Foremost vs. Nationwide: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Nationwide offers significantly less expensive prices than Foremost
• Nationwide tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
• Nationwide offers more affordable premiums for drivers who have below-average credit

Foremost or Nationwide: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering considerable savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Foremost or Nationwide as potential options, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Foremost is quite a bit more expensive than Nationwide, with prices averaging $270 a month compared to just $170 with Nationwide.

That being said, that doesn't mean Nationwide will necessarily be more affordable than Foremost for every driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and all sorts of other factors, so premiums could vary drastically from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Foremost or Nationwide is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

Foremost vs. Nationwide: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Foremost and Nationwide only compete against each other in two states, with Nationwide offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Washington has the most noticable difference, where Nationwide premiums are $64 less expensive than car insurance rates at Foremost.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Nationwide for their car insurance pay almost 35% less than those who use Foremost.

But both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. For example, average rates for Foremost policyholders reduce around $350 and Nationwide's prices decrease nearly $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest premiums you'll ever find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Foremost and Nationwide? Nationwide gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $94 more affordable than the national average for Foremost.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance premiums tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for single drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something quite a few car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Nationwide premiums coming in at a third less than Foremost's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Nationwide has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Foremost or Nationwide: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

With Foremost, women normally pay about $4 per month less than men, and around $10 cheaper with Nationwide when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Nationwide offers the lowest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $104 a month and men save about $96 with Nationwide compared to the average Foremost policyholder.

Foremost vs. Nationwide: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

Even so, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Nationwide has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $112. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Nationwide again has the edge, with policies averaging around $229 per month to Foremost's $366.

Is Foremost or Nationwide Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

You'll probably end up paying more with accidents and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Foremost for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 22% after getting a speeding ticket. Nationwide policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 16%.

However, Nationwide has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are 38% and 42% more affordable, respectively, compared to Foremost Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Foremost increasing by about 47%. Nationwide has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 30% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Nationwide end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $178 compared to Foremost Insurance Group's $381.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. Nationwide drivers usually see a 46% increase in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Foremost will generally raise rates by around 15%.

How does Credit Score Impact Foremost and Nationwide Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance premiums. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it might come into play for a lot of drivers.

Car insurance companies argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper prices.

Looking specifically at Foremost and Nationwide, which carrier has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Foremost or Nationwide Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance cost? Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Foremost charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Nationwide, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle annually paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Nationwide is the more affordable company.

Foremost or Nationwide: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can have a substantial impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Nationwide typically comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Nationwide's average prices are around $119 less than Foremost Insurance Group. People who live in suburban areas pay about $128 less with Nationwide compared to Foremost. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $54 with Nationwide compared to Foremost.

Foremost vs. Nationwide Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Foremost and Nationwide offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Nationwide blows Foremost away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 10 more discounts than Foremost.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Nationwide also offers discounts for agency transfer, driver training, employee discount, and more.

On the other hand, Foremost has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like minor child discounts, multi-car/single driver discounts, paid in full discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Foremost or Nationwide Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which carrier is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Nationwide might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• Your credit score is high.
• You live in an suburban area.

Foremost might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Foremost and Nationwide. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just Foremost and Nationwide. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Foremost vs. Nationwide FAQs

Is Foremost or Nationwide cheaper?

Nationwide is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $170 a month with Nationwide and $270 for Foremost. Even so, that doesn't mean Nationwide will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are several different variables that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Foremost or Nationwide?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Foremost and Nationwide offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use many different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables such as your driving record, gender, where you live, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Foremost and Nationwide calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if Foremost or Nationwide is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Foremost or Nationwide at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.