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Mercury Auto Insurance

Good on the basics but not customizable, and only available in 11 states ​
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In business since 1961
Bundling discount
Local agents available

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Reviews Report

  • Mercury full coverage car insurance costs an average of $1,558 per year in the United States, according to 2021 data from Bankrate.com.
  • Mercury doesn’t have as many discounts and add-on coverage options available than its competitors.

Founded in 1961, Mercury car insurance is a no-frills coverage option for drivers who need basic, state-minimum car insurance. While it doesn’t offer as many add-on coverage options as other competitors, it does offer nearly average car insurance rates. However, a thorough Mercury car insurance review reveals that it lacks slightly in discounts, customer satisfaction scores by J.D. Power, and has a lower financial strength rating than other large car insurance companies. That said, Mercury car insurance is a boon for drivers who don’t need excess or specialty car insurance coverage.

We created a Mercury car insurance review based on its third-party ratings, discounts, coverage options, accessibility, and more.

Mercury Car Insurance Overview

In business since
1961
AM Best: AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim.
A
J.D. Power: J.D. Power scores are based on surveys for customer satisfaction and product quality.
816*
States served:
11

Mercury car insurance may be a good option for high-risk drivers who typically pay more for car insurance as well as budget-conscious car owners in search of the lowest premiums possible. However, the carrier could improve in customer service. Respondents in the J.D. Power customer satisfaction study ranked Mercury as an average company — the carrier had a score of 816 out of 1,000 in the California region, which is on par with the region average of 816.

In addition, the NAIC keeps records of policyholder complaints for the largest car insurance carriers and assigns a complaint index score to better compare how a car insurance company performs when it comes to policyholder issues. Mercury’s NAIC complaint index score is 3.64, well above the average of 1.

PROS

  • Local agents available: Customers who insure their vehicles with Mercury can find a dedicated insurance agent to help them with policies and claims.
  • Bundling discount: Mercury advertises a 15% discount for home insurance and 14.5% off auto when they are bundled together.
  • Rideshare insurance: Rideshare and delivery app drivers can have affordable coverage for when they’re working.
  • RealDrive: Drivers can pay less for Mercury car insurance for signing up for mileage tracking.

CONS

  • Average customer satisfaction rating: Mercury sits at the average of J.D. Power’s ranking of car insurance companies in the California region.
  • No unique supplemental coverage: Besides rideshare, comprehensive, and roadside assistance coverage, Mercury does not offer other add-ons.
  • High customer complaints: NAIC indexes Mercury’s complaints at 3.64, which is very high compared to companies of similar size.
  • Limited geographic availability: Mercury car insurance only sells vehicle coverage in 11 states.

Mercury Car Insurance Highlights

Coverage
Customer Experience
Discounts & Add-ons
Claims

Mercury auto insurance may be best-known for offering basic coverage that keeps drivers and their vehicles legally on the road. Nearly all states require some form of vehicle insurance coverage, although few agree on the limits. In general, drivers need liability coverage, which Mercury car insurance provides. Medical payments, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may also be required.

Mercury scores below average in customer service, according to respondents of the annual J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey. In the California region, Mercury scored 816 out of 1,000 in J.D. Power’s 2021 Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study and 849 in its U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study — both about or under the average.

Mercury insurance’s average full coverage rate is a bit less than the national average of $1,674, according to 2021 data from Bankrate.com. In addition to the lower rates, customers can take advantage of a few discounts:

  • Anti-theft
  • Autopay
  • E-signature
  • Good driver
  • Good student
  • Multicar
  • Multi policy
  • Pay in full

Furthermore, Mercury policyholders can choose to expand coverage by adding:

  • Rental car coverage
  • Rideshare
  • Roadside assistance

However, Mercury’s additional coverage ends there. Drivers won’t find special coverage like windshield coverage, special parts, accident forgiveness, or new car replacement.

Although the goal is to never need to file a car insurance claim, it’s good to know you have coverage if an emergency arises. To file a claim with Mercury, you can call the 24-hour hotline at (800) 503-3724. You’ll need to provide certain documents and supporting evidence. Mercury Insurance provides a checklist you can use to collect the required information like driver information, photo evidence, and the police report.

Mercury’s Car Insurance Bundling Discounts for Cheaper Insurance

Mercury Insurance is best known for vehicle coverage. It’s what the company started selling almost 60 years ago when it was founded. However, the carrier expanded into homeowners insurance in 1972. Now, drivers can buy car, renters, condo, homeowners, umbrella, business, and landlord insurance as well. 

Bundling more than one coverage with Mercury has its advantages. Mercury advertises that customers can save 15% on their home insurance policy and 14.5% on their auto insurance policy when they bundle home and auto together. Plus, drivers can simplify their coverage needs by managing policies and insurance premium bills from one company, in one place.

Mercury Car Insurance vs. The Competition

J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction* J.D. Power scores are based on surveys for customer satisfaction and product quality. AM Best AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim. Discounts
Pin Mercury816*A8
Pin Travelers824*A+14
Pin Geico833*A++16
Pin Auto-Owners845*A++12

Information accurate as of June 2021

*J.D. Power 2021 Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study average rating across regions. Based on a 1,000-point scale.

Mercury vs. Travelers

Both Mercury and Travelers insurance offer rideshare coverage for drivers and delivery workers. However, Travelers has more car insurance policy options and discounts than Mercury. Travelers offers loan/lease gap, accident forgiveness, and new car replacement coverage, all of which Mercury does not make available to customers. Furthermore, Travelers scored a higher average J.D. Power customer satisfaction score than Mercury. 

Mercury vs. Geico

Cost-conscious car owners are probably familiar with both Geico car insurance and Mercury car insurance companies. They both advertise cheap vehicle coverage, although Geico is available nationwide compared to Mercury, which operates in 11 states. Furthermore, Geico also offers more additional car insurance coverage options,  including Mexico trip insurance, roadside assistance, and loan/lease gap.

Mercury vs. Auto-Owners

Mercury is at a disadvantage when compared to Auto-Owners insurance. Auto-Owners has a superior financial strength rating from AM Best. Customers have access to more discounts and optional coverages with Auto-Owners than they would with Mercury, such as diminished value, loan/lease gap, and additional expense coverage. Furthermore, Auto-Owners offers upwards of 12 discounts to customers while Mercury only offers eight.

Mercury Car Insurance FAQ 

Methodology

We evaluated Mercury based on discounts, coverage, online resources, financial strength, and customer satisfaction to create our best car insurance reviews. To compare car insurance companies with other providers across the board, we analyzed:

  • Discounts: Auto insurance companies that advertised more discounts received higher scores in our methodology.
  • Financial Stability: Reviews.com utilized AM Best ratings to assign a score based on each car insurance company’s financial stability.
  • Customer Satisfaction: J.D. Power ranks car insurance companies by customer satisfaction, so we used its 2021 Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study to compare the average rating of insurers across all regions.
  • Coverage: Car insurance companies were awarded higher scores for advertised coverages beyond the body liability, property liability, collision, and personal injury protection.
  • Online Resources: We reviewed the digital resources of each car insurance company and awarded higher scores to insurers with mobile claim estimates, digital insurance cards, and more.

As for average pricing, we used Bankrate.com’s data of car insurance, based on the profiles of a 40-year male and female. For full coverage, the details used were the following:

  • $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
  • $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
  • $50,000 property damage liability per accident
  • $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
  • $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
  • $500 collision deductible
  • $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2019 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually. 

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.

About the Authors

Cynthia Paez Bowman is a contributing writer for Reviews.com. Over the last two years, she has covered insurance, home security and more. She has been featured in MSN, Bankrate, Coverage.com, The Simple Dollar and GOBankingRates. She has dual bachelors degrees in International Business and Journalism from American University in Washington, D.C. “Is It Getting Harder to Get Home Insurance in High-Risk Areas?” is Cynthia’s favorite story on Reviews.com.

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