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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Nevada General offers cheaper prices than Mercury
• Mercury has less expensive premiums for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods
• Nevada General offers more affordable rates for drivers who have below-average credit

Mercury or Nevada General: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might be considering Mercury or Nevada General as potential options, but which one will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Mercury has average rates that are around 16% a month more expensive than those from Nevada General.

But Nevada General may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how old you are, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, where you live, and a variety of other factors, so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

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

Mercury vs. Nevada General: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Mercury and Nevada General only compete against each other in Nevada, where Mercury offers the cheaper average prices. Mercury drivers tend to pay about $9 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Nevada General for their car insurance.

But there's more to insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance companies determine your premiums. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance prices of any other group of drivers. That's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Nevada General for their auto insurance pay almost 20% less than those who use Mercury. It's worth noting that Mercury offers insurance in 11 different states compared to Nevada General's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, with both carriers, you'll see your rates lower significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Mercury policyholders drop about $500 and Nevada General's premiums decrease nearly $400 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Nevada General gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $188 per month compared to Mercury's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are generally more affordable for married couples than they are for single drivers? That's because policies for married drivers normally cover more than one vehicle, which a lot of companies will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Nevada General rates coming in at about 20% less than Mercury's. The advantage for married policyholders with Nevada General is also obvious, where drivers save around $25 a month.

Mercury or Nevada General: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men usually pay more for car insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

Men normally pay about 5% more per month than women with Mercury, and around 2% more with Nevada General.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Nevada General offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average prices 17% less for men and 15% cheaper for women.

Mercury vs. Nevada General: 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. There are several different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Nevada General has the edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $150. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Nevada General again has the edge, with policies averaging about $348 a month to Mercury's $406.

Is Mercury or Nevada General Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Mercury for their insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 19% after getting a speeding ticket. Nevada General policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 10%.

Even so, Nevada General is usually the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket, offering rates that are $28 and $63 less expensive, respectively, compared to Mercury Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Mercury climbing by around 32%. Nevada General has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 20% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the more affordable premiums come from Nevada General, with average rates coming in at $257 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 auto insurance bill -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. For example, Nevada General increases average prices by nearly $90 per month -- that's just under a 30% increase.

Nevada General has the overall most affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $298 monthly, but it's worth noting that Mercury's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for Nevada General, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Mercury and Nevada General Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly car insurance rates. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

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

Looking at Mercury and Nevada General specifically, which company has the lowest prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Mercury will normally reward you the most for an "excellent" credit score. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Mercury comes in more than 10% cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save about 6% with Nevada General compared to average premiums from Mercury.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Nevada General typically offers lower rates than Mercury when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 18% a month less with Nevada General compared to Mercury, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 39% a month.

Is Mercury or Nevada General 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 pretty big impact on your monthly prices? 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 Mercury or Nevada General report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Nevada General comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car each year, with average prices of $249 per month for both.

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

Where you live can have a big impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas since there are a lot more vehicles on the road where they live, which increases the chances of an accident.

Mercury vs. Nevada General Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Mercury and Nevada General offer their customers so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Mercury knocks Nevada General out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 18 more discounts than Nevada General.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Mercury also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, anti-theft, and more.

On the other hand, Nevada General has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, driver training discounts, EFT discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Mercury or Nevada General Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which company is the right fit for you?

Nevada General might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- Nevada General Insurance Company only offers policies in NV.
• You care about discounts (Mercury offers the most).
• You live in a rural area.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Mercury and Nevada General. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your 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 several companies, not just Mercury and Nevada General. 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 top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Mercury vs. Nevada General FAQs

Is Mercury or Nevada General cheaper?

Nevada General is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $249 a month with Nevada General and $295 for Mercury. That being said, that doesn't mean Nevada General will be the cheapest carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Mercury or Nevada General?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Mercury is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Nevada General offers less expensive prices for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Mercury and Nevada General offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use several different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Things like your driving record, age, gender, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Mercury and Nevada General calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car 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 ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Mercury or Nevada General 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.