Participating in a classa action suit

Assuming what you received was a notice of a class action settlement, it means that Nationwide has consented to the terms of that settlement, including any terms for compensating its insureds. If you agree to the terms, you will be able to avail yourself of the benefits of the settlement, but will likely waive the abilility to sue Nationwide on you own behalf for the issues that are the subject of the class aciton lawsuit. That doesn't sound like something you are contemplating anyway. Assuming all of the forgoing, Nationwide should not penalize you for simply participating in a settlement structure that it has agreed to. That being said, if you want to fully understand the terms of what you are signing, and it is best to always fully understand a document that you sign, you can protect yourself by reviewing it with a qualified attorney.