Nationwide and Safeco Rise in PYMNTS App Provider Rankings

With the all-important holiday selling season coming up, it might be time for consumers to review their recurring debts. One of them is insurance payments, whether it’s car, home or health. A check of the most recent PYMNTS app provider rankings shows some familiar names making big jumps in the top ten: Nationwide, Safeco and Aetna.

The PYMNTS.com Insurance Apps page offers a monthly ranking of smartphone Insurance Apps, assessing them based on publicly available information and exclusive app usage data, helping users identify the top performers in the market. The ranking aims to provide precise insights into app performance, aiding stakeholders in making informed decisions. For Nationwide, it’s a four-point jump to a total score of 35, which tied it with Safeco.

That increase could be due to new enhancements. The Nationwide Mobile app gives policyholders end-to-end access to core insurance functions. They can pay bills, view and manage policies and ID cards, file and track claims, and even make changes to coverage all from a smartphone. Recently, the app has been enhanced with real-time claim support features. For example, users can now track their tow truck’s estimated arrival, see live status updates, and choose among service options like repair shops and rental cars directly in app. These upgrades, combined with strong consumer demand for seamless, transparent claim experiences, may account for a sharp uptick in usage and hence the four-point gain in provider rankings.

“We’re proud of our Technology team’s commitment to continuous improvement to better serve our customers,” said Misty Kuamoo, Nationwide Chief Technology Officer, Corporate Technology. “Personally, it brings me comfort knowing that if something happens to one of my family members while they are on the road, we can track everything in real time, providing invaluable peace of mind.”

Safeco’s four-point jump comes from more technologically-focused enhancements. The Safeco Mobile app allows customers to manage their insurance portfolios on the go: log in via Face ID / Touch ID, view and download ID cards, access policy documents, pay bills, contact their agent, and file and track claims (including damage photos, repair estimates, rental-vehicle coordination, and real-time status updates). A differentiator is its integration with Safeco’s RightTrack telematics program, which monitors driving behavior (hard braking, acceleration, mileage, night driving) and lets users earn discounts for safe driving (without penalizing for poorer behavior). In its latest version, the app has added “Accident Assistance” — alerting users following a detected crash and offering help — and improved visibility of repair and claims agent info. These enhancements (especially in claim-experience and telematics) may have driven higher engagement and adoption.

Aetna Health had a three-point to its industry leading score of 94. Its app enables members to manage benefits and care across a range of functions: access digital ID cards, view coverage and claims, pay or submit claims, track spending toward deductibles, find in-network providers (including via telehealth) and compare cost estimates for services. More recently, Aetna has emphasized improvements in search (natural-language queries), integration of “Care Paths” (personalized condition support), and accessibility enhancements such as dark mode. Its marketing also highlights that 83% of users find the top result within three search attempts, and that the updated navigation and layout elevate coverage visibility (e.g. real-time prior authorization) and user confidence. The app also supports capturing provider bills via photo upload to match claims, simplifying explanations of benefits.