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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, State National offers significantly more affordable prices than Mercury
• Mercury offers cheaper average premiums for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit
• State National tends to be a much less expensive option for residents of rural areas

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

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Mercury or State National, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Mercury is quite a bit more expensive than State National, with prices averaging $295 per month compared to just $159 with State National when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean State National will necessarily be cheaper than Mercury for every single driver. Car insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Mercury or State National is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by several different rate factors.

Mercury or State National: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Mercury and State National only compete against each other in California, where Mercury offers the cheaper average prices. For California residents, Mercury offers auto insurance for $125 monthly on average. State National's average premiums come out to be over 20% more expensive, at $159 per month.

But there's more to car insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance carriers determine your prices. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use State National save more than $400 a month compared to those who use Mercury. It's worth noting that Mercury offers auto insurance in 11 different states compared to State National's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. State National offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Mercury's average prices drop nearly 70% during that same period.

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'll ever find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Mercury and State National? State National gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older over 45% less expensive than the national average for Mercury.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance prices than married policyholders. 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, State National is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $178 per month more affordable than Mercury, on average. The advantage is also clear for married couples - State National offers the lowest average prices.

Mercury vs. State National: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

Usually, women see rates almost $15 a month cheaper with Mercury; everyone gets the same monthly prices regardless of gender with State National.

Looking at overall affordability, State National comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $129 per month and men save around $143 with State National compared to the average Mercury policyholder.

Mercury or State National: 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 car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

However, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, State National generally offers significantly less expensive rates of $79 compared to Mercury's $184. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, State National again has the edge, with policies about $150 a month more affordable than Mercury, on average.

Is Mercury or State National Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Tickets and collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is Mercury or State National less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Mercury policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $57 per month if they get a ticket, while State National usually raises premiums around $40 a month, on average.

That being said, State National is typically the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket. Drivers with a clean record can save about $135 per month and drivers with a ticket can save around $152 a month with State National.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Mercury increasing by over $100. State National has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay $40 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the more affordable premiums come from State National, with monthly rates averaging $142 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 -- normally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. State National drivers usually see a 60% climb in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Mercury will typically increase rates by about 22%.

State National has the overall most affordable prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $252 a month, but it's worth noting that Mercury's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for State National, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Mercury and State National Rates?

Did you know that many insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? This isn't always the case (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for a lot of drivers.

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

So, which carrier offers the best rates for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Typically, if you have excellent credit, you can expect to be rewarded. With Mercury Insurance, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will usually save you around 15%. On the other hand, undefined doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your prices.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit can cost you with Mercury Insurance. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at Mercury Insurance, you may pay about 25% more per month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, because undefined doesn't have data available for credit scores, they may have better premiums for drivers with bad credit over Mercury Insurance.

Is Mercury or State National 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 more miles you put on your vehicle, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Mercury charges. However, there's a significant difference in monthly rates for State National, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car yearly paying around $37 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, State National is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

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

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, State National normally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest premiums from both carriers, but State National comes out on top with average rates about $143 per month. State National also has less expensive average prices for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $228 and $112 a month respective difference when compared to Mercury drivers in similar areas.

Mercury vs. State National Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Mercury and State National so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Mercury blows State National away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 17 more discounts than State National.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good driver, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Mercury also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more that State National does not.

On the flip side, State National has a couple unique discounts of its own -- auto-pilot discounts and renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Mercury or State National Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which carrier is the right company for you and your specific needs?

State National might be best for you if....

• You live in one of the following states: California.
• You want basic car insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You are purchasing your insurance with a spouse.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• Your credit score is high.
• You're looking for discounts -- Mercury has the most.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Mercury and State National and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on car insurance -- comparing quotes from several carriers, not just Mercury and State National. 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 insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Mercury vs. State National FAQs

Is Mercury or State National cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, State National is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $159 per month compared to $295 for Mercury. But State National won't necessarily be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are multiple different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Mercury or State National?

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

Why do Mercury and State National offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when determining the rates they charge drivers. Things like where your home is, gender, age, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Mercury and State National use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Mercury or State National 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.