Foremost and Mercury are both large insurance companies that offer various home and auto coverage options. But Mercury has lower average insurance premiums and more auto insurance policy add-ons to choose from. Foremost has a more limited selection of auto insurance options but also provides insurance policies for boats, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles.
When choosing between Foremost and Mercury, it’s important to compare quotes, coverage options, discounts, and customer service ratings. Here’s how these two auto insurance companies compare.
Mercury wins over Foremost due to its cheaper car insurance rates across driver categories. Even though Foremost specializes in insuring high-risk drivers, Mercury’s average premiums for drivers with accidents, tickets, and driving under the influence (DUI) convictions are lower.
Mercury also offers more coverage options than Foremost, including comprehensive and collision coverage. Foremost focuses more on non-standard coverage options, including uninsured and underinsured motorist, rental reimbursement, and medical payments coverage.
The best car insurance company for you depends on your personal needs and budget, but if you’re deciding between Foremost and Mercury, the latter could be the better option.
Foremost is a specialty insurance company that started in 1952 and sold insurance to Americans living in mobile homes. Since 2000, Foremost has been under the Farmers Insurance Company umbrella, so it has the backing of an industry giant.
Mercury is the 16th-largest private passenger auto liability company, with almost 1% of the overall market share.1 Mercury earned above-average ratings in J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study for overall customer satisfaction for midsize insurers but below-average ratings for auto claims satisfaction.2 3
The MercuryGO Program is a voluntary usage-based insurance program that can result in a discount on your insurance premium.
Drivers on your policy can download the MercuryGO app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Then, the app collects driving data, like miles driven, trip duration, acceleration rate, vehicle speed, braking, collision data, and phone usage. Mercury uses this data to calculate a driving skill score, which correlates to a discount on your premiums at renewal.
You can get a 5% discount just for participating in the telematics program, but Mercury advertises you can get up to 40% off your premiums at renewal. And teen drivers can get a discount of up to 10% just for participating.
While it’s free to participate, MercuryGO is available only in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia.
Mercury offers cheaper car insurance rates than Foremost in general. But your insurance premiums depend on several factors, including your age, gender, ZIP code, driving record, credit history, and the car you drive.
Car insurance companies consider your driving record when determining your premiums. Generally, the better your driving record, the lower your premiums. Mercury offers cheaper car insurance for drivers with a clean driving record, on average.
Car insurance rates generally increase after a speeding ticket because it shows car insurance companies that you engage in risky driving behavior behind the wheel. Mercury offers cheaper average car insurance rates than Foremost for drivers with a speeding ticket.
Teen drivers pay the highest insurance rates because they present a higher level of risk to insurers. Teen drivers and young adults looking for the cheapest car insurance may find lower rates with Mercury.
Senior drivers usually pay much cheaper rates than teens and young adults, but their rates can still increase a bit once they’re 70 years old. Older drivers may have age-related issues that affect their driving ability, so they pay higher rates.5
But Mercury has cheaper average rates than Foremost.
Most states allow car insurance companies to consider your credit history when determining your car insurance rates. Insurance companies believe that your credit history correlates to your risk of filing a claim, so drivers with good credit pay cheaper rates than drivers with poor credit.4
Mercury offers lower rates than Foremost for drivers with a bad credit score.
While Mercury offers standard auto insurance options — including liability, collision, medical payments, personal injury protection (PIP), and comprehensive coverages — Foremost focuses on non-standard coverage.
Foremost doesn’t advertise collision or comprehensive insurance but provides bodily injury and property damage coverage, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and medical payments, among other add-on options.
Here’s how these two insurers’ optional coverages compare.
Foremost and Mercury offer a handful of discounts, including multi-policy, multi-car, and good student discounts. But many of Mercury’s discounts are available only in certain states. It’s a good idea to contact both companies to determine which car insurance discounts are available to you.
Still have questions about Foremost’s and Mercury’s coverages and details? Check out the additional information below.
While Mercury offers standard auto insurance options, including liability, collision, and comprehensive, Foremost is focused on non-standard options. Foremost is available nationwide, but Mercury is available in only 11 states.
Yes. Mercury is the 16th-largest private passenger auto liability company, with nearly 1% of the overall market share. Mercury earned above-average customer satisfaction ratings in J.D. Power’s insurance shopping study for midsize insurers and has an A (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best.
Foremost has an A (Excellent) AM Best rating, which signals that it’s able to meet its ongoing and future insurance obligations, including paying out claims. And it’s part of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, so it has the backing of an industry giant as well.
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