CNA vs Nationwide: How Do They Compare for Commercial Auto Insurance?

CNA lists coverage for owned, hired and non-owned vehicles and an optional executive Drive Other Car endorsement. Nationwide describes liability for business vehicles and directs buyers to an agent or quote request. 4,8

CNA Small Business Insurance: Products, Agents and Service

CNA directs small-business buyers to independent agents and describes CNA Connect as a businessowners policy for more than 600 small-business classes. Issuer and availability vary by policy and state, so confirm both in a quote. 1,2,3

Read the CNA profile

What Is Nationwide?

Nationwide’s commercial catalogue includes common small-business policies and separate specialty products. A catalogue listing does not establish eligibility or policy terms; confirm the issuing company and coverage for your state and business. 5,6,7

Read the Nationwide profile

Read the Nationwide Commercial Auto Insurance page

What Is Commercial Auto Insurance?

Commercial auto suits businesses that use vehicles for work and need liability protection; damage to your own vehicles is a separate coverage choice. If employees drive personal or rented cars, check how those trips are handled. 9,10,11,12

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Commercial Auto Insurance

Scope of the Published Coverage

CNA states that business-use owned, hired and non-owned vehicles are covered for bodily injury and property damage liability, and lists physical damage with an optional Drive Other Car endorsement. Nationwide describes liability for injuries or property damage caused while a business or its employees drive company vehicles, but its overview does not spell out hired or non-owned categories. If staff drive personal or rented cars for work, request written confirmation from Nationwide and compare with CNA's stated scope. 4 4 8

Services and Quote Route

CNA names Driver Distractions and Cargo Securement programs with claims support. Nationwide points business buyers to an agent or quote request, without setting universal limits or an online binding path in the reviewed record. For fleet-safety needs, ask CNA about access to those programs; with Nationwide, have the agent show the exact coverage terms and how the quote proceeds. 4 8 8

What to Confirm in Commercial Auto Insurance Quotes

  • Ask Nationwide which vehicles and drivers are covered and the proposed limits. 8 8
  • Ask CNA for endorsement terms and fleet services on the offer. 4 4

Review Scores

These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.

CNA

9.0/ 10

Review Score

1 rated source

Customer feedback on CNA is mixed and hard to compare. NerdWallet gave it 4.5 out of 5 for manufacturers, while Trustpilot shows about 1.4 out of 5 from 49 mostly self-selected reviews.[1][5]

Read CNA reviews

Nationwide

7.8/ 10

Review Score

4 rated sources

Experts like Nationwide more than customers do. NerdWallet gives it 4.5 out of 5 for business insurance, while small-business customers on ConsumerAffairs give it 2.5 out of 5 from 19 reviews.[1][10]

Read Nationwide reviews

Offering Details

CNA vs Nationwide: Commercial Auto Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaCNA Commercial AutoNationwide commercial auto (official overview)
Role in This Line

Confirm in your quote.

Nationwide describes offering commercial auto for the audience stated on the cited product page. 8Company-reported. commercial auto marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.

Who It’s For

Confirm in your quote.

Businesses using cars, trucks, vans, and other vehicles in operations, as described on the page. 8Company-reported. commercial auto marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.

Coverage Features

CNA commercial auto covers business-use owned, hired and non-owned vehicles for bodily injury/property damage. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: US commercial auto Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control.

CNA lists automobile liability and physical damage, and an optional Drive Other Car endorsement for executives. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: US commercial auto Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control.

The cited product page describes liability for injuries or property damage a business or its employees may cause while driving business vehicles. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 8Company-reported. commercial auto marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.

Limits and Retentions

Confirm in your quote.

The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. 8Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred.

Risk Services

CNA names Driver Distractions/Cargo Securement programs and claims support. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: US commercial auto Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control.

Confirm in your quote.

How to Apply

Confirm in your quote.

The page directs prospective customers to contact an agent or request a quote. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. 8Company-reported. commercial auto marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.

Full Comparison

More CNA vs Nationwide Comparisons

Other Commercial Auto Insurance Comparisons

Sources

CNA

  1. Insurance for Small Businesses. CNA; Insurance for Small Businesses, lines 38-50 and 65-67 (CNA Central and agent route); lines 79-106 (product and stated appetite lists); page footer line 132 (CNA registered service mark). Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. CNA Connect Small Businessowners Policy (BOP) | CNA Insurance. CNA; CNA Connect; coverages, product range, services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. General Disclaimer. CNA; General Disclaimer paragraphs 1 and 5 (HTML lines 24 and 28): CNA describes Continental Casualty Company and its relevant affiliates; references to CNA may include one or more CCC affiliates; each particular policy/product/service is the responsibility only of the specific CNA company that issues or supplies it. Footer line 57 identifies CNA Financial Corporation as trademark registrant. Re-read 2026-09-29. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  4. Commercial Auto Insurance for Businesses | CNA Insurance. CNA; Coverages, endorsements, risk control, claims. Accessed 2026-09-28.

Nationwide

  1. Small Business Insurance. Nationwide; Small business products and solutions, lines 185–214: BOP, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, umbrella, EPLI, cyber and surety; purchase guidance lines 235–247. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents. Nationwide; Specialized small commercial solutions: BOP, auto, workers’ compensation, cyber, EPLI, umbrella, inland marine and professional liability; page states appetite varies by state, lines 129–163, 191–193. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. Terms and Conditions for Nationwide.com. Nationwide; P&C products not offered by all companies/states; policy/declarations control; NMI and affiliates may underwrite; each underwriter responsible for own products, lines 358–368 and 391–394. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  4. Commercial Auto Insurance – Request a Quote – Nationwide. Nationwide; Commercial auto coverage overview; vehicles used in business operations. Accessed 2026-09-30.

Commercial Auto Insurance Guide

  1. Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Commercial Automobile: Coverage, Classification and Limits. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Auto Insurance. NAIC; Coverages. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Business Vehicle Insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Will My Personal Auto Policy Cover Business Use?; What Vehicles Are Covered?; What Coverage Do I Need if Employees Drive Their Personal Vehicles for Business?; Does a Business Umbrella Cover Autos?; Do I Need a Business Auto Policy?; Be Sure the Right Insured Is on the Policy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Business Auto Coverage Form. Insurance Services Office, Inc.; hosted by National General; I.A, printed/PDF page 1; II.A.1, printed/PDF page 2; III.C–D, printed/PDF page 6; II.B.6, printed/PDF page 3; III.B.3, printed/PDF page 6. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated . Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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