Mercury
- Generous default coverage.
- Many ways to save on your policy.
- Highly rated app to manage your policy.
- Not available in most states.
- Very high rate of consumer complaints.
About Mercury home insurance
Mercury homeowners insurance earned 4 stars out of 5 for overall performance.
Mercury is one of the biggest home insurers in California, but it also sells homeowners policies in several other states such as Texas, Virginia and New York. Its policies generally come with extra dwelling coverage in case your house costs more than expected to rebuild after a fire or other disaster. Mercury sells homeowners insurance through independent agents.
Get home insurance quotes in minutes
Answer a few questions to see custom quotes and find the right policy for you.Where Mercury home insurance stands out
Coverage. Mercury’s default policies generally include an extra cushion for your dwelling coverage, plus replacement cost coverage for your personal belongings. These are both more generous types of coverage than many standard homeowners policies have.
Discounts. Mercury offers plenty of ways to save money on homeowners insurance.
Mobile app. You can use Mercury’s highly rated mobile app to see policy documents, pay bills and contact customer service.
Where Mercury home insurance falls short
Availability. Mercury’s homeowners insurance is available in only 10 states.
Consumer complaints. Mercury draws a far higher rate of complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.
What Mercury home insurance covers
These types of home insurance coverage generally come standard:
- Dwelling
Dwelling coverage pays to repair or rebuild the structure of your home after a covered event. It also covers attached structures, such as porches.
Typical amount: Enough to rebuild your home.
- Other structures
Other structures coverage pays to repair or rebuild stand-alone structures on your property, such as a fence or shed.
Typical amount: 10% of dwelling coverage.
- Personal property
Personal property coverage pays to repair or replace stolen or damaged belongings. Personal property coverage comes in one of two options: actual cash value or replacement cost.
Typical amount: 50-70% of dwelling coverage.
- Loss of use
Loss of use coverage, sometimes known as additional living expenses coverage, helps pay temporary living expenses while your home is being repaired. This can cover hotel stays, home rentals and meals.
Typical amount: 20% of dwelling coverage.
- Personal liability
Personal liability coverage pays if you injure someone or cause property damage unintentionally or through neglect.
Typical amount: $100,000 to $500,000.
- Medical payments
Medical payments coverage pays to treat someone injured on your property, regardless of who’s at fault. It also pays if you, a family member or a pet injures someone away from your home.
Typical amount: $1,000 to $5,000.
For more details, see What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
Mercury’s homeowners policies include all the standard types of coverage above. They may also include:
Extended replacement cost coverage, which pays up to 150% of your dwelling limit to rebuild your home after a covered claim.
Replacement cost coverage for personal property, which pays enough to buy brand-new replacements for damaged or destroyed belongings. Without this coverage your insurer would pay the items’ actual cash value, which reflects depreciation.
Optional Mercury home insurance coverage
You may be able to add the following optional types of coverage to your policy:
Identity theft coverage, which pays costs related to recovering your identity, up to $25,000.
Equipment breakdown coverage for repairs to air conditioning systems, kitchen and laundry appliances, water heaters, electrical panels and more.
Service line coverage, which pays to repair or replace damaged utility lines, such as sewer, water and gas pipes. Without this coverage, you would be on the hook for these repairs, even though they connect to city-owned or utility-owned lines. Coverage is available up to $10,000 per claim.
Additional coverage for valuables, such as jewelry or fine art.
Personal cyber coverage, which reimburses you if you’re the victim of an online attack such as fraud or extortion. Coverage up to $50,000 is available.
Water backup coverage to pay for damage from backed-up drains or failed sump pumps.
For California homeowners who have fire coverage through the state’s FAIR Plan, Mercury offers difference in conditions insurance to cover scenarios the FAIR Plan won’t. These scenarios include theft, personal liability and water damage from broken pipes.
What's not covered
Like most homeowners insurance companies, Mercury doesn’t cover damage from flooding or earthquakes with its standard policies. If your home is at risk, you’ll want to look into adding extra coverage. Learn more about flood insurance and earthquake insurance.
Where Mercury home insurance is available
Mercury sells homeowners policies in 10 states.
Availability may change at any time. Coverage may not be available to all homeowners in a given state.
- Find the best homeowners insurance in your state
Discounts
Depending on where you live, you may be able to save by:
Owning a newer home.
Having fire-resistant construction materials in your home.
Living in a gated community.
Having multiple policies with Mercury (also known as bundling).
Installing protective devices such as smoke alarms or deadbolts.
Not filing any claims for at least three years.
Signing up for electronic billing.
Protecting your home against wind damage.
Getting a quote in advance of when you need coverage to start.
Being a recent homebuyer.
Taking steps to prevent wildfires.
Living in a community recognized by the National Fire Protection Association as a Firewise USA site (California only).
» MORE: The cheapest home insurance
More Nerdy Perspective
It can be tough to find affordable homeowners insurance coverage in some parts of the country, especially places like California that are at risk of wildfires. One way to lower your rate is to choose a higher deductible, which is the amount subtracted from your payout if you ever have to file a claim. Make sure you choose an amount you’d feel comfortable paying out of pocket.
Consumer satisfaction
Complaints: One strong sign of consumer satisfaction is how many people complain about their insurance company to state agencies. Mercury scores poorly on this measure, drawing a very high proportion of home insurance complaints compared to other U.S. insurers.
How we determined our complaint scores We analyzed three years' worth of complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. When comparing insurers, we accounted for company size and total premiums.
Third-party ratings: Mercury scored near the bottom of the rankings for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Home Insurance Study.
- What Reddit users say about Mercury
Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like home insurance, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how users feel about insurers. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
Reddit comments about Mercury homeowners insurance are mixed. Many people complain about how the company handles claims, while others describe a smoother process.
Several Redditors, particularly in California, say that Mercury is requiring inspections or documentation before it will renew their policies. These requests typically focus on the home’s roof and its plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems, according to commenters. Some of them lost their coverage or decided to switch providers as a result.
How to file a claim with Mercury
Mercury offers 24/7 claims filing online or at 800-503-3724. Once you’ve submitted your claim, you can check its status through your online account.
Here are some key things to remember when filing a home insurance claim:
Document the damage. Take photos and create an inventory of damaged items. Provide details like labels and model numbers if possible, especially for more expensive items. Once you've documented the damage, you can make temporary repairs if it's safe to do so.
File your claim as soon as possible. This is especially important if the damage was caused by a storm, as it likely means other homes in the area were also affected.
Save your receipts. You may end up spending money on temporary repairs or living expenses before getting a payment from your insurance company. Keep all receipts so you can submit them for reimbursement later.
For more information, see how to file a home insurance claim.
How to contact Mercury customer service
Phone: For support, contact your agent or call 800-503-3724.
Email: You can send an email through Mercury’s main contact page.
Online tools
Website: On Mercury’s website, you can pay bills, view policy details, request changes and file claims.
Mobile app: You can use Mercury’s app to see policy information, pay bills and contact customer service.
Other home insurance companies to consider
Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other homeowners insurance companies:
- See all NerdWallet home insurance reviews
How we rate homeowners insurance
NerdWallet’s star ratings reward companies for consumer-first features and practices. We evaluate factors such as consumer experience, coverage, discounts and financial strength.
In our research, we analyzed:
More than 270 million homeowners insurance rates.
More than 100 insurance companies.
Nearly 200 homeowner profiles.
View our complete homeowners insurance rating methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mercury good for homeowners insurance?
Is Mercury good for homeowners insurance?
Mercury offers solid coverage and many ways to save on your policy, but it draws a high rate of consumer complaints. Overall, the company’s homeowners insurance earned 4 stars out of 5 from NerdWallet.
Who owns Mercury insurance?
Who owns Mercury insurance?
Mercury General Corporation is a public company with more than a dozen subsidiaries, including Mercury Insurance Company and Mercury Casualty Company.
What other types of insurance does Mercury sell?
What other types of insurance does Mercury sell?
Mercury sells a variety of other products, including auto, condo, renters and umbrella insurance. Read our Mercury auto insurance review to learn more.
Can Mercury require a home inspection?
Can Mercury require a home inspection?
Yes, insurance companies can perform home insurance inspections at any time to be sure the houses they’re covering are in good shape. Companies may send an inspector out in person or use aerial imagery to survey your home from above. Because issues like worn roofs, older pipes or trees overhanging your home could potentially lead to claims, insurers may require you to address these problems to maintain your coverage.
Why did Mercury drop my homeowners policy?
Why did Mercury drop my homeowners policy?
As long as it gives you enough notice, an insurance company can refuse to renew your homeowners policy for a variety of reasons. For example, it may no longer want to cover homes in your area due to increasing wildfire risk. Or it may have changed its underwriting requirements, and your home no longer fits the risk profile it's looking for. An insurance company can also drop you if you refuse to fix problems it identifies with your home. Learn more about home insurance non-renewals.
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. Home Insurance Study. Accessed Sep 8, 2025.
Star rating methodology
NerdWallet’s homeowners 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, coverage, discounts, claims process and website functionality. 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 or star ratings.
Here’s how we weighted each category to come up with our list of the best home insurance companies:
Consumer experience (40%).
Financial strength (30%).
Coverage (25%).
Discounts (5%).
Read our full home insurance ratings methodology for more details.
Complaint methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2022-2024. To assess how insurers compare with 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.
