Is GEICO 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, GEICO or Nationwide?

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

Do GEICO 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

GEICO vs Nationwide

Q: Which has fewer complaints, GEICO or Nationwide?

Nationwide, on the NAIC's published index. On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, GEICO General Ins. Co. drew 0.88 and Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. drew 0.27, against an industry median of 1.00.

GEICO is built for drivers who buy direct and manage the policy in the app. Nationwide is built for drivers who bundle through an independent agent. On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, GEICO General Ins. Co. drew 0.88 and Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. drew 0.27, against an industry median of 1.00. AM Best rates GEICO A++ and Nationwide A+. Neither is reliably cheaper. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.

By Armando Chavarria, licensed insurance agent · NPN 17042827

The short answer

GEICO, for the higher financial-strength grade.

GEICO has written auto since 1936 and writes through GEICO group companies, part of Berkshire Hathaway. AM Best rates it A++, the highest grade it issues. The tradeoffs: it drew 0.88 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: AM Best rates it A+ against GEICO's A++.

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

GEICO vs Nationwide: the data sheet

Sources are listed under the measured figures. How we compare

	GEICO	Nationwide
Built for	Drivers who buy direct and manage the policy in the app	Drivers who bundle through an independent agent
Who underwrites it	GEICO group companies, part of Berkshire Hathaway	Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and affiliates
Complaints per policyNationwide, by a wide margin	0.88 536 complaints on $12.8B written	0.27 13 complaints on $1.0B written
	NAIC complaint index, 2025, private passenger auto · GEICO General Ins. Co. vs Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. · 1.00 is the industry median
Financial strengthBoth strong; GEICO a step higher	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, motorcycle, renters, home, rv	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	4.80 4,753,999 ratings	4.69 70,189 ratings
	Apple App Store, August 2026
SR-22 filing	Yes	Yes
Telematics program	DriveEasy	SmartRide
Availability	All 50 states	Available in most states
Known for	Direct sales, fast quotes, multi-policy discounts	SmartRide and SmartMiles usage-based options

In practice

Where they differ

The complaint records

On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, GEICO General Ins. Co. drew 0.88 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 GEICO A++ and Nationwide 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

GEICO policies are written by GEICO group companies, part of Berkshire Hathaway. 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

GEICO writes five lines and Nationwide writes eight lines. GEICO writes auto, motorcycle, renters, home, and RV. 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: GEICO 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: DriveEasy at GEICO, 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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