Mercury vs. Plymouth Rock Assurance: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Plymouth Rock Assurance offers slightly more affordable prices than Mercury
• Mercury may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Plymouth Rock Assurance
• Plymouth Rock Assurance offers more affordable rates for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year

Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed your search down to Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance as your top options, but which company will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Mercury is around $21 more a month than Plymouth Rock Assurance.

But Plymouth Rock Assurance may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Auto insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how old you are, how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, and all sorts of other factors, so rates will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by multiple different rate factors.

Mercury vs. Plymouth Rock Assurance: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Mercury and Plymouth Rock Assurance only compete against each other in one states, with Plymouth Rock Assurance offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. New Jersey has the most noticable difference, where Plymouth Rock Assurance rates are $64 less expensive than insurance prices at Mercury.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any other group of drivers out there on the road. Usually, that's 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 prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 10% less per month by choosing Mercury over Plymouth Rock Assurance. It's worth noting that Mercury offers car insurance in 11 different states compared to Plymouth Rock Assurance's two, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, with both companies, you'll see your rates lower significantly once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Mercury policyholders decrease almost 70% and Plymouth Rock Assurance's prices drop more than 75% 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 most affordable rates you'll ever see.

So, which carrier offers the best prices to retired drivers? Plymouth Rock Assurance gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $164 per month compared to Mercury's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are typically more expensive for those who are single than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married couples having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something many insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is not very significant, with Plymouth Rock Assurance prices coming in at around 3% less than Mercury's. The advantage for married policyholders is more obvious, where drivers who use Plymouth Rock Assurance save about $35 a month.

Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which means they'll generally end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

On average, women see rates around 5% per month less with Mercury, but with Plymouth Rock Assurance, the difference is closer to 9% a month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Plymouth Rock Assurance offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women, with average prices $15 less for men and $28 cheaper for women.

Mercury vs. Plymouth Rock Assurance: 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 a variety of different coverages that account for lots of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Plymouth Rock Assurance has the edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $165. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Plymouth Rock Assurance again has the edge, with policies averaging about $383 per month to Mercury's $406.

Is Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance 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 speeding tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Mercury for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 19% after getting a speeding ticket. Plymouth Rock Assurance policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 37%.

If you have gotten a ticket, Mercury tends to offer the best rates at around 10% cheaper, while Plymouth Rock Assurance has the edge for drivers with a clean record.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Mercury drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices increase by over 30%, while those who have insurance through Plymouth Rock Assurance will see about a 20% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Plymouth Rock Assurance end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $262 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 insurance bill -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. Plymouth Rock Assurance drivers usually see a 30% raise in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Mercury will usually increase prices by around 22%.

Plymouth Rock Assurance has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $296 a month, but it's worth noting that Mercury's average rates come from 11 states compared to just two for Plymouth Rock Assurance, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Mercury and Plymouth Rock Assurance Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (for example, California and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect lots of policyholders out there.

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

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Mercury will normally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Mercury comes in nearly NaN less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 1% with Mercury compared to average rates from Plymouth Rock Assurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Mercury typically offers lower premiums than Plymouth Rock Assurance when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 3% a month less with Mercury compared to Plymouth Rock Assurance, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 8% monthly.

Is Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance bill. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Plymouth Rock Assurance comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle annually, with average prices of $274 per month for both.

Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a sizable role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas since there are a lot fewer cars on the road where they live, which lowers the chances of an accident.

Plymouth Rock Assurance typically comes out as the cheaper option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Mercury wins in suburban areas.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Plymouth Rock Assurance's average rates are around 11% less than Mercury Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about 3% less with Mercury compared to Plymouth Rock Assurance. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 12% with Plymouth Rock Assurance compared to Mercury.

Mercury vs. Plymouth Rock Assurance Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

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

Mercury blows Plymouth Rock Assurance away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 11 more discounts than Plymouth Rock Assurance.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Mercury also offers discounts for ABS, continuous insurance, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, Plymouth Rock Assurance has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, driver training discounts, paperless discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the right one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Plymouth Rock Assurance might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs.
• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• You drive fewer than 12,000 miles yearly.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Mercury and Plymouth Rock Assurance and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Mercury and Plymouth Rock Assurance. 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 car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Mercury vs. Plymouth Rock Assurance FAQs

Is Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance cheaper?

Plymouth Rock Assurance is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $274 a month with Plymouth Rock Assurance and $295 for Mercury. Even so, that doesn't mean Plymouth Rock Assurance will be the cheapest carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Mercury is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Plymouth Rock Assurance offers cheaper rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Mercury and Plymouth Rock Assurance offer me different rates?

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

How do I know if Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance is right for me?

The only way to find the 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 makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Mercury or Plymouth Rock Assurance 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.