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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Metromile offers significantly more affordable rates than Mercury
• Mercury offers more discounts than Metromile
• Metromile offers cheaper average prices for policyholders who drive a short distance to work everyday

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Mercury or Metromile, but between the two, which carrier has less expensive rates for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Metromile is quite a bit cheaper than Mercury, with prices averaging $150 per month compared to $295 with Mercury.

That being said, that doesn't mean Metromile will necessarily be cheaper than Mercury for each driver. Insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how old you are or where you live (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Mercury or Metromile is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each carrier broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

Mercury or Metromile: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Mercury and Metromile only compete against each other in Arizona, where Metromile offers the cheaper average premiums. For Arizona residents, Metromile offers car insurance for $150 per month on average. Mercury's average prices come out to be more expensive, at $159 monthly.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

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 other group of drivers out there on the road. It's typically because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $400 less a month by choosing Metromile over Mercury. It's worth noting that Mercury offers auto insurance in 11 different states compared to Metromile's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Mercury policyholders lower nearly 70% and Metromile's premiums decrease almost 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at Mercury and Metromile specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Metromile gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $129 a month compared to Mercury's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance premiums than married couples. That's normally because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Metromile is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates around $185 per month less expensive than Mercury, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with Metromile is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 45% a month.

Mercury vs. Metromile: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they raise the chances of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance companies will tend to charge men more than women.

Women generally pay about 5% per month less than men with Mercury, but surprisingly, with Metromile, women typically pay around 3% more a month than men.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Metromile offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average prices 51% less for men and 47% cheaper for women.

Mercury or Metromile: 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, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Metromile generally offers significantly more affordable premiums of $99 compared to Mercury's $184. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Metromile again has the edge, with policies about $200 per month cheaper than Mercury, on average.

Is Mercury or Metromile Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great rates 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 accidents and tickets lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Mercury or Metromile -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Mercury policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $57 a month if they get a ticket, while Metromile normally raises premiums around $33 per month, on average.

Even so, Metromile has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 51% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 50% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Mercury drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums rise by over 30%, while those who have insurance through Metromile will see about a 35% increase.

Overall, Metromile offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $171 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 speeding ticket or even an accident. On average, Mercury will increase your rates around 22% after a DUI, while Metromile's average prices increase by over 30%.

Metromile has the overall most affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $167 per month, but it's worth noting that Mercury's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for Metromile, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Mercury and Metromile Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Auto 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.

So, which company offers the best prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Metromile. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save more than 45% compared to Mercury, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $129 or 48% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Metromile typically offers lower rates than Mercury when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $146 a month less with Metromile compared to Mercury, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $217 monthly.

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

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly premiums. Typically, the more miles you drive, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

In this case, neither Mercury or Metromile report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Metromile comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle each year, with average rates of $150 per month for both.

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

Where you live can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance bill. Usually, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders because of the small number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

Metromile tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Metromile offers prices around $209 a month compared to Mercury's $401. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $121 a month for Metromile and $275 for Mercury. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the most affordable premiums from both carriers, with average monthly rates coming in at $120 and $209 for Metromile and Mercury respectively.

Mercury vs. Metromile Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as you can.

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

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Mercury and Metromile so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

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

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

On the flip side, Metromile has a couple unique discounts of its own -- online quote discounts and paperless discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Mercury or Metromile Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Metromile might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing car insurance by yourself.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Mercury might be best for you if...

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

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Mercury and Metromile. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your insurance.

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

Mercury vs. Metromile FAQs

Is Mercury or Metromile cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Metromile is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $150 per month compared to $295 for Mercury. But Metromile won't necessarily be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a range of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Mercury or Metromile?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Mercury and Metromile offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Variables like gender, your driving record, age, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Mercury and Metromile calculate prices using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier 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 makes 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 companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Mercury or Metromile 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.