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
What Is The Hartford?
The Hartford suits SaaS and software small businesses seeking a BOP and an online quote; buyers needing commercial auto through self-service or built-in California EPL coverage should use another route. Eligible small-business quotes can start online in minutes. 5,6,7
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
What Are the Key Differences Between Nationwide and The Hartford Commercial Auto Insurance?
Coverage Structure and Scope
Nationwide’s overview frames commercial auto around liability for injuries and property damage caused while employees drive business vehicles. The Hartford lists those liability protections alongside collision, comprehensive, medical payments, uninsured motorist, rental car, and executive drive-other-car options. That list gives fleet buyers more named items to check against vehicle use; the Nationwide overview does not enumerate optional coverages. 4 8
What the Published Terms Identify
The Hartford names vehicle types from passenger cars and pickups to box trucks and service utility trucks, plus target industries including retail, technology, restaurants, and consulting. Nationwide describes businesses using cars, trucks, vans, and other operational vehicles without that same published breakdown. If your fleet has specialized vehicles or an industry-specific operation, use The Hartford’s list to start the eligibility conversation and ask Nationwide’s agent to confirm the exact vehicle class. 4 8
Applying and Comparing Proposals
Nationwide invites buyers to contact an agent or request a quote. The Hartford says small businesses cannot buy this coverage online and directs them to a local agency or Tivly. For either route, ask who will collect vehicle schedules and when you will receive proposed limits; The Hartford says requirements vary by state and neither overview fixes a universal limit. 4 8
What Should You Confirm in Nationwide and The Hartford Commercial Auto Insurance Quotes?
- Ask each insurer or broker to identify the policy form, proposed limits, valuation basis, deductible, and location-specific exclusions in writing.
- Use the property schedules and occupancy details discussed above to confirm that each proposal covers the same buildings, contents, and business interruption exposures.
Nationwide and The Hartford 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
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 reviewsThe Hartford Review Score
Review Score
5 rated sources
The Hartford’s service record is mixed: NerdWallet rates it 4.5/5 but reports below-average small-business satisfaction. Low Trustpilot ratings add a service concern, although they mix policy types.[1][2][4][5][6][7]
Read The Hartford reviewsNationwide vs The Hartford Commercial Auto Insurance Compared
Nationwide vs The Hartford: Commercial Auto Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Nationwide commercial auto (official overview) | The Hartford Commercial Auto Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Nationwide describes offering commercial auto for the audience stated on the cited product page. 4Company-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. | The Hartford's commercial auto insurance helps cover property damage and medical expenses when a business or its employees cause an accident using company vehicles. 8Company-reported. Commercial auto product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| Who It’s For | Businesses using cars, trucks, vans, and other vehicles in operations, as described on the page. 4Company-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. | The Hartford says coverage requirements vary by state, and names industries it targets: beauty shops, consulting, photography, retail, technology and restaurants; covered vehicle types include cars, commercial cargo vans, commercial trucks, pickup trucks, box trucks and service utility trucks. 8Company-reported. Commercial auto product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| Coverage Features | 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. 4Company-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. | The Hartford lists common commercial auto coverage options: bodily injury liability, property damage liability, drive-other-car coverage for executives, collision, comprehensive, medical payments, uninsured/underinsured motorist, and rental car coverage. It excludes unrelated medical expenses, contents inside the vehicle, accidents in an employee's personal vehicle for personal reasons, and rental-vehicle repair costs while a company vehicle is being fixed. 8Company-reported. Commercial auto product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls. |
| 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. | The Hartford reports average commercial auto costs of about $574 a month ($6,884 a year) for its customers; the page does not publish standard liability limits, which it says depend on business type, vehicle type, driving records, cargo and location. 8Company-reported. Company-reported average as of 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford August 27, 2026); not a coverage limit. |
| 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. 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. | The Hartford does not currently sell commercial auto coverage online for small businesses; it directs buyers to a local agency or to its partner Tivly for a quote instead of a self-serve online flow. 8Company-reported. Commercial auto product page as read 2026-09-23. |
Related Pages for Nationwide vs The Hartford Commercial Auto Insurance
Commercial Auto Insurance Pages for Nationwide and The Hartford
Other Coverage Lines Compared for Nationwide vs The Hartford
Other Commercial Auto Insurance Provider Comparisons
Sources for Nationwide vs The Hartford Commercial Auto Insurance
Sources About Nationwide
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Commercial Auto Insurance – Request a Quote – Nationwide. Nationwide; Commercial auto coverage overview; vehicles used in business operations. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Sources About The Hartford
- Legal Notice. The Hartford; The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. holding-company description; no representation that all products are available in all locations; P&C writing-company table as of December 31, 2025 including Hartford Fire (NAIC 19682) and Hartford Underwriters (NAIC 30104); life writing companies including Hartford Life and Accident (NAIC 70815). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- SaaS Insurance for Your Business. The Hartford; Audience list (software startups, SaaS, IT consulting); Get a Business Owner’s Policy; What Is Business Owner’s Policy Insurance?; general liability introduction and Get a Quote; Get Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Property Insurance for Your Business; Benefits of The Hartford’s WC Insurance for Employers and Employees; cyber insurance and data breach descriptions; Get a quote for cyber insurance; EPLI introduction and Private Choice Premier; add-ons (workers’ compensation, data breach, commercial auto); technology professional liability mention; small-business availability banner; industry-average premium footnote; footnote 2 state restrictions; footer product-availability disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Find a Local Insurance Agent. The Hartford; Small-business and midsize agent locators; FAQ that buyers can purchase without an agent by calling or quoting online; statement that agents may charge fees. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commercial Auto Insurance Coverage. The Hartford; Banner: The Hartford does not currently offer this coverage online for small businesses; What Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cover?; What Is Not Covered?; What Types of Vehicles Are Covered?; Do I Need Commercial Auto Insurance?; How Much Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cost? Accessed 2026-09-23.
Sources for the Commercial Auto Insurance Guide
- Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Commercial Automobile: Coverage, Classification and Limits. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Auto Insurance. NAIC; Coverages. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- 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.
- 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.
