Auto insurance · Updated August 2026
Progressive vs Nationwide
Progressive is built for standard drivers, plus non-standard tiers. Nationwide is built for drivers who bundle through an independent agent. On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, Progressive Direct Ins. Co. drew 0.74 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 Armando Chavarria, licensed insurance agent · NPN 17042827
The short answer
Progressive has written auto since 1937 and writes through Progressive group companies. The tradeoff: it drew 0.74 on the 2025 complaint index against Nationwide's 0.27.
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. The tradeoff: its app carries 70,189 ratings against Progressive's 804,275.
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.
About two minutes. No effect on your credit score.
Side by side
Progressive vs Nationwide: the data sheet
Sources are listed under the measured figures. How we compare
Progressive | Nationwide | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Standard drivers, plus non-standard tiers | Drivers who bundle through an independent agent |
| Who underwrites it | Progressive group companies | Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and affiliates |
| Complaints per policyNationwide, by a wide margin | 0.74 367 complaints on $10.4B written | 0.27 13 complaints on $1.0B written |
NAIC complaint index, 2025, private passenger auto · Progressive Direct 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 buyTied | 8 lines auto, home, renters, motorcycle, specialty property, rv, pet, 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 | 4.83 804,275 ratings | 4.69 70,189 ratings |
Apple App Store, August 2026 | ||
| SR-22 filing | Yes | Yes |
| Telematics program | Snapshot | SmartRide |
| Availability | All 50 states and Washington, D.C. | Available in most states |
| Known for | Bundling, Name Your Price, usage-based discounts | SmartRide and SmartMiles usage-based options |
In practice
Where they differ
The complaint records
On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, Progressive Direct Ins. Co. drew 0.74 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
Progressive policies are written by Progressive 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
Both write eight lines. Progressive writes auto, home, renters, motorcycle, specialty property, RV, pet, 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: Progressive 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: Snapshot at Progressive, 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.
One application. Real prices from the carriers writing in your state.