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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Mendakota offers less expensive prices than Mercury
• Mendakota has cheaper rates for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year
• Mercury offers more affordable average prices for policyholders who live in urban areas

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

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

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

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Mercury is around $51 more a month than Mendakota.

Even so, Mendakota may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your driving record, or even your credit score (among other things), so premiums could vary drastically from person to person.

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

Mendakota vs. Mercury: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Mendakota and Mercury only compete against each other in Nevada, where Mercury offers the cheaper average prices. Mercury drivers tend to pay about $4 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Mendakota for their car insurance.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. That's usually because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Mendakota save almost 40% a month compared to those who use Mercury.

That being said, both carriers will lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Mendakota policyholders reduce over 45% and Mercury's rates drop nearly 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 lowest premiums out there.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Mendakota and Mercury? Mendakota gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $32 cheaper than the national average for Mercury.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance rates than married couples. That's typically because married policyholders tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Mendakota premiums coming in at a quarter less than Mercury's. But for married drivers, that advantage is much less clear - Mendakota offers the most affordable average rates , but the difference is only a dollar.

Mendakota or Mercury: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to pay less for auto insurance than men.

On average, women see premiums about 7% per month less with Mendakota, and around 5% less with Mercury.

Looking at overall affordability, Mendakota comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average prices $49 less for men and $53 cheaper for women.

Mendakota 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

But the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Mendakota has the slight edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $172. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Mendakota again has the edge, with policies averaging about $316 a month to Mercury's $406.

Is Mendakota or Mercury Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Mendakota or Mercury more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Mendakota for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 8% after getting a speeding ticket. Mercury policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 19%.

That being said, Mendakota has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are $16 and $54 cheaper, respectively, compared to Mercury Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Mendakota drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates climb by over $50, while those who have insurance through Mercury will see around a $100 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Mendakota end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $273 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 a collision. On average, Mercury will raise your prices about 22% after a DUI, while Mendakota's average rates increase by nearly 10%.

How does Credit Score Impact Mendakota 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 (for example, Hawaii and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for lots of policyholders.

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

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for drivers 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 Mendakota or Mercury Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly car insurance payment. That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Mendakota or Mercury report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, Mendakota comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average premiums of $244 per month for both.

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

Where your home is can have a large impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas since there are a lot more cars on the roads where they live.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Mendakota typically comes out as the more affordable option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while Mercury wins in urban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $138 monthly with Mendakota and $209 with Mercury. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about $176 with Mendakota compared to Mercury's $275 per month. In urban areas, Mercury's average prices are around $401 while Mendakota offers premiums about $418.

Mendakota vs. Mercury Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Mendakota and Mercury so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Mercury blows Mendakota away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 27 different discounts to Mendakota's five.

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

Mendakota's discounts come through just a few categories, including Defensive Driver, Homeowner, Multi-Car, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Mendakota or Mercury Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Mendakota or Mercury the right company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Mendakota might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• You are considering moving to another state -- undefined only offers policies in.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You live in an urban area.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Mendakota 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 auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Mendakota 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 insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Mendakota vs. Mercury FAQs

Is Mendakota or Mercury cheaper?

Mendakota is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $244 a month with Mendakota and $295 for Mercury. But that doesn't mean Mendakota will be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Mendakota or Mercury?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Mercury is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Mendakota offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Mendakota and Mercury offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use quite a few different factors when determining the prices they charge. Things such as where you call home, age, gender, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Mendakota and Mercury calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if Mendakota 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 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Mendakota 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.