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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Nationwide offers significantly cheaper rates than Maryland Automobile
• Nationwide has less expensive premiums for residents of suburban areas
• Nationwide offers more affordable prices for residents of rural areas

Maryland Automobile vs. Nationwide: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Maryland Automobile or Nationwide as your top options, but which one will offer you more affordable rates?

As you can see, Nationwide has average rates that are about 35% per month less expensive than those from Maryland Automobile when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Nationwide will be the more affordable option for every driver. Car insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how old you are, how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, and all sorts of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Maryland Automobile and Nationwide by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Maryland Automobile or Nationwide: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just where you call home. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Maryland Automobile for their auto insurance pay $0 less than those who use Nationwide.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Maryland Automobile policyholders reduce more than 30% and Nationwide's premiums lower over 60% 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 rates you'll ever see.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Maryland Automobile and Nationwide? Nationwide gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $99 cheaper than the national average for Maryland Automobile.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, Nationwide is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates around $79 a month cheaper than Maryland Automobile, on average. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - Nationwide offers the most affordable average premiums.

Maryland Automobile vs. Nationwide: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

On average, men see prices more than $15 per month higher with Maryland Automobile, and about $12 more with Nationwide.

Looking at overall affordability, Nationwide comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $88 a month and women save around $83 with Nationwide compared to the average Maryland Automobile policyholder.

Maryland Automobile or 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are multiple different coverages that account for many different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

But most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Nationwide generally offers significantly more affordable premiums of $112 compared to Maryland Automobile's $168. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Nationwide again has the edge, with policies about $100 per month less expensive than Maryland Automobile, on average.

Is Maryland Automobile or Nationwide Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

At-fault accidents and tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Maryland Automobile or Nationwide cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers with Maryland Automobile car insurance policies don't report seeing their rates increase after getting a ticket, but Nationwide policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by.

Even so, Nationwide is typically the more affordable option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are $95 and $71 cheaper, respectively, compared to Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Maryland Automobile policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their prices increase by over $60, while those who have insurance through Nationwide will see around a $55 increase.

Overall, the more affordable rates come from Nationwide, with monthly prices averaging $178 compared to Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund's $281.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly auto insurance bill -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. On average, Nationwide will increase your rates about 46% after a DUI, while Maryland Automobile's average premiums climb by over 25%.

How does Credit Score Impact Maryland Automobile and Nationwide Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for many drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that policyholders with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper prices, while those with poor credit will usually be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly insurance bill. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle, the less likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

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

Maryland Automobile vs. Nationwide: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a big impact as well. Normally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

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

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable prices from both companies, but Nationwide comes out on top with average rates about $151 a month. Nationwide also has cheaper average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $209 and $38 a month respective difference when compared to Maryland Automobile policyholders in similar areas.

Maryland Automobile vs. Nationwide Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Maryland Automobile and Nationwide so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Nationwide blows Maryland Automobile away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 22 different discounts to Maryland Automobile's two.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Nationwide also offers advance quote discounts, agency transfer discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Maryland Automobile does not.

On the flip side, Maryland Automobile has a unique discount of its own -- a paid in full discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Maryland Automobile or Nationwide Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the right company for you and your specific needs?

Nationwide might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing car insurance by yourself.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles each year.

Maryland Automobile might be best for you if...

• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Maryland Automobile and Nationwide. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Maryland Automobile and Nationwide. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Maryland Automobile vs. Nationwide FAQs

Is Maryland Automobile or Nationwide cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Nationwide is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $170 per month compared to $256 for Maryland Automobile. But Nationwide won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are a range of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Maryland Automobile or Nationwide?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Maryland Automobile and Nationwide offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at lots of different variables when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Things like age, your driving record, gender, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Maryland Automobile and Nationwide calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Maryland Automobile or Nationwide at all!

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.