How Is Nationwide’s Non-Owner Car Insurance?

Last Updated on October 13, 2023

Nationwide is one of several major car insurance companies that offers non-owner car insurance.

With Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance, you can buy insurance for a vehicle you do not own. Non-owner car insurance is ideal for people who rent vehicles, borrow vehicles, or use rideshare services.

Is Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance good? Should you buy non-owner car insurance through Nationwide? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance and how it works.

Table of Contents:

• How Does Nationwide’s Non-Owner Car Insurance Work?
• Why Buy Non-Owner Car Insurance from Nationwide?
• What Does Nationwide Non-Owner Car Insurance Cover?
• How Much Does Nationwide Non-Owner Car Insurance Cost?
• Factors that Affect the Price of Nationwide Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Nationwide Non-Owner Car Insurance Reviews

How Does Nationwide’s Non-Owner Car Insurance Work?

Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance is ideal for drivers who need insurance but do not own a vehicle.

With non-owner car insurance from Nationwide, you get liability coverage when driving a vehicle. That means Nationwide will compensate others for any damages you inflict while driving, including medical expenses incurred by other people (via bodily injury liability coverage) and vehicle damage (via property damage liability coverage).

With traditional car insurance, you buy car insurance for an underlying vehicle. That vehicle is listed on the car insurance policy, and your car insurance protects that specific vehicle (and other vehicles you drive). That’s not the case with non-owner car insurance, however. A non-owner car insurance policy is cheaper because there is no underlying vehicle. Instead, you’re buying basic liability coverage with no coverage for yourself, your vehicle, or passengers within your vehicle.

Why Buy Non-Owner Car Insurance from Nationwide?

Who should buy non-owner car insurance from Nationwide? Why would someone buy non-owner car insurance?

Here are some of the reasons someone might buy a non-owner car insurance policy:

• You regularly rent vehicles
• You use a ridesharing service
• You are temporarily between vehicles but want to maintain continuous insurance coverage
• You regularly rent or borrow different vehicles
• You need to file an SR-22 or FR-44 even if you do not own a vehicle
• You need to reinstate your license

Non-owner car insurance is not ideal if you rent or borrow the same vehicles. If you regularly borrow a specific vehicle from a friend or family member, for example, then you should be listed on that person’s insurance policy as a named insured. Otherwise, insurance may not cover claims.

Overall, non-owner car insurance from Nationwide is ideal for drivers who regularly drive even without owning a vehicle.

What Does Nationwide Non-Owner Car Insurance Cover?

Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance includes liability coverage. That means it compensates others for any damages you cause them to incur while driving a vehicle.

If you crash into another car, for example, and damage that car and injure the occupants, then Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance will cover you.

However, Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance will not cover damage to the vehicle you are driving, nor will it cover injuries to your passengers. Instead, these damages will be covered by the vehicle’s primary insurance.

Some of the things covered by Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance include:

Bodily Injury Liability Coverage: Bodily injury liability coverage covers medical expenses and other damages incurred by drivers as a result of your actions while driving. If you collided with another vehicle and caused the driver to incur $50,000 of medical bills, for example, then your Nationwide non-owner car insurance policy’s liability coverage will cover this amount.

Property Damage Liability Coverage: Property damage liability coverage covers damage you cause to other people’s property while driving. If you crash into someone’s car, fence, or garage while driving a vehicle, for example, then you can make a claim through your Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance policy’s property damage liability coverage.

Other Coverages: Depending on your state insurance requirements, your non-owner car insurance policy from Nationwide may include medical payments coverage (MedPay), uninsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection (PIP), and other minimum required insurance coverage options for your state.

How Much Does Nationwide Non-Owner Car Insurance Cost?

According to our research, the average Nationwide driver pays around $867 per year for non-owner car insurance.

Our research suggests that Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance is more expensive than car insurance from USAA, GEICO, Allstate, State Farm, and Progressive. Consider requesting a non-owner car insurance quote from these companies before buying from Nationwide to ensure you’re getting the best value.

However, Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance is cheaper than ordinary car insurance because you’re not insuring an underlying vehicle. Plus, rates vary widely between states and drivers. Some drivers pay more with Nationwide, while other drivers pay less.

Nationwide does not provide non-owner car insurance quotes online. You need to call the company (at 1-877 669-6877) to explain the situation and request a quote for your non-owner car insurance.

Factors that Affect the Price of Nationwide Non-Owner Car Insurance

You could pay higher or lower than average rates for your Nationwide car insurance policy depending on several factors.

Some of the factors that affect the price of Nationwide non-owner car insurance include:

• Your driving history, including at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and other incidents
• Your driving experience, including how long you’ve had your license or carried car insurance
• The number of previous insurance lapses
• State insurance laws, including minimum liability limits and coverage requirements

Because non-owner car insurance does not cover a vehicle, the value of your vehicle does not affect the price of your Nationwide non-owner car insurance policy. Instead, the price only changes based on your personal risk factors, including your past driving history.

Nationwide Non-Owner Car Insurance Reviews

What do customers have to say about Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance? Does the company offer good claims coverage and strong claims satisfaction? We’ve collected some of Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance reviews below.

In J.D. Power’s 2021 auto insurance study, Nationwide ranked near the bottom of the list of major insurance companies for customer service, claims satisfaction, and overall pricing. Generally, customers were less satisfied with their Nationwide car insurance policy than they were with the car insurance provided by other major companies.

In the Central subregion, for example, Nationwide scored 798 points out of 1,000 based on survey responses from policyholders who had previously made claims. The regional average was 841, while the top-ranked company scored 856. The second-worst company in the Central subregion was Travelers, which scored 824 – 26 points more than Nationwide.

Online reviews for Nationwide suggest similar drawbacks. Customers appear to complain about the cost of Nationwide car insurance compared to competing options, the way claims were handled, and other issues with Nationwide’s customer service and claims process overall.

Final Word on Nationwide’s Non-Owner Car Insurance

Nationwide is one of America’s largest car insurance companies. Like other large insurers, Nationwide offers non-owner car insurance in most states.

However, Nationwide has mixed reviews for non-owner car insurance. The company scored poorly on J.D. Power’s 2021 auto insurance rankings, and Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance policy premiums seem higher than premiums charged by competing companies.

Nevertheless, Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance may be the right choice for some policyholders. To determine if Nationwide’s non-owner car insurance is the right choice for you, or to request a quote today, contact Nationwide.