Although Mercer Insurance Associates partners with seven companies, only four are auto insurance providers. One of them (National Automobile Insurance Company of West Virginia) is not well known or widely available. In this review, we’ll focus on the other three: Progressive, Erie Insurance, and Dairyland.
How we rated Mercer auto insurance
We update our review standards several times a year to keep our information current. Overall, our insurance research falls into six main categories:
- Reliability
- Availability
- Coverage
- price
- Service
- technology
We give Mercer an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5.0 stars based on these areas. For more details, here’s how Mercer Insurance Associates performed in each category:
Reliability: 3.8
Since Mercer Insurance Associates only serves Mercer County, West Virginia and nearby parts of West Virginia and Virginia, there are not many reviews of the agency online. We give Mercer 3.8 out of 5.0 stars due to the lack of industry ratings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot.
Mercer does get recognition for being in business since 1995 and for offering coverage from two of the most popular providers in the auto insurance industry. According to National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Progressive is the second-largest auto insurer in the United States, and Erie is No. 13.
Availability: 3.4
With the exception of West Virginia National Auto Insurance, which only serves West Virginia, all of the auto insurers Mercer works with are available in both Virginia and West Virginia. We rate Mercer 3.4 out of 5.0 stars for availability.
Coverage: 4.6
Between Progressive, Erie and Dairyland, Mercer offers a wide range of auto insurance and add-ons. There is not much information online about West Virginia National Auto Insurance. We give Mercer Auto Insurance 4.6 out of 5.0 stars for coverage options.
Price: 4.1
Auto insurance companies with lower rates and lots of discounts get the highest scores in this category. While Mercer sells auto insurance from four companies, we only have rate data for two of the broker’s providers: Progressive and Erie. Average prices from Quadrant Information Services are based on up to 10 of the top providers in each state.
We give Mercer 4.1 out of 5.0 stars because the average full coverage rates from Erie and Progressive in West Virginia and Virginia are lower than the national average.
Note that the averages in this review are not compiled using quotes from Mercer. We included some of the most popular insurers in Virginia and West Virginia, but excluded providers for whom we did not have rate information for both states.
Service: 3.9
Due to the small size of Mercer Insurance Associates, we did not find information about the company on the BBB site. Because Mercer is a broker, not an insurer, it is not rated by AM Best or in consumer surveys by JD Power.
Mercer receives an average grade of 4.1 out of 5.0 stars on Google, but this result is based on only 27 reviews. Because there is limited information about the company’s customer service, we give it 3.9 out of 5.0 stars in this category.
Technology: 2.8
Auto insurers with mobile apps, advanced online services and telematics are more likely to meet consumer needs. Three out of four auto insurance providers in Mercer’s network have mobile apps: Progressive, Erie Insurance and Dairyland.
In 2022, we surveyed nearly 7,000 people about their experiences with their auto insurance providers. In this study, customers gave Progressive’s app an average rating of 4.2 out of 5.0 and Erie’s app an average rating of 4.0. There were no estimates for the other two auto insurance companies Mercer works with.
Mobile apps from Dairyland, Erie and Progressive allow customers to view policy documents, make payments and more. It’s hard to give Mercer full credit for this, so we give the company 2.8 stars out of 5.0 for technology.
Quick facts about Mercer Insurance Associates
Established: 1995
Availability: Mercer County, West Virginia and surrounding counties in West Virginia and Virginia
Policies and accounts: Auto, home, life, property and business insurance
Based in Princeton, West Virginia, Mercer Insurance Associates has been in business since 1995. As an insurance agency, Mercer does not sell its own policies. Instead, it sells coverage through the following insurance providers:
- Milky land
- Erie Insurance
- Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of West Virginia
- Municipal mutual insurance company
- Progressive
- National Automobile Insurance Company of West Virginia
- Farmers Mutual Insurance Company
Why use an insurance agency instead of contacting the providers directly? Many consumers appreciate working with an agent who can help them navigate coverage options. Agents can also be helpful in finding the lowest rates based on your driver profile. However, there are pros and cons to consider when working with an insurance agency.