaws so that officers no longer lose their membership after resigning from service. In 1962, they opened an office in London, England. In 1969, USAA formed their first disaster response team which is stationed in the Gulf Coast tending to members impacted by Hurricane Camille.In 1973 USAA opened offices in Tampa, Colorado Springs and San Diego and established their headquarters in San Antonio. In 1978, they began offering toll-free phone service to members. In 1983, the USAA Federal Savings Bank opened its doors and in the same year USAA Volunteer Corps was created to help with employee volunteerism in their communities. In 1990, the USAA Educational Foundation was set up to help consumers get free information on financial management, safety concerns and more. In 1991, USAA began offering roadside assistance and travel benefits. In 1991, they made electronic funds transfers available to members and in 1996 they formed the USAA Ethics Office as a commitment to ethical business conduct. In 1996, they began accepting enlisted as members. By 1999, members could conduct business online. In 2001 USAA provided special deployment assistance for the fight on terrorism. In 2006, they began offering ATM reimbursement and allowing members to deposit checks from home. In 2008, USAA expands eligibility requirements to include military retirees as well as the spouses and children of members. In 2009, all men and women who serve in the U.S. military and their families became eligible for membership. That same year, USAA became a sponsor of the Army-Navy Football Game and launched their mobile app. In 2010, USAA opened financial centers throughout the country while partnering with hundreds of UPS stores to service members. In 2011, USAA became the official Military Appreciation Sponsor of the National Football League. In 2016, they were the first bank to offer mobile app check deposit for visually impaired members. By 2017, USAA had 12 million members and a net worth of $31 billion.

Murray D. Lincoln formed the company the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company with the goal of selling auto insurance at low rates for farmers in Ohio. In 1926, the first policy was sold. In 1928, Farm Bureau Mutual begins to expand into other states including West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, and North Carolina. By 1934, the company was insuring motorists in metropolitan areas and writing property insurance policies too and by 1943 was operating in 12 states and the District of Columbia. It was in 1955 that the company changed its name to nationwide, with an expansion into 20 new states. In 1982, Nationwide acquires a 100-year-old company and America’s leading farm insurer and goes public in 1997. In the year 2000, the Nationwide Arena opens and becomes home to a National Hockey League franchise, the Columbus Blue Jackets. In 2007, the Nationwide Bank opens. Today, Nationwide is a Fortune 100 company with a full range of insurance and financial services across the country, including car, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, pet, farm, life and commercial insurance, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and specific health services.

Below is a list of average rates, rankings, products and discounts for the two companies. For full company overviews, you can visit USAA Overview and Nationwide Overview.

USAA vs. Nationwide: How much are the Average Rates?

Below is a list of the average rates that drivers typically pay with USAA and Nationwide. On average, USAA charges approximately $121.47 per month while Nationwide comes in at around $165.23 per month. For USAA, the cheapest state average is Tennessee at $92.38 per month and the most expensive is Pennsylvania at $186.46 per month. For Nationwide, the cheapest state average is Florida at $3.85 per month and the most expensive is California at $207.65 per month.

USAA

Average Rate

$121.47
Nationwide

Average Rate

$165.23
National

Average Rate

$133.56
State USAA Nationwide
Arizona $116.19 $79.36
California $136.25 $207.65
Florida- $3.85
Georgia $122.73 $74.07
Illinois- $67.45
Kentucky- $67.60
Michigan $100.76 $70.49
Missouri- $108.78
Nevada $163.46 $170.64
New York $138.21 $187.77
North Carolina- $73.49
Ohio- $68.59
Pennsylvania $186.46 $69.04
South Carolina- $60.44
Tennessee $92.38 $87.05
Texas $140.19 $87.61
Washington $93.50 $156.08

USAA vs. Nationwide: Rates by Number of Vehicle

Home

Drivers will typically get a discount if they insure multiple vehicles. Here is a list of average rates that USAA and Nationwide typically charge for drivers who have more than 1 vehicle.

Number of Vehicles USAA Nationwide
1 Vehicle $113.97 $165.94
2 Vehicles $188.20 $164.93

USAA vs. Nationwide: Rates by Homeownership

Home

Drivers who own their home rather than rent can sometimes get a small discount. We found that on average USAA charges $123.35 per month and Nationwide charges $74.80 per month for customers who own their home.

Own/Rent USAA Nationwide
Own $123.35 $74.80
Rent $121.07 $202.51

What is USAA and Nationwide Insurance Rating?

Which car insurance company is better? We've made it easy to compare companies side by side. See how USAA and Nationwide ranked among the industry ratings.

Comparison USAA Nationwide
Year Founded 1922 1925
Market Share 2.7%
A.M. Best A++ A+
BBB Rating B- A+
Financial Strength Excellent Excellent
JD Power Ranking Among the best About Average
Moody’s Rating A1
Moodys
NAIC Complaint Index 1.01 0.38
S&P Rating AA+ A+

USAA or Nationwide: Insurance Products Offered

What coverage is available through USAA and Nationwide? Both insurance companies offer Auto, Commercial, Farm, Health, Home, Life, Motorcycle, Pet, and RV Insurance. Additional products from USAA insurance also includes Condo, Renters, and Umbrella Insurance. Considering these two top insurance providers? Check out the list below. To view a full list of products that are available, visit USAA and Nationwide Insurance page.

Insurance USAA Nationwide
Auto Insurance
Commercial Insurance
Condo Insurance
Farm Insurance
Health Insurance
Home Insurance
Life Insurance
Motorcycle Insurance
Pet Insurance
Renters Insurance
RV Insurance
Umbrella Insurance

USAA or Nationwide: Ways To Save

USAA offers a wide range of discounts to its policyholders, including Automatic Payments, Defensive Driving Course, and Discount for Driving Research (telematics) discounts. Nationwide also offers a few discounts that USAA doesn’t including SmartRide, Passive Occupant Restraint, and Paperless Documents discounts. Start taking advantage of discounts offered by insurance providers like Nationwide and USAA insurance and save yourself some money. You can review the full list of discounts that these two companies offer below.

USAANationwide
Annual MileageAccident-free Discount
Automatic Payments DiscountAdvance Quote Discount
Defensive Driving Course DiscountAffinity Car Insurance Discounts
Discount for Driving Research (telematics)Anti-theft Discount
Driver Training Course DiscountDefensive Driving Discount
Family DiscountEasy Pay Discount
Good Student DiscountFarm Bureau Discount
Military InstallationGood Student Discount
Multi-policy DiscountLong-term Policyholder Discount
New Vehicle DiscountMulti-policy Discount
Premier Driver DiscountNationwide Family Plan
New Vehicle
Paperless Documents
Passive Occupant Restraint Discount
SmartRide Discount

Pros & Cons of USAA & Nationwide

Pros

USAA
  • USAA offers financial literacy classes to its members as well as retirement planning.
  • The USAA app is easy to use and very helpful for managing your account.
Nationwide
  • Up to 20% off when you bundle home, auto, life and other policies with Nationwide.
  • Big savings for safe driving history.
  • On Your Side Auto Repair Network guarantees workmanship on repairs.
  • Vanishing deductible.

Cons

USAA
  • USAA mainly offers coverage to military members and their families.
Nationwide

USAA or Nationwide Mobile Apps Options

The USAA Mobile app is available for iOS and android. It gives users convenient and secure access to their accounts to manage finances, investments, insurance and more. The Nationwide Mobile App for Android, iPhone and iPad lets you access accounts on the go. The app features fingerprint and facial login to a dashboard where you make payments, manage payment methods and save or share ID cards with drivers on your policy. You can also file a claim and check on its status. The app comes fully equipped to connect with roadside assistance too.

USAA Mobile App
iOS     4.8432K user reviews
Android     4.6125K user reviews
Nationwide Mobile App
iOS     3.63K user reviews
Android     4.31.4K user reviews

USAA & Nationwide Contact Info

USAA Contact Info
Address 9800 Fredericksburg Rd., San Antonio, TX 78288
Phone 1-800-531-8722
Website https://www.usaa.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/USAA/
Twitter https://twitter.com/USAA
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/usaa/
Nationwide Contact Info
Address P.O. Box 742522, Cincinnati, OH 45274-2522
Phone 1-877-669-6877
Website https://www.Nationwide.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nationwide/
Twitter https://twitter.com/Nationwide
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/nationwide
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/nationwide/

Methodology
The statistics listed on this page are from our own in house reporting. We track and record quotes that carriers have provided based on various criteria. The rates and averages shown on this page should only be used as an estimate.

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