Nationwide Life Insurance Review 2025

If you're someone who values customization and long-term reliability in your life insurance coverage, Nationwide could be an excellent fit for your needs. Its product portfolio spans nearly every type of life insurance. It also gives buyers the flexibility to start with term coverage and later convert to permanent protection without undergoing a new medical exam. Nationwide's living benefit riders, such as chronic, critical and terminal illness options, make it particularly appealing to individuals who want access to part of their death benefit while alive.

Nationwide may not be ideal for those seeking a fully digital purchase experience. You can only get a quote and apply online for its no-exam term life product. To get a permanent policy, you must work with a licensed agent.

Overall, Nationwide is best for individuals who appreciate advisor-guided financial planning, long-term flexibility, and the reassurance of an A+ rated insurer.

Nationwide offers a variety of life insurance products, ranging from straightforward term coverage to permanent policies with cash-value growth and investment components.

Nationwide provides riders that expand protection, enhance flexibility and deliver living-benefit access.

Life insurance costs vary based on multiple factors that insurers use to assess risk. Your age, gender, health class, coverage amount, term length, tobacco use and selected riders all influence your final premium.

The table below shows average Nationwide term life insurance costs for buyers with standard health ratings and average weight. Rates reflect different ages, coverage amounts, term lengths and smoking status to help you understand potential costs.

These rates are based on our sample profiles. Individual premiums may vary based on your specific health profile, medical history and lifestyle factors. These rates are estimates for comparison purposes only.

Nationwide's term life insurance typically costs more than online-only providers, but it remains competitive with traditional insurers that offer similar flexibility and conversion options. Permanent policies carry higher premiums but build cash value over time, creating a savings component alongside the death benefit.

Unlike health insurance, life insurance policies don't have deductibles. Your premiums are your only ongoing cost.

How an insurer handles claims reveals its commitment to customers, making the claims process a key factor when evaluating life insurance companies. Nationwide simplifies this process by offering multiple ways to submit claims and providing clear guidance on what's needed.

Beneficiaries can file claims online or call 1-800-848-6331 to speak directly with a claims representative who can walk them through the process.

Required Documents:

• Certified death certificate
• Completed claim form
• Policy number or copy of the policy

Nationwide processes most claims within 30 days once all required documentation is received. This timeline provides a clear indication of when to expect your benefit payment during an already stressful period.

Life insurance beneficiaries can choose how to receive the payout, either through direct deposit for faster access to funds or by check if they prefer a traditional payment method.

Nationwide combines financial strength with comprehensive coverage options, making it a solid choice for buyers who value flexibility and long-term stability. Its A+ ratings from A.M. Best and BBB demonstrate its ability to pay claims, while its extensive product lineup allows customers to find coverage matching their specific needs and budget. 

Our Nationwide life insurance review found that the company also excels in providing living benefit riders, conversion options and multi-policy integration. Its focus on agent-assisted sales for permanent policies may not appeal to buyers who prefer fully digital experiences or the lowest possible premiums.

Comparing Nationwide against other top-rated insurers remains essential for finding the best policy for your situation. Different companies excel in various areas. Some offer lower rates, while others provide a better online experience, and many specialize in specific policy types that may better match your coverage goals and financial objectives.

These frequently asked questions address common concerns about Nationwide's life insurance offerings.

Nationwide's life insurance sits in a crowded marketplace where coverage decisions affect your family's financial security for years or decades ahead. You need to know whether their policies deliver competitive rates and reliable service when you're protecting your loved ones' future, and how their customer experience holds up during the application and claims process.

We designed our evaluation to cut through marketing claims and focus on what actually matters when you're choosing life insurance coverage that fits your budget and protection needs. This Nationwide life insurance review examines the factors that impact your costs and coverage quality.

Evaluation Framework

We weighted our analysis across three core categories that reflect real policyholder priorities:

• Affordability (55%): Premium costs across different customer profiles and coverage amounts
• Customer Experience (30%): Claims processing speed, customer service accessibility and overall policyholder satisfaction
• Coverage Options (15%): Available policy types, benefit amounts and additional riders

The heavy weighting on affordability reflects a key reality: life insurance premiums represent a significant monthly expense for most families, so even small rate differences create meaningful budget impact over time.

Rate Collection Process

We collected Nationwide quotes using a standardized baseline profile to ensure fair comparisons with major insurers:

• 40-year-old male
• Nonsmoker
• 5 feet 9 inches tall and 160 pounds
• Average health rating

This profile represents the demographic most likely to consider Nationwide's coverage options while creating consistent rate comparisons across the life insurance market.

We then modified age, gender, height, weight, tobacco use and health rating to determine average Nationwide costs for different customer types. This approach reveals how Nationwide's underwriting affects premiums across various risk profiles.

Coverage Analysis Scope

We collected quotes for varying term lengths and coverage amounts to understand how Nationwide's pricing scales with different policy sizes. This analysis helps you determine whether Nationwide offers better value for basic family protection or larger coverage amounts for estate planning needs.

The methodology examines Nationwide's full range of life insurance products to provide a comprehensive view of its competitive position in the market.