Geico vs. Nationwide: Which provider is better?

Geico vs. Nationwide

Insurance giant Geico is the second-largest insurance company in the US. Geico prides itself on its streamlined process of purchasing car insurance, making it easy, quick and affordable. And its innovative app allows you to view your policy, submit a claim or even find the cheapest gas in your area.

Like Progressive, Nationwide also offers affordable car insurance through its numerous discounts, including a safe driver discount and a multi-car discount, among others. And it’s not far behind Geico, coming in as the eighth-largest insurance provider. Because of the similarities between these two companies, picking the right one can be tough. But we’ve pitted Progressive and Nationwide against each in this comprehensive breakdown to make your decision easier.

	Geico	Nationwide
About the provider	Geico’s been around since 1936 is the nation’s second-largest auto insurance company. It streamlines the process of purchasing comprehensive car insurance for your peace of mind.	Nationwide is not just an auto insurance company, it is also one of the largest financial services companies in America. Its flexible options and member resources are among a few of the reasons people have chosen Nationwide since 1926.
Price	Policy costs depend your personal situation. Visit Geico for a quote based on your specific needs.	Policy costs depend your personal situation. Visit Nationwide for a quote based on your specific needs.
States served	All 50 states	46
User satisfaction*	N/A	A
J.D. Power ratings**	3/5 on overall claims satisfaction	3/5 on overall claims satisfaction
Driver discounts	View driver discounts	View driver discounts
Vehicle discounts	View vehicle discounts	View vehicle discounts
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* Based on Better Business Bureau’s company rating
** Based on the 2016 U.S Auto Claims Satisfaction Study

Driver discounts

	Geico	Nationwide
Good student	15% (full-time student, between 16-24 and B average or better)	Varies (full-time student, B average or higher, 16 to 24)
Defensive driver
Good driver	Up to 26% (5 years accident-free)	Up to 10% (no at-fault accidents and free of major violations for at least 5 years)
Pay in full discount
Multicar	Up to 25%
Military	Up to 15% (active duty, retired of member of the National guard or Reserves)
Homeowner
Other discounts	Federal employee – Up to 8% Emergency deployment – Up to 25% (member of the Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom operational forces) Multi-policy / Multi-line discount – Varies Membership and employee discount – Varies Seat belt use – 15% (medical payments or personal injury portion of premium)	Multi policy discount – Up to 20% SmartRide discount – 5-40% (usage based discount using plug-in device) Nationwide Family Plan – Up to 25% Easy-Pay sign-up discount Affinity car insurance discounts – For members of partner business or organization Paperless documents discount – Varies
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Vehicle discounts

	Geico	Nationwide
Anti-theft device	Up to 25% (comprehensive portion of premium)	Varies (factory-installed deterrents)
Anti-lock brake	5% (collision portion of premium)
Passive restraints	N/A	N/A
Air bag	Up to 25% for driver-side airbags, or 40% for full-front seat airbag (applies to medical payments or personal injury)
Other discounts
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Bottom line

Geico offers more discounts, but Nationwide isn’t far behind. And if those specific discounts don’t apply to your situation, then there’s no real benefit to you. If neither one’s right for you, compare car insurance options to find the best policy for you.