Nationwide vs Pie Insurance: How Do They Compare for Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Pie underwrites workers’ compensation through its own carrier group; AM Best reports that since January 2024 it writes all of this business through Pie Casualty Insurance Company and The Pie Insurance Company. Nationwide’s overview describes a workers’ compensation offering but does not identify the issuer. 4,6

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. 1,2,3

Read the Nationwide profile

Read the Nationwide Workers’ Compensation Insurance page

What Is Pie Insurance?

Pie suits small businesses seeking workers’ compensation with online quoting and pay-as-you-go billing based on reported payroll, without an initial deposit; firms needing a broad technology or executive program should look elsewhere. 5,6,7

Read the Pie Insurance profile

Read the Pie Insurance Workers’ Compensation Insurance page

What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ compensation can pay medical care and part of an employee’s lost wages after a work-related injury or illness. If you have staff, check who is covered in each state; owners, contractors and some workers may be treated differently. 9,10,11,12

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Coverage and Eligibility

Pie underwrites workers’ compensation through its own carrier group; AM Best reports that since January 2024 it writes all of this business through Pie Casualty Insurance Company and The Pie Insurance Company. Nationwide’s overview describes a workers’ compensation offering but does not identify the issuer. Ask Nationwide’s agent to name the carrier for your quote and verify the applicable policy entity. 4 6

Services and Claims

Pie describes medical, disability and death benefits and identifies exclusions such as off-duty and self-inflicted injuries. Nationwide’s public description refers generally to work-related injury or illness subject to policy and state rules. Ask both for the actual state form, benefits, exclusions and owner options rather than relying on general descriptions. 4 6

Application and Policy Details

Pie says its online quote uses applicant and business information, annual payroll and class codes, and that it can issue certificates and audit actual payroll after the term. Nationwide directs prospects to an agent or quote request. Ask both for certificate timing, classification review and the process for reconciling estimated with actual payroll. 4 6

What to Confirm in Workers’ Compensation Insurance Quotes

  • Ask Nationwide and Pie Insurance to confirm the issuing carrier, class codes, state availability, owner elections, payroll basis and claims contact for your workforce. 4 6

Nationwide and Pie Insurance Review Scores for 2026

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.

Nationwide Review Score

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

Pie Insurance Review Score

1.7/ 10

Review Score

2 rated sources

Pie’s service record raises clear concerns: elevated regulator complaints reported by NerdWallet, 1.7/5 on Trustpilot and an F from BBB. Investigate billing, cancellation and complaint handling before buying.[1][4][6]

Read Pie Insurance reviews

Nationwide vs Pie Insurance Workers’ Compensation Insurance Compared

Nationwide vs Pie Insurance: Workers’ Compensation Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaNationwide workers compensation (official overview)Pie Workers' Comp Insurance
Role in This Line

Nationwide describes offering workers compensation for the audience stated on the cited product page. 4Company-reported. workers compensation 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.

Pie underwrites workers' compensation itself through its own carrier group, rather than only brokering the line to outside insurers as it does for several of its other small-business products. 6Company-reported. Workers' Comp product page as read on 2026-09-23; restates the provider record's verified insurer-route fact.

Issuing Insurer

Confirm in your quote.

AM Best's disclosure report says Pie completed acquiring Pie Casualty Insurance Company in September 2021 and The Pie Insurance Company (formerly The American Insurance Company) in January 2023, and that beginning January 1, 2024, Pie writes 100% of its workers' compensation business through these two entities, part of the pooled Rating Unit 018981 Pie Insurance Group. AM Best affirmed Pie Casualty Insurance Company's Financial Strength Rating at A- (Excellent) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating at a- (Excellent), both with a stable outlook, effective April 24, 2026. 8Verified. AM Best rating disclosure report (AMB #012272, NAIC #10997) for Pie Casualty Insurance Company; a rating is an opinion of insurer financial strength, not a guarantee a claim will be paid, and reflects the pooled group rather than a standalone assessment of either entity.

Who It’s For

Businesses with employees; statutory and state-specific requirements and policy terms control. 4Company-reported. workers compensation 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.

Pie says workers' compensation is legally required in nearly all states for businesses with few exceptions, and markets its program to small businesses. 6Company-reported. Workers' Comp product page as read on 2026-09-23.

Coverage Features

The cited product page describes workers' compensation protection for employees injured or made ill through work, subject to applicable policy and state requirements. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 4Company-reported. workers compensation 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.

Pie describes workers' compensation as a state-mandated program providing medical, disability (typically two-thirds wage replacement), and death benefits for employees injured or killed on the job, while excluding injuries suffered off the job, self-inflicted injuries, policy violations, and injuries from committing a crime. 6Company-reported. Workers' Comp product page as read on 2026-09-23; actual covered/excluded scenarios depend on the issued policy and state law.

Limits and Retentions

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. 4Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred.

Confirm in your quote.

Risk Services

Confirm in your quote.

Pie says it can issue a Certificate of Insurance to show proof of workers' comp coverage, which it notes some industries, such as construction, require before work can begin, and that it performs a post-term premium audit comparing estimated to actual payroll. 6Company-reported. Workers' Comp product page FAQ as read on 2026-09-23.

How to Apply

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. 4Company-reported. workers compensation 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.

Pie says getting a quote online requires the applicant's name, business name, annual payroll amount, and class-code information, with a tool available to help identify the correct class code, and advertises a roughly three-minute online quote and up to 30% savings. 6Company-reported. Workers' Comp product page as read on 2026-09-23; quote time and savings figures are company marketing claims, not independently verified, and individual results vary.

Related Pages for Nationwide vs Pie Insurance Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ Compensation Insurance Pages for Nationwide and Pie Insurance

Other Coverage Lines Compared for Nationwide vs Pie Insurance

Other Workers’ Compensation Insurance Provider Comparisons

Sources for Nationwide vs Pie Insurance

Sources About 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. Workers’ Compensation Insurance. Nationwide; Workers' compensation page; employee injury and illness coverage overview. Accessed 2026-09-30.

Sources About Pie Insurance

  1. Workers' Comp Insurance for Small Businesses. Pie Insurance; How do I get a workers' comp quote?; What is workers' comp insurance?; What does workers' compensation insurance cover?; Why choose Pie for workers' compensation insurance? Affordable, Simple, Trusted (AM Best A- Excellent); FAQs: how workers' comp works, what's covered/not covered, class codes, NCCI. Accessed 2026-09-23.
  2. Online Account Tutorial. Pie Insurance; Payment-method updates; instant and custom certificates; policy information; document access; agent-handled custom certificate qualification. Accessed 2026-09-15.
  3. AM Best Rating Disclosure Report — Pie Casualty Insurance Company. AM Best Rating Services, Inc.; Page 1: Financial Strength Rating A- (Excellent), Affiliation Code p (Pooled Rating), Financial Size Category VIII, Outlook Stable, Action Affirmed, Effective Date April 24, 2026; Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating a- (Excellent), same outlook and effective date; page 14 (Additional Regulatory Disclosures, Business Profile: Limited): Rating Unit 018981 Pie Insurance Group; Pie completed the acquisition of Pie Casualty Insurance Company (PCIC) in September 2021 and of The American Insurance Company, renamed The Pie Insurance Company (TPIC), on January 1, 2023; beginning January 1, 2024 Pie started writing 100% of its workers' compensation business through these insurance entities; Pie launched workers' compensation in March 2018 and continues to be a workers' compensation writer in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Sources for the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guide

  1. Workers’ Compensation Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Opening definition; mandatory coverage except Texas opt-in; exclusive remedy; monopolistic state funds; self-insurance note. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Small Business Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Typically covers medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and lost wages; check with your state insurance department; ask these questions / who qualifies as a covered employee (contractors, part-time staff, interns); payroll and type-of-work rating factors. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. DWC employer information. California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers’ Compensation; Opening trade-off and California requirement; basic benefits including medical care, temporary and permanent disability, supplemental job displacement, return-to-work supplement and death benefits; out-of-state employer note. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Employer resources. Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation; In Texas, private employers can choose to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage, but it is not required in most cases; lost wages and medical benefits; except when gross negligence results in a fatality, coverage limits liability. 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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