Does Nationwide Offer Rental Car Insurance?
Last Updated on February 5, 2026
If you have Nationwide car insurance, your policy may extend to certain rental cars—often with the same coverages and limits you carry on your personal vehicle.
That said, rental contracts can include extra charges (like “loss of use”) and some rentals (like trucks, specialty vehicles, or peer-to-peer rentals) may be treated differently. The safest move is to confirm your coverages and limits before you get to the counter.
Below is a practical, up-to-date breakdown of how Nationwide rental car coverage typically works, what to watch for, and when buying the rental company’s protection can make sense.
Quick tip: Before you pick up the keys, ask the rental agent (and Nationwide) whether your coverage applies to loss of use, administrative fees, and diminished value—those are common surprise charges after a claim.
- Your policy may follow you: Nationwide often extends eligible coverages to standard rental cars, generally with the same limits you carry on your personal auto policy.
- Physical damage depends on your coverages: Collision and comprehensive are the coverages that typically help pay for damage or theft of the rental vehicle (subject to your deductible).
- Watch for rental-company extras: Loss of use, administrative fees, towing/storage, and diminished value can change the math—ask how these are handled before you decline a waiver.
- Rental reimbursement is a separate add-on: It helps pay for a temporary rental after a covered claim on your own car, and it usually comes with daily and total maximum limits.
- What Nationwide Typically Covers on a Standard Rental Car
- Can You Turn Down the Rental Car Company’s Insurance?
- Nationwide Rental Car Coverage: Limits and Exclusions to Check
- Nationwide Rental Reimbursement Coverage (Different From Rental Car Insurance)
- What About Peer-to-Peer Rentals (Like Turo)?
- Final Word on Nationwide Rental Car Insurance
- FAQs on Nationwide Rental Car Insurance
What Nationwide Typically Covers on a Standard Rental Car
In general, personal auto insurance can extend to a “standard” rental car you use for personal driving. If you rent a car and have Nationwide, you may have the same coverage on your rental car as you do on your own vehicle, depending on the coverages you carry.
Here’s how that usually plays out:
| Coverage on your Nationwide policy | How it can apply to a rental car | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Liability | May pay for injuries and property damage you cause to others. | Your rental has the same liability limits you chose—low limits stay low. |
| Collision | May cover damage to the rental car after a crash (subject to your deductible). | You’ll typically pay your collision deductible if you file through Nationwide. |
| Comprehensive | May cover theft, vandalism, hail, and other non-collision losses (subject to your deductible). | Rental-company fees (loss of use, admin fees) may not be fully covered in every situation. |
| Medical Payments / PIP (if on your policy) | May help cover medical bills for you/your passengers after an accident. | Rules vary by state and by coverage type. |
| Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (if on your policy) | May help if you’re hit by a driver with little or no insurance. | How it applies can vary significantly by state and claim facts. |
If you carry full coverage car insurance (typically meaning liability plus collision and comprehensive), you’re more likely to have protection for damage to the rental vehicle itself. If you only carry liability, damage to the rental car is usually not covered—meaning you could be paying out of pocket unless you buy a waiver/protection plan from the rental company.
Can You Turn Down the Rental Car Company’s Insurance?
At the counter, you’ll be offered add-ons that sound like “insurance,” but many are actually waivers or supplemental products. Depending on your Nationwide coverages and your comfort with risk (and deductibles), you may be able to decline some or all of them.
If you want a deeper explainer on what the rental counter is selling, see this breakdown of rental car insurance options.
| Rental counter product | What it usually does | When it may be worth it (even with Nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) / Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) | Waives (or reduces) your responsibility for damage/theft of the rental car under the rental agreement. | If you don’t carry collision/comprehensive, if you want to avoid a deductible, or if you want fewer claim hassles. |
| Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) | Adds extra liability protection above the rental agreement’s base liability (where offered). | If your personal liability limits are low or you want extra protection for a higher-risk trip. |
| Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) | Helps with medical costs for the driver/passengers. | If you don’t have strong health insurance, MedPay, or PIP—or you want an extra layer. |
| Personal Effects Coverage | Helps cover personal items stolen from the vehicle. | If you don’t have renters/homeowners coverage that would apply to theft. |
Nationwide notes that buying supplemental protection from the rental company can add a meaningful daily cost to your rental, so it’s worth comparing that cost to your deductible and your risk tolerance. For Nationwide’s overview, see their article on whether car insurance covers rental cars.
Quick tip: If you’re not sure whether you have collision and comprehensive (or you’re renting a vehicle that’s much more expensive than your own), the LDW/CDW is often the simplest way to cap your out-of-pocket risk under the rental contract.
Nationwide Rental Car Coverage: Limits and Exclusions to Check
Nationwide often extends your policy to eligible rentals, but the details matter. Before you rent, review these common pressure points that affect real claims outcomes:
- Coverages and limits follow you. Your liability insurance limit doesn’t automatically increase just because you’re driving a rental. The same goes for collision and comprehensive coverage. If you’re renting a higher-value vehicle, confirm you’re comfortable with your limits and deductible.
- Expect a deductible if you file through your policy. If your claim is handled under your Nationwide policy, you’ll generally pay your chosen deductible for collision or comprehensive claims.
- Rental-company charges can be tricky. Rental companies may bill for “loss of use,” administrative fees, towing/storage, or diminished value. Whether and how those are covered depends on the policy language, state rules, and documentation.
- Claims are handled like any other auto claim. If you’re at fault, the accident can affect your record and renewal pricing, just like an accident in your own car.
- Vehicle type matters. Standard personal auto policies commonly focus on private passenger autos. Specialty vehicles—like RVs and moving trucks—often require separate coverage or the rental company’s protection.
- Location and rental period can affect coverage. Many U.S. personal auto policies are designed for the U.S. and Canada (and sometimes U.S. territories), but coverage for international rentals is often limited. Longer-term rentals may also be treated differently than short trips.
Common rental claim charges (and why they surprise people)
| Charge | What it is | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Loss of use | Rental company charges for downtime while the car is repaired. | Documentation requirements and coverage treatment vary. |
| Administrative fees | Processing fees added to the bill. | May not be covered the same way as direct repair costs. |
| Diminished value | Claim that the car is worth less after repairs. | Often disputed; outcomes vary by state and contract language. |
| Towing / storage | Costs to tow/store the rental after a loss. | Usually tied to the circumstances of the claim and the policy’s terms. |
If you want an independent overview of how rental waivers and add-ons work, the Insurance Information Institute also explains common rental counter products (including LDW/CDW) in their guide to rental car insurance.
Nationwide Rental Reimbursement Coverage (Different From Rental Car Insurance)
Nationwide also offers rental reimbursement coverage, which helps pay for a temporary rental while your car is being repaired after a covered claim. This is different from “rental car insurance,” which refers to liability and physical damage coverage that can apply when you’re driving the rental itself.
Nationwide explains rental reimbursement limits using a daily cap and a total maximum (for example, “30/600” meaning $30 per day up to $600 total). You can see their example and explanation here: Rental car expense coverage (Nationwide).
| How the limit is shown | What it means | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Daily limit | The maximum amount per day Nationwide will reimburse (based on your policy). | You may pay anything above the daily cap, plus taxes/fees the policy doesn’t reimburse. |
| Total maximum | The most Nationwide will reimburse for the entire rental period tied to that covered claim. | Once you hit the maximum, any remaining rental costs are typically your responsibility. |
What About Peer-to-Peer Rentals (Like Turo)?
Peer-to-peer car-sharing platforms don’t always work the same way as traditional rental companies. Some personal auto policies may extend coverage, and some may not. Turo itself notes that coverage can vary by insurer and policy. If you’re booking a peer-to-peer rental, review the platform’s guidance and confirm your coverage in advance: Turo: Personal insurance requirements (Guests).
Final Word on Nationwide Rental Car Insurance
Nationwide rental car coverage is usually straightforward for a standard passenger vehicle: your policy may follow you, and your coverages/limits typically stay the same. The big decision at the counter is whether you want the rental company’s waiver to avoid deductibles, reduce claims hassle, or fill gaps.
Because rules vary by state and policy form, the most reliable answer comes from your declarations page and Nationwide directly. If you need help confirming what you have, contact Nationwide before your trip.
