Nationwide vs. Allstate: Home Insurance Comparison

Nationwide and Allstate received good rankings for their reasonable rates and quality customer service. Allstate’s higher customer satisfaction ratings give it a slight edge over Nationwide. It’s also slightly cheaper than Nationwide, though both companies offer some of the more affordable home insurance options.

MoneyGeek compared Nationwide and Allstate to find which company is more affordable, accessible and provides more protection. We looked into their premiums, discounts, coverages and customer service ratings.

Nationwide and Allstate are affordable and financially stable options for your home insurance. Between them, Allstate has a cheaper premium, better customer service and more coverages and discounts. Allstate also has good customer service ratings, although it could offer a better customer experience.

Both companies have affordable premiums for policies with $500K in dwelling coverage. Allstate’s rate is slightly cheaper at $1,911 per year, while Nationwide has an average premium of $1,917 per year. Allstate offers 11 discounts and nine optional coverages, offering increased savings and protection. Nationwide only provides eight coverages and discounts.

Allstate is available in all states, including Washington, D.C. On the other hand, Nationwide only provides services in 47 states. Residents of Hawaii, Los Angeles, New Jersey and Wisconsin can’t access Nationwide’s services.

Both companies are affordable, with only a few dollars difference between their average premiums. A home insurance policy from Nationwide costs $1,917 per year, while a policy from Allstate costs $1,911 annually, making Allstate $6 cheaper.

Your premium depends on many factors. Consider comparing quotes from several companies to find a policy that fits your budget and caters to your needs.

Several variables can affect the cost of your home insurance, but the most significant factors are likely your location and the dwelling coverage amount. Your premium will be higher if your home is in an area with a high crime rate, prone to disasters, thunderstorms or floods. Your dwelling coverage is the amount covered by your insurance to repair or renovate your home’s physical structure after a covered incident.

Dwelling coverage pays for repairing or rebuilding your house after a loss. It significantly influences your premium — the higher your dwelling coverage, the higher your premium. Allstate is more expensive than Nationwide, regardless of the amount of coverage you choose. Having $500K in dwelling coverage costs $4,672 per year from Allstate and only $4,337 per year from Nationwide. The table below compares rates based on dwelling coverage.

Location plays a significant role in determining your premiums. Additionally, the cost of home insurance varies per state due to factors like susceptibility to disasters, cost of living and crime rates.

Allstate is at its cheapest in Hawaii ($446 per year) and the most expensive in Michigan ($3,451 per year). Nationwide has the lowest rates in Oregon ($634 per year) and the highest rates in Maryland ($3,099 per year). The table below shows the cost of home insurance from Allstate and Nationwide in each state.

Based on J.D. Power’s Home Insurance study, Allstate has slightly better customer service than Nationwide. There’s no significant gap in their ratings, with Allstate receiving a rating of 4 out of 5 while Nationwide has a rating of 3.9 out of 5.

Because of these ratings, Allstate ranks a point higher than Nationwide when we analyzed each company’s affordability and service quality. Allstate has a MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100, while Nationwide scores 89 out of 100. Both companies have the same ratings for affordability and stability, at 4.5 out of 5 and 4.78 out of 5, respectively.

Allstate offers nine optional coverages, while Nationwide has eight. You can add optional coverages to your policy — usually at an added rate — on top of the standard coverages, like dwelling coverage and personal property coverage. They can supplement or strengthen your protection from damage and accidents, helping you become more financially prepared if you need to make repairs or renovations.

Some companies offer coverages that might be hard to find from other providers. For example, Allstate coverages include protection for mold and fungus and coverage that replaces damaged appliances with more energy-efficient models. Nationwide has earthquake coverage and a coverage that replaces your damaged roof with stronger and safer materials. Take note, though, that some coverages may not be available in certain states, so it’s best to contact your insurer.

Both companies offer identity theft coverage, extended reimbursement and scheduled personal property coverage. Identity theft coverage provides assistance and pays for costs like legal fees if your identity is stolen. Extended reimbursement increases your coverage limits for repairs and renovations. Scheduled personal property coverage protects valuable items, such as jewelry and art.

Allstate provides sewer backup coverage, which covers water damage from drainage or pumping problems. Nationwide has content replacement cost coverage, or Brand New Belongings coverage, which reimburses you for the depreciation of your belongings if they’re damaged.

MoneyGeek collected data from the insurers’ official websites. The companies may offer additional coverages not published on the website.

Allstate offers 11 discounts, while Nationwide offers eight. Both companies provide opportunities to save on your home insurance with standard discounts, such as bundling, claims-free discounts and protective device discounts.

Both companies also offer new homeowners a discount. Nationwide has a discount for customers who switch to the company after being a policyholder with another carrier for a number of years. It also provides a discount if your home is in a gated community. Allstate offers several more rare discounts than Nationwide, including discounts for on-time and early payments and loyalty discounts.

Allstate has a new home discount, which can help you save if your house is newly constructed. A new house usually doesn’t need maintenance for the first few years unless an accident or a natural disaster strikes.

Nationwide offers a home renovation discount if you’ve renovated your home's heating, cooling, plumbing or electrical systems. This discount can help you recover renovation expenses by lowering your premiums.

MoneyGeek gathered this information from the insurers’ websites. Some discounts may not be advertised online.

Several factors can influence your home insurance cost, but the most important is the cost of repairing your home. MoneyGeek’s home insurance calculator can give you an estimate of your potential premium, considering different variables. Our recommendations for the best home insurance also detail the latest prices, coverages and discounts.