Mercury Auto Insurance Ratings

Best Auto Insurance Companies 2020: How Mercury Auto Insurance Measures Up

With an overall score of 84.9, Mercury earned sixth place on the list this year, failing to crack the top five by less than a point. Still, it placed No. 4 for claims handling (91.35) and No. 5 for value for price (81.4). In the customer service category it placed fifteenth, with a score of 84.6, which was less than a point behind the four preceding carriers. Mercury landed in the middle of the pack, at twelfth for usefulness of its webs site and apps. Eighty-two percent said they would recommend the company to friends and family. Ninety-two percent said they’d renew their policy.

Gauging an insurance company

Before buying with a company it is wise to check on a company's financial strength and complaint record. The A.M. Best rating listed above gives you an idea of Mercury's financial strength to pay claims. A complaint ratio can be found on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) site. The median complaint ratio from the NAIC is always 1.00. This means half of the insurers have a complaint ratio of under 1.00 and half have a ratio above. Basically, numbers lower than 1.00 are better with fewer complaints than the median and a number higher than 1.00 has more complaints than the median. For auto insurance, Mercury (NAIC# 27553) had a complaint ratio of 0.87 for 2018. 2019 complaint numbers will be available in 2020.

Company Background

All drivers are not created equal

In the 1950s, everyone paid the same rate for auto insurance regardless of age or driving record. George Joseph thought there was a better way to provide insurance and raised $2 million to start his own company. Mercury General sold its first automobile policy in April 1962.

Throughout the '60s and '70s, the company expanded, opening offices throughout California. By the mid-1980s, Mercury had become the largest independent agency writer of private passenger auto insurance in California.

In 1989, it began selling outside of California -- in Georgia and Illinois. Today, it sells auto and home insurance through a network of independent agents and brokers in 11 states -- Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia.  Mercury is the 14th-largest private passenger auto insurance provider in the nation.

Consider Mercury for no-frills and low rates

The company’s commercials state, “Working hard to keep rates low.” Not only does that mean rewarding the best driving habits and records, but it also means that Mercury works to keep its overhead low. The company’s site is straight-forward without a lot of resources or diversions, and claims are submitted over the phone, but that doesn’t mean they are stuck in the past. Like many insurers, they are available 24/7 and offer a smartphone app in order to access your policy information on the go.  Mercury may not be as fancy as some insurers, but the idea is that those savings will be reflected in your rate.

Contact information

Corporate Headquarters

4484 Wilshire Boulevard

 Los Angeles, CA 90010 

Customer service and claims: 1-800-503-3724