Nationwide SmartRide Review: Is It Worth It?

About Nationwide SmartRide

Nationwide SmartRide measures driving behavior through a smartphone app or connected device and can earn a discount based on the results. Nationwide also offers SmartMiles, a pay-per-mile program, in many states. Nationwide sells through independent agents, online, and by phone.

How driving-data programs work

Driving-data programs measure how you drive through a smartphone app, a plug-in device, or a connected-car feed. They typically track hard braking, rapid acceleration, speed, phone handling, mileage, and time of day. After a monitoring period, the insurer uses the results to set a discount, and in some states and programs results can also raise the price.

Before you enroll, ask what data is collected, how long it is kept, whether it is shared, and whether you can leave the program without losing the policy.

Other programs to compare

Program names as publicly described by each company. Availability, features, and whether results can raise rates vary by state and company.

Who tends to benefit

• Drivers who rarely drive late at night.
• Drivers with smooth braking and acceleration habits.
• Low-mileage drivers, especially for pay-per-mile programs.
• Households willing to keep phones out of reach while driving.

Who may not benefit

• Drivers who commute late at night or in heavy stop-and-go traffic.
• Rideshare and delivery drivers, unless the program supports it.
• Drivers uncomfortable sharing location data.
• Households where several drivers share one phone or car.

Privacy and data

Program data can include trip locations and times. Read the privacy notice, which should explain whether data is sold or shared with third parties and how to delete it. Some states regulate how insurers can use driving data; ask your insurer or agent how it applies where you live.

Coverage terms to match on every quote

Limits shown are examples, not recommendations. State minimum requirements differ.

Three coverage levels compared

Examples only, not recommendations. Add UM/UIM at matching limits where possible.

Moving from the minimum to a middle level often costs less than people expect, because liability premiums do not rise in proportion to limits. Ask for both prices before deciding.

Ways to lower your premium

• Compare at least three quotes with identical coverage every year or two, and whenever your premium jumps at renewal.
• Raise collision and comprehensive deductibles to an amount you could pay tomorrow without strain.
• Drop collision and comprehensive on an older car only when the car's value is low enough that you could replace it yourself.
• Ask about every discount: multi-policy, multi-vehicle, good student, defensive driving, paperless, paid-in-full, and safety equipment.
• Try a driving-data program if you drive carefully and are comfortable sharing driving data. See usage-based insurance.
• Keep continuous coverage. Even a short lapse can raise future rates.
• Report accurate mileage. Lower annual mileage can mean a lower premium.
• Bundle auto with renters or homeowners insurance where the combined price is lower.

Discounts to ask about

Discount names, amounts, and availability vary by insurer and state.

Coverage you should think twice about cutting

Some coverage cuts save very little and expose you to large losses. Be cautious about:

• Buying only the state minimum liability. Minimum limits can be exhausted by a single serious injury, leaving you personally responsible for the rest.
• Rejecting uninsured motorist coverage. It protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. See uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
• Dropping collision on a financed car. Lenders and lessors usually require it.
• Letting the policy lapse between vehicles or during a move.

How insurers set your price

Most insurers price a policy using your driving record, years licensed, age where allowed, the vehicle, where it is garaged, annual mileage, coverage limits, deductibles, prior insurance history, and, where state law permits, a credit-based insurance score. Each insurer weighs these factors differently, which is why quotes for the same driver can differ by hundreds of dollars. Improving the factors you control, especially your record and continuous coverage, pays off over several renewals.

Payment plans and fees

How you pay can change your total cost. Many insurers charge installment fees for monthly payments, and some offer discounts for paying the full term upfront, enrolling in automatic payments, or going paperless. If paying in full is not possible, ask which payment plan has the lowest fees. Missing a payment can cancel your policy and create a lapse, which raises future rates, so set up reminders or autopay.

Switching insurers without a gap

If a new quote is lower, switch carefully so you are never uninsured:

1. Confirm the final price after the insurer verifies your information.
2. Set the new policy to start on or before the date the old one ends.
3. Give the new insurer your lender or lessor information if the vehicle is financed.
4. Save your new ID cards and declarations page.
5. Cancel the old policy effective the same day, and ask about any refund of unused premium.
6. If you have an SR-22, confirm the new insurer files it before the old filing ends.

How to verify an insurer or agency

Before buying through any website or app, confirm who is selling you the policy and who will issue it:

1. Find the licensed agency or insurer named in the site's footer, terms, or license page.
2. Look up the agency or producer on your state insurance department's license search, or through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).
3. Look up the insurer on your state insurance department's company search to confirm it is authorized in your state.
4. Save the insurer's name and policy number once issued, since that is who handles claims.

A legitimate service will make this information easy to find. Be cautious if you cannot identify the licensed entity.

When an agent may help

Online tools work well for simple situations. A conversation with a licensed agent may be more useful when:

• You have a teen driver, several vehicles, or drivers with recent accidents or violations.
• You need an SR-22 or other state filing. See our SR-22 insurance page.
• You use a vehicle for rideshare, delivery, or other business purposes.
• You own a home, rental property, or significant savings and want liability limits that work with an umbrella policy.
• You have had a claim denied or a policy nonrenewed and need help understanding your options.

An agent can also explain differences in policy wording that are hard to see on a results page.

How to check any insurer

Before you buy from any company, take a few minutes to check it:

• License. Confirm the insurer is licensed in your state through the state insurance department's company lookup.
• Complaints. The NAIC's Consumer Insurance Search shows complaint counts and a complaint index for each company, where 1.00 is the expected level for the company's size.
• Financial strength. Ratings from agencies such as A.M. Best describe an insurer's ability to pay claims.
• Legal name on the quote. Large groups write policies through several companies with different rates and rules. Make sure you know which one issues your policy.
• Claims process. Ask how claims are reported, whether there is a preferred repair-shop program, and how quickly adjusters respond after storms.

What to have ready

These details help produce accurate quotes.

1. Driver details. Licenses and dates of birth.
2. Vehicle VINs. For accurate rating.
3. Current declarations page. To match coverage.
4. Driving history. Accidents and violations.
5. Mileage. Annual miles per vehicle.

Nationwide SmartRide FAQs

Related guides

• Usage-based insurance
• Pay-per-mile car insurance
• Car insurance comparison

Your next step

Request a quote, and a licensed agent will compare options available to us using the coverage you choose.