Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, often simply called Nationwide, is a big group of U.S. insurance and financial services companies. It is based in Columbus, Ohio, with additional offices in Scottsdale, Arizona and Des Moines, Iowa. Nationwide employs around 24,000 people and was ranked number 72 on the 2025 Fortune 500 list.

One part of Nationwide, called Nationwide Financial Services (NFS), was once traded on the New York Stock Exchange. However, Nationwide Mutual bought it back in 2009. Nationwide had owned most of NFS since it first started trading in 1997.

History

Beginnings as Farm Bureau Mutual

In the 1920s, farmers were paying the same insurance rates as city drivers, even though they had fewer accidents. To fix this, the Ohio Farm Bureau created its own insurance company. On April 10, 1926, the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company got permission to operate in Ohio. Two days later, they got a $10,000 loan from members of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation to start.

At the time, Ohio law needed 100 people to agree to become policyholders. The first agents got over 1,000 policyholders quickly. The company’s first product was automobile insurance, and it only sold policies to farmers in Ohio who were members of the Ohio Farm Bureau.

Expansion

In 1928, the company expanded to West Virginia, then to Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, and North Carolina. In 1931, they started offering insurance to people in small towns and later, in 1934, to people in larger cities. That same year, they also began offering fire insurance.

In 1935, the company bought the Life Insurance Company of America. By 1943, it operated in 12 states and the District of Columbia. In 1955, the company changed its name to Nationwide Insurance. By 1965, it operated in 32 states and the District of Columbia.

In the 1970s, the company built a new skyscraper headquarters called One Nationwide Plaza in Columbus, Ohio. Nationwide has since added several buildings around downtown Columbus.

In 2025, Nationwide bought a specialty employer benefits line from Allstate Corp and made a $1.5 billion investment in technology and AI.

Nationwide Slogan & Jingle

The Nationwide slogan, “The Man from Nationwide is on your Side,” was first heard in 1965, written by Steve Karmen. By 1972, the words “the Man from” were dropped to “Nationwide is on your side” after the first female agent asked for the change.

Nationwide’s jingle has been performed by many famous people, including:

• Jana Kramer
• Peyton Manning
• Leslie Odom Jr.
• Brad Paisley
• Rachel Platten
• Julia Roberts
• Jill Scott
• H.E.R.

Sponsorships

Growth in Columbus

By 1997, Columbus had become the 15th largest city in the United States. At that time, Columbus was the largest American city without a professional sports team in the top leagues like Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, or the National Hockey League.

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company decided to build an arena next to One Nationwide Plaza to bring an NHL franchise to Columbus. This plan worked, and the Columbus Blue Jackets started playing at Nationwide Arena in late 2000. The arena is a key part of the Arena District, which includes entertainment places, restaurants, and hotels connecting downtown Columbus to The Short North neighborhood.

Nationwide Realty Investors, the company's real estate part, helped provide land for a new soccer stadium in Columbus. Nationwide also sponsors the Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew, and has been on the team's shirts since 2020.

NASCAR

Nationwide became the main sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series starting in 2008. On September 18, 2013, the company said it would stop sponsoring the series after 2014 but would stay an official sponsor of NASCAR. From 2015 to 2019, Nationwide was the main sponsor for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Sprint Cup Series.

Memorial Tournament

On September 3, 2010, Nationwide announced a six-year agreement to become the presenting sponsor of the PGA Tour Memorial Tournament starting with the 2010 event. This sponsorship ended in 2021.

Jack Hanna

In March 2010, Nationwide said it would co-sponsor Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Director Emeritus Jack Hanna's Into the Wild TV show and national speaking tour.

The companies

Nationwide is one of the biggest insurance and financial service companies in the world. It mainly offers home and car insurance, life insurance, help with saving for retirement, and ways to manage money and investments.

Previously Owned Companies

• Nationwide Communications, a broadcasting company that owned radio station WNCI

Technology

Nationwide has created tools to help employees work together better. One tool, called "SPOT," combines two other tools to make it easier for workers to share ideas and information.

In 2009, Nationwide made an app called Nationwide Mobile for iPhones. This app helps people who have car insurance with Nationwide. It guides drivers through what to do after an accident, helps start an insurance claim, finds nearby repair shops, and makes it simple to share accident and insurance details. Nationwide was the first insurance company in the U.S. to offer this kind of app for iPhones.

CEOs

Controversies

In 2012, Nationwide agreed to pay $7.2 million to settle an investigation about how it handled life insurance claims. The company used a government list of deaths to check for people who had passed away but had not yet reported their deaths to claim benefits. This led to $144 million in unpaid benefits because families had not filed the necessary paperwork.

In 2014, Nationwide faced a legal case where a customer claimed the company did not treat them fairly after a car accident.

During the Super Bowl in 2015, Nationwide aired an advertisement that many people found upsetting. The ad talked about a child who had passed away and missed out on important life moments. Many felt the ad was not appropriate for such a happy event. Nationwide later explained that they wanted to draw attention to the importance of child safety.