Nationwide vs Liberty Mutual
Compare Nationwide and Liberty Mutual auto insurance side by side, including coverage options, discounts, usage-based insurance programs, accident forgiveness, deductible features, vehicle replacement options, claims support and other important policy considerations.
“`Nationwide vs Liberty Mutual at a Glance
“`Both companies offer customizable auto insurance policies with standard protection and optional features. Their usage-based programs and additional benefits differ, so comparing the details of the policy can be more useful than comparing a headline premium alone.
Coverage Comparison
“`The exact policy package depends on the state and the coverage selections made by the customer. These are major categories to review when requesting comparable quotes.
| Coverage / Feature | Nationwide | Liberty Mutual |
|---|---|---|
| Liability Coverage | Available | Available |
| Collision Coverage | Available | Available |
| Comprehensive Coverage | Available | Available |
| Medical / Personal Injury Protection | Available depending on state and policy | Available depending on state and policy |
| Roadside Assistance | Available | 24-hour roadside assistance available |
| Rental / Transportation Protection | Available options | Rental Car Reimbursement available |
| Gap Coverage | Available options | Available |
| Accident Forgiveness | Available as an optional feature in qualifying situations | Available as an optional coverage for qualifying customers |
| Usage-Based Insurance | SmartRide and SmartMiles | RightTrack |
| Deductible Program | Vanishing Deductible available in qualifying policies | Liberty Mutual Deductible Fund |
| Vehicle Replacement Options | Options vary by policy and state | New Car Replacement and Better Car Replacement available as qualifying options |
| Repair Network / Repair Support | On Your Side Auto Repair Network | Lifetime Repair Guarantee available on qualifying repairs |
Usage-Based Insurance: SmartRide, SmartMiles vs RightTrack
“`Nationwide offers two distinct usage-based approaches: SmartRide and SmartMiles.
- SmartRide: a safe-driving program that can provide a discount of up to 40% based on qualifying driving behavior.
- SmartRide considers factors such as miles driven, hard braking and acceleration, idle time and nighttime driving.
- SmartMiles: a pay-per-mile option designed for eligible lower-mileage drivers.
- SmartMiles combines a base premium with a variable mileage component.
Liberty Mutual offers RightTrack, a usage-based program designed to reward qualifying safe-driving behavior.
- RightTrack provides an initial discount for participation.
- Liberty Mutual states that qualifying safe driving can result in savings of up to 30%.
- The program is designed around driving behavior and telematics.
- Program availability, eligibility and savings can vary by state.
Accident Forgiveness Compared
“`Nationwide offers Accident Forgiveness as an optional auto insurance feature in qualifying situations. The purpose is to help protect against the effect of a qualifying accident on the policy’s rate.
Availability, eligibility and exact terms can vary by state and policy.
Liberty Mutual offers Accident Forgiveness as optional coverage. Its official information states that qualifying customers can protect their price from increasing because of their first accident.
Liberty Mutual currently describes eligibility that can include maintaining a clean accident and violation history for five years, although requirements and availability are subject to policy and state rules.
Deductible Features
“`Vanishing Deductible
Nationwide offers deductible-reduction features that can allow eligible policyholders to reduce their deductible over time when qualifying conditions are met.
Availability and terms depend on the specific policy and state.
Deductible Fund
Liberty Mutual’s Deductible Fund allows qualifying customers to build funds that can be applied toward a deductible after a covered claim.
Liberty Mutual currently describes a structure in which the customer contributes $30 annually while Liberty Mutual contributes $70 annually, creating $100 in annual fund value, subject to the program’s terms.
Vehicle Replacement Options
“`Vehicle Protection Options
Nationwide offers several auto coverage options designed to address different financial risks associated with vehicle ownership, including optional protections that may be relevant to financed or leased vehicles.
- Optional vehicle-related coverage choices
- Gap-related protection may be available
- Coverage selections can be customized
- Eligibility varies by state and policy
New Car & Better Car Replacement
Liberty Mutual has several vehicle replacement options that are particularly relevant when a vehicle is totaled.
- New Car Replacement: for qualifying new vehicles, potentially providing money for a brand-new vehicle of the same make and model.
- Better Car Replacement: can provide money for a vehicle that is one model year newer and has 15,000 fewer miles, subject to eligibility and policy terms.
- Gap Coverage is also available.
Claims and Repair Experience
“`Nationwide provides digital claim tools, roadside assistance and access to its On Your Side Auto Repair Network.
- Online and mobile claim options
- 24-hour roadside assistance
- Network repair facilities
- Written repair guarantee at qualifying network facilities
- Claim status tracking and digital communication
Liberty Mutual provides digital policy and claims support and offers multiple repair-related coverage options.
- 24-hour roadside assistance available
- Rental Car Reimbursement
- Lifetime Repair Guarantee on qualifying repairs
- Original Parts Replacement available
- Digital policy and claims management
Auto Insurance Discounts
“`| Discount / Savings Area | Nationwide | Liberty Mutual |
|---|---|---|
| Safe Driving / Telematics | SmartRide | RightTrack |
| Pay-Per-Mile | SmartMiles for eligible customers | Not the same type of program as SmartMiles |
| Multi-Policy / Bundling | Available | Available |
| Multi-Car | Available | Available |
| Good Student | Available for qualifying drivers | Available for qualifying drivers |
| Automatic / Preferred Payment | Discount opportunities vary | Available discounts may apply |
| Paperless / Online | Available savings opportunities vary | Paperless and online purchase discounts may be available |
| Military | Eligibility varies | Military discount available for qualifying customers |
| Claims / Violation-Free | Discount opportunities vary | Claims-free and violation-free discounts available |
Important Differences to Review Before Getting a Quote
“`1. Mileage-Based Insurance
Drivers who do not drive many miles may want to investigate Nationwide SmartMiles because its premium structure includes a mileage component. This is different from a conventional safe-driving discount.
2. Safe-Driving Programs
Nationwide SmartRide and Liberty Mutual RightTrack both use driving behavior as part of their programs, but their program structures, eligibility and savings differ.
3. Deductible Protection
Customers interested in reducing out-of-pocket costs after a qualifying claim should compare Nationwide’s deductible options with Liberty Mutual’s Deductible Fund.
4. Replacement Coverage
Liberty Mutual specifically offers New Car Replacement and Better Car Replacement options. Customers with newer vehicles should ask whether comparable protection is available and how it applies to their vehicle.
5. Repair Support
Nationwide’s On Your Side Auto Repair Network includes a written repair guarantee for qualifying network repairs, while Liberty Mutual offers Lifetime Repair Guarantee coverage on qualifying repairs.
6. State Availability
A feature appearing on an insurer’s national website does not necessarily mean it is available in every state. Always confirm the actual policy terms presented in your quote.
How to Compare Nationwide and Liberty Mutual Quotes Fairly
“`Match Liability Limits
Request the same bodily injury and property damage liability limits from both companies.
Match Deductibles
Compare collision and comprehensive quotes using the same deductibles. A lower premium can otherwise simply reflect a higher deductible.
Match Optional Coverage
Compare rental, roadside, gap, replacement and accident-forgiveness options on an equivalent basis whenever possible.
Check Discounts
Ask each company which discounts you actually qualify for instead of assuming every advertised discount applies to your policy.
Consider Telematics
If you are comfortable participating in a usage-based program, compare SmartRide or SmartMiles with Liberty Mutual RightTrack based on your driving habits and eligibility.
Check the Final Policy
Review the actual declarations, coverage limits, deductibles, exclusions and optional endorsements before purchasing.
Which Features May Matter Most for Different Drivers?
“`| Driver Situation | Features to Investigate at Nationwide | Features to Investigate at Liberty Mutual |
|---|---|---|
| Low-mileage driver | SmartMiles | RightTrack and mileage-related rating factors |
| Safe driver | SmartRide | RightTrack |
| New vehicle owner | Available vehicle protection options | New Car Replacement |
| Older vehicle owner | Compare deductible and optional coverage needs | Better Car Replacement may be relevant depending on eligibility |
| Driver concerned about deductibles | Deductible reduction options | Deductible Fund |
| Driver with a clean record | Accident Forgiveness eligibility | Accident Forgiveness eligibility |
| Household with multiple policies | Multi-policy discounts | Multi-policy and multi-car discounts |
Frequently Asked Questions
“`Is Nationwide the same company as Liberty Mutual?
No. Nationwide and Liberty Mutual are separate insurance companies. They offer their own auto insurance products, discounts, telematics programs and optional coverage features.
Does Nationwide have a usage-based insurance program?
Yes. Nationwide offers SmartRide, a safe-driving program, and SmartMiles, a pay-per-mile insurance program for eligible customers.
Does Liberty Mutual offer telematics insurance?
Yes. Liberty Mutual offers RightTrack, a usage-based program that can provide savings based on qualifying driving behavior.
Does Liberty Mutual have accident forgiveness?
Yes. Liberty Mutual offers Accident Forgiveness as optional coverage for qualifying customers. Current Liberty Mutual information describes eligibility requirements that can include five years of clean driving, subject to applicable terms.
Does Nationwide offer accident forgiveness?
Nationwide offers Accident Forgiveness as an optional auto insurance feature in qualifying situations. Availability and requirements can vary by state and policy.
What is the Liberty Mutual Deductible Fund?
It is an optional program that builds funds over time that can be used toward a qualifying deductible. Liberty Mutual currently describes a $30 customer contribution and a $70 company contribution per year, creating $100 in annual fund value, subject to the program’s conditions.
Can I compare Nationwide and Liberty Mutual based only on price?
It is better to compare equivalent policies. Make sure liability limits, deductibles and optional coverage are similar before deciding which quote provides the lower premium for the coverage you actually want.
Explore Both Insurance Companies
“`Review the dedicated company pages on Newest Cars Insurance for additional information about each insurer before comparing quotes.