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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Infinity offers significantly more affordable prices than Mercury
• Infinity offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a short commute
• Mercury has cheaper rates for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering Infinity or Mercury as your top options, but between the two, which one has less expensive prices for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Infinity is quite a bit cheaper than Mercury, with rates averaging $178 per month compared to $295 with Mercury.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Infinity will be the more affordable option for each driver. Auto insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among a lot of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

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

Infinity or Mercury: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Infinity and Mercury only compete against each other in California, where Mercury offers the cheaper average prices. For California residents, Mercury offers insurance for $125 a month on average. Infinity's average rates come out to be over 40% more expensive, at $178 per month.

But there's more to auto insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance carriers determine your prices. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Typically, that's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $250 less a month by choosing Infinity over Mercury.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. For example, average rates for Infinity policyholders drop nearly 70% and Mercury's premiums lower almost 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest rates out there.

When looking at Infinity and Mercury specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Infinity gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $85 cheaper than the national average for Mercury.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance premiums tend to be less expensive for married drivers than they are for those who are single. That's usually because married couples tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Infinity is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates about $139 per month cheaper than Mercury, on average. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Infinity has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Infinity vs. Mercury: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into collisions. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

With Infinity, everyone ends up paying the same monthly rates regardless of gender, while with Mercury, the difference is closer to $14 a month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Infinity comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $124 per month and women save around $110 with Infinity compared to the average Mercury policyholder.

Infinity 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.

It's no secret that car insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

But most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Infinity usually offers significantly more affordable premiums of $93 compared to Mercury's $184. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Infinity again has the edge, with policies about $150 a month less expensive than Mercury, on average.

Is Infinity or Mercury Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great prices 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 at-fault accidents and tickets lead to higher premiums, but which company -- Infinity or Mercury -- has the lowest prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Infinity policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $32 per month if they get a ticket, while Mercury typically raises prices around $57 a month, on average.

However, Infinity tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering rates that are $109 and $134 more affordable, respectively, compared to Mercury Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Infinity drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums climb by just under 40%, while those who have insurance through Mercury will see about a 30% increase.

Overall, the less expensive rates come from Infinity, with monthly premiums averaging $211 compared to Mercury Insurance's $346.

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. Infinity drivers usually see a 39% climb in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Mercury will normally raise premiums by around 22%.

How does Credit Score Impact Infinity and Mercury Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly auto insurance rates. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it does affect many policyholders out there.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so generally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper prices.

Looking at Infinity and Mercury specifically, which carrier has the most affordable premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Mercury Insurance will typically reward you. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will usually save Mercury Insurance customers about $45. On the other hand, undefined doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your rates.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can cost you with Mercury Insurance. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at Mercury Insurance, you may pay around 25% more per month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). undefined, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit might find better rates with undefined over Mercury Insurance.

Is Infinity 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 big impact on your monthly prices? That's because the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more likely you are to get into a collision and cause 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 pretty significant difference in monthly premiums for Infinity, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying about $22 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Infinity is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you live can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Infinity boasts the most affordable average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest rates from both companies, but Infinity comes out on top with average premiums around $149 monthly. Infinity also has more affordable average prices for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 51% and 32% a month respective difference when compared to Mercury drivers in similar areas.

Infinity 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 car insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Infinity and Mercury so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

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

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Mercury also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Infinity does not.

Infinity's discounts come through just three categories -- Defensive Driver, Good Driving, and Good Student.

Final Thoughts: Is Infinity or Mercury Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Infinity or Mercury the right carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Infinity might be best for you if....

• You have a clean record.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You have a short commute.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You have above-average credit.
• You care about discounts (Mercury offers the most).

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Infinity and Mercury and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 several companies, not just Infinity and Mercury. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Infinity vs. Mercury FAQs

Is Infinity or Mercury cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Infinity is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $178 per month compared to $295 for Mercury. That being said, Infinity won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are lots of different factors that come into play when it comes to your car insurance bill.

Who is better, Infinity or Mercury?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for every driver -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Infinity offers more affordable rates for drivers with a recent DUI, while Mercury is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Infinity and Mercury offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at lots of different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Things such as age, your driving record, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Infinity and Mercury calculate premiums differently, 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 Infinity or Mercury is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Infinity 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.