4.8out of 3,000+ reviews
Updated August 5, 2022
National General vs. Mercury: A Summary
National General and Mercury are two of the leading companies in the car insurance industry. National General’s history takes it back to being a part of General Motors. And Mercury is a regional auto insurance provider that serves 11 states. Both have their pluses and minuses, so this article puts the data to the test to help you compare car insurance providers and decide which is best for you.
Insurance Company | Avg. Monthly Car Insurance Quote | Insurify Composite ScoreThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
---|---|---|
National General | $87 | 58 |
Mercury | $102 | 81 |
ICS Score Explanation:
The Insurify Composite Score (ICS) is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.
Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
National General
National General Insurance Company was founded in 1925 and is the only insurer to start from within the auto industry. Nearly a century later, in 2021, Allstate picked up the company to expand its offerings to its insurance customers. As a result, policyholders end up “in good hands” with both insurers and enjoy products such as RV, health, and business insurance.
Pros
Low auto insurance rates
Features National General Motor Club roadside assistance
Cons
Below-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rankings
Mercury
Mercury Insurance’s headquarters are in Los Angeles, and it serves Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. Policyholders appreciate benefits that include a mobile app, rental car reimbursement, and various coverage options. Also, you can save money by bundling your car and home insurance policies.
Good for
Best rating for face-to-face service
Rideshare coverage for Uber and Lyft drivers
Not the best option for
Pricier than National General
National General | Mercury | |
---|---|---|
Fitch | N/A | A |
A.M. Best | A- | A |
Moody’s | N/A | N/A |
S&P | N/A | N/A |
J.D. Power | 812 | 829 |
The Best Car Insurance Companies in 2022
Rank | Company Name | Average Monthly Quote | Insurify Composite ScoreThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Clearcover Best Overall | $135 | 97 |
2 | Nationwide Best for Safe Drivers | $199 | 89 |
3 | American Family Best for Families with Teen Drivers | $234 | 89 |
4 | Safeco Best for Drivers with Poor Credit | $186 | 86 |
5 | Farmers Best for Rideshare Coverage | $239 | 85 |
6 | Foremost Best for Hassle-Free Claims | $159 | 82 |
7 | Liberty Mutual Best for Accident Forgiveness | $241 | 82 |
8 | Mercury Best for Face-to-Face Service | $232 | 81 |
9 | Progressive Best for Senior Drivers | $147 | 80 |
10 | Travelers Best for Young Drivers | $163 | 80 |
Mercury lands in eighth place as the top company for face-to-face service. So, if you rather deal with a claim in person, you might want to look into Mercury. Although National General failed to make the list, it’s an ideal spot if you like searching for every conceivable discount. Low-mileage drivers can also get a decent bargain at National General.
Compare National General vs. Mercury: Which Is Cheaper?
In every category Insurify analyzed, National General is the king of cost-effectiveness. For example, National General’s average monthly car insurance rate is $87, whereas Mercury’s is $101, putting National General 14 percent below Mercury. But both insurers surpass the $69 national average. So it’s probably a good idea to collect several quotes before settling on either.
The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in 2022
Rank | Insurance Company | Average Cost Per Month | ICSThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. |
---|---|---|---|
1 | USH&C | $44 | Not Rated |
2 | Metromile | $63 | Not Rated |
3 | Direct Auto | $64 | Not Rated |
4 | Travelers | $65 | 80 |
5 | Kemper | $71 | Not Rated |
6 | Progressive | $87 | Not Rated |
7 | Mile Auto | $91 | 85 |
8 | National General | $93 | 58 |
9 | Clearcover | $94 | 97 |
10 | GAINSCO | $94 | Not Rated |
National General takes eighth place in the battle for the most affordable auto insurance companies. Although Mercury misses the list, its approach is slightly different. It wants to justify its higher price with superior service. It’s also a smaller company with an emphasis on the personal touch. That’s why it’s one of the best companies for face-to-face interaction.
Compare National General vs. Mercury Car Insurance by Age
Before setting your rates, insurers make sure they know your age. Why? Experience and better driving go hand in hand. Also, as a rule, older drivers have better credit and own homes, two sources of considerable discounts. As a result, experienced drivers often pay less for full coverage than younger drivers, specifically those under 25, do for liability only.
Both insurers’ average car insurance premiums follow a similar pattern. Prices peak in your teens, plummet in your 20s, and then gradually fall until you hit your 60s, when driving ability starts to slip. Moreover, you get the best deals in your 50s, with National General charging $68 per month and Mercury $82.
Age Group | National General | Mercury |
---|---|---|
Teen | $227 | $315 |
20s | $86 | $104 |
30s | $91 | $107 |
40s | $72 | $93 |
50s | $68 | $82 |
60s | $70 | $86 |
70s | $76 | $98 |
80s | $86 | $105 |
Compare National General vs. Mercury Car Insurance by Gender
If you ever have the chance to chat with the folks in underwriting, one thing that may intrigue you is gender’s significance in pricing auto insurance policies. Typically, the rate difference between the genders is minimal. However, because men, particularly young men, generally drive in a riskier manner than women, car insurance premiums for men are slightly more expensive.
Women pay two percent less than men at National General, but it’s just $2 monthly. Shockingly, Mercury reverses the industry trend and charges women five percent more, amounting to $60 per year. It’s unknown why this is the case. Perhaps some other factor causes the anomaly. Either way, both insurers soar past the national average for both genders.
Which is cheapest for men?
Men can save some cash by opting for National General over Mercury. Specifically, your annual savings could be $132. On the other hand, Mercury bills you $99 per month, which is $18 more than the national average. Unfortunately, National General is also costlier than the national average, but only by $7 monthly.
Gender | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Men | $88 | $99 | $81 |
Which is cheapest for women?
National General is the more affordable option for women. At $86 a month, the insurer undercuts Mercury by $18, putting $216 back in your pocketbook each year. However, both insurers roll past the national average of $69 per month. So, if frugality is important to you, you’ll most likely be looking for rates from more than these two insurance providers.
Gender | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Women | $86 | $104 | $78 |
Compare National General vs. Mercury Car Insurance by Mileage
Insurance agents and providers will warn you that driving more often results in a higher monthly payment. They reason that if you spend more time behind the wheel, you’re increasing the probability of being involved in an accident. However, some insurers strongly emphasize yearly mileage, while others give it much less priority.
It makes little difference how much you drive at National General or Mercury because their respective prices are the same. Perhaps both insurers rely on a standard mileage regardless of what customers estimate. Nonetheless, at all three mileage levels, both insurance providers offer costlier rates than the national average.
Which is cheapest for drivers with high mileage?
National General provides the most economical premium if you live on the road or have a long commute. In particular, the company outdoes Mercury by $18 each month for a $216 annual price break. However, it tops the national average by $17 monthly. Similarly, Mercury exceeds the $69 national average by an extra $29 monthly, or $348 per year.
Annual Mileage | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
5,000-20,000 | $86 | $104 | $78 |
Which is cheapest for drivers with low mileage?
Some things never change, and in this case, all the pricing is identical. So that means National General is again your better buy. However, there is one slight fluctuation. The national average moves down by $1 at the 5000-mile level, making Mercury and National General slightly less competitive. But, in both mileage brackets, the two insurers hover above the national average.
Annual Mileage | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
5,000-10,000 | $86 | $104 | $68 |
Compare National General vs. Mercury Car Insurance by Credit Score
Almost every state uses credit ratings to determine auto insurance premiums. The only exceptions are California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, where the usage is prohibited. According to insurance research, people with better credit are more likely to drive safely. However, even if you have less-than-perfect credit, you can find reasonable car insurance quotes at Insurify.
When you check the tables below, you’ll notice drivers with excellent credit spend the least. And as you travel down the credit tiers, the rates climb. And this is true for both companies and the national average. As you might expect, the most significant gap is between drivers with excellent and poor credit. In particular, those with excellent credit pay 96 percent less.
Which is cheapest for good credit?
National General outperforms Mercury once more, with lower premiums at both levels. If you have excellent credit, you snag the cheapest rates from both companies. Specifically, National General is cheaper than Mercury by $8 or $15 monthly, depending on your credit. Your annual rates will be at least $96 lower. But both insurers sail past the national average.
Credit Tier | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Excellent | $71 | $79 | $52 |
Good | $81 | $96 | $62 |
Which is cheapest for bad credit?
If you’re rebuilding your credit, National General is the safer bet. You save at least $18 per month, or $216 per year, compared to Mercury. If your credit’s average, both insurers go beyond the national average. But, remarkably, National General is below the national average at the poor credit level, something the auto insurance provider only manages twice.
Credit Tier | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Average | $86 | $104 | $67 |
Poor | $99 | $140 | $102 |
Compare National General vs. Mercury Car Insurance by Driving Record
Insurers say that your driving history most accurately predicts your future behavior behind the wheel. It may seem obvious, but many consumers overlook safety as one of the simplest ways to score a low rate. When you maintain a clean driving record and avoid accidents, speeding tickets, and DUIs, you’ll qualify for the safe driver or good driver discounts.
How do changes to your driving record affect your auto insurance rates? The tables below illustrate that as the severity of the offenses increases, so do the premiums. For example, DUIs cause a 69 percent rate hike on average. That means you could be forced to fork over $552 more than you would with a spotless record.
Which is cheapest for good drivers?
For responsible drivers, National General provides the best value. Versus Mercury, you can conserve $18 per month, or $216 yearly. Moreover, Mercury’s monthly fee of $104 is $26 higher than the national average of $78. Likewise, National General is also a tad pricey, charging $19 more each month than the national average.
Driver Type | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Clean Record | $86 | $104 | $78 |
Which is cheapest after a speeding ticket?
Cops write up citations for more than just NASCAR wannabes. Mostly, it’s regular folks hurrying to school or work. If you have a violation on your record, National General offers a reasonable monthly rate of $92. You’ll save $30 monthly, or $360 per year, compared to Mercury. And National General is only $9 pricier than the national average.
Driver Type | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
Speeding Ticket | $92 | $129 | $81 |
Which is cheapest after an accident?
After an accident, you may see your monthly insurance payment rise dramatically. If you’re in that boat, check out National General and save $36 each month versus Mercury, translating to $432 a year. However, both companies come in over the national average of $113.
Driver Type | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
At-Fault Accident | $128 | $164 | $113 |
Which is cheapest after a DUI?
A DUI on your record can mean a large increase in your car insurance rate. Interestingly, this is one of just two times where National General beats the national average, saving customers $92 monthly. In addition, compared to Mercury, National General sends a whopping $1,056 back to drivers with DUIs yearly.
Driver Type | National General | Mercury | National Average |
---|---|---|---|
DUI | $94 | $142 | $155 |
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National General vs. Mercury Car Insurance: What discounts does each offer?
National General Discounts
Affinity
Anti-theft
Autopay
Low mileage
Motorcycle
Multi-policy (bundling your car insurance coverage with other types of insurance products like homeowners insurance, renters insurance, or business insurance)
Multi-vehicle
Paid in full
Paperless
Safe driver
Mercury Discounts
Anti-theft feature
Autopay
E-signature
Good driver
Good student
Multi-car
Multi-policy
Pay in full
RealDrive
Discount | National General | Mercury |
---|---|---|
Affinity | ||
Anti-theft device | ||
Autopay | ||
E-Signature | ||
ePolicy/Paperless | ||
Good driver | ||
Good student | ||
Low mileage | ||
Motorcycle | ||
Multi-policy | ||
Multi-vehicle/Multi-car | ||
Pay in full | ||
RealDrive | ||
RVs and autos | ||
Safe driver |
Our Methodology and How We Compared National General and Mercury
The car insurance quotes provided in Insurify’s insurance company comparison guides are based on the analysis of over 50 thousand insurance quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates, including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more to give representative samples.
Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating calculated by weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.
Frequently Asked Questions
After a data-driven auto insurance review, National General wins the prize for low-cost provider. In particular, National General’s average monthly car insurance price is $87, while Mercury charges $101. Disclaimer: Your rate may vary depending on your age, driving profile, and location. So it may be wise to get quotes from both.
According to the Insurify Composite Score, our internal rating system that evaluates factors like financial strength ratings and National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) customer complaints, Mercury is the superior company. That said, National General providers cheaper rates across the board.
The most convenient way to compare car insurance options is to use a quote-comparison tool like Insurify. In just a few minutes, you can discover the best rates from these two companies as well as other top car insurers, such as GEICO, Liberty Mutual, Safeco, State Farm, and USAA.