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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Trustgard Auto offers more affordable rates than Nationwide
• Nationwide may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Trustgard Auto Insurance
• Trustgard Auto offers less expensive average prices for policyholders who live in the suburbs

Nationwide or Trustgard Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Nationwide or Trustgard Auto as your top options, but which one will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at nationwide averages, Trustgard Auto is around $33 a month more affordable than Nationwide.

That being said, Trustgard Auto may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among a multitude of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Nationwide and Trustgard Auto by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Nationwide vs. Trustgard Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Nationwide and Trustgard Auto only compete against each other in two states, with Trustgard Auto offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Tennessee, Nationwide is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices. Trustgard Auto is the cheaper option in Illinois.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 6% less per month by choosing Trustgard Auto over Nationwide. It's worth noting that Nationwide offers insurance in 34 different states compared to Trustgard Auto's three, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Nationwide policyholders lower over 60% and Trustgard Auto's premiums drop nearly 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the cheapest car insurance rates out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for auto insurance.

When looking at Nationwide and Trustgard Auto specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Trustgard Auto gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older almost 25% less expensive than the national average for Nationwide.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are usually more expensive for single drivers than they are for married couples? That's typically because married drivers tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Trustgard Auto rates coming in at about 15% less than Nationwide's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Trustgard Auto has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Nationwide or Trustgard Auto: 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 normally end up paying a little more.

Generally, men see rates around 7% a month higher with Nationwide, but with Trustgard Auto, the difference is closer to 6% per month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Trustgard Auto offers the most affordable average prices for both men and women, with average premiums $34 less for men and $31 cheaper for women.

Nationwide vs. Trustgard Auto: 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 can be a complicated subject for most people. There are a range of different coverages that account for many different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Trustgard Auto has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $79. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Trustgard Auto again has the edge, with policies averaging about $196 a month to Nationwide's $229.

Is Nationwide or Trustgard Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that at-fault collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Nationwide or Trustgard Auto -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Nationwide for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Trustgard Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 34%.

Even so, Trustgard Auto has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories. With Trustgard Auto Insurance, drivers with a clean record can save around $27 per month and drivers with a ticket can save about $1 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Nationwide can expect to see around an $53 -- or about 30% -- rise in their insurance premiums. Drivers who use Trustgard Auto for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill around $35 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance company.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Trustgard Auto end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $133 compared to Nationwide's $178.

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 speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. On average, Nationwide will climb your premiums about 46% after a DUI, while Trustgard Auto's average rates rise by nearly 45%.

Trustgard Auto has the overall most affordable prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $171 per month, but it's worth noting that Nationwide's average rates come from 34 states compared to just three for Trustgard Auto, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Nationwide and Trustgard Auto Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it does affect several drivers out there.

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

So, which carrier offers the cheapest prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Trustgard Auto will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Trustgard Auto comes in more than 15.79 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 16% with Trustgard Auto compared to average rates from Nationwide.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Trustgard Auto typically offers lower premiums than Nationwide when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 22% per month less with Trustgard Auto compared to Nationwide, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 21% monthly.

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

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage. Typically, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Trustgard Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Nationwide, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Trustgard Auto is the less expensive company.

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

Where you call home can play a considerable role in how much you pay for car insurance. Usually, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

Trustgard Auto tends to offer the cheapest rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Trustgard Auto's average prices are around $147 a month compared to Nationwide's $199. People in suburban areas pay a monthly price of about $132 with Trustgard Auto compared to $159 with Nationwide. Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $134 a month with Trustgard Auto and $151 with Nationwide.

Nationwide vs. Trustgard Auto Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Nationwide and Trustgard Auto 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 Trustgard Auto away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering six more discounts than Trustgard Auto.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and intra-agency transfer discounts. Nationwide also offers discounts for agency transfer, driver training, EFT, and more.

On the other hand, Trustgard Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advanced safety feature discounts, company car discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Nationwide or Trustgard Auto Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, at the end of the day, is Nationwide or Trustgard Auto the right carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Trustgard Auto might be best for you if....

• You have an at-fault accident on your record.
• You're looking for the best prices on liability only coverage.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Nationwide might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance company.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Nationwide and Trustgard Auto. 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just Nationwide and Trustgard Auto. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Nationwide vs. Trustgard Auto FAQs

Is Nationwide or Trustgard Auto cheaper?

Trustgard Auto is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $137 per month with Trustgard Auto and $170 for Nationwide. However, that doesn't mean Trustgard Auto will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are multiple different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Nationwide or Trustgard Auto?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Nationwide and Trustgard Auto offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use many different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Factors such as where your home is, age, gender, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Nationwide and Trustgard Auto calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Nationwide or Trustgard Auto 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.