The Hartford vs Nationwide Business Insurance: Which Is Better?

Round by round

1. Round 1🏢 Coverage Breadth & Business FitNationwide wins
   The Hartford6/10

   1.3M+

   Small businesses insured on Hartford's core BOP + workers' comp product

   • Deep, proven core for mainstream small business
   • Doesn't center on farm/agribusiness or niche risk

   Source: The Hartford company dossier

   Nationwide9/10

   11 product lines

   Includes agribusiness, cyber, EPLI, equipment breakdown — one of the industry's broadest menus

   • Explicit agribusiness/farm coverage since 1926
   • Broadest specialty-line menu of the two

   Source: Nationwide company dossier

   This one goes to Nationwide for its broader specialty and farm coverage.

2. Round 2🦺 Workers' Compensation SpecializationThe Hartford wins
   The Hartford9/10

   Handled our comp claim quickly and professionally

   • U.S. News No. 3 in workers' comp
   • ~$81/mo under $300k payroll

   Nationwide6/10

   ~$81/mo

   Comp pricing matches Hartford, but bundled into a broader BOP rather than a specialty focus

   • Comp priced competitively at ~$81/mo, matching Hartford
   • No comp-specific U.S. News ranking the way Hartford has

   Source: Nationwide company dossier

   This round goes to The Hartford.

3. Round 3🤝 Buying ExperienceThe Hartford wins
   The Hartford8/10

   Direct online + phone

   Complements the agent network with a real self-serve quoting path at thehartford.com

   • Faster path to a number for simple businesses
   • Not instant like a pure digital MGA

   Source: The Hartford company dossier

   Nationwide6/10

   More consultative, takes longer

   • Agent tailors coverage to your specific business
   • Slower than Hartford's direct online path

   So this round goes to The Hartford.

4. Round 4💵 Pricing & AffordabilityTie
   The Hartford7/10

   ~$68/mo GL, ~$141/mo BOP, ~$81/mo comp

   • Comp and GL pricing clearly published
   • Not the cheapest option available

   Nationwide7/10

   ~$146/mo BOP

   Just a few dollars above Hartford's BOP; comp pricing matches almost exactly

   • Workers' comp pricing matches Hartford's almost exactly
   • Not priced to be the cheapest option either

   Source: Nationwide company dossier

   So this round goes to The Hartford — for showing its hand.

5. Round 5📊 Financial Strength & RatingsThe Hartford wins
   The Hartford9/10

   A+ (Superior)

   One notch above Nationwide on AM Best's scale; 200+ years operating since 1810

   • Highest single AM Best letter of the two
   • 200+ years of operating history since 1810

   Source: AM Best ratings via The Hartford dossier

   Nationwide8/10

   A / A2 / A+

   Strong marks from AM Best, Moody's, and S&P together as of 2025

   • Confirmed strong by three agencies, not just one
   • One notch below Hartford's AM Best letter alone

   Source: AM Best, Moody's, S&P via Nationwide dossier

   This round goes to The Hartford.

6. Round 6⭐ Claims & Overall ReputationNationwide wins
   The Hartford7/10

   Below-expected complaints

   Fewer GL and commercial property complaints than expected for market share, 2022-2024

   • ~86% five-star on Trustpilot business-insurance reviews
   • Overall public rating dragged down by unrelated auto/personal lines

   Source: NAIC / MoneyGeek complaint analysis via Hartford dossier

   Nationwide9/10

   U.S. News' #1 overall small-business insurer

   • Below-average NAIC complaint index for its size
   • U.S. News' #1 overall small-business insurer ranking

   This round goes to Nationwide.

Which one is for you?

Side by side

The Hartford

Check price

Nationwide

Overall score

7.3

7.3

Price

See price

See price

Financial Strength

8.0

7.3

Buying Experience

7.3

5.4

Pricing & Affordability

5.6

5.8

Head-to-head findings

Financial Strength

A+ (Superior)

A / A2 / A+

Buying Experience

Online + agent

Agent-tailored, slower to bind

Pricing & Affordability

Priced above biBERK across the board

$81–$146/mo

Record

Head-to-head record

9–2

8–3

Head-to-heads won

82 %

73 %

Rounds won

53 %

55 %

Pros

• An agent can structure coverage and catch gaps
• 200+ years, 1.3M+ small-business customers insured
• ~86% five-star on a Trustpilot business-insurance sample
• Fewer GL & commercial-property complaints than expected (2022-2024)

• Right fit for continuous, year-round operations
• Cyber, EPLI, equipment breakdown, agribusiness all under one carrier
• Ranked #1 by U.S. News for combining strength with breadth
• One of few carriers still writing agribusiness

Cons

• Slower — most policies still finish with an agent
• One tier below biBERK's top A++ grade
• GL ~$68/mo, BOP ~$141/mo, workers' comp ~$81/mo
• Premiums vary further by trade, payroll, location and claims history

• No hourly or daily option for a single job
• Slower than instant online bind
• Not the cheapest for the simplest risks
• Not the cheapest option for simple, low-complexity risks

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