+120 more)
J.J. Starr is an insurance and personal finance expert who has been writing for Compare.com since 2022. Her work has been published across the web, appearing on sites such as Insurify.
Prior to writing for Compare.com, J.J. was a registered banker and life insurance consultant, holding a Series 6, FINRA, and life insurance license. She also earned a master’s degree in writing from New York University.
J.J. has a passion for helping people save money by explaining complex topics like car insurance in a way that is simple and easy to understand.
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Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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At Compare.com, it’s our mission to give you the tools to find the best (and most affordable) insurance for your unique needs and budget. We strive to provide information that’s helpful, clear, and unbiased, and we believe that comparing insurance companies should never put you at risk of spam. Our editorial team — which is made up of experienced writers, editors, insurance agents, and data analysts — has spent thousands of hours researching and creating the coverage overviews, side-by-side comparisons, and detailed reviews you see across our site.
While we make money through partnerships with some of the brands we discuss in our articles, our editorial team operates 100% independently, and these partners never influence or affect the topics, reviews, ratings, or recommendations we provide. We never guarantee favorable reviews or mentions in exchange for compensation from any brands or partners, and we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure our content is always independent, truthful, and unbiased.
| User Reviews | 3.3 |
|---|---|
| Our Rating Compare.com's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The objective formula used in these reviews weighs several important factors to consider when choosing financial products and services, including customer satisfaction ratings, ease of use, and a number of other components. | 4.3 /5 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $87/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $177/mo |
Drivers appreciate the available discounts but dislike the high prices and lack of communication.
Drivers appreciate the available discounts but dislike the high prices and lack of communication.
Richard
January 21, 2025
Ready for a Change...
Dana
January 17, 2025
Can't reach anyone, and they cancelled without notification
Milton
January 17, 2025
Unhappy with Current Payment
Nationwide is great for people who want specialty auto coverage in addition to full-coverage options, but rates may be higher, and customer service can depend on local offices.
Extensive coverage options
Plenty of bundling and discount opportunities
Good reviews of local agents
Higher-than-average rates
Below-average customer service ratings
Potential issues with online quote tool
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company is one of the largest insurers in the U.S. — it currently has the 10th-highest market share when it comes to auto insurance, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The company is well known for robust coverage options and its On Your Side Review, in which your agent assesses policy terms and discount options to ensure you have adequate coverage at the best price.
The company also offers its own pay-per-mile and usage-based programs — SmartRide and SmartMiles — making it an especially great choice for drivers who work from home and people who pride themselves on safe driving.
But middling customer satisfaction scores mean it may not be the best option for everyone.
We’ll cover everything you need to know about Nationwide auto insurance in the sections below.
Nationwide is a reputable and reliable choice for car insurance. The company has been in operation for nearly 100 years, offers a wide range of coverage options, and has a strong financial standing. But there are notable issues with customer service, and premium costs are higher than average, based on our research.
Here's how Nationwide stacks up across five key metrics.
Category  | Score |
|---|---|
| Cost | 4.7/5 |
| Customer satisfaction | 4.0/5 |
| Ease of use | 4.8/5 |
| Availability | 4.7/5 |
| Industry reputation | 4.7/5 |
| Overall Score* | 4.90/5 |
Ultimately, whether Nationwide is a good choice for you depends on your unique needs, preferences, and circumstances. The company may offer you a great rate (plenty of customer reviews talk about saving money), so consider getting a quote, especially if you want unique coverage options.
Just be sure to compare that policy quote with options from other insurers.
Nationwide offers many policy options (plus a plethora of additional insurance and financial products), making the company ideal for people with complex insurance needs. And since it offers policies in nearly every state (plus Washington, D.C.), it can be a great option for drivers across the U.S.
Customer satisfaction and claims service appear to lag behind Nationwide’s competitors. And AM Best recently downgraded the company’s financial standing, which could indicate a possible trend in the wrong direction.
Customer experience varies with Nationwide — especially when it comes to car insurance (current customers appear to be somewhat happier with homeowners policies). Reviews on Trustpilot are poor, but the company fares better on WalletHub and ConsumerAffairs.
Looking specifically at positive reviews, we found quite a few happy longtime customers, even after claims or other mishaps. Take this one below, where the customer says Nationwide has been on their side for several years.
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We also noticed that many long-term customers rave about their relationship with their local agent, as shown in the review below from a 20-year customer.
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Still, the company has some cracks in the seams. We found quite a few complaints in which the company appears quite rigid when it comes to approving claims. The reviewer below even claims that Nationwide “will do anything not to pay out a claim.”
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You’re probably wondering at this point what you can expect to pay for car insurance from Nationwide. The table below shows Nationwide’s average rates for popular policy types and how they compare to the rest of the industry, according to Compare.com data.
Insurer | Average Monthly Premium: Liability | Average Monthly Premium: Full Coverage | Average Monthly Premium: All Policies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | $87 | $186 | $137 |
| Industry average | $92 | $176 | $135 |
Our research found that you can expect to pay around $137 per month for a typical car insurance policy from Nationwide. Breaking that down further, we found that the average Nationwide customer pays around $87 per month for a basic liability policy and $186 per month for a more robust full-coverage plan.
But bear in mind that averages are a blunt instrument — they can’t guarantee where your rate will fall. That’s because Nationwide, like all insurance companies, uses complex algorithms to calculate your rate. Many factors — including your age, location, vehicle, driving history, and more — can influence what you’ll actually pay.
The best way to find your best rates is to compare personalized quotes from several top companies. With that in mind, let’s see how Nationwide fares against some of its closest competitors.
Compare personalized quotes from America’s top insurers.
The table below breaks down how Nationwide compares to similar insurers — both in average rates and overall reputation.
Company | Compare.com Rating | Average Monthly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | 4.70/5 | $137 |
| Allstate | 4.93/5 | $101 |
| GEICO | 4.65/5 | $88 |
| Progressive | 4.73/5 | $119 |
| State Farm | 4.90/5 | $85 |
Nationwide’s average monthly rates are significantly higher than many other well-known insurers. GEICO and State Farm offer significantly lower average rates — but it’s worth noting that neither company offers as many coverage options as Nationwide.
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While the averages we covered earlier are a great starting point in the insurance shopping process, they’re not necessarily the best indicator of what you’ll actually pay. After all, insurance companies calculate your rates using a wide variety of factors, including your age, driving record, coverage types, insurance history, and much more.
The table below highlights Nationwide’s average monthly rates for a variety of popular profiles and how each compares to the industry average, according to Compare.com data.
Driver Type | Nationwide Average Monthly Rate | Industry Average Monthly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record, good credit | $136 | $138 |
| Clean driving record, poor credit | $143 | $162 |
| Recent speeding ticket, good credit | $160 | $171 |
| Recent at-fault accident, good credit | $171 | $181 |
| Recent DUI, good credit | $212 | $203 |
With Nationwide, a driver with a clean driving record and good credit can expect to pay around $136 per month for coverage, but that average jumps up to $143 per month if you have poor credit, or $171 if you cause an accident.
Still, factors like your age play a substantial role in what you pay. We’ll discuss that in greater detail in the next section.
Your age is one of the most important factors in determining your car insurance rate. Here’s the average pricing of Nationwide policies based on an applicant’s age.
Age Group | Nationwide Average Monthly Rate | Industry Average |
|---|---|---|
| Teens | $224 | $232 |
| 20s | $155 | $156 |
| 30s | $128 | $124 |
| 40s | $118 | $117 |
| 50s | $103 | $104 |
| 60s | $94 | $99 |
| 70s | $89 | $103 |
Teens typically pay the most of any group for car insurance due to their relative inexperience on the road. The average American teen pays around $232 per month for car insurance, but teenage drivers who insure their vehicles with Nationwide pay an average of $224 per month.
Fortunately, rates drop substantially around age 25 and continue to go down with age — as long as you keep a clean driving record. Seniors pay some of the cheapest rates available, and with Nationwide, that’s no different. A Nationwide customer in their 60s pays an average of $94 per month for coverage, compared to the $99 the average 60-year-old can expect to pay.
But after you crest age 70, you can expect rates to tick back up slightly since age-related impairments can affect how likely you are to be in a car accident.
Where you live is another factor that has a substantial effect on your car insurance rates. Each state regulates car insurance differently, and local factors like crime and accident rates, population density, and number of uninsured drivers play a role in what insurers charge for coverage.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at Nationwide’s average rates in each state and how those prices compare to the rest of the industry.
State | Nationwide’s Average Monthly Rate | Statewide Average Monthly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $93 | $118 |
| Arizona | $156 | $145 |
| Arkansas | $101 | $166 |
| California | $328 | $159 |
| Colorado | $119 | $144 |
| Connecticut | $158 | $262 |
| Delaware | $231 | $169 |
| Georgia | $208 | $191 |
| Illinois | $89 | $128 |
| Indiana | $99 | $105 |
| Iowa | $71 | $116 |
| Kentucky | $178 | $208 |
| Maryland | $273 | $227 |
| Michigan | $185 | $280 |
| Mississippi | $97 | $131 |
| Missouri | $119 | $165 |
| Nebraska | $81 | $151 |
| Nevada | $206 | $248 |
| New Hampshire | $129 | $95 |
| New Mexico | $112 | $132 |
| North Carolina | $53 | $84 |
| Ohio | $81 | $111 |
| Pennsylvania | $144 | $140 |
| Rhode Island | $236 | $164 |
| South Carolina | $106 | $223 |
| Tennessee | $87 | $125 |
| Texas | $130 | $184 |
| Utah | $161 | $137 |
| Vermont | $129 | $115 |
| Virginia | $91 | $133 |
| Washington | $115 | $145 |
| Washington, D.C. | $236 | $181 |
| West Virginia | $105 | $131 |
| Wisconsin | $73 | $100 |
Compare quotes and uncover more affordable rates in minutes.
Discounts are an effective way to lower your car insurance premiums, and Nationwide offers quite a few.
Multi-policy: For buying more than one insurance product. Purchase another product (home, renters, life, etc.) with Nationwide to get up to 20% off all policies.
SmartRide: Nationwide’s telematics program. Sign up for SmartRide, allow Nationwide to monitor your driving habits, demonstrate good driving habits, and receive a discount according to how well you drive.
SmartMiles: Nationwide’s pay-per-mile program. Sign up for SmartMiles, allow Nationwide to monitor your driving, and pay based on the number of miles you drive.
Accident-free: For having no accidents on your record. Remain accident-free to keep it.
Good student: For maintaining good grades. Drivers between 16 and 24 years old who are in school and maintain a B or better average can qualify.
Defensive driving: For completing an approved accident prevention course. Drivers age 55 or older (with no at-fault accidents in the previous 35 months) who complete the course can receive a discount.
Anti-theft: For installed anti-theft devices. Drive a vehicle with an approved anti-theft device to qualify.
Safe driver: For being accident- and ticket-free. Maintain a clean driving record (no at-fault accidents or major violations) for five years to qualify and keep a clean record to maintain the discount.
Automatic Payments: For sending payments automatically — typically via ACH. To get it, enable automatic payments on your account.
Paperless: Discount for receiving electronic documents. Sign up for Paperless to get the discount.
Nationwide doesn’t advertise the value of its discounts, but it offers a 10% discount for signing up for SmartRide. But keep in mind that your rate could ultimately go up with this program if you show poor driving habits. More on this later.
The company offers a unique discount opportunity, though — the On Your Side Review. This is a free insurance assessment to ensure you’re fully covered, understand your coverage, and have all the discounts you’re eligible for. You can technically do this at any insurance company or agency, but Nationwide makes the review a central part of its identity and overall customer service strategy.
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Nationwide offers a wide variety of auto insurance coverage options. They include:
Bodily injury liability: Pays for injuries to others if you cause a collision.
Property damage liability: Pays for damage to others’ property if you cause a collision.
Collision: Pays for damages to your vehicle caused by an at-fault accident.
Comprehensive: Pays for damages to your vehicle from a non-collision event.
Personal injury protection (PIP): Pays for medical expenses and related costs for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of fault.
Uninsured motorist : Protects you if you’re involved in an accident caused by a driver without insurance.
Underinsured motorist: Protects you if you’re involved in an accident caused by a driver with insufficient insurance.
Medical payments (MedPay): Pays for medical costs for you and your passengers injured in an accident, regardless of fault.
Towing and labor: Pays for towing and labor assistance for your car after an accident.
Rental car reimbursement: Covers transportation costs — including rental cars — after a covered accident.
Gap coverage: Covers the difference between your outstanding loan balance and the actual cash value of your car in the event of a total loss or theft.
Accident forgiveness: Prevents your premium from increasing after your first at-fault accident.
Roadside assistance: Helps you with an emergency refuel, tire change, jump-start, or tow.
Vanishing deductibles: Your deductible amount decreases by $100 every year you’re a safe driver, with savings up to $500 (collision and comprehensive coverage deductibles only).
Total loss deductible waiver: You don’t pay the comprehensive or collision deductible in the event of a total loss.
By most accounts, buying a policy at Nationwide is easy. The insurer outlines nine straightforward steps to buy your policy entirely online, which can be condensed into the following:
Gather your information.
Generate your online car insurance quote.
Uncover eligible discounts.
Review your coverage options and customize your policy.
Enter your payment information and purchase your policy.
Download your insurance documents (such as your declaration pages) and put your proof of insurance in your car.
Nationwide also encourages you to compare your policy with other options (and also reminds you to consider all aspects of the policy — not just price — when doing so).
The company also prominently displays its customer service phone number throughout the process and — at least when I called — quickly connects you to an agent to complete the quote.
To get a quote from Nationwide, just visit the company’s home page, select the type of quote you want — auto, home, pet, and more — and enter your ZIP code.
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From here, Nationwide asks a total of 22 questions to gauge your overall risk profile. The first several questions cover general personal information, including your name and address, date of birth, marital status, gender, and more.
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From there, Nationwide analyzes your driving history and asks a few follow-up questions about the vehicles you want to insure. You can either provide your car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) or enter its information — including year, make, model, and trim — manually.
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The next few questions ask where you park your car, if you use it for business or farming purposes, and if you finance it. Answering these questions truthfully is important. For example, you’ll need a specialized rideshare endorsement if you drive for Uber or Lyft, and your lender will require comprehensive and collision coverage (commonly called “full coverage”) if you finance your car.
Next, Nationwide asks how much you drive this week. Your annual mileage plays a significant role in your rates, so this is another important question.
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Next, it’s time to answer a few questions about you and any other drivers on your policy. Since Nationwide already analzyed my driving record, all I had to do at this step was add any other drivers and verify my information was correct.
The final step was simply entering my email address and phone number.
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After entering both, Nationwide will generate your quote. This process takes around 30 seconds to complete. Finally, you’ll see your quote. Nationwide — like many insurers — won’t insure every driver, but the company will show quotes from other companies if you don’t fit the profile it’s looking for. As an example, the company “[couldn’t] give me a Nationwide quote online,” but it showed me a result from one of its “partners,” Dairyland.
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From here, you can choose the coverage types, policy limits, and deductibles you want and buy your policy directly online.
Compare personalized quotes and get cheaper car insurance today.
You can file and track your Nationwide claims process entirely online. The company also offers claim filing through its mobile app or a dedicated claims hotline.
To report your claim, you’ll need to provide your:
Basic information
Photos and descriptions of the damage
Corresponding documentation (e.g., police report)
Services needed to complete your claim
Once Nationwide processes your claim, it’ll assign you an adjuster. From here, you can track your claim within your online account or the claims portal (you’ll need your policy number). Or call the claims phone number — 1 (800) 421-3535 — to check your claim’s status, ask questions, or find your assigned adjuster.
When I called the claims line, it took just two minutes to connect with a claims agent. And the claims representative I spoke to was knowledgeable and friendly.
Nationwide SmartRide is a usage-based insurance program that uses telematics to track your driving habits. With a device installed in your vehicle or Nationwide’s mobile app, SmartRide monitors acceleration, braking, speed, mileage, and time of day. You receive personalized feedback and potential premium discounts based on your driving performance. But keep in mind that, unlike similar programs, SmartRide can also raise your rates if you don’t practice safe driving or often drive at night.
Customer reviews on the Apple App Store (4.6 out of 5 stars) and Google Play (4.2 out of 5 stars) are mostly positive. Negative feedback was mostly centered around the app misreporting driving behavior or questions about how it was scored. And plenty of positive feedback said the opposite — that the app tracked things correctly.
Importantly, the advertised savings is only on a portion of the premium — the comprehensive and collision portion — instead of the whole thing.
SmartMiles is Nationwide’s pay-per-mile insurance program, and it’s a great fit for people who drive fewer than 7,000 miles annually. To take advantage of the program, all you need to do is sign up, install a device, and go. The device tracks your mileage (and driving behavior) automatically.
Your price is based on the miles you drive (with a road-trip allowance that caps daily totals at 250 miles), plus a monthly base premium. The cost per mile remains the same during the term of your policy. But you can earn an additional discount if you demonstrate safe driving along with your low mileage.
Nationwide offers nearly two dozen insurance products, both directly and in partnership with affiliated companies. In addition to auto and commercial auto insurance, you can buy the following policies:
Homeowners
Renters
Condo
Classic car
Boat
Snowmobile
ATV
Motorcycle
RV, motor home, travel trailer, and camper
Personal watercraft
Scooter
Golf cart
Flood
Pet
Life
Personal umbrella
Travel
Specialty liability
Identity theft
Dental
In addition to personal lines of insurance, Nationwide offers a wide array of business insurance products, employee benefits, and specialty insurance. These include:
Business owners policy (BOP)
Business auto and property
Workers’ compensation
Employee retirement plans
Key person benefits
Surety bonds
Nationwide also offers several investment services, including retirement planning, annuities, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds. Plus, you can access banking services (checking, savings, CDs, and more) with its partner, Axos.
Beyond these products and services, Nationwide offers a loyalty program at no additional cost for both home and auto policyholders (restricted in some states). Perks from the loyalty program include:
Car key replacement of up to $400
Fender-bender forgiveness
Special deductible provisions for auto and home claims from the same event
Finally, we’ve already mentioned the On Your Side Review, but it’s one of Nationwide’s signature programs, and several customers rave about it helping them save money.
Compare quotes and find the best rate for you in just a few minutes.
Below are the answers to the most common questions asked about Nationwide’s car insurance services.
It depends on your driving profile, but generally, yes. The average Nationwide customer pays around $137 per month for car insurance.
Still, Nationwide’s car insurance rates can vary drastically depending on factors like your location, driving history, and coverage options. It’s best to compare quotes from multiple insurers to find the cheapest option for you.
Typically, yes. Nationwide has a good reputation for paying claims and a good financial rating. But individual experiences vary, and some customer reviews show occasions where Nationwide’s claim service dropped the ball.
While Nationwide as a whole has a relatively high number of customer complaints, the company has fewer than average complaints when it comes to car insurance specifically. AM Best gives the company a financial strength rating of A (Excellent), so it's well-prepared to pay out claims. That said, the popular rating service recently lowered that score from A+ (Superior).
Existing customer satisfaction ratings are somewhat mixed. As of this writing, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company has a 0.46 NAIC complaint index, which means it gets about half the number of customer complaints as expected.
But the company scores slightly below average in J.D. Power’s most recent auto insurance study, and the company’s current ratings on review sites like Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau leave something to be desired.
Data Methodology:
Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.
All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.
Rating Methodology:
Compare.com’s mission is to help our readers make more informed decisions about their personal finances. Our editorial staff has crafted a proprietary, objective rating formula — the Compare.com Rating — to make it easier for our readers to analyze and compare many of the industry’s most well-known insurers. The score you see referenced in this article is based on several factors, including:
Cost: How the insurer’s average rates compare to its direct competitors and the industry as a whole. This includes available savings opportunities, such as discounts and other factors.
Customer satisfaction: How satisfied existing customers are with the service they receive. This includes the insurer’s scores among various third-party studies, such as the J.D. Power U.S. Insurance Shopping and Claims Satisfaction studies, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index, among others.
Ease of use: How easy it is for policyholders to utilize their policies. This includes mobile app availability, customer service availability, payment flexibility, and other related factors.
Availability: The overall scope of the company’s insurance offerings. This includes available coverage types, national footprint, and other related factors.
Industry reputation: A measure of the insurer’s overall standing within the industry. This includes its AM Best financial strength rating, BBB accreditation, and other related factors.
Sources:
ConsumerAffairs, “Nationwide Insurance — Auto,” accessed October 2, 2024.
TrustPilot, “Nationwide,” accessed October 2, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Teen Driver and Passenger Safety,” accessed October 2, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Impaired Driving: Get the Facts,” accessed October 2, 2024.
AM Best, “AM Best Downgrades Credit Ratings of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co & Its P/C Subs; Affirms Credit Ratings of Life Affiliates,” accessed October 2, 2024.
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J.J. Starr is an insurance and personal finance expert who has been writing for Compare.com since 2022. Her work has been published across the web, appearing on sites such as Insurify.
Prior to writing for Compare.com, J.J. was a registered banker and life insurance consultant, holding a Series 6, FINRA, and life insurance license. She also earned a master’s degree in writing from New York University.
J.J. has a passion for helping people save money by explaining complex topics like car insurance in a way that is simple and easy to understand.
Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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