Esurance vs. Mercury Insurance

Yes, Mercury offers rideshare insurance as an optional add-on to personal car insurance policies. Mercury's rideshare endorsement typically costs as little as $0.90 a day, and it provides more coverage than the insurance offered by Uber and Lyft.

Mercury Rideshare Insurance Coverage 

• Does not include deductible gap coverage, so you will need to pay the rideshare company's deductible
• All the coverage that is on your personal policy
• No coverage is provided by Mercury once you have accepted a ride request

Rideshare insurance varies by state, so check with Mercury to see if their rideshare coverage is available in your location.

In general, rideshare policies are important because the coverage provided by Lyft and Uber varies depending on where the driver is in the process of a ride. When a driver is online and waiting for a ride request, Uber and Lyft provide liability-only insurance.

Once the driver has accepted a ride request, Uber and Lyft provide up to $1 million in liability insurance, plus any other type of coverage required in the state. Both companies also provide collision and comprehensive insurance during this period, but only for drivers who have these types of coverage on their personal policy. However, Uber's deductible is $1,000 and Lyft's is $2,500. These are significantly more expensive than the average car insurance deductible of $500.

Finally, Uber and Lyft don't provide any coverage for drivers when the app is not on. For more information, check out WalletHub's complete guide to rideshare insurance.

Esurance and Allstate are not the same company, even though Allstate owns Esurance. Allstate purchased Esurance in 2011, but Esurance still operates independently from Allstate, offering a smaller suite of insurance options and discounts.  

In 2019, Allstate announced it would be retiring the Esurance brand but that this process would be gradual. You can still purchase an Esurance policy, although it is unclear what will happen to policyholders once the phase-out is complete.

Allstate also owns other well-known brands like Encompass Insurance and Answer Financial.

Yes, Esurance offers gap insurance as an optional policy add-on, though it may not be available in every state. Esurance gap insurance pays the difference between a totaled car's actual cash value and the policyholder's loan or lease balance, with a limit of 25% of the vehicle's value in some cases. 

The cost of Esurance gap insurance depends on factors like your state and your vehicle's worth. Regardless, purchasing gap insurance from an insurance company is usually a better investment than purchasing this coverage from a dealership, where the cost is often rolled into your loan and charged interest. Plus, you can cancel Esurance gap insurance once your car is worth more than your loan or lease balance.

For more information, check out WalletHub's complete guide to gap insurance.

Esurance is rated 3.3 out of 5 by WalletHub's editors, based on factors such as customer reviews and watchdog-group ratings. For example, Esurance has a rating of 2.92 from he National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), meaning it has more customer complaints than the average insurer its size.

Esurance Insurance Ratings

• WalletHub Editors: 3.3
• A.M. Best: A+
• J.D. Power: 4.1
• NAIC: 2.92
• BBB: A-
• Moody's: A2
• Average User Rating on WalletHub: 3.7/5

To learn more, check out WalletHub's complete Esurance car insurance review.

Esurance offers discounts for bundling car insurance with a renters insurance policy and for safe drivers who use the company's DriveSense app. Esurance only advertises these two discounts on its website, but customer service representatives say that additional discounts are often available, depending on the state. For instance, policyholders in some states can save if their vehicle has qualifying safety features or if they are affiliated with certain employers or universities. 

Esurance Discounts List

• Multi-policy discount
• DriveSense discount
• Multi-vehicle discount
• Safety features discounts
• Affiliations discounts
• Roadside assistance discount
• Education level discount
• Mature driver discount
• Good student discount
• Driver training discount
• Homeowner discount
• On-time payment discount
• Payment frequency discount
• Pac-12 discount

DriveSense is a form of usage-based insurance that rewards safe driving. Esurance policyholders can download the DriveSense mobile app and get a customized discount based on driving habits like mileage, speeding, and braking.

Esurance does not have as many discounts as some larger car insurance companies, but there are still plenty of opportunities for drivers to save. For more information on the company, check out WalletHub's full Esurance review.

The main Esurance NAIC number is 25712. Esurance's NAIC number is the five-digit code given by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), which assigns numbers to authorized insurance providers in order to track customer complaints and ethics violations across state lines.

With Esurance's NAIC number, anyone can learn more about the company's financial data, the kinds of complaints that have been filed by customers, and any enforcement actions taken against the company. Customers will need Esurance's NAIC number to report fraud or file an insurance claim, as well.

Although the main Esurance NAIC number is 25712, the NAIC has assigned a separate code for each of Esurance's affiliate companies, which are listed below. You can find the number that applies to your particular policy on your Esurance insurance card. 

Esurance NAIC Numbers

Esurance's NAIC number is not the same thing as the three-digit code assigned by each state's department of motor vehicles. These numbers, issued by state insurance commissioners, are given to the companies that have been authorized to sell insurance policies in a particular state. However, they are not standardized across state lines, like NAIC numbers are.

To cancel Mercury insurance, the policyholder must notify their agent directly by calling, mailing, or meeting in person. The cancellation can be arranged for a future date or set to take effect immediately. You will need your name, address, phone number, policy information, reason for canceling, and the date you would like your policy to end.

• Cancel in person by providing a written cancellation request to your local agent.
• Cancel by phone by calling your agent directly at the phone number listed on the back of your insurance card.
• You cannot cancel a Mercury insurance policy online.

If you've already paid your premium for the policy period in full, Mercury will refund the unused portion. Mercury does impose a cancellation fee or penalty for early termination. Mercury charges a cancellation fee of 10% of your remaining premium, so if you still owe $300 on your policy, you'll pay a $30 penalty fee to cancel coverage.

It's important to remember that you don't need to cancel your policy just because you're going through some life changes. For example, you should have Mercury update your mailing address or vehicle information if you're moving or buying a new car.

If you're canceling your current policy in order to switch to another company, be sure to activate your new policy before canceling the old one. This prevents a lapse in coverage, which would lead to higher premiums in the future.

Yes, Esurance offers a type of pay-per-mile insurance called DriveSense. This is technically usage-based insurance, which is similar to pay-per-mile coverage because it factors mileage into premium calculations, but it also considers driving habits such as braking and acceleration.

DriveSense Considers:

• Miles driven
• Speed
• The time of day that you drive
• Braking

It's important to note that these factors collectively affect a customer's insurance premium, so DriveSense is not strictly pay-per-mile. However, it's still a good option for safe, low-mileage drivers who don't mind being tracked for insurance purposes. For more information, check out WalletHub's guide to usage-based insurance.

Yes, Esurance offers non-owner car insurance. To qualify, drivers cannot own a car or live with anyone who owns a car. Esurance even offers non-owner insurance to drivers who need to file an SR-22 with their state to prove they have insurance.

Drivers can get a quote and purchase an Esurance non-owner policy by calling the company at 1-800-378-7262. Because non-owner policies are somewhat unusual, most companies, including Esurance, do not offer quotes online.

Esurance non-owner policies are typically cheaper than standard policies, since non-owners drive much less frequently than owners. However, if you are buying a non-owner policy in order to get an SR-22, you will be considered a high-risk driver and your premium will usually be higher than average as a result. Additionally, it's worth noting that if you buy a non-owner policy with Esurance and have the company file an SR-22, Esurance will be obligated to notify your state's DMV if your coverage lapses. Then, the state will likely suspend your license.

In general, non-owner policies are ideal for drivers who do not have regular access to a car but need to file an SR-22, rent cars often, or frequently borrow cars. Non-owner insurance can also be worthwhile if you temporarily do not have a car but want to avoid a lapse in coverage, which can lead to rate increases later on.

To find affordable insurance without your own vehicle, check out WalletHub's advice on the cheapest non-owner insurance. And always remember to compare quotes so you can be sure to get the best coverage for the lowest price.

Yes, Mercury offers a type of extended warranty. The Mercury extended warranty program is called Mercury Mechanical Protection, and it covers the cost of repairs to the engine, transmission, drive axle, and brakes, among other things. The cost of Mercury's Mercury Mechanical Protection varies depending on the vehicle, but it averages about $800-$9,000 for a 3-7 year term, depending on make, model, year and mileage.

In general, extended warranties are meant to keep drivers from paying out of pocket for sudden repairs, since mechanical problems are not covered by other types of auto insurance.

Mercury Extended Warranties Cover:

• 24-hour Roadside Assistance
• Rental Vehicle Assistance
• Road Hazard Tire Protection
• Trip Interruption Coverage
• Engine
• Transmission
• Electrical System
• Drive Axle
• Brakes
• A/C & Heating
• Fuel System
• Suspension
• Steering
• Convenience Tech

Coverage details can vary depending on which Mercury plan you choose. Additionally, since Mercury Mechanical Protection is designed to supplement the original manufacturer's warranty, cars must meet certain requirements to qualify.

Mercury Mechanical Protection Eligibility Requirements

• Up to 14 years
• Mileage requirements vary depending on the plan

Coverage and eligibility details can vary by state. It's also worth noting that Mercury Mechanical Protection is technically a vehicle service plan, which provides the same coverage as an extended warranty. However, vehicle service plans are offered by car insurance companies, whereas extended warranties are generally sold by dealerships or third-party companies. For more information, check out WalletHub's guide to extended car warranties.