How often does Mercury check your driving record?

Mercury generally checks your driving record every 6 to 12 months, when you apply for a new policy or renew an existing one. Most car insurance companies tend to check less frequently if you have been their customer for a while, however, as they already have a sense of your driving habits.

Key Things to Know About Mercury Driving Record Checks

• For new customers, Mercury will check your driving history to determine your insurance rates and how risky of a driver you are to insure. A recent at-fault accident or serious traffic violation could significantly raise your rates.
• Once you are an existing customer, Mercury will run a check on your driving record at least a few weeks before your policy is set to expire. This allows Mercury to reassess your riskiness and determine your premium.
• Mercury gets your driving record from your state’s DMV or LexisNexis, and they check the past 3 years for accidents and moving violations.
• If you were cited for a moving violation or got into an accident mid-policy, your rates will not change until your next renewal.
• If your driving record has any new violations since Mercury last checked, your rates will likely increase. For example, Mercury insurance premiums will increase by an average of 77% after an accident, and by 29% after a speeding ticket.

If your Mercury insurance rates recently increased because of an accident or a moving violation on your driving record, you can look for discounts from Mercury to help lower your rates, consider increasing your deductible, or potentially trade in your car for one that is cheaper to insure. You should also compare quotes from other companies to see if you could get cheaper rates by switching insurers.

To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guide to understanding your driving record.