Auto insurance · Updated August 2026
USAA vs Nationwide
USAA is built for military members, veterans, and their families. Nationwide is built for drivers who bundle through an independent agent. On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, United Services Automobile Assn. drew 0.83 and Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. drew 0.27, against an industry median of 1.00. AM Best rates USAA A++ and Nationwide 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
USAA has written auto since 1922 and writes through USAA and its subsidiaries. AM Best rates it A++, the highest grade it issues. The tradeoffs: it drew 0.83 on the 2025 complaint index against Nationwide's 0.27, and it writes six lines against Nationwide's eight.
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 USAA's A++.
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
USAA vs Nationwide: the data sheet
Sources are listed under the measured figures. How we compare
USAA | Nationwide | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Military members, veterans, and their families | Drivers who bundle through an independent agent |
| Who underwrites it | USAA and its subsidiaries | Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and affiliates |
| Complaints per policyNationwide, by a wide margin | 0.83 278 complaints on $7.0B written | 0.27 13 complaints on $1.0B written |
NAIC complaint index, 2025, private passenger auto · United Services Automobile Assn. vs Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. · 1.00 is the industry median | ||
| Financial strengthBoth strong; USAA 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 | 6 lines auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, boat | 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 2,300,916 ratings | 4.69 70,189 ratings |
Apple App Store, August 2026 | ||
| SR-22 filing | Yes | Yes |
| Telematics program | SafePilot | SmartRide |
| Availability | Available nationwide to the military community | Available in most states |
| Known for | Military-only membership, banking and insurance in one account | SmartRide and SmartMiles usage-based options |
In practice
Where they differ
The complaint records
On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, United Services Automobile Assn. drew 0.83 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 USAA 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
USAA policies are written by USAA and its subsidiaries. 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
USAA writes six lines and Nationwide writes eight lines. USAA writes auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, and boat. 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: USAA 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: SafePilot at USAA, 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.