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

Quick Facts

• In general, Travelers offers significantly cheaper rates than Mercury
• Mercury offers more discounts than Travelers
• Travelers offers more affordable prices for residents of rural areas

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering substantial discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Mercury or Travelers as your top options, but which company has less expensive premiums for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Travelers has average rates that are about 45% per month more affordable than those from Mercury.

Even so, Travelers may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Car insurance companies use all sorts of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how old you are (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Mercury and Travelers by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Mercury or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Mercury and Travelers compete against each other in eight states, with Travelers offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. New York has the most noticable difference, where Travelers prices are over 70% less expensive than auto insurance rates at Mercury.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Travelers for their auto insurance pay nearly $400 less than those who use Mercury.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Mercury policyholders lower almost $500 and Travelers's prices reduce more than $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the lowest car insurance premiums you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

When looking at Mercury and Travelers specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Travelers gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $87 cheaper than the national average for Mercury.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are normally more affordable for married drivers than they are for those who are single? That's typically because married couples tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single policyholders, with prices around $169 a month less expensive than Mercury, on average. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Travelers has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

Mercury vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women tend to pay less for auto insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and get tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Normally, men see premiums about 5% per month higher with Mercury, and around 6% more with Travelers.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers offers the most affordable average rates for both men and women. On average, women save about $127 a month and men save about $130 with Travelers compared to the average Mercury policyholder.

Mercury or Travelers: 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 pretty complicated. There are many different coverages that account for lots of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, 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 only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) 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 limits, Travelers generally offers significantly cheaper prices of $108 compared to Mercury's $184. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies around $200 per month more affordable than Mercury, on average.

Is Mercury or Travelers 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and collisions on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Mercury policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $57 a month if they get a ticket, while Travelers normally raises prices about $32 per month, on average.

But Travelers has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 46% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 46% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Mercury increasing by over $100. Travelers has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay $45 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the cheaper prices come from Travelers, with monthly rates averaging $173 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 -- usually a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. On average, Travelers will raise your premiums around 38% after a DUI, while Mercury's average prices climb by over 20%.

How does Credit Score Impact Mercury and Travelers Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (for example, California and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for several drivers.

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

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Mercury or Travelers 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 considerable impact on your monthly prices? Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing 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 small difference in monthly premiums for Travelers, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle yearly paying about $5 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, Travelers is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you park your car can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance bill. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Travelers boasts the lowest average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable rates from both companies, but Travelers comes out on top with average prices around $136 a month. Travelers also has less expensive average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 49% and 42% a month respective difference when compared to Mercury policyholders in similar areas.

Mercury vs. Travelers Discounts

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

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 can take advantage of.

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Mercury and Travelers offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Mercury comes out ahead with 27 discounts to Travelers's 25.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Mercury also offers e-signature discounts, employee discounts, homeowner discounts, and more that Travelers does not.

On the flip side, Travelers has a couple unique discounts of its own -- alternative fuel discounts, discounts for getting driver training, EFT discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Mercury or Travelers Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the best one for you and your specific needs?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on your record.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

Mercury might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Mercury and Travelers. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about 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 multiple carriers, not just Mercury and Travelers. 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 auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Mercury vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Mercury or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Travelers is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $295 for Mercury. However, Travelers won't necessarily be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are multiple different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Mercury or Travelers?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for each driver -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Mercury and Travelers offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Variables such as where you call home, where your home is, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Mercury and Travelers use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Mercury or Travelers 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.