Mercury Auto Insurance Review (2024)

When the Mercury Insurance Group sold its first policy in 1962, it focused on providing affordable car insurance to California drivers. Since then, Mercury has expanded into 10 more states: Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Nevada, Illinois, Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, New Jersey, and New York.

Although Mercury isn’t the biggest insurance company, it offers such affordable prices that it can easily compete with even the most prominent insurers. Combined with a long list of coverage options and a solid usage-based insurance option, it’s no wonder Mercury has so many happy customers.

While buying auto insurance from a smaller company might not initially appeal to you, Mercury offers some serious perks. Read our Mercury Auto Insurance Review to learn what the Mercury Insurance company can do for you, then compare rates with local insurance companies to find the best plan.

What You Should Know About Mercury Insurance Group

One of the best ways to figure out if Mercury auto insurance is the right company for you is to look at financial and customer reviews. An excellent place to start is with third-party company reviews.

A.M. Best rates companies on their financial security. Mercury Insurance’s A.M. Best rating is an A, which means it has the strength to pay out any claims you might have to make.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) rates insurance companies by the number of Mercury insurance complaints compared to their size. The national average ratio is 1.0. Mercury has a 0.71, which means it receives fewer complaints than other insurance companies.

J.D. Power is a trusted name in consumer satisfaction reports. In 2021, J.D. Power ranked Mercury as the number one company for digital insurance shopping satisfaction. However, Mercury ranks near the middle for overall satisfaction, meaning it has an average number of happy customers.

Finally, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) rates companies on their ability to resolve customer claims. While it hasn’t been officially rated yet, hundreds of Mercury insurance reviews are on the BBB site.

How do real customers feel about their Mercury auto insurance? Customer reviews tend to be mixed. When things go well, and customers don’t have to make a claim, they praise Mercury for its professional representatives and low rates. Unfortunately, many customers are unsatisfied with the claims process, saying that Mercury does everything in its power to deny payments.

Mercury Insurance Group Insurance Coverage Options

Each of the 11 states Mercury operates in has car insurance requirements before you can legally drive. When you get Mercury auto insurance quotes, it will at least include the minimum coverage you need.

You’ll probably need full coverage insurance if you have a loan or lease on your car, which Mercury can also provide. Mercury’s car insurance availability includes:

• Liability. Consisting of bodily injury and property damage coverage, liability insurance pays for damage you cause in an accident. It does not cover repairs to your car.
• Collision. You need collision insurance if you want your car covered in an accident. Mercury offers the actual cash value of your vehicle if it’s totaled.
• Comprehensive. Comprehensive insurance will help repair your car after a covered event, such as fire, weather, vandalism, or theft.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist. If someone without insurance hits you, uninsured motorist insurance steps in to pay for car repairs, medical bills, and lost wages. Underinsured motorist coverage fills the gap if an at-fault party does not carry sufficient policy limits to cover all of your damages.
• Medical payments. Healthcare bills after an accident can get costly. Medical payments coverage (MedPay) will help cover healthcare costs for you and your passengers, no matter who is at fault.
• Rental car. Mercury will cover a temporary ride when your vehicle is in the shop after an accident. Coverage is available for up to 30 days at $30-$100 per day.
• Rideshare. If you drive for a company like Uber or Lyft, Mercury can cover you while you work for as little as $27 a month.
• Mechanical protection. Buy this optional insurance to cover major mechanical breakdowns. Keep in mind that mechanical breakdown insurance does not cover normal wear and tear.

Rental car, rideshare, and mechanical protection availability vary by state, so make sure to ask. A Mercury auto insurance representative can also help you decide which types of coverage you need.

Does Mercury offer other types of insurance?

In order to get a bundling discount, you need to buy more than one Mercury insurance policy. Luckily, Mercury has plenty of options:

• Homeowners/condo/renters
• Landlord
• Umbrella
• Business owners
• Commercial auto
• Mechanical protection

It might not be the most extensive list of insurance options, but Mercury can cover most of the important things in your life.

Mercury Insurance Group Insurance Rates Breakdown

In general, Mercury insurance quotes are below the national average. While all drivers could potentially save money with Mercury, teens and older adults see some of the lowest rates. Additionally, Mercury is an excellent option for high-risk drivers.

Mercury will combine factors like your age, gender, location, driving history, and credit score to make a unique quote for you.

How much is minimum coverage with Mercury?

If you’re on a tight budget, minimum coverage is the least amount of insurance you can buy and still be street-legal. It doesn’t cover your car, but it’s the cheapest insurance option. Here is a look at some of the top national insurance company costs for minimum coverage, so you can get an idea of how much this type of coverage costs.

Although Mercury does well in different categories, you might see higher rates than the national average when you look at minimum coverage. However, minimum coverage laws vary by state, meaning Mercury insurance in Arizona might be much different than the average auto quotes in California.

How much is full coverage with Mercury?

Full coverage refers to a package consisting of liability, comprehensive, collision, and uninsured motorist. It also usually includes medical payments, though not all the time.

If you have a loan or lease on your car, your lender will probably require you to carry full coverage. See below for the average full coverage policy costs from major national insurance companies.

If you need full coverage insurance, comparing rates with other companies is vital in finding a reasonable price.

How much is Mercury for teen drivers?

Age is a critical factor when determining your auto insurance rates. Insurance companies keep careful track of claims numbers, and the data shows that teen drivers are more likely to engage in reckless behavior and cause accidents.

Because of this, rates for teen drivers are some of the highest in any demographic. However, Mercury offers competitive rates for young drivers. Take a look at the national averages so you can compare them with the rate you receive from Mercury.

Although a few companies are generally cheaper, Mercury might be the best choice for finding cheap teen car insurance.

How much is Mercury for young adult drivers?

While teen insurance can be costly, rates start to drop when you reach your twenties. Although it takes until about 25, you’ll see much lower rates if you keep your driving record clean.

While Mercury still has competitive rates for young drivers, it matches other companies more closely than it did for teens.

Rates for young drivers are lower than what teens see, but they’re still relatively high. There are ways to lower your rates, especially by taking advantage of discounts. If you’re under 25 and in college, you might qualify for one of Mercury’s student discounts.

How much is Mercury for adult drivers?

Your Mercury insurance quotes will reach their lowest during your adult years, with drivers in their fifties most likely to have the cheapest rates. Other factors play an important role in your rates, but statistics show that 50 and 60-year-olds pay the least for insurance.

Although Mercury has low rates for teens, its adult rates tend to be closer to the national average. Make sure to ask about discounts when you get your quote to lower your rates as much as possible.

How much is Mercury for older adults?

Senior adults typically see their rates increase as they approach 70 and 80. There are several reasons for the increase, but it mostly comes down to statistics — older adults get in more accidents.

You might find affordable rates with Mercury as an older adult, as long as you have a clean driving record. Let’s look at the national averages for senior drivers.

Unfortunately, car insurance rates for older adults can get expensive no matter where you shop. However, Mercury might offer you the most affordable plans.

How much is Mercury insurance after an accident?

It’s an unfortunate part of life — accidents happen. Unfortunately, your insurance rates will increase after an at-fault accident. While some companies impose a dramatic spike in prices after an accident, you can never tell how much it will be. Here is a look at average rates after you have been involved in one or multiple accidents.

The average Mercury policy increases by about 26%, which is a slightly smaller increase compared to the national average.

However, you won’t be stuck with higher rates forever. While every company varies, it usually takes about three years of accident-free driving for an incident to stop affecting your insurance rates.

How much is Mercury insurance after a speeding ticket?

Like accidents, getting a speeding ticket will increase your rates. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities. With this in mind, it’s easy to understand why insurance companies are wary after you receive a speeding ticket.

Mercury rates are comparable to other companies after a speeding ticket, but you might see much higher or lower rates depending on the state you live in. For example, Mercury insurance in Oklahoma after a speeding ticket is much higher than the average rates in California.

How much is Mercury insurance after a DUI?

DUIs affect your car insurance rates more than almost any other traffic violation. If you have more than one DUI or other traffic violations on your record, you might need to look for high-risk insurance.

Mercury can help with affordable rates after a DUI. Getting familiar with the national company rates after a DUI will give you a good idea of how much to expect to pay if you decide to go with Mercury.

Unfortunately, you’ll see much higher rates for insurance after a DUI, no matter where you shop. However, comparing quotes with multiple companies can help you save money. Since Mercury is comparable to — and sometimes lower than — other providers, it’s an excellent place to start.

How much is Mercury insurance if you have poor credit?

Statistically, insurance companies know that people with lower credit scores are more likely to file a claim. You can lower your rates by increasing your score.

While Mercury doesn’t do as well as companies like GEICO or Nationwide, its rates are still competitive enough that it’s worth requesting quotes.

Before focusing too much on credit scores, you should know that checking them in every state is not legal. For example, Mercury can’t check your credit score if you live in California.

Mercury Insurance Group Discounts Available

Smaller companies often struggle to compete with larger providers when it comes to discounts. While Mercury doesn’t have quite as many as some of its competitors, it still has a good selection:

• Digitally signing policy documents
• Multi-car
• Policy bundling
• Anti-theft devices
• Signing up for auto-pay
• Paid-in-full
• Good driver
• Good student

Another way to save on your auto insurance with Mercury is by signing up for the RealDrive program. This program tracks how many miles you drive and lowers your rates accordingly. Not every driver will benefit from RealDrive, but it could interest people with short commutes or remote workers.

However, RealDrive and other discounts aren’t available in every state, so check with an insurance representative before you sign up for a policy.

MercuryGO

Telematics technology allows insurance companies to monitor your driving behavior and adjust your rates based on your habits. Usage-based insurance is a great way to save money, as long as you’re a safe driver and comfortable being monitored.

Mercury’s usage-based plan is MercuryGO. You automatically earn 5% off your rates for signing up, no matter your driving behaviors, but further discounts are available based on how well you drive.

MercuryGO monitors the following driving behaviors:

• Speeding
• Phone use while driving
• Hard braking
• Fast accelerations
• Sharp turns

After three months of tracking, you’ll receive new rates. Every driver’s discount varies, but you can save up to 40% on your total bill.