Mercury Car Insurance Reviews: Costs and Ratings (2024)

If you’re shopping for new auto insurance coverage, Mercury Insurance may come up in your search. Learn more about this company’s history, pricing, and more.

Jess Ullrich
Written byJess Ullrich
Jess Ullrich
Jess UllrichInsurance Writer
  • 10+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics

  • Former associate finance editor for Investopedia

Jess is a subject matter expert in insurance, banking, and other personal finance topics. Her byline has appeared in numerous top web media, including Investopedia.

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Katie Powers
Edited byKatie Powers
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Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin Halachev
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Konstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Updated March 26, 2024

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Searching online for car insurance will quickly lead you to find a number of different providers, including Mercury Insurance. An established insurer offering competitively priced policies, Mercury offers some perks but also comes with some drawbacks.

Here’s what to know if you’re considering a car insurance policy from Mercury Insurance.

Quick Facts
  • Mercury has been offering auto, home, and renters insurance to consumers for more than 60 years.

  • The average monthly cost of a full-coverage auto policy from Mercury is $235.

  • Mercury receives a higher-than-average number of customer complaints, according to recent National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) data.[1]

What is Mercury car insurance?

Founded in 1961, Mercury Insurance offers a variety of consumer and commercial insurance policies, including homeowners, renters, auto, and small-business coverage. While it’s a long-standing company with a range of offerings, Mercury only operates in 11 U.S. states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia.

Compare personalized, real-time quotes
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-five scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
3.6
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
827
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$83/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$152/mo

Mercury is a 62-year-old insurance company that sells auto, home, condo, renters, and business insurance. In addition to standard car insurance coverage types, Mercury also offers rental car reimbursement, roadside assistance, rideshare insurance, and more. Mercury customers can save with multiple discounts, and the opportunity to bundle their auto insurance with home or renters coverage. The compay has an A rating from A.M. Best for financial stability. Mercury has nearly twice as many complaints as expected in the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Consumer Complaints Index. However, J.D. Power ranked the company fourth incustomer satisfaction in California.

Pros
  • Numerous coverage options, discounts, and bundling opportunities

  • Competitive auto insurance prices

Cons
  • Only available in 11 states (including California)

  • Only available in 11 states (including California)

Robert - March 18, 2024
Verified

Good So Far, Want a Price Quote

Great, helpful agent.

Jose - March 17, 2024
Verified

Avoid This Insurance, It's a Scam

I'm very upset with their charges and changes.

Corine - March 11, 2024
Verified

Mercury isn't what it used to be

Mercury has been my auto insurer for over 20 years. They recently changed their underwriting rules, and not for the better. Their claims process is less supportive now, mainly being online.
Read our Mercury review

How does Mercury auto insurance work?

As with any insurer, Mercury Insurance profits when consumers and business owners obtain a policy and pay their monthly premiums. In return for premium payments, policyholders receive auto coverage. Prospective customers can shop for coverage and obtain a quote from Mercury online or over the phone. Mercury offers personal and business auto policies, as well as homeowners and renters insurance.

Mercury car insurance coverage

Mercury offers several types of car insurance coverage for consumers, including insurance add-ons.[2] You can opt for liability-only coverage or a full-coverage policy, which serves as additional protection beyond what liability insurance provides.[3]

Here’s what Mercury has to offer:

  • Liability: This covers damage you may cause to others if you cause an accident. 

  • Collision: This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from an accident or rollover, regardless of fault.

  • Comprehensive: This covers damage to your car due to an unexpected event like theft, vandalism, a fallen tree branch, or inclement weather.

  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist: This coverage pays for your medical bills and other costs associated with bodily injury when another driver without adequate coverage causes them.

  • Medical payments: This add-on coverage can help pay for your medical expenses after an auto accident.

  • Personal injury protection (PIP): This compensates you for medical bills, lost wages, and more, regardless of who caused the accident.

  • Rental car: This additional coverage pays for rental car costs if your car is being repaired after damage caused in a covered event.

  • Roadside assistance: This add-on coverage protects you if your car malfunctions and you need help from a roadside services professional.

  • Ride-hailing: This covers your car if you drive for a rideshare service and you’re en route to pick up a customer.

  • Umbrella: This provides coverage beyond what your policy offers in case you cause an accident that seriously injures another driver.

  • Mechanical failure: This pays for covered repair costs if your vehicle breaks down.

Certain coverages might not be available in all the states Mercury serves. If you’re interested in a specific coverage type, consider speaking with an agent to learn more about the coverages offered where you live.

Learn More: Compare Car Insurance by Coverage

How to get a Mercury car insurance quote

If Mercury provides coverage in your state, you can get a quote for an auto policy by entering your ZIP code and personal information on the Mercury website. Mercury estimates the quote process takes around seven minutes. You can also speak with an agent if you’d prefer to get a quote over the phone.

Those still considering other insurance options in addition to Mercury can also use a quote-comparison platform like Insurify. This type of platform lets you compare quotes from several providers all in one place.

Mercury car insurance cost by state

Depending on your state of residence, your car insurance requirements and costs will vary. For instance, Georgia state law requires drivers to purchase more auto coverage than Florida does.

Here are the average monthly costs of full-coverage auto insurance with Mercury in states with available coverage.

StateAverage Monthly Quote
Arizona$217
California$200
Florida$318
Georgia$276
Illinois$169
New Jersey$303
Nevada$255
Oklahoma$181
Texas$237
Virginia$193
Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

See More: Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State

Mercury auto insurance rates by driving history

Beyond where you live and coverage requirements, your policy cost will also vary based on your driving history. If you have several driving violations, like speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, or DUIs, you’ll likely pay more for coverage than you would with a clean record.[4]

Here’s a look at Mercury Insurance’s average monthly rates for full-coverage insurance based on driving history:

Quote Price by Driving Record

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Read More: Cheapest Car Insurance by Driving Record

Mercury car insurance cost by age

Your car insurance costs will also change as you age. Teenagers and drivers younger than 25 tend to pay the most for auto coverage, while more experienced middle-aged drivers often pay the least for their policies. Here’s what you can expect to pay for Mercury auto insurance by age:

Quote Price by Age Group

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Mercury car insurance discounts

Car insurance discounts can help reduce the overall cost of your policy. Many insurers offer discounts, including Mercury. Mercury offers an array of discounts, but it doesn’t provide specifics on the percentages of each discount or how to qualify. Availability may vary by state.

Learn more about the available discounts below.

  • Anti-theft: Drivers who install an alarm or other type of anti-theft device can benefit from lower premiums.

  • Good driver: If you have a clean driving record, you could earn a good driver discount.

  • Autopay: Mercury also offers a discount for setting up automatic premium payments.

  • Good student: You may be eligible for a good student discount if you’re enrolled in college and meet Mercury’s qualifying requirements.

  • Multi-policy: Bundling your policies, such as homeowners and auto coverage, with Mercury may also result in a discount.

  • Multi-car: Similarly, insuring multiple cars with the company could result in savings on your auto policy.

  • Pay-in-full: Those who pay for their annual coverage in full can access a lower rate.

  • E-signature: Drivers who opt in for e-signing their policy documents may also get a discount on their coverage.

See More: Car Insurance Discount Guide

Mercury Insurance bundling options

Bundling your policies is an effective way to reduce the cost of your auto insurance. Though the company doesn’t specify how much you can save by bundling, Mercury offers the following bundling opportunities:

It may also allow you to bundle other policy combinations of home, auto, renters, and umbrella coverage.

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Mercury Insurance reviews and ratings

Mercury Insurance has been in business for more than 60 years, and customer reviews and ratings are widely available online. Unfortunately, Mercury earned low ratings across a number of popular review sites.

Mercury Insurance customer reviews

Customer feedback is mostly negative, though some people report positive experiences. Here’s what past and current policyholders have to say:

Mercury Insurance ratings

Here’s how Mercury is rated across popular review sites, as of February 2023:

  • Trustpilot: 2 out of 5 stars with 18 reviews

  • Better Business Bureau: 1.21 out of 5 stars across 53 reviews

  • Google Play: 4.3 out of 5 stars with 403 reviews

  • Apple App Store: 4.8 out of 5 stars with 501 reviews

Mercury Insurance vs. other insurance providers

Due to the crowded car insurance market, comparing coverage from multiple insurers can help you find affordable rates. Here’s how Mercury compares to other insurers.

Mercury Insurance vs. Amica

Amica, an established insurer that’s been in business for over a century, offers consumer and commercial policies and has a larger coverage reach than Mercury. Amica offers auto coverage in 49 states (excluding Hawaii).

While Mercury offers full-coverage policies for $235 per month on average, Amica’s full-coverage auto policies come with a higher price tag of around $490 per month. Liability-only coverage averages around $189 per month with Mercury, while Amica charges a monthly average of $313.

Mercury Insurance vs. GEICO

You’re likely familiar with GEICO as a company, but you might not be as familiar with its specific insurance offerings, which include auto, homeowners, renters, and business insurance. Unlike Mercury’s auto policies, GEICO offers auto coverage in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

On average, GEICO’s full-coverage policies are cheaper than Mercury’s, with policyholders paying around $158 per month. Liability-only coverage from GEICO averages around $101 per month.

Mercury Insurance vs. Progressive

Progressive is one of the biggest insurers in the U.S. by market share. In addition to auto policies, Progressive also offers homeowners, renters, commercial insurance, and more. Drivers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., can get auto coverage from Progressive.

Progressive’s average monthly rates for full-coverage insurance are comparable to Mercury’s. Progressive drivers pay around $230 for full coverage. Liability-only coverage with Progressive is slightly cheaper than what Mercury offers, with Progressive drivers paying just $149 per month on average.

More about Mercury Insurance

Mercury has been recognized by Forbes as one of the best insurance companies of 2022, as well as received accolades for its employment practices. It was also rated among the best employers for women in 2020 and the best mid-size employers of 2019.

What is Mercury Insurance RealDrive?

RealDrive, Mercury’s pay-per-mile coverage option, allows drivers who travel fewer miles to pay lower rates on their policies. If you sign up for RealDrive, you’ll not only benefit from a lower rate by driving less, but you’ll also get a 5% discount on your coverage.

Mercury Insurance pros and cons

When considering factors like coverage options, customer satisfaction, cost, and more, Mercury Insurance provides advantages and disadvantages to policyholders.

Pros
  • Competitive auto policy prices

  • Array of coverage options and discounts

  • Can get a quote for coverage online

Cons
  • Only available in 11 states

  • Availability of coverage options and discounts varies by state

  • Higher-than-average number of customer complaints

Filing an auto insurance claim with Mercury Insurance

You generally need to file an auto insurance claim after a car accident or when your car is damaged by vandalism or a weather event. When you file a claim, the insurance company will assess the damages and compensate you for a covered event.

If you’re a current Mercury policyholder, you can file a claim online or over the phone by calling 1 (800) 503-3724. Be ready to provide your information, policy details, and the other driver’s information, if applicable.

See Also: The 10 Best and Worst Car Insurance Comparison Sites

Mercury Insurance FAQs

If you’re still wondering whether an auto policy from Mercury is right for you, find some common questions and answers about the company.

  • Is Mercury Insurance legitimate?

    Yes, Mercury Insurance is a legitimate, established insurance company that offers coverage in 11 states. However, the company did receive criticism in California in 2022 for violating consumer protection laws and charging illegal fees. Do your due diligence and compare policies from multiple providers before choosing this insurer.

  • What is the average cost of Mercury car insurance?

    On average, policyholders pay a monthly cost of $235 for a full-coverage auto policy from Mercury Insurance. Drivers who opt for liability-only coverage will pay an average of $189 per month. Remember that the cost of your insurance coverage will vary based on your state, coverage amount, age, driving history, and other factors.

  • Is Mercury Insurance good with claims?

    In 2022, Mercury Insurance received an A (Excellent) financial strength rating from A.M. Best, an organization that assesses the financial health of insurance companies. This high rating indicates the company’s financial stability and ability to pay out claims.

  • Is Mercury car insurance right for you?

    Mercury Insurance could work for you if you live in one of the 11 states it serves and want a competitively priced policy. It could also work if you’re seeking rideshare coverage, mechanical breakdown protection, or a pay-per-mile option.

    This company received a relatively high Insurify Composite Score of 81 out of 100. The ICS measures an insurer’s quality, reliability, and health. Ultimately, whether the provider matches your coverage needs depends on your unique situation.

  • How does pay-per-mile insurance work?

    When you opt for pay-per-mile insurance, you’ll pay a set monthly rate plus a rate based on the number of miles you drive. Generally, the fewer miles you drive, the less your insurance will cost. Mercury offers this type of coverage through its RealDrive program.

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Sources

  1. NAIC. "American Mercury Ins Co National Complaint Index Report." Accessed February 15, 2023
  2. Insurance Information Institute. "Auto Insurance Basics." Accessed February 15, 2023
  3. Mercury Insurance. "Auto Insurance Coverage." Accessed February 15, 2023
  4. Insurance Information Institute. "https://www.iii.org/article/what-determines-price-my-auto-insurance-policy." Accessed February 15, 2023
Jess Ullrich
Jess UllrichInsurance Writer

Jess is a personal finance writer who's been creating financial and business content for over a decade. Her work is published on Investopedia, MoneyWise, NextAdvisor, The HuffPost, and more. Prior to freelancing full-time, Jess was an editor at Investopedia, The Balance, and FinanceBuzz. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Katie Powers
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Photo of an Insurify author
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.