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

Quick Facts

• In general, Dairyland offers more affordable prices than Mercury
• Dairyland has less expensive premiums for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Mercury offers more discounts than Dairyland

Dairyland vs. Mercury: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering substantial discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Dairyland or Mercury for your next policy, but which one will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Mercury has average rates that are about 13% per month more expensive than those from Dairyland.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Dairyland will be the cheaper option for each driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, where you call home, your age, or even your driving record (among other things), so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Dairyland or Mercury is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by many different rate factors.

Dairyland or Mercury: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Dairyland and Mercury only compete against each other in two states, with Mercury offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Nevada has the most noticable difference, where Mercury prices are over 20% less expensive than auto insurance premiums at Dairyland.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group on the road. It's normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Dairyland save more than $200 a month compared to those who use Mercury.

That being said, both companies will drop prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Dairyland policyholders decrease over 55% and Mercury's premiums lower nearly 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the most affordable auto insurance prices out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase premiums.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Dairyland and Mercury? Dairyland gets the slight edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older around 7% cheaper than the national average for Mercury.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance prices are normally more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders? This usually boils down to married drivers having several cars on their policy -- something many car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Dairyland is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates about $63 per month less expensive than Mercury, on average. But for married couples, that advantage is much less clear - Dairyland offers the lowest average premiums , but the difference is less than $10.

Dairyland vs. Mercury: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they are more likely to file a claim with insurance. Therefore, men tend to get higher rates than women.

Men typically pay around $10 a month more than women with Dairyland, and almost $15 with Mercury.

Looking at overall affordability, Dairyland comes out as the most affordable option for both genders, with average prices $41 less for men and $37 cheaper for women.

Dairyland or 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.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Dairyland generally offers cheaper rates of $142 compared to Mercury's $184. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Dairyland again has the edge, with policies about $35 per month more affordable than Mercury, on average.

Is Dairyland or Mercury Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their car insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

It's no secret secret that collisions and tickets lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Dairyland or Mercury -- has the lowest rates for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Dairyland policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $40 a month if they get a ticket, while Mercury usually raises rates around $57 per month, on average.

However, Dairyland has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are $12 and $29 less expensive, respectively, compared to Mercury Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Mercury climbing by over $100. Dairyland has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay more than $70 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, Dairyland offers the cheapest prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $297 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 -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. On average, Mercury will raise your rates about 22% after a DUI, while Dairyland's average prices increase by 5%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Dairyland tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $236 monthly compared to $303 from Mercury.

How does Credit Score Impact Dairyland and Mercury Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Dairyland and Mercury, which carrier has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Dairyland. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save 1% compared to Mercury, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $22 or 8% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Dairyland typically offers lower prices than Mercury when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $42 a month less with Dairyland compared to Mercury, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $107 per month.

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

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you drive, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Dairyland or Mercury report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Dairyland comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average premiums of $256 per month for both.

Dairyland vs. Mercury: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Normally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders because there are a lot fewer cars on the roads in those areas.

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

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest premiums from both carriers, but Dairyland comes out on top with average rates about $203 a month. Dairyland also has less expensive average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $87 and $24 a month respective difference when compared to Mercury drivers in similar areas.

Dairyland vs. Mercury Discounts

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

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

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Dairyland and Mercury so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Mercury knocks Dairyland out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 27 different discounts to Dairyland's 27.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and paid in full discounts. Mercury also offers ABS discounts, continuous insurance discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Dairyland does not.

On the flip side, Dairyland has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, prior insurance discounts, and travelink discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Dairyland or Mercury Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best fit for you?

Dairyland might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national auto insurance carrier.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Dairyland and Mercury and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

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

Dairyland vs. Mercury FAQs

Is Dairyland or Mercury cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Dairyland is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $256 per month compared to $295 for Mercury. That being said, Dairyland won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a variety of different variables that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Dairyland or Mercury?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Dairyland and Mercury offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different factors when determining the premiums they charge policyholders. Things like gender, age, where you call home, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Dairyland and Mercury calculate prices using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Dairyland or Mercury at all!

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.