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

Quick Facts

• In general, Rockford Mutual offers significantly cheaper premiums than Mercury
• Mercury may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Rockford Mutual Insurance Company
• Rockford Mutual has less expensive rates for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years

Mercury or Rockford Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Mercury or Rockford Mutual as your top options, but between the two, which company has more affordable premiums for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Rockford Mutual is quite a bit cheaper than Mercury, with rates averaging $169 a month compared to $295 with Mercury.

But Rockford Mutual may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among a whole bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

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

Mercury vs. Rockford Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Mercury and Rockford Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with Mercury offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Illinois has the most noticable difference, where Mercury rates are $37 more affordable than insurance premiums at Rockford Mutual.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just the state you live in. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance prices of any group on the road. It's usually because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use Rockford Mutual save over 40% per month compared to those who use Mercury. It's worth noting that Mercury offers car insurance in 11 different states compared to Rockford Mutual's two, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will drop prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Mercury policyholders reduce around $500 and Rockford Mutual's prices lower almost $300 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 premiums you can find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Mercury and Rockford Mutual? Rockford Mutual gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $118 per month compared to Mercury's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance prices tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples. That's generally because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Rockford Mutual prices coming in at around half of Mercury's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Rockford Mutual has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Mercury or Rockford Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men typically pay more for car insurance than women? That's because men are more likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, which raises the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

On average, women see premiums about 5% a month less with Mercury, and around 9% less with Rockford Mutual.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, Rockford Mutual comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, women save about $127 per month and men save about $125 with Rockford Mutual compared to the average Mercury policyholder.

Mercury vs. Rockford Mutual: 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 insurance can be pretty complicated. There are a range of different coverages that account for a variety 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.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Rockford Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $88. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Rockford Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging around $251 a month to Mercury's $406.

Is Mercury or Rockford Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest rates to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Mercury for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 19% after getting a speeding ticket. Rockford Mutual policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 29%.

However, Rockford Mutual is typically the less expensive option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket -- their rates are around 49% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 42% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Mercury drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices rise by over $100, while those who have insurance through Rockford Mutual will see about a $40 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Rockford Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $158 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 car insurance bill -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. Rockford Mutual drivers usually see a 48% climb in their insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Mercury will normally raise rates by around 22%.

Rockford Mutual has the overall most affordable prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $229 monthly, but it's worth noting that Mercury's average rates come from 11 states compared to just two for Rockford Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Mercury and Rockford Mutual Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it will come into play for many policyholders.

Auto insurance companies argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Rockford Mutual will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Rockford Mutual comes in nearly 39.46 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save about 47% with Rockford Mutual compared to average rates from Mercury.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Rockford Mutual typically offers lower prices than Mercury when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 43% per month less with Rockford Mutual compared to Mercury, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about 44% a month.

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

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly premiums. Normally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Mercury or Rockford Mutual report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Rockford Mutual comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car every year, with average rates of $169 a month for both.

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

Where you call home can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Usually, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Rockford Mutual boasts the cheapest average prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $144 per month with Rockford Mutual and $209 with Mercury. People in suburban areas pay about $131 with Rockford Mutual compared to Mercury's $275 a month. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Rockford Mutual's average rates are around $233 per month compared to Mercury's $401.

Mercury vs. Rockford Mutual Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you qualify for or to nail down the company 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 Mercury and Rockford Mutual so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

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

Both carriers offer a lot of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for being a homeowner -- but Mercury also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Rockford Mutual has a proprietary discount of their own -- a renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Mercury or Rockford Mutual Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Mercury or Rockford Mutual the best carrier for you and your specific needs?

Rockford Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs.
• You have below-average credit.
• You drive fewer than 12,000 miles annually.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national auto insurance company.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Mercury and Rockford Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire 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 Rockford Mutual. 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. Rockford Mutual FAQs

Is Mercury or Rockford Mutual cheaper?

Rockford Mutual is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $169 a month with Rockford Mutual and $295 for Mercury. But that doesn't mean Rockford Mutual will be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Mercury or Rockford Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Mercury and Rockford Mutual offer me different rates?

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

How do I know if Mercury or Rockford Mutual 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies 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 Mercury or Rockford Mutual 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.