Mercury
- Rideshare insurance available.
- Wide range of discounts available.
- Not available in all states.
- Few options to customize auto policies.
NerdWallet’s editorial team awarded Mercury 3.5 stars out of 5 for overall performance. The scoring formula we used takes into account consumer experience, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and financial strength ratings.
Mercury Insurance has a large auto insurance customer base in California, but it also operates in 10 other states and offers additional products such as home, renters and condo insurance. Its policies are sold through a network of independent agents.
» MORE: The best car insurance companies
Why you can trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage so you can choose the insurance policy that works best for you. These carrier ratings are specific to auto insurance — a company's rating for other products may be different on our site. See our criteria for evaluating auto insurance companies.
- How we review auto insurance companies
In our auto insurance reviews, our editorial team considers both the customer and the insurer. These are some of the factors we take into account:
Financial strength. We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s long-term financial stability and ability to pay claims. NerdWallet does not recommend companies with a rating lower than a B.
Complaints. These ratings are based on complaints to state regulators relative to a company’s size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The best auto insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints.
Ease of use. This category looks at how easily consumers can interact with an insurer through its mobile app and website. This includes how much coverage information is offered online, whether a user can start and track a claim online and get a quote and mobile app scores based on the Apple and Google Play store ratings.
Discounts. We look at both the kind of discounts a company offers and the total number of discounts available.
Where Mercury stands out
Coverage options. Mercury offers a couple of uncommon coverage options, including gap insurance, custom equipment coverage and mechanical breakdown coverage. These options might make Mercury more attractive to you if you have a lease or loan, you want to increase coverage for mechanical failures or you own a customized car.
Where Mercury falls short
Uneven affordability. Mercury’s rates are often more expensive than average in the states where it offers coverage, according to NerdWallet’s September 2025 data analysis. However, your rates may vary depending on how much coverage you need and a range of personal details.
Limited availability. Mercury offers car insurance in only 11 states.
Compare to other insurers
NerdWallet rating 3.5/5 |  NerdWallet rating 4.0/5 |  NerdWallet rating 4.5/5 |
Discounts Average set of discounts | Discounts Great set of discounts | Discounts Great set of discounts |
Ease of use Below average | Ease of use Above average | Ease of use Above average |
NAIC complaints Close to expected | NAIC complaints More than expected | NAIC complaints Close to expected |
Bottom line Mercury offers a range of insurance products but isn’t available in many states. | Bottom line Liberty Mutual offers a long list of discounts, plus robust digital tools on its website and app. | Bottom line With plenty of coverage options and discounts, this auto insurance giant is worth a look. |
How much does Mercury’s car insurance cost?
Mercury’s auto insurance costs an average of $3,333 per year for full coverage compared to the national average of $2,285.
Your rates ultimately depend on where you live and personal factors, like your car, age, driving and insurance history, level of coverage and more. Since rates differ so much from driver to driver, it’s worth comparing car insurance quotes to find your most affordable coverage.
| Driver profile | Mercury annual rate | National average rate |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $768 | $623 |
| Full coverage | $3,333 | $2,285 |
| One speeding ticket, good credit | $4,452 | $2,894 |
| One at-fault crash, good credit | $5,481 | $3,381 |
| One DUI, good credit | $4,692 | $4,251 |
| Clean driving record, poor credit | $5,539 | $3,808 |
Mercury insurance coverage
When you're shopping for car insurance, it's important to understand what coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. Most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle, and beyond these required types of auto insurance, you can add optional insurance types to enhance your coverage.
Mercury offers the standard types of car insurance, along with a few additional options, including:
- Gap insurance
Gap insurance helps pay for the difference between your totaled car’s value and the remaining balance of your loan or lease.
Who might need it? The terms of your vehicle’s loan or lease may require you to have gap insurance. If you’re not required to have it, gap insurance may still be worth having if you couldn’t afford to cover the outstanding balance of your car’s loan or lease if it's totaled in an accident.
- Rideshare insurance
Rideshare insurance provides insurance coverage while you’re driving for Uber or Lyft and don’t have a customer in your vehicle. Mercury doesn’t offer rideshare insurance in New Jersey or New York.
Who might need it? Mercury, like many other insurance companies, limits your personal coverage while you drive for a ridesharing service. Rideshare insurance is essential for closing the gaps if you drive for Uber, Lyft or a similar company.
- Custom equipment coverage
Custom equipment coverage helps cover the value of your car’s custom parts and upgrades if they’re damaged or stolen.
Who might need it? Custom equipment coverage might be right if you spent a lot of money customizing your car, since standard auto insurance policies may limit coverage for stolen or damaged aftermarket parts.
- Mechanical breakdown coverage
Mechanical breakdown coverage pays for breakdowns to your car’s engine, transmission, electrical parts and other systems. This coverage covers damage that happens during everyday use rather than damage caused by an accident.
Who might need it? As long as it fits into your budget, mechanical breakdown coverage could help replace some of the protections of your car’s warranty. It may also be worth adding if you want more coverage than a typical full coverage car insurance policy offers.
Auto insurance discounts
Depending on where you live, you might get discounted auto insurance rates with Mercury by:
Driving a car equipped with anti-theft features.
Paying your premiums in full all at once or enrolling in autopay.
Signing your insurance documents electronically.
Avoiding accidents and traffic violations.
Earning good grades (if you’re a student).
Having multiple policies with Mercury.
Insuring more than one vehicle with Mercury.
» MORE: Cheapest car insurance companies
Pricing based on tracked driving habits
Mercury's usage-based driving app, MercuryGo, may provide insurance discounts based on how you drive. MercuryGo is currently available only for customers only in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia.
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
Complaints and customer satisfaction
Mercury had close to the expected number of complaints about auto insurance to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Mercury ranked last out of 21 insurance companies in J.D. Power's 2024 auto insurance claims satisfaction study.
More about Mercury insurance
Website: You can make payments, download ID cards and view policy documents via Mercury’s website. The company also has a blog with articles on various insurance topics, as well as tips for safer driving.
App: Mercury offers two mobile apps for its auto insurance customers. Its primary app lets you access your digital ID card, pay bills and contact roadside assistance. Its usage-based app, MercuryGo, monitors your driving habits. You earn a discount for enrolling and may receive an additional discount at renewal for demonstrating good driving behavior. MercuryGo is available only in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia.
Home insurance from Mercury
Mercury’s options for home insurance include all the standard types of coverage, plus a few additional features. Learn more by reading our Mercury home insurance review.
Other insurance coverage from Mercury
Mechanical breakdown insurance.
Business insurance and business auto insurance.
Landlord insurance.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a quote from Mercury?
How do I get a quote from Mercury?
You can start a quote from Mercury online or by calling a local Mercury agent.
In what states does Mercury sell policies?
In what states does Mercury sell policies?
Mercury sells auto insurance policies in 11 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia.
Does Mercury sell rideshare insurance?
Does Mercury sell rideshare insurance?
Yes. However, you must have a personal auto insurance policy with Mercury to be eligible for rideshare insurance.
How can I contact Mercury?
How can I contact Mercury?
Customer service number: You can reach Mercury customer service at 800-503-3724.
Email: A direct email isn't listed, but you can fill out a form on the Mercury website.
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.J.D. Power. 2024 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. Accessed Sep 11, 2025.
Methodology
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2021-2023. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
Auto insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines and full ratings methodology for auto insurance.
Average rates methodology
NerdWallet averaged rates based on public filings obtained by pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. We examined rates for men and women for all ZIP codes in any of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our rates analysis due to a lack of publicly available information.
In our analysis, “good drivers” had no moving violations on record; a “good driving” discount was included for this profile. Our “good” and “poor” credit rates are based on credit score approximations and do not account for proprietary scoring criteria used by insurance providers.
These are average rates, and your rate will vary based on your personal details, state and insurance provider.
Sample drivers had the following coverage limits:
$100,000 bodily injury liability coverage per person.
$300,000 bodily injury liability coverage per crash.
$50,000 property damage liability coverage per crash.
$100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person.
$300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per crash.
Collision coverage with $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage with $1,000 deductible.
We used the same assumptions for all other driver profiles, with the following exceptions:
We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor” as reported to the insurer to see rates for drivers with poor credit. In states where credit isn’t taken into account, we only used rates for “good credit.”
For drivers with one at-fault crash, we added a single at-fault crash costing $10,000 in property damage.
For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken-driving violation.
For drivers with a ticket, we added a single speeding violation for driving 16 mph over the speed limit.
We used a 2022 Toyota Camry LE in all cases and assumed 12,000 annual miles driven. We analyzed rates for drivers of the following ages: 20, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60 and 70.
