Nationwide is one of the largest car insurance as well as financial services companies in the country and has millions of policyholders.
Like other auto insurance companies, Nationwide often minimizes payouts when insurance claims come in. In particular, Nationwide insurance claim settlement offers may be very low if you don’t have a lawyer.
Below, we’ll discuss the average Nationwide Insurance car accident settlements, key considerations when dealing with Nationwide, as well as tips to help you maximize your settlement.
Call us today for a FREE legal consultation at (800) 718-4658 or fill out our quick contact form if you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident and Nationwide is involved. We can help maximize your compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, wrongful death and more.
Does Nationwide Pay Fair Auto Accident Settlements?
Nationwide, like other insurers such as State Farm or Mercury, is well-known for trying to minimize payouts after auto accidents.
If you don’t have a lawyer, Nationwide’s insurance agents will try to take advantage of you. They might:
- Deny your claim
- Delay your claim
- Undervalue your claim
- Pressure you to accept a settlement that is too small
- Try to trick you into saying things that can allow them to undervalue or deny your claim
Hiring a lawyer improves the chances of you receiving a fair injury settlement offer. A lawyer can ensure that Nationwide complies with California law. A lawyer can handle all correspondence with Nationwide for you so you don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing to them.
Average Nationwide Car Accident Settlement Amounts
Nationwide’s payouts aren’t too different from other insurers like GEICO.
An average settlement with Nationwide might be worth $10,000 to $75,000+.
- Average car accident settlements, in 2020, ranged from $20,000 to $25,000.
- A Martindale-Nolo survey found that average car accident settlements are worth about $23,900
- According to the Insurance Information Institute, typical personal injury claims were worth $20,235 in 2020, and average property damage claims were worth about $4,700
However, cases involving serious injuries may be worth $100,000 or much more.
Each case is different. The value of your case will depend upon the damages and expenses related to the accident, including:
Medical Bills
The bulk of most car accident settlements involving serious injuries is compensation for medical expenses. This includes medical expenses which you have already incurred as well as the cost of any treatment you are expected to require in the future.
Lost Wages
The value of your case is impacted by any wages you’re not able to earn because you’re hurt too badly to work or need to miss work to have your injuries treated.
Property Damage
The cost to repair or replace your vehicle may factor into the value of your case.
Pain and Suffering
The physical pain, mental suffering and emotional distress caused by your injuries can impact your case’s value.
Wrongful Death
If you lost a loved one in a car accident, you can recover compensation from Nationwide for things like funeral and burial costs and the loss of your loved one’s income, companionship, love and household services.
Nationwide Settlements
The process of settling a personal injury claim with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company begins with filing an accident claim. A claims adjuster will then do an investigation. Settlement negotiations will follow that.
The claims process may be lengthy. It’s commonly recommended to seek a lawyer’s assistance. This is especially true when claims are denied or offers are unsatisfactory.
Filing Claims
- By phone: Nationwide claims can be filed by calling the company’s customer service.
- Online: Claims can be filed online through a Nationwide account.
- Info needed: You should be prepared to provide a policy number, relevant documents like police reports or photos, and incident details.
Claims Adjuster Investigations
- Claims adjusters: A claims adjuster will be assigned by Nationwide and investigate your claim.
- Investigations: They will collect information such as police reports and medical records.
- Damage assessments: They will assess how much damage occurred and injury details.
Negotiations and Settlements
- Settlement offers: Nationwide will present an initial offer of a settlement. It might be lower than you are looking for.
- Counteroffers: You as well as your lawyer can go through the negotiation process with Nationwide to come to a settlement which is mutually agreeable.
- Lawsuits: When settlements can’t be reached, you may need a law firm to file a lawsuit for you in order to pursue a fair settlement or court award.
Key Considerations
- Total losses: When vehicles are totaled, you will be guided through the process by Nationwide. This will include contacting the lienholder and handling any payments.
- Timeframe: It might take a long time for Nationwide to process and settle your claim. This is especially true if disputes or complicated injuries happen.
- Fairness: Nationwide is known for trying to minimize payouts. It’s vital to understand your rights and seek the help of a lawyer if necessary.
- Subrogation: You might have to reimburse an insurer for medical expenses covered depending upon your policy’s terms and your settlement’s nature.
- Seeking legal help: It’s a good idea to consult with a personal injury lawyer who has experience handling claims involving Nationwide. This is especially true if your claim gets denied or if you have serious injuries.
Nationwide Bodily Injury Claim Examples
Examples of Nationwide settlements involving bodily injuries which have been reported on the internet include:
- $4,875,000: This case involved a head-on-collision leading to fractures of ribs, vertebrae, the sternum, the right ilium and the left ulna. Other injuries included a traumatic brain injury, a pulmonary embolism and a stroke. Back surgery was needed, and the patient spent nearly six months in a hospital or rehab facility.¹
- $106,000: Two minors were injured as passengers due to their vehicle being struck by an uninsured driver. Claims were brought against Nationwide, seeking UIM benefits.¹
- $15,000: A minor suffered a cervical sprain and whiplash as a passenger in an auto struck by a vehicle. Damages were sought under Nationwide UIM coverage.¹
How Nationwide Evaluated Your Claim Value
Nationwide probably uses internal software like Colossus to calculate payouts, similar to insurers like The Hartford.
These insurance software tools factor in things like:
- Injury type
- Medical treatment timelines
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Claimant’s age and pre-existing conditions
Software like this can tend to undervalue pain and suffering unless challenged. If an at fault driver is insured by Nationwide, who is undervaluing your claim, an experienced car accident lawyer can take legal action for you, sending Nationwide a demand letter which lets them know that you won’t settle for their low ball offer.
Maximizing Your Nationwide Insurance Settlement
There are ways to maximize your Nationwide settlement, including not accepting the first offer, declining recorded statements, gathering strong medical evidence and involving a lawyer early.
Don’t Accept the First Offer
- Nationwide’s first offer is virtually always going to be much smaller than the actual value of your case.
- Nationwide knows that many injury victims can’t work because they’re injured and are facing huge medical bills they can’t pay because they can’t work. So, they try to pressure injury victims into accepting far less than the actual value of their case.
- It’s best to be patient and negotiate with Nationwide for a better deal, or, even better, hire an attorney to negotiate for you.
Decline Recorded Statements
- It is very risky to give a recorded statement to Nationwide.
- Nationwide’s adjusters will try to trick you into incriminating yourself while recording you. You can destroy the value of your own case by accidentally saying the wrong thing to them.
- The best thing you can do is have a lawyer handle all negotiations and correspondence with Nationwide for you.
Gather Strong Medical Evidence
- It’s vital to have thorough documentation which shows how your injuries have impacted your life.
- Keep records of appointments, prescriptions, etc.
- Dutifully attend all follow-up appointments and follow all doctors’ orders. Failure to do this can lead to Nationwide undervaluing or denying your claim.
Involve a Lawyer Early
Lawyers know how to challenge low ball offers and build a strong case.
You’re much more likely to get the compensation you deserve if you have legal representation.
Whether your vehicle was totaled or you’re pursuing a claim, it helps to know how to get the most money from insurance when negotiating. Experienced lawyers will have experience negotiating with insurers like Nationwide.
How Long Does It Take for Nationwide to Settle and Pay a Claim?
Nationwide settlement claims can take from 15 to 30 days for processing to occur. The actual time frame may vary, though, based upon claim complexity.
Straightforward property damage claims could get settled in weeks. Complicated cases which involve injuries and lots of medical bills might take longer.
Insurance companies are required by California law to acknowledge receipt of claims within 15 days, deny or accept claims within 40 days, and make payments within 30 days of approving them.
Factors That Affect Claim Processing Times
- The complexity of your claim: Simple claims involving no injuries and minimal damage typically get processed more quickly than complicated cases involving injuries or extensive damage.
- Negotiations: Negotiations between insurers and claimants can add to overall timeframes, possibly leading to weeks or even months of correspondence.
- Legal fees and medical liens: If legal fees or medical liens have to get settled, this can lead to delays in receiving settlement money.
- Disputes: Disputes over claims, such as disputes over liability, can significantly delay settlements.
- If you have a lawyer: Lawyers can expedite the claims process by resolving fees and liens and promptly disbursing funds after settlement checks are received.
Recommendations
- Collect documentation: Collect all documents which are relevant. This includes repair estimates, accident reports and police reports. This will help expedite the claims process.
- Consider legal counsel: Should you be dealing with a complicated claim, or if you aren’t happy with Nationwide’s offer, consider a consultation with a personal injury lawyer.
Can You Sue Nationwide for an Undervalued or Denied Claim?
Yes. You can take legal action if Nationwide denies or undervalues a legitimate claim, especially if Nationwide acts in bad faith by:
- Misrepresenting policy terms
- Deliberately delaying payments
- Failing to properly investigate your claim
- Acting unreasonably
- Deliberately delaying the processing of your claim
- Making unreasonable requests
- Refusing to settle your claim even though liability is clear
- Threatening you to accept an unreasonable settlement
There are two ways that filing a lawsuit can help you recover more money from Nationwide:
- Filing a lawsuit can scare Nationwide into offering you a larger settlement
- If filing a lawsuit doesn’t convince Nationwide to offer you more money, you can recover more money by winning in court
Lawsuits can result in:
- Larger settlement offers
- Penalties or damages
- Compensation for stress or financial losses from delaying your claim
Injured in a Car Accident? Contact Our Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident and are currently dealing with Nationwide, our experienced lawyers can help you recover more money than you’ll be able to recover without a lawyer.
Studies show that injury victims who hire attorneys recover more money from insurers than those who don’t, even after attorney fees are taken into account.
We have been helping car accident victims deal with Nationwide for over 30 years and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients. Our vast experience in dealing with Nationwide will let us recover the most money possible for you.
If you can’t afford to have your injuries treated after your car accident, we can get you to doctors who will not charge you for treatment until the very end of your case. This is a sign of trust in our track record of success from the doctors we work with.
We won’t charge you any fee until we win your case, so you won’t owe us a single penny out-of-pocket, ever. Our only fee is a portion of the money we recover for you. If you have more questions about auto insurance in California, check out our additional resources:
- California Auto Insurance Questions
- 6 Tips to Avoid a Car Insurance Increase After an Accident in California
- What Type of Car Insurance Should I Get?
- Auto Insurance Rate FAQs
Call us today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 if you or a loved one was injured or killed in a car accident and are currently dealing with Nationwide Insurance.
References
1. Miller & Zois
