Auto Insurance · Head-to-head
Farmers vs Nationwide: Which auto insurance wins?
Side-by-side comparison of Farmers and Nationwide auto insurance — average premiums, coverage strength, claims & support, and editorial verdict.
Farmers
New Car Replacement coverage (free for the first 24,000 miles or 2 model years) is unique among the top-10 carriers — if you total a new car, Farmers buys you a brand-new replacement, not just depreciated value. Premiums run 30-40% above GEICO so this is a niche pick for new-car buyers.
Nationwide
SmartMiles pay-per-mile policy is the most aggressive pay-as-you-drive program among the top-10 carriers — under 8,000 miles/year drivers can save 30-50% vs. flat-rate competitors. Vanishing Deductible rider knocks $100/year off your deductible for each clean-driving year (up to $500).
In plain English
Nationwide runs $280 less per year on average for full coverage ($1,640 vs $1,920/yr). Farmers can still be the better fit when new car replacement matter more — see the verdicts below.
Side-by-side breakdown
| Feature | Farmers | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Avg full-coverage premium | $1,920/yr | $1,640/yr |
| Avg liability-only premium | $690/yr | $590/yr |
| A.M. Best financial strength | — | — |
| Best for | new car replacement · agent service | low mileage · bundling |
| Overall rating | 4.1/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Price & savings score (40%) | 3.9 | 4.2 |
| Coverage strength score (25%) | 4.3 | 4.4 |
| Quote & buy experience (20%) | 4.0 | 4.3 |
| Claims & support score (15%) | 4.2 | 4.4 |
Avg full-coverage premium
Farmers
$1,920/yr
Nationwide
$1,640/yr
Avg liability-only premium
Farmers
$690/yr
Nationwide
$590/yr
A.M. Best financial strength
Farmers
—
Nationwide
—
Best for
Farmers
new car replacement · agent service
Nationwide
low mileage · bundling
Overall rating
Farmers
4.1/5
Nationwide
4.3/5
Price & savings score (40%)
Farmers
3.9
Nationwide
4.2
Coverage strength score (25%)
Farmers
4.3
Nationwide
4.4
Quote & buy experience (20%)
Farmers
4.0
Nationwide
4.3
Claims & support score (15%)
Farmers
4.2
Nationwide
4.4
Editor verdicts
Why we rate Farmers 4.1/5
New Car Replacement coverage (free for the first 24,000 miles or 2 model years) is unique among the top-10 carriers — if you total a new car, Farmers buys you a brand-new replacement, not just depreciated value. Premiums run 30-40% above GEICO so this is a niche pick for new-car buyers.
Read the full Farmers reviewWhy we rate Nationwide 4.3/5
SmartMiles pay-per-mile policy is the most aggressive pay-as-you-drive program among the top-10 carriers — under 8,000 miles/year drivers can save 30-50% vs. flat-rate competitors. Vanishing Deductible rider knocks $100/year off your deductible for each clean-driving year (up to $500).
Read the full Nationwide reviewWho should pick which?
Pick Farmers if…
- Your driver profile leans new car replacement — Farmers's underwriting is best-in-class there.
Pick Nationwide if…
- You want the lowest annual premium — Nationwide averages $1,640/yr for full coverage, $280 less than Farmers.
- You value claims responsiveness — Nationwide scores higher on claims & support.
- You want a smooth quote-and-buy flow with minimal phone follow-up.