AFR vs. Mercury: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, AFR offers significantly less expensive prices than Mercury
• AFR offers more affordable rates for policyholders who have a clean record
• Mercury may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than AFR Insurance

AFR or Mercury: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to AFR or Mercury as potential options, but which company will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, AFR is quite a bit cheaper than Mercury, with premiums averaging $137 a month compared to $295 with Mercury.

However, that doesn't mean AFR will necessarily be cheaper than Mercury for each driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and a variety of other factors, so rates will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if AFR or Mercury is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

AFR vs. Mercury: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AFR and Mercury only compete against each other in Oklahoma, where AFR offers the cheaper average rates. Undefined drivers tend to pay about undefined per month less on average compared to drivers who use undefined for their car insurance.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance bill than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance premiums of any group out there on the road. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use AFR save over 75% a month compared to those who use Mercury.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Mercury offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, AFR still has the cheapest prices at $135 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable rates you'll ever find.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between AFR and Mercury? AFR gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $124 per month compared to Mercury's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly more affordable insurance rates than those who are single. That's usually because married couples tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with AFR premiums coming in at about 60% less than Mercury's. The advantage for married drivers with AFR is also obvious, where drivers save around $85 per month.

AFR or Mercury: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to car insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

On average, women see rates about $4 a month cheaper with AFR, and around $15 cheaper with Mercury when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, AFR comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $163 per month and women save about $153 with AFR compared to the average Mercury policyholder.

AFR vs. Mercury: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

It's no secret that insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, AFR has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $65. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, AFR again has the edge, with policies averaging around $209 a month to Mercury's $406.

Is AFR or Mercury Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use AFR for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Mercury policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 19%.

But AFR has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are 59% and 55% less expensive, respectively, compared to Mercury Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

AFR drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates increase by $0, while those who have insurance through Mercury will see about a $100 increase.

At the end of the day, AFR offers the lowest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $98 compared to Mercury Insurance's $346.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly insurance bill -- usually a lot more than a collision or ticket. On average, AFR will increase your prices around 55% after a DUI, while Mercury's average rates climb by more than 20%.

How does Credit Score Impact AFR and Mercury Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it will come into play for quite a few policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will normally be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the best prices for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is AFR or Mercury Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly premiums. Generally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

In this case, neither AFR or Mercury report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, AFR comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car yearly, with average rates of $137 per month for both.

AFR or Mercury: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance payment. Typically, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

AFR tends to offer the cheapest prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $109 a month with AFR compared to Mercury's $209. People in suburban areas pay a monthly rate of around $139 with AFR compared to $275 with Mercury. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, AFR's average rates are about $163 a month compared to Mercury's $401.

AFR vs. Mercury Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both AFR and Mercury so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Mercury knocks AFR out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 18 more discounts than AFR.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good driver, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Mercury also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, anti-theft, and more.

On the other hand, AFR has a few proprietary discounts of their own like driver training discounts and new business discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is AFR or Mercury Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

AFR might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You live in a rural area.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- undefined is only available in.
• You care about discounts (Mercury offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between AFR and Mercury. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just AFR and Mercury. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

AFR vs. Mercury FAQs

Is AFR or Mercury cheaper?

AFR is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $137 per month with AFR and $295 for Mercury. That being said, that doesn't mean AFR will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, AFR or Mercury?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do AFR and Mercury offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use many different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as gender, age, where you call home, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both AFR and Mercury calculate premiums using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if AFR or Mercury is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't AFR or Mercury at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.