Is Allstate cheaper than Nationwide?

Not reliably, in either direction. Both companies file rates state by state, and the lead changes with the state and the driving record. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.

Which is financially stronger, Allstate or Nationwide?

AM Best rates both companies A+. A++ is the highest grade AM Best issues, and the grade measures the ability to pay claims rather than service or price.

Do Allstate and Nationwide file SR-22s?

Both companies file SR-22s, on terms set by each state. An SR-22 is a form the insurer files with the state to prove you carry the required coverage. It attaches to a policy rather than being one.

Auto insurance · Updated August 2026

Allstate vs Nationwide

Q: Which has fewer complaints, Allstate or Nationwide?

Nationwide, on the NAIC's published index. On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, Allstate Fire & Casualty Ins. Co. drew 0.82 and Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. drew 0.27, against an industry median of 1.00.

Allstate is built for drivers who want a local agent and bundled home coverage. Nationwide is built for drivers who bundle through an independent agent. On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, Allstate Fire & Casualty Ins. Co. drew 0.82 and Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. drew 0.27, against an industry median of 1.00. AM Best rates both companies A+. Neither is reliably cheaper. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.

By Kevin Lee, licensed insurance agent · NPN 19669698

The short answer

Allstate, for drivers who want a local agent and bundled home coverage.

Allstate has written auto since 1931 and writes through Allstate group companies. The tradeoffs: it drew 0.82 on the 2025 complaint index against Nationwide's 0.27, and it writes five lines against Nationwide's eight.

Nationwide, for the stronger complaint record.

Nationwide has written auto since 1926 and writes through Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and affiliates. Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. drew 0.27 on the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, 13 complaints on $1.0 billion of private-passenger premium. It writes eight lines: auto, home, renters, life, pet, umbrella, commercial, and motorcycle. The tradeoff: its app carries 70,189 ratings against Allstate's 1,257,155.

On price, there's no standing winner.

Both companies state by state, and their filed rates trade the lead by address. A national average will not predict which one wins for you. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.

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Side by side

Allstate vs Nationwide: the data sheet

Sources are listed under the measured figures. How we compare

	Allstate	Nationwide
Built for	Drivers who want a local agent and bundled home coverage	Drivers who bundle through an independent agent
Who underwrites it	Allstate group companies	Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and affiliates
Complaints per policyNationwide, by a wide margin	0.82 454 complaints on $11.7B written	0.27 13 complaints on $1.0B written
	NAIC complaint index, 2025, private passenger auto · Allstate Fire & Casualty Ins. Co. vs Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. · 1.00 is the industry median
Financial strengthTied at A+	A+ Superior	A+ Superior
	AM Best financial strength rating · A++ is the highest issued
Coverage you can buyNationwide, if you want to bundle	5 lines auto, home, renters, motorcycle, life	8 lines auto, home, renters, life, pet, umbrella, commercial, motorcycle
PriceNot rated	Filed state by state, priced to the driver. The main factors are below.
Mobile appEffectively tied	4.79 1,257,155 ratings	4.69 70,189 ratings
	Apple App Store, August 2026
SR-22 filing	Yes	Yes
Telematics program	Drivewise	SmartRide
Availability	All 50 states	Available in most states
Known for	Drivewise rewards, Milewise pay-per-mile in some states	SmartRide and SmartMiles usage-based options

In practice

Where they differ

The complaint records

On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, Allstate Fire & Casualty Ins. Co. drew 0.82 and Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. drew 0.27, against an industry median of 1.00. The index weighs a company's complaint count against the volume expected for its size, so 1.00 is the industry median and a lower number is fewer complaints than expected.

Financial strength

AM Best rates both companies A+. A++ is the highest grade AM Best issues. The grade measures the company's ability to pay claims, not its service or its price.

Who underwrites each one

Allstate policies are written by Allstate group companies. Nationwide policies are written by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and affiliates. The brand on the advertising and the company on the policy are often different entities, and the complaint figures on this page belong to the named companies.

What each one covers

Allstate writes five lines and Nationwide writes eight lines. Allstate writes auto, home, renters, motorcycle, and life. Nationwide writes auto, home, renters, life, pet, umbrella, commercial, and motorcycle. If auto is all you need, the difference costs you nothing.

Price

Which is cheaper: Allstate or Nationwide?

Neither company is reliably cheaper. What sets the price:

The record sets the range. A ticket, an at-fault accident, or a moves the two prices by different amounts, and the direction is not consistent between states. A quote on the real record is what separates them.

Rates are filed state by state. Both companies file their rates with each state's regulator, so the same company charges different amounts in different states. Availability differs by state as well, and the data sheet above carries what each company publishes.

Telematics moves the number. Both run a program: Drivewise at Allstate, SmartRide at Nationwide. A telematics program measures driving through an app or a plug-in device and adjusts the price on the result. The size of that adjustment is filed per state.

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