--- title: "Mercury Insurance [Updated 2026]" description: "Mercury Insurance is an insurance company focused on car and homeowners insurance based in Los Angeles California. Mercury offers coverage across states that include California, New York, Florida, Texas and sells through independent brokers/agents (like Coverage Cat)." canonical: "https://www.coveragecat.com/reviews/mercury-insurance" last-updated: "2026-08-13" --- # Mercury Insurance [Updated 2026] 1. [Introduction to Mercury Insurance](#introduction) 2. [What Kinds of Insurance Does Mercury Insurance Offer?](#typesof) 3. [Does Mercury Insurance Sell Auto Insurance?](#sellprimary) 4. [Does Mercury Insurance Sell Homeowners Insurance?](#sellsecondary) 5. [How Does Mercury Insurance Work?](#howdoesitwork) 6. [Pros and Cons of Mercury Insurance ](#proscons) 7. [Get Customer Support Or File A Claim For Mercury Insurance](#support) 8. [Frequently Asked Questions](#faq) ### Introduction to Mercury Insurance Mercury Insurance is an insurance company focused on car and homeowners insurance based out of sunny Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1961 by George Joseph, the company sold its first homeowners policy in 1972 and reached a milestone when it insured more than 1 million vehicles in California by 1998 [(Wikipedia, "Mercury General", 2026)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_General). Mercury offers coverage across states that include California, New York, Florida, Texas and sells mostly through independent brokers and agents like Coverage Cat. The company operates as Mercury General Corporation, a publicly traded insurer listed on the NYSE with ticker symbol MCY. According to Mercury General Corp’s 2024 annual report [(SEC, "Mercury General Corp 2024 Form 10-K", 2025)](https://www.sec.gov/ixviewer/ix.html?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1048621/000104862123000013/mg-20221231x10k.htm), Mercury manages approximately 1.96 million total policies across all lines with roughly 4,300 employees. The carrier distributes 88% of its direct premiums written through a network of independent agents. | Policy Type | Policies in Force (Q4 2025) | Market Position | |-------------|----------------------------|-----------------| | Personal Auto | 1.04 million | 16th largest in U.S. | | Homeowners | 883,000 | 18th largest in U.S. | | Total All Lines | 1.96 million | 4th largest CA private passenger auto | ### What Kinds of Insurance Does Mercury Insurance Offer? Mercury Insurance's focus is auto and homeowners insurance. They also offer umbrella, renters, condo, landlord, and small business policies to buyers. The company's homeowners insurance is available in only 10 states [(U.S. News & World Report, "Mercury Homeowners Insurance Review", 2026)](https://www.usnews.com/insurance/homeowners-insurance/mercury), which means coverage options vary depending on where you live. ### Does Mercury Insurance Sell Auto Insurance? Yes, auto insurance is Mercury's main line of business. The carrier holds the position of 16th largest car insurance company in the United States according to [(LendingTree, "Mercury Car and Home Insurance Review", 2025)](https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/mercury-insurance-review/). In California specifically, Mercury ranks as the fourth largest private passenger automobile insurer. Since auto insurance products are subject to the same regulatory environment as other insurance products, there's not much underlying product differentiation other than price. The company's NAIC complaint rating for auto insurance stands at 1.6, which means Mercury receives more complaints than the average insurer for its size [Ibid.](https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/mercury-insurance-review/). This complaint ratio indicates buyers receive 60% more complaints than expected based on the company's market share. ### Does Mercury Insurance Sell Homeowners Insurance? Yes, Mercury sells homeowners insurance and ranks as the 18th largest homeowners insurance provider in the country [Ibid.](https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/mercury-insurance-review/). Homeowners policies are fairly regulated in terms of the standard coverage offered. If you feel you need any special coverage for your home, ask your agent to help. Policies by Mercury protect homes with [standard coverage](/homeowners-insurance): (A) structure, (B) other structures, (C) your things, (D) the home is unavailable, (E) risk to visitors, and (F) medical payments to visitors. According to [(U.S. News & World Report, "Mercury Homeowners Insurance Review", 2026)](https://www.usnews.com/insurance/homeowners-insurance/mercury), Mercury offers add-on coverages including replacement cost personal property, extended replacement cost up to 150%, home systems protection, and service line protection up to $10,000. California homeowners insurance represents 15% of Mercury's total net premiums earned [(PR Newswire, "Mercury General Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2025 Results", 2026)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mercury-general-corporation-announces-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2025-results-and-declares-quarterly-dividend-302689756.html). In December 2025, the California Department of Insurance approved a 6.9% homeowners rate increase for Mercury that became effective in July 2026, affecting more than 650,000 homeowners [(Insurance Business Magazine, "Mercury General doubles Q4 profit after California wildfires exhaust reinsurance tower", 2026)](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/mercury-general-doubles-q4-profit-after-california-wildfires-exhaust-reinsurance-tower-565729.aspx). The company's NAIC complaint rating for homeowners insurance is 3.2, meaning Mercury receives three times more complaints than average for a company of its size [(LendingTree, "Mercury Car and Home Insurance Review", 2025)](https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/mercury-insurance-review/). | Coverage Component | Standard Offering | Enhanced Add-On Options | |-------------------|-------------------|------------------------| | Dwelling (Coverage A) | Actual cash value or replacement cost | Extended replacement cost up to 150% | | Personal Property (Coverage C) | Standard depreciated value | Replacement cost upgrade available | | Service Lines | Not included in base policy | Protection up to $10,000 | | Home Systems | Not included in base policy | Mechanical breakdown coverage | ### Does Mercury Insurance Sell Liability Insurance? Yes, Mercury does sell umbrella insurance to consumers. At this time for Mercury Insurance, there are no easily accessible links to purchase umbrella insurance online and you must have a Mercury car policy to be eligible. If you'd rather get a number of quotes and comparisons, you can purchase umbrella insurance via [this portal](/umbrella-insurance) on the subject. ### How Does Mercury Insurance Work? Mercury sells through a large agent workforce that is regionally distributed and makes a large number of sales on the phone. According to [(U.S. News & World Report, "Mercury Homeowners Insurance Review", 2026)](https://www.usnews.com/insurance/homeowners-insurance/mercury), the company sells through independent agents only and not directly to consumers. Prospective buyers can find an agent via their [locator tool,](https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/agentlocator/) get an auto quote via their [intake form](https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/insurance/auto/) or a home quote [here](https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/insurance/homeowners/). You can also buy Mercury Insurance via [Coverage Cat](https://coveragecat.com/) and compare it with other options on the market. ### Pros and Cons of Mercury Insurance

Pros

Cons

Mercury weathered the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires in California, which CEO Gabe Tirador described as "the most significant catastrophes in Mercury's history" [(Insurance Business Magazine, "Mercury General doubles Q4 profit after California wildfires exhaust reinsurance tower", 2026)](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/mercury-general-doubles-q4-profit-after-california-wildfires-exhaust-reinsurance-tower-565729.aspx). The company processed over 2,900 claims and paid $1.4 billion, though reinsurance coverage limited net catastrophe losses to approximately $380 million. AM Best initially revised the company's outlook to negative in February 2025 due to wildfire uncertainty, then returned it to stable in February 2026 after Mercury's policyholder surplus increased $362 million and the company posted a combined ratio of 96.3% for 2025 [(Insurance News Net, "AM Best Revises Outlooks to Stable and Affirms Credit Ratings of Mercury General Corporation and Its Subsidiaries", 2026)](https://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/am-best-revises-outlooks-to-stable-and-affirms-credit-ratings-of-mercury-general-corporation-and-its-subsidiaries). ### Get Customer Support For Or File A Claim With Mercury Insurance If you're searching for phone support, Mercury offers one phone line at 800-956-3728. For auto claims if you can file online then there is an online portal [here](https://mercury.assured.claims/). There is a claims hotline available at 800-503-3724 that services all property lines. The number for Mercury Insurance roadside assistance and glass claims is 800-503-3724. If you need to contact your Mercury Insurance claims rep you can find them via [this search tool](https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/claims/find-claims-representative.html). If you are a current or new Coverage Cat user we are always happy to help assist with your claim process in any way that we can. For homeowners claims they recommend policyholders read [this guide](https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/claims/residence-claim.html) on home safety before making a claim. ### Frequently Asked Questions **Should I Buy Mercury Insurance?** The decision that Mercury Insurance is right for you depends on your needs and risk preferences. Make sure you're eligible and live in one of the states where Mercury is active: California, Texas, New York, Florida, or another one, then use [Coverage Cat](/) to evaluate your insurance needs. Consider that Mercury receives complaint ratios above industry averages for both auto and homeowners coverage, though the company maintains strong financial ratings. **Is Mercury Insurance a Real Insurance Company?** Yes, Mercury Insurance is a publicly traded insurance company in the United States that trades at the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker [MCY](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/MCY/). According to [(AM Best, "AM Best Revises Outlooks to Stable and Affirms Credit Ratings of Mercury General Corporation and Its Subsidiaries", 2026)](https://news.ambest.com/PR/PressContent.aspx?altsrc=2&refnum=37061), the company holds an 'A (Excellent)' financial strength rating with a stable outlook. For more in-depth financing information, readers can find their investor documentation at the company's investor relations portal. **How Does Mercury Insurance Make Money?** Mercury Insurance earns money by collecting premiums paid for the insurance policies they offer. Broadly, the company gathers these premiums to pay out claims and invests some of them to contribute to its bottom line. For fiscal year 2025, Mercury reported net income of $541.1 million, or $9.77 per diluted share [(PR Newswire, "Mercury General Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2025 Results", 2026)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mercury-general-corporation-announces-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2025-results-and-declares-quarterly-dividend-302689756.html). **Is Using Mercury Insurance Worth It?** Mercury Insurance may be a good match for buyers in their target states who prioritize competitive rates and work well with independent agents. The company's higher-than-average complaint ratios suggest some customers experience service challenges, though others find value in the coverage options and pricing. The only way to know for sure whether their coverage is right for you is to compare your auto, home, and umbrella insurance quote with [Coverage Cat](/). We hunt for the best possible offers, Mercury included, and make it easy to buy your best possible policy. **What States Does Mercury Insurance Operate In?** Mercury Insurance operates in 11 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. The company's homeowners insurance is available in only 10 of these states, so coverage availability varies by location and product line. ### ###