“In 2018, we had many opportunities to deliver on our promise to help our members prepare for the future and rebuild their lives in times of need,” said Nationwide CEO Steve Rasmussen. “We helped thousands of our members who were affected by severe weather and wildfires begin the restoration process. When the financial markets experienced volatility, we helped our members stay focused on their long-term goals.”

Nationwide drove profitable sales and maintained an exceptionally strong capital position, despite significant storms and wildfires in 2018. Many financial, commercial and personal lines products performed well, helping offset those few areas that were pressured during the year.

“Our strong sales and net operating income last year are a great reflection of our financial strength and stability, especially important during a year of significant weather losses,” said Nationwide Chief Financial Officer Mark Thresher.

Total policyholders’ equity was $21.4 billion in 2018.

Nationwide innovation efforts gain momentum

While continuing to enhance its core businesses and existing product lines, Nationwide also ramped up its focus on innovation in 2018.

“We’re doubling down on our innovation efforts to anticipate our members’ needs and create valuable solutions for them,” said Rasmussen. “Think of a product or service people didn’t know they wanted, but after they use it they can’t imagine going back. That is the type of innovation we’re focused on creating.”

In recent months, Nationwide’s venture capital team has announced investments in emerging companies Vestwell and Socotra, with previous investments in Betterview, Nexar, BlueVine, blooom, Insurify, Next Insurance, Matic and Sure. Additionally, the company will open a new innovation center in the Arena District near its Columbus headquarters in 2019.

“As we look to the future, our industry is changing at a rapid pace. To be successful, companies like Nationwide need to stay ahead of the changes,” said Thresher. “From new product solutions to new ways of reaching our members, we have a lot of exciting work underway to position ourselves for continued success.”

About Nationwide 

Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.