Which insurance provider is right for you? Compare savings, coverage, and quotes from State Auto and Mercury.
In 1921, Robert S. Pein started State Automobile Insurance Company with a borrowed sum of $30,000. Pein wanted to offer an alternative to the high rates other insurers were charging. He also wanted to a better claims settlement process. The company had humble beginnings with a staff of three in a small rented room in downtown Columbus. Pein insisted and his insurance products only be sold through independent agents, a decision that became company policy that is still in effect.
George Joseph founded Mercury General Corporation in Los Angeles with a promise to provide more affordable rates than other carriers and the best customer service in the industry. The first policy was sold in 1962 when the company had only six employees and 90 agents. Two years later Mercury Insurance opened an office in Orange County, CA. In 1966 they opened their first office in the San Fernando Valley and a year later earned an A+ rating from A.M. Best. They continued expanding in southern California with an office opening in San Diego. In 1968 Mercury established a holding company, then acquired shares of Mercury Casualty Company and made it a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercury General Corp. They then moved into their newly opened San Jose office. In 1970, Mercury wrote $1 million in premiums in one month and grew to employ 467 agents. In 1972 they sold their first homeowners policy. In 1973 Mercury formed a subsidiary for underwriting preferred risk, thereby increasing business using a 34-page manual written by the company’s founder. In 1974, Mercury opened its first Sacramento office and by 1977, Mercury Insurance becomes the largest insurance subsidiary, producing over $1 billion in premiums by 2011. In 1978, Mercury established a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to fight insurance fraud.
Below is a list of average rates, rankings, products, and discounts for the two companies. For full company overviews, you can visit State Auto Overview and Mercury Overview.
Below is a list of the average rates that drivers typically pay with State Auto and Mercury. On average, State Auto charges approximately $258.16 per month while Mercury comes in at around $166.23 per month. For State Auto, the cheapest state average is Illinois at $211.21 per month and the most expensive is Indiana at $403.00 per month. For Mercury, the cheapest state average is Illinois at $121.79 per month and the most expensive is New Jersey at $238.43 per month.
Average Rate
Average Rate
Average Rate
State | State Auto | Mercury |
---|---|---|
Arizona | - | $128.66 |
California | - | $141.06 |
Florida | - | $206.10 |
Georgia | - | $160.91 |
Illinois | $211.21 | $121.79 |
Indiana | $403.00 | - |
Kentucky | $216.25 | - |
Nevada | - | $236.39 |
New Jersey | - | $238.43 |
Oklahoma | - | $181.29 |
Pennsylvania | $229.56 | - |
South Carolina | $245.80 | - |
Texas | $255.99 | $143.69 |
Virginia | - | $130.03 |
Drivers will typically get a discount if they insure multiple vehicles. Here is a list of average rates that State Auto and Mercury typically charge for drivers who have more than 1 vehicle.
Number of Vehicles | State Auto | Mercury |
---|---|---|
1 Vehicle | $256.83 | $163.03 |
2 Vehicles | $303.75 | $251.51 |
Drivers who own their home rather than rent can sometimes get a small discount. We found that on average State Auto charges $203.07 per month and Mercury charges $165.23 per month for customers who own their home.
Own/Rent | State Auto | Mercury |
---|---|---|
Own | $203.07 | $165.23 |
Rent | $265.87 | $166.34 |
Which car insurance company is better? We've made it easy to compare companies side by side. See how State Auto and Mercury ranked among the industry ratings.
Comparison | State Auto | Mercury |
---|---|---|
Year Founded | 1921 | 1962 |
Market Share | 1.13 | |
A.M. Best Rating | A+ | |
BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
Financial Strength | Excellent | Excellent |
JD Power Ranking | Average | |
Moody’s Rating | Baa2 | |
S&P Rating | A |
What coverage is available through State Auto and Mercury? Both insurance companies offer Auto, Commercial, Condo, Home, and Umbrella insurance. Additional products from State Auto insurance also include Farm insurance. Considering these two top insurance providers? Check out the list below. To view a full list of products that are available, visit State Auto and Mercury Insurance page.
Insurance | State Auto | Mercury |
---|---|---|
Auto Insurance | ✔ | ✔ |
Commercial Insurance | ✔ | ✔ |
Condo Insurance | ✔ | ✔ |
Farm Insurance | ✔ | |
Home Insurance | ✔ | ✔ |
Renters Insurance | ✔ | |
Umbrella Insurance | ✔ | ✔ |
Mercury offers a wide range of discounts to its policyholders, including Auto Pay, E-signature, and Good Driver discounts. In contrast, State Auto also offers a few discounts that Mercury doesn’t, including State Auto Start-Up, State Auto Safety 360, and Paid in Full discounts. Start taking advantage of discounts offered by insurance providers like Mercury and State Auto insurance and save yourself some money. You can review the full list of discounts that these two companies offer below.
State Auto | Mercury |
---|---|
Accident Prevention Course | Anti-theft Feature Discount |
Anti-theft Device Discount | Auto Pay Discount |
Driver Training | E-signature Discount |
Good Student Discount | Good Driver Discount |
Multi-car Discount | Good Student Discount |
Multi-policy Discount | Multi-car Discount |
Paid in Full Discount | Multi-policy Discount |
State Auto Safety 360 | Occupational Discount |
State Auto Start-Up | Pay-in-Full Discount |
The State Auto telematics app is available for iOS and Android. The State Auto Safety 360 telematics program was designed to keep you safer on the road. You may even earn up to 50% on auto insurance premiums. You may even save 10% for signing up.
The Mercury Mobile app is available for Android. This insurance tool is where you can manage payments, view auto policy information, download ID cards and more.
State Auto Mobile App | ||
---|---|---|
iOS | 1.8 | 17 user reviews |
Android | 2.3 | 25 user reviews |
Mercury Mobile App | ||
---|---|---|
iOS | N/A | Not Available |
Android | 2.7 | 200 user reviews |
State Auto Contact Info | |
---|---|
Address | 518 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215 |
Phone | 1 (833) 724-3577 |
Website | https://www.stateauto.com/ |
https://www.facebook.com/stateauto/ | |
https://twitter.com/StateAuto | |
https://www.linkedin.com/company/state-auto-insurance |
Mercury Contact Info | |
---|---|
Address | 4484 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, California |
Phone | 1 (800) 503-3724 |
Website | https://www.mecuryinsurance.com |
https://www.facebook.com/MercuryInsurance | |
https://twitter.com/mercuryins | |
Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/mercury |
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mercury-insurance |
Methodology
The statistics listed on this page are from our own in house reporting. We track and record quotes that carriers have provided based on various criteria. The rates and averages shown on this page should only be used as an estimate.
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