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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Mercury offers slightly more affordable prices than Esurance
• Esurance offers less expensive average rates for residents of urban areas
• Mercury offers more discounts than Esurance

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

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

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Mercury is about $4 per month cheaper than Esurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Mercury will be the less expensive option for every single driver. Auto insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on where you live or how clean your driving record is (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Esurance and Mercury by lots of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Esurance or Mercury: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Mercury compete against each other in six states, with Mercury offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. If you live in New Jersey, New York, or Texas, Esurance is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at the overall average premiums. Mercury is the more affordable option in Arizona, California, and Georgia.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of nearly $20 less a month by choosing Esurance over Mercury.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums drop significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Esurance policyholders lower more than 65% and Mercury's rates reduce almost 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the most affordable auto insurance prices you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase premiums.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Esurance and Mercury? Mercury gets the slight edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older around 6% less expensive than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance prices than married couples. That's generally because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

If you're in the market for auto insurance, Mercury tends to have the lowest average rates regardless of if you're married or single, with prices about 1% cheaper for single policyholders and around 3% less expensive for married policyholders.

Esurance vs. Mercury: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men tend to pay more for car insurance than women? This is because men are more likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, which raises the chances of an insurance claim.

With Esurance, women typically pay over $20 per month less than men, and about $14 less with Mercury.

Looking at overall affordability, Mercury is the cheapest company for men. Rates with Mercury are $7 less for men, while women can save around $0 with Esurance.

Esurance 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.

For most people, insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy.

That being said, most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability).

In this case, Mercury offers the lowest average prices for state minimum liability insurance, while Esurance has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $15 with Mercury Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be about $10 more affordable with Esurance.

Is Esurance or Mercury Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Esurance or Mercury -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Esurance policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $45 a month if they get a ticket, while Mercury generally raises prices around $57 per month, on average.

If you have a clean record, Mercury tends to offer the best premiums at about 2% cheaper, while Esurance has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Esurance policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their prices rise by just under 35%, while those who have insurance through Mercury will see around a 30% increase.

Overall, Mercury offers the most affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $346 compared to Esurance's $364.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple ticket or even an accident. For example, Mercury increases average rates by over $65 a month -- that's over a 20% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Esurance tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $301 monthly compared to $303 from Mercury.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Mercury Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for several drivers.

Insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time each month, which decreases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

Looking specifically at Esurance and Mercury, which carrier has the best rates for policyholders 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 Esurance. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save 4% compared to Mercury, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $0 or 0% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Mercury typically offers lower premiums than Esurance when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $3 per month less with Mercury compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about $18 a month.

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

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a considerable impact on your monthly prices? Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Mercury charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Esurance, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $1 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, Mercury is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you live can play a substantial role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Mercury tends to offer the most affordable option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while Esurance wins in urban areas.

In urban areas, Esurance's average prices are about $396 while Mercury offers premiums around $401. People in suburban areas pay about $275 with Mercury compared to Esurance's $288 per month. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $209 a month with Mercury and $211 with Esurance.

Esurance 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.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Esurance and Mercury so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Overall, Mercury has advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Esurance offers a grand total of 24 discounts, while Mercury has 27.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, DRL discounts, and discounts for being a good student. Mercury also offers continuous insurance discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, distant student discounts, and more that Esurance does not.

On the flip side, Esurance has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, education discounts, military discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Mercury Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific needs?

Mercury might be best for you if....

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.
• You drive often but have a short commute.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You have above-average credit.
• You live in an urban area.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Esurance and Mercury. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

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

Esurance vs. Mercury FAQs

Is Esurance or Mercury cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Mercury is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $295 a month compared to $299 for Esurance. However, Mercury won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Esurance or Mercury?

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

Why do Esurance and Mercury offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at lots of different variables when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Things like age, gender, where you park your car, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Esurance and Mercury use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Esurance 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.