Choosing a car insurance company can be hard: rates may vary by location, age, and driving history, and insurers offer a variety of perks. Mercury and Erie are two of the most popular insurance companies, providing high-quality insurance policies across large swaths of the US.
To help simplify the insurance-shopping process, we have gathered average rates from Erie and Mercury. These take into consideration a variety of pricing factors, chief among which are credit, driving history, and age. Take a look at these rates and find the perfect policy for you.
Find out more: Consult our comprehensive reviews of Mercury and Erie.
If you have very poor credit, Mercury could be preferable to Mercury. Typically, Mercury offers more affordable rates than Erie for drivers with credit scores of less than 580. Insurance shoppers with exceptional credit — a score of 800 or higher — should lean toward View typical insurance rates by credit tier for Erie and Mercury:
| Credit level | Mercury avg. annual premium | Erie avg. annual premium |
| Very Poor (300-579) | $1,115 | $2,402 |
| Fair (580-669) | $1,115 | $1,040 |
| Good (670-739) | $1,290 | $894 |
| Very Good (740-799) | $1,115 | $743 |
| Exceptional (800-850) | $1,115 | $726 |
If you are carrying an at-fault collision, speeding violation, reckless driving violation, or DUI in your recent history, Erie could be a better choice than Mercury. Each insurer prices its policies differently, so don't be afraid to shop around to figure out which insurer is best for you.
| Violation | Mercury avg. annual premium | Erie avg. annual premium |
| At-fault accident (damage < $1,000) | $1,822 | $893 |
| At-fault accident (damage > $1,000) | $1,125 | $772 |
| DUI/DWI | $1,882 | $1,163 |
| Reckless driving | $1,882 | $760 |
| Speeding ticket | $1,457 | $747 |
Car insurance companies rely on age to indicate risk, assigning rates accordingly. A car insurance policy is usually priciest for teen drivers — thanks to their inexperience — and more affordable for older drivers. Because each insurance company prices age tiers differently, it's smart to shop around and find a great rate.
As a general rule, teen drivers should choose Erie over Mercury: the former's average annual rates are $1,179 less than the latter's..
| Age | Mercury avg. annual premium | Erie avg. annual premium |
| Teens | $3,417 | $2,238 |
| 20s | $1,554 | $1,108 |
| 30s | $1,131 | $1,108 |
| 40s | $1,115 | $755 |
| 50s | $1,086 | $692 |
| 60s | $1,034 | $676 |
Aside from finances, Mercury and Erie each have pros and cons, including their discount programs, add-ons, customer satisfaction ratings, and financial stability. Dive into the data before making your decision.
| Discount Comparison | Mercury | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Good Student | ||
| Multiple Policies | ||
| Multiple Vehicles | ||
| Anti-Theft Device(s) | ||
| Anti-Lock Brake System | ||
| Air Bags | ||
| Good Driver | ||
| Defensive Driver | ||
| Student Away at School | ||
| Driver Training | ||
| Green Vehicles | ||
| Affinity Membership Alum | ||
| Advanced Purchase | ||
| Pay in Full | ||
| Home Owner | ||
| eSign or ePay | ||
| Telematics | ||
| New Vehicle | ||
| Annual Mileage | ||
| Military |
| Ratings Comparison | Mercury | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Strength | Superior | Superior |
| JD Power Rankings | ||
| User Satisfaction | A+ | A+ |
| Other Products | Mercury | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Boat Insurance | ||
| Condo Insurance | ||
| Life Insurance | ||
| Homeowners Insurance | ||
| Travel Trailer Insurance | ||
| Renters Insurance | ||
| RV Insurance | ||
| Motorcycle Insurance | ||
| Mobile Home Insurance |
| Other Features | Mercury | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| About | Rated A+ by AM Best, Mercury Insurance has been saving customers money on home and auto insurance since 1962. | Erie Insurance provides customers with the flexibility to customize their car insurance by offering over 30 extra policy features, along with the highest levels of customer service. |
| Roadside Assistance | Mercury offers roadside assistance as an optional addition to your policy which provides coverage 24/7 for things like reimbursement for locking keys in your car, a flat tire change, and even a tow up to the limit on your policy. | Erie provides 24-hour roadside assistance for an additional fee on your policy that covers reasonable auto towing and required labor cost at the site of your vehicle breakdown. |
| Additional Discounts | Mercury insurance offers additional accommodations to military service members like accepting out of state licenses, physical damage only coverage, and more! | Erie offers an additional discount called "Reduced Usage" that provides a lower rate on your policy if your vehicle is unused for 90 consecutive days during the policy period. |
| Recent Questions | Can I use my roadside assistance if I'm in my friends car? When you have roadside assistance through your insurance company, the service is only available on the vehicle that the coverage is listed. There are other roadside companies that will allow you to use the roadside no matter whose vehicle you are in. What do I do if my vehicle was totaled while parked?I would definitely involve your insurance company and let them know about the situation. The other driver's insurance company should be paying for your damage up to the limit of that policy, but if it doesn't cover everything then your current company should be able to help cover the rest. Do I need a police report to file a claim?Accidents that occur on private property do not require a police report in order to file a claim. Your familiarity with the other driver does not impact your ability to file a claim, however the fact that he is uninsured means that you will have to pay your deductible for the repairs. Do I contact the other driver's insurance company if they hit me while at the gas station?If the other party hit your vehicle, and it's pretty clearly they're at fault, then you should contact their insurance for repairs. Parking lot accidents or accidents that occur on private property can be difficult to determine fault, but it sounds like the incident is pretty straight forward. See More Questions | Will Erie reinstate my policy after non-payment? It's very likely they will reinstate your policy if you pay the amount past due and any potential fees associated with the cancellation. Because each company has their own administrative rules regarding reinstatement, it's very likely for you to be able to get your policy active again. I was injured in a car accident two months ago, can I still file a claim?The statute of limitations for filing a bodily injury claim in North Carolina is 3 years. So you are still within your legal time frame to file a claim even though your car's claim was completed. How long can an insurance company wait to pay out your claim?Virginia law does not specify an actual time frame for a claim payout but simply requires that insurance companies pay claims in a reasonable time. Most insurance companies want to close claims as quickly as possible, however, so you may want to contact that company directly to ask if they have an estimated date of the payout. If the person who damaged my vehicle is paying for the repair out of pocket, will the claim show up anywhere on my record?Unless you notified an insurance company to file a claim or a police officer wrote an incident report of the damage, the repair will not be documented on your driving record or claims history. Insurance companies verify your driving history by looking at your Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) and CLUE report. See More Questions |
| Compare More | Mercury vs. 21st Century Mercury vs. Allied Mercury vs. Allstate Mercury vs. American Family Mercury vs. Amica Mutual Insurance Mercury vs. Auto Club (AAA) Mercury vs. Esurance Mercury vs. Farm Bureau Mutual Mercury vs. Farmers Mercury vs. Foremost Mercury vs. GEICO Mercury vs. Infinity Mercury vs. Liberty Mutual Mercury vs. MetLife Mercury vs. Nationwide Mercury vs. North Star Mutual Mercury vs. Progressive Mercury vs. Safe Auto Mercury vs. Safeco Mercury vs. State Farm Mercury vs. The General Mercury vs. The Hartford Mercury vs. Titan Mercury vs. Travelers Mercury vs. USAA | Erie vs. 21st Century Erie vs. Allied Erie vs. Allstate Erie vs. American Family Erie vs. Amica Mutual Insurance Erie vs. Auto Club (AAA) Erie vs. Esurance Erie vs. Farm Bureau Mutual Erie vs. Farmers Erie vs. Foremost Erie vs. GEICO Erie vs. Infinity Erie vs. Liberty Mutual Erie vs. MetLife Erie vs. Nationwide Erie vs. North Star Mutual Erie vs. Progressive Erie vs. Safe Auto Erie vs. Safeco Erie vs. State Farm Erie vs. The General Erie vs. The Hartford Erie vs. Titan Erie vs. Travelers Erie vs. USAA |
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