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Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and affiliated companies, commonly shortened to Nationwide, is a group of large
U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
insurance and financial services companies based in Columbus, Ohio. The company also operates regional headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona; Des Moines, Iowa and
San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...
. Nationwide currently has approximately 25,391 employees, and is ranked No. 80 in the 2022 Fortune 500 list. Nationwide is currently ranked No. 21 in Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For". Nationwide Financial Services (NFS), a component of the group, was partially floated on the
New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed ...
prior to being repurchased by Nationwide Mutual in 2009. It had owned the majority of NFS common stock since it had gone public in 1997.


History


Beginnings as Farm Bureau Mutual

In the 1920s, farmers were paying the same rates on their automobile insurance as city drivers even though they had fewer accidents and claims than city drivers. The Ohio Farm Bureau decided to set up their own insurance company to offer rates that accurately reflected the driving habits of farmers. On April 10, 1926, the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company obtained license to do business in Ohio, and two days later, it acquired its financing—a $10,000 loan drawn from the membership dues of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. At that time,
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
law required 100 people to pledge to become policyholders. The first agents managed to recruit ten times that number, and on April 14, 1926, Farm Bureau Mutual started business with over 1,000 policyholders. The first product of the new company, as its name implied, was automobile insurance. The company wrote policies only to Ohio
farmer A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer m ...
s who were members of the Ohio Farm Bureau.


Expansion

In 1928, Farm Bureau Mutual expanded to
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
, followed by
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, Delaware,
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, and
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
. Farm Bureau Mutual began
underwriting Underwriting (UW) services are provided by some large financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies and investment houses, whereby they guarantee payment in case of damage or financial loss and accept the financial risk for liabili ...
residents of small towns in 1931 and residents in larger cities in 1934. Also, in 1934, Farm Bureau Mutual began offering fire insurance. This product grew the following year with the purchase of a struggling fire insurance company. In 1935, Farm Bureau Mutual acquired the Life Insurance Company of America from the bankrupt fraternal insurer, American Insurance Union. The company was later renamed to Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company in 1938. With growth, came a need for expansion of office space. In 1936, the company moved into the 246 Building at 246 N. High Street in Columbus. By 1943, Farm Bureau Mutual operated in 12 states and the
District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
. Even with the tripling of space in the 246 Building (which was finally dedicated on the 25th anniversary of the company), Farm Bureau Mutual still had insufficient office space, and began opening regional offices in 1951. In 1955, Farm Bureau Mutual changed its name to Nationwide Insurance, a name by which it is commonly known today. In the 10 years that followed, Nationwide expanded into
Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
, making the company truly "nationwide". It also expanded into 19 other states, bringing the total by 1965 to 32 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide outgrew the 246 Building by the 1970s, and work began on a new skyscraper headquarters for the company. In 1978,
One Nationwide Plaza One Nationwide Plaza is a 40-story skyscraper in Columbus, Ohio that serves as the corporate office headquarters of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. It is part of the complex of buildings known as Nationwide Plaza. Nationwide outgrew its 246 ...
was completed at the southwest corner of N. High Street and Nationwide Blvd. on the northern edge of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Since 1988, Nationwide has added the following to its presence in Downtown Columbus: Plaza Two (on the northeast corner of High Street and Chestnut), Plaza Three (just west of High Street and Chestnut), Plaza Four (Front Street), 275 Marconi (behind Plazas One and Three on Marconi Blvd), and 10 West Nationwide, which together with Plaza One form the primary downtown complex. In addition to downtown Columbus, Nationwide also has a significant presence in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan suburbs of Dublin, Grandview Heights, and Grove City.


Nationwide Slogan & Jingle

The genesis for the Nationwide slogan, "The Man from Nationwide is on your Side" was first introduced to the public in 1965, composed by Steve Karmen, an acclaimed jingle writer and it was later set to music in 1969. But by 1971 being an insurance agent was no longer strictly a male profession, so the words "the Man from" were dropped in 1972 and "Nationwide is on your side" became the slogan, after the first female agent Diana M Krapf was hired and asked that it be changed so she could properly represent the company as an insurance agent. Nationwide did make these changes (i.e. signs, letterheads, TV and print ads, even business cards) showing the changing attitudes of the times and were followed years later by other major companies. ''Nationwide Jingle Singers & Performers'' * Jana Kramer * Peyton Manning * Leslie Odom Jr. *
Brad Paisley Bradley Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting with his 1999 debut album ''Who Needs Pictures'', he has released eleven studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashvil ...
* Rachel Platten *
Julia Roberts Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles in films encompassing a variety of genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and th ...


Sponsorships


Nationwide Tour

In 2003, Nationwide secured the naming rights from what was then the
Buy.com Tour The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either not yet reached the PGA Tour, or who have done so but then failed to win enough FedEx Cup points to stay at that level. Th ...
, the second-highest men's professional golf tour in the United States. The tour was known by this name until 2012, when Nationwide relinquished the naming rights.


Nationwide Children's Hospital

On September 24, 2007, Columbus Children's Hospital was rededicated as
Nationwide Children's Hospital Nationwide Children's Hospital (formerly Columbus Children's Hospital) is a nationally ranked pediatric acute care teaching hospital located in the Southern Orchards neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. The hospital has 673 pediatric beds and is affil ...
. This was done in response to a $50 million donation to the hospital by Nationwide.


Helping Columbus become a major league city

By 1997, the city of Columbus had grown to become the 15th largest city in the United States. However, Columbus by this time was the largest American city without a professional sports franchise competing in the top leagues in the United States (i.e.,
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
, the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
, the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
, or the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
). After plans to move the
Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
to Columbus failed when voters rejected a tax levy, the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company announced that it would build an arena adjacent to One Nationwide Plaza in an effort to bring an NHL
franchise Franchise may refer to: Business and law * Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees * Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
to Columbus. This second effort was successful, and the Columbus Blue Jackets began play at
Nationwide Arena Nationwide Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Columbus, Ohio, United States. Since completion in 2000, the arena has served as the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is one of two facilities in Columbus, alon ...
in late 2000. Nationwide Arena, named for the company, is the centerpiece of the
Arena District The Arena District is a mixed-use planned development and neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. The site was developed through a partnership between Nationwide Realty Investors, Ltd. (a subsidiary of Nationwide), the City of Columbus and private inves ...
, an area of entertainment venues, restaurants, and hotels linking downtown Columbus with
The Short North The Short North is a neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, United States, centered on the main strip of High Street immediately north of the Arena District and extending until just south of the University District and Ohio State University. It is an ...
neighborhood. Nationwide Realty Investors is the company's real estate development arm, and was involved with providing the land for a new soccer stadium in Columbus.
/ref> Nationwide sponsors the Major League Soccer club
Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
, the other major-league sports franchise in town, and has appeared on the front of team shirts since 2020.


NASCAR

Nationwide became the title sponsor of the NASCAR
Nationwide Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
beginning in the 2008 season. On September 18, 2013, the company announced it will no longer sponsor the series after 2014, but will remain an official sponsor of NASCAR. Beginning in 2015, Nationwide became the primary sponsor for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the
Sprint Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. ...
.


Memorial Tournament

On September 3, 2010, Nationwide announced a six-year deal to become the presenting sponsor of the PGA Tour Memorial Tournament beginning with the 2010 event.


Jack Hanna

In March 2010, Nationwide announced it would be co-sponsoring
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a non-profit zoo located near Powell in Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio, United States, north of the city of Columbus. The land lies along the eastern banks of the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir on the Sciot ...
Director Emeritus Jack Hanna's ''Into the Wild'' TV show and national speaking tour.


The companies

Nationwide is one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the world, focusing on domestic property and casualty insurance, life insurance and retirement savings, asset management, and strategic investments. The Nationwide family includes: Property and Casualty • ALLIED Insurance Company of America • ALLIED Property and Casualty Insurance Company • AMCO Insurance Company • Colonial County Mutual Insurance Company • Crestbrook Insurance Company • Depositors Insurance Company • Freedom Specialty Insurance Company • Harleysville Insurance Company • Harleysville Insurance Company of New Jersey • Harleysville Insurance Company of New York • Harleysville Lake States Insurance Company • Harleysville Preferred Insurance Company • Harleysville Worcester Insurance Company • Nationwide Affinity Insurance Company of America • Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company • Nationwide Assurance Company • Nationwide General Insurance Company • Nationwide Indemnity Company • Nationwide Insurance Company of America • Nationwide Insurance Company of Florida • Nationwide Lloyds • Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Company • Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company • Nationwide Property and Casualty Insurance Company • National Casualty Company • Scottsdale Indemnity Company • Scottsdale Insurance Company • Scottsdale Surplus Lines Insurance Company • Titan Insurance Company • Veterinary Pet Insurance Company • Victoria Fire & Casualty Company • Victoria Select Insurance Company Life Insurance, Retirement and Investments • Eagle Captive Reinsurance, LCC • Jefferson National Life Insurance Company • Jefferson National Life Insurance Company of New York • Jefferson National Securities Corporation • Nationwide Asset Management, LLC • Nationwide Trust Company, FSB • Nationwide Financial Assignment Company • Nationwide Financial General Agency, Inc. • Nationwide Financial Services Capital Trust • Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. • Nationwide Fund Advisors • Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC • Nationwide Fund Management LLC • Nationwide Investment Advisors, LLC • Nationwide Investment Services Corporation • Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company • Nationwide Life Insurance Company • Nationwide Realty Investors, Ltd. • Nationwide Retirement Solutions, Inc. • Nationwide SBL, LLC • Nationwide Securities, LLC • NFS Distributors, Inc. • NNOV8, LLC • Olentangy Reinsurance, LLC • Registered Investment Advisors Services, Inc. Previously Owned Companies *
Nationwide Communications Nationwide Communications Inc., originally known as Peoples Broadcasting Corporation, was a media subsidiary of the Nationwide Insurance Company, which operated from 1946 until 1997. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide Communications owned and ...
, a
broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum ( radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting beg ...
company that owned radio station WNCI


Diversity

Since 2004, Nationwide has continuously received a 100% rating each year on the Corporate Equality Index, which is released by the gay rights activist group Human Rights Campaign. Nationwide includes "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" in its
equal employment opportunity Equal employment opportunity is equal opportunity to attain or maintain employment in a company, organization, or other institution. Examples of legislation to foster it or to protect it from eroding include the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity ...
policy, and provides diversity training to its employees on sexual orientation. In 2008, Nationwide entered into an exclusive partnership with Tavis Smiley, including sponsorship of Smiley's PBS television program as a provider of property and casualty insurance products. The sponsorship of the television program ended in 2011, but the partnership continues for other events and initiatives. Nationwide was also a national sponsor of the 2009 State of the Black Union event. Nationwide hired Vernon Blatz, one of the country's first blind computer programmers, in 1964. He attended the University of Cincinnati Medical Center's trial run of the nation's first training program to educate the blind for careers involving computers.


Technology


Enterprise Collaboration

Nationwide's internal collaboration platform "SPOT" is an advanced enterprise social media platform that combines Yammer and
SharePoint SharePoint is a web-based collaborative platform that integrates natively with Microsoft Office. Launched in 2001, SharePoint is primarily sold as a document management and storage system, but the product is highly configurable and its usage v ...
to provide a unified experience to Nationwide employees.


Mobile claims application

In 2009, Nationwide released Nationwide Mobile, a free iPhone application for Nationwide auto insurance customers and other iPhone users. The app is designed to assist drivers with the steps to take after an accident. It also helps Nationwide customers start the claims process, finds Nationwide-certified local repair shops, and facilitates the exchange of accident and insurance information. Nationwide was the first US insurer to offer such an application for the iPhone.


CEOs


Controversies


Death benefit controversy

In October 2012, Nationwide agreed to pay $7.2 million to resolve a market conduct exam by a multistate task force regarding its use of Social Security Death Master File database for paying life insurance claims. Life insurance policies make it clear that it is up to the beneficiaries to notify the insurer. Most insured do notify their insurance companies but as a result of this exam Nationwide identified $144 million in benefits that had not been paid because of customers failure to file a claims report. The agreement was announced by California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on behalf of California, Florida, Illinois, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The pact reached with the task force will commit Nationwide and other insurers to compare its records against the Social Security Death Index and conduct a search for beneficiaries.


Claims of bad faith

In June 2014, Nationwide was hit with an $18 million punitive damages award after a plaintiff proved the company "strong-armed its own policyholder rather than negotiating in good faith to compensate plaintiff for the loss suffered in an automobile collision."


Super Bowl ad

During the second quarter of
Super Bowl XLIX Super Bowl XLIX was an American football game played to determine the champions of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2014 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conf ...
, Nationwide aired a controversial
commercial Commercial may refer to: * a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television) ** Radio advertisement ** Television advertisement * (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...
to promote its Make Safe Happen child safety website and initiative, in which a deceased boy reflects on what life milestones he could not partake in due to his premature death in an accident. The advertisement was scorned and ridiculed by many as morbid, disturbing and in poor taste against the backdrop of a major, upbeat professional sports event. Following its negative reception, Nationwide released a statement defending their decision to air the ad, explaining that child safety is a serious issue that must be addressed.


See also

*
List of United States insurance companies This is a list of insurance companies based in the United States. These are companies with a strong national or regional presence having insurance as their primary business. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin founded the first American insurance company a ...


References


External links

*
Nationwide Financial website

Nationwide Pet Insurance website1971 TV ad saying "the man from Nationwide is on your side"
{{Authority control American companies established in 1926 Titan Insurance Company Companies based in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area Financial services companies established in 1926 Titan Insurance Company Mutual insurance companies of the United States