MercuryGO™ FAQ

General Information

What is MercuryGO?

MercuryGO is Mercury Insurance’s usage-based insurance app that helps drivers save money on auto insurance. MercuryGO provides drivers with a 5% Participation Discount* (and up to 10% for teen drivers) on auto insurance at enrollment and gives the user the opportunity to earn up to a 40% Driving Discount at renewal. It also provides helpful driving tips along with feedback so users can learn to be as safe of a driver as possible.

The app generates a driving score, which is calculated based on driving behavior including hard braking, excessive speeding, phone screen interaction, phone motion and the road type. The app coaches users on how to improve their driving, which in turn can earn them a big discount.

MercuryGO comes with a sharing option for families.

Where is MercuryGO available?

This program is currently available only to Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia drivers. Discounts may vary by state.

I have a teenage driver, would MercuryGO be good for him/her?

Yes. MercuryGO can benefit drivers of all ages and they could also get a MercuryGO Participation Discount of up to 10%. In fact, the app can improve driving behaviors to keep young drivers safe with coaching tips. It also helps parents to monitor driving behavior and comes with geofencing so you know when, where and how fast your teen is driving.

The technology behind the app has been proven to reduce:

Accidents and the severity of accidents.
Dangerous driving behaviors like unnecessary risk taking and speeding.

What information does the app score and display?

MercuryGO shows you the following information about your driving habits:

Dashboard - the top of the dashboard shows your score based on your two most recent weeks of driving. Tapping on the score shows information about how your score was calculated. The rest of the dashboard has four panels: the latest scored trip, your achievements, your rank on the leaderboard, and how well you have done in avoiding phone distraction.
Trips - shows a list of all your trips over the past two weeks. Each trip is scored on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

Selecting a particular trip takes you to a map view of the trip and summarizes important events and your score for the trip. Only the most significant events from a trip are shown on the map.

The app also classifies your trip as "Driver" or "Not driving" (passenger or another mode of transport). If the automatic classification is incorrect, you can change it by selecting the icon located next to the mode classified by the app. By keeping your transport modes accurate, the app learns your driving habits and classifies future trips more accurately.

How can I get more information about MercuryGO?

Speak to your local Mercury Insurance agent for more information about MercuryGO, the usage-based insurance app that helps drivers become even safer on the road…and saves them money, too!

Scoring

How does my driving affect my score?

MercuryGO collects and analyzes driving data and displays an overall driving score assessed by combining hard braking, hard acceleration, hard cornering, speeding and phone use.

MercuryGO calculates your score (out of 100) using the following factors:

Driving “smoothness” - hard braking, which is closely correlated with car crashes.
Speeding - Respecting the speed limit decreases the risk of an accident, helps improve road safety and improves your score.
Phone use while driving - MercuryGO measures phone distraction on a trip. Drivers who use their phone while driving are 8x more likely to get into an accident because their ability to react is significantly reduced.

How is distracted driving measured?

MercuryGO measures distracted driving based on a number of factors such as, if a driver is making a call while holding the phone or tapping/swiping the smartphone. If you’re texting, checking social media status or replying to an email while driving, that’s distracted driving and will be recorded by the app.

How is phone usage calculated?

MercuryGO classifies distracted driving based on phone movement and screen activation. When the car is moving at least 9 mph, your screen is unlocked and on, and MercuryGO determines that the phone is being handled, your score will be affected.

How does the app know when to score a trip?

The MercuryGO app uses the smartphone’s telematics capabilities to recognize when a trip is taking place, so once it senses movement the app begins to work.

The app may record a trip if you’re on a bicycle, bus, boat, train, motorcycle, or simply taking an Uber or Lyft. To fix this trip in the app, tap on the “Latest Scored Trip” and then tap on “Driver” to choose how you traveled during that trip.

Can MercuryGO tell if I am a driver or a passenger?

MercuryGO will attempt to determine if you are a driver or a passenger, however, it allows the user to change each trip’s setting to either driver or passenger.

Does the score shown in the app determine the discount I will receive?

Currently, a rolling two-week average score is shown in the app. The rolling two-week average score is meant to report how you are driving based on recent trips and enables you to adjust your driving more quickly if necessary. Your score can fluctuate depending on how you drive during the most recent two-weeks. A new trip added in or an old trip being replaced during the two-week period could have a big impact on the average. To determine the discount you will receive, a 91-day average will be used. The longer period of time average is a more accurate and a better representation of your overall driving behavior.

What if the speed limit captured for a trip is incorrect?

To notify us of a speed limit correction, locate your specific trip you want to adjust and select “Details” and then “Contact Support” to provide the correct speed limit with a detailed explanation as to why you believe it was captured incorrectly.

Why are all my individual score categories higher than my overall score?

While individual factors shown in the app, such as Speeding, Phone Use, and Hard Braking, are included in determining your overall score, other factors not displayed on the app may also influence it. One such a factor is Phone Screen Interaction. If you touch the phone screen while driving, it will negatively impact the overall driving score.

Will my score cause my insurance rate to go up?

Good news! The MercuryGO program is currently only rewarding customers for good driving habits, so your rate will not be increased due to your score.

Why does my score go up and down?

There are a couple of reasons why your score might fluctuate:

The app displays your score for the last two weeks, so when earlier trips are removed from the score and replaced with new trips, the score is recalculated;
The score is based on driving performance, so as your driving habits change over a two-week period, your score may also change.

I have a score of 51, is this bad?

No. This is actually a good score, although striving for a higher score means you will become a better, safer driver.

Will one driving event during my trips have an impact on my overall score?

Rarely. One bad score should not impact your overall score, however frequently repeated events across multiple trips may.

Will my score be affected if I am driving over the posted speed limit?

There is a small buffer of about 9 miles per hour above the speed limit in place to acknowledge that, at times, users may drive at slightly higher speeds to match the flow of traffic, though it may vary depending on the type of road.

If a passenger is using my phone while I am driving, will my score be affected?

The app can at times automatically distinguish between the driver and the passenger. To be certain, check your historical completed trips where the passenger was using the phone and mark them as “Passenger.”

Discounts

How is my discount calculated?

You will receive a 5% Participation Discount* (and up to 10% for teen drivers) on your auto insurance policy. An additional MercuryGO Driving Discount potentially up to 40% will be evaluated based on the driving score generated from the latest available 91 day driving period at renewal time.

What is the MercuryGO Driving Discount and how do I get it?

If you’re an auto policyholder using MercuryGO, then you have the opportunity to potentially earn up to a 40% Driving Discount on your auto insurance policy at the time of renewal. The MercuryGO app must remain on and be active for at least 91 days to earn the Driving Discount at renewal and each subsequent renewal. Your Driving Discount is based on how you score (for driving behavior including hard braking, excessive speeding, phone screen interaction, phone motion as well as the road type) in the MercuryGO app from the latest available 91 day driving period before renewal time.

When will I receive my discount?

You will receive a 5% Participation Discount* (and up to 10% for teen drivers) immediately when you sign up for MercuryGO and the subsequent Participation Discount will remain on the policy as long as the MercuryGO app is kept active. Subsequent and additional MercuryGO Driving Discount up to 40% will be applied every time at renewal, based upon your driving behavior.

What happens to my discount if I change my mind and no longer wish to use the MercuryGO app?

If you decide to opt out of the program within the first 45 days of enrollment, then the Participation Discount will be removed from the policy.

If you opt out after 45 days, but within 91 days of using the MercuryGO app, the Participation Discount remains for the term of the policy. However, you will not receive any additional Driving Discounts for subsequent renewals.

If you opt out after 91 days, you will keep the Participation Discount for the term of the policy and receive a driving score which may qualify you for up to a 40% Driving Discount for all subsequent renewals, but the Participation Discount will be removed from subsequent renewals.

Does participating in MercuryGO guarantee me a discount?

Yes. Simply participating in MercuryGO saves you a 5% Participation Discount* (and up to 10% for teen drivers) on auto insurance immediately. A good driving score can result in an additional driving discount when you renew your policy.

Can my premium increase by participating in this program?

No. Participating in the MercuryGO program will not increase your premium during the policy term.

I have a teenage driver with a learner’s permit, do they get a discount?

When a teenage driver with a learner’s permit is added to the policy as a child of the primary named insured, the teenage driver is not charged so they wouldn’t receive a discount. They can download the app and get feedback and tips about their driving from MercuryGO. They will receive up to a 10% Participation Discount when they are licensed.

How do I see my discount?

MercuryGO participation discounts will be shown on the policy Declarations Page. The MercuryGO Driving Discount will be included on your renewal and shown on the renewal Declarations Page.

Can I transfer my discount if I change my vehicle?

Yes. Your MercuryGO Participation Discount and any Driving Discount will be applied to a new vehicle.

What if I drive multiple vehicles, how is my discount calculated?

The MercuryGO Participation Discount is applied to all of the vehicles listed on your policy. Any Driving Discount will also be applied to all of the vehicles listed.

How does my score affect my rate?

MercuryGO can help you potentially earn a discount of up to 40% on your auto insurance based on how you drive.

Policy

Is participation in MercuryGO mandatory to renew my existing policy or to become a policyholder?

No, it is not mandatory. New and renewing policyholders can opt in to enroll in MercuryGO, the usage-based insurance app program at any time.

Can I use the MercuryGO app if I’m not a policyholder?

No, not at this time. MercuryGO is only available to Mercury Insurance customers.

Do all drivers on my insurance policy need to register for the MercuryGO app if I decide to participate?

No, however MercuryGO is a great coaching tool for drivers of all ages by providing helpful tips on how to be as safe of a driver as possible.

Your discount will be prorated based on the percentage of drivers on the policy who are included. For example, if 3 of 4 of the drivers on the policy are participating, you’ll get 75% of the Participation Discount for which you qualify.

Do all listed drivers of my vehicle need to register for the MercuryGO app if I decide to participate?

No. MercuryGO is an app for your smartphone and driver based, not built directly into your vehicle. Other listed drivers may choose to participate, but it’s not required.

Do I have access to my driving data to learn my potential areas for improvement?

Yes. Driving data is provided in the MercuryGO app so it is easy to understand. The app features latest scored trip information on a map with a five star rating scale. It showcases how well a driver does for braking, acceleration, cornering, speeding and phone use. The app also highlights streaks for “no distraction,” “no speeding,” and “no hard braking.” MercuryGO provides trends over time for the five driving items it measures.

What if I want to add a driver to the MercuryGO app mid-policy?

Speak to your local Mercury Insurance agent about how to add a driver to the MercuryGO insurance mid-policy.

Are there any surcharges?

MercuryGO comes with no surcharges.

Are all the cars I own required to enroll in MercuryGO?

No, the MercuryGO app is driver based, not vehicle based. Since the app is installed on your smartphone, MercuryGO works when driving any car.

What happens if an enrolled driver on the policy does not install the MercuryGO app?

MercuryGO drivers who enroll in the program but do not install and activate the app within the first 30 days will have their Participation Discount removed from their auto insurance policy, which will impact the overall policy discount and premium.

Can I opt in the program again after I opted out?

Yes, you can opt in the program any time after you opted out. You will be eligible for a participation discount, and the driving score based on your new driving behavior will be used to determine potential driving discount at subsequent renewals.

Installation

How do I download and activate the MercuryGO app?

After purchasing a Mercury Insurance auto policy, downloading and activating the MercuryGO app is simple.

Purchase an auto insurance policy with Mercury Insurance.
Each enrolled driver will then receive a welcome text message with the user link to the app in the app stores. The MercuryGO app can also be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, however, users must first enroll in the MercuryGO program for the app to successfully work.
Download the app from the app store and log in using your mobile phone number.
Enter the PIN code Mercury sends via text, and the app is then authenticated.

In very rare instances, if you are not able to receive the text message with the activation code, Mercury Insurance customer service is able to help. Our customer service department is available Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT at (877) 537-2468.

Does the MercuryGO app work with all phones?

MercuryGO works with most Apple iPhones running iOS 11 or later and most Android Phones running OS 7 (Android Nougat) or later. Bluetooth, GPS, gyroscope and an accelerometer must be available on your smartphone for the app to work.

Check the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to ensure compatibility for your device.

Does the phone need to be powered on for the MercuryGO app to work?

Yes. Your smartphone has to be powered on with at least 10% battery charge for its telematics to record trip data.

Do I have to plug or attach anything to my vehicle?

No. MercuryGO is an app that is installed on each enrolled driver’s smartphone.

Do I have to pay for the app or program?

The app is free to download and users can choose to send data using cellular or Wi-Fi from the app.

Why do I need to accept permission requests?

These permissions requests allow us to accurately measure your driving and calculate your score. You must accept these requests to use the app’s features and benefit from them.

Do I have to interact with the MercuryGO app while driving?

Not at all. MercuryGO runs in the background when you’re driving and touching your phone while operating a vehicle to view the app is not recommended.

What happens if I downloaded the app but have to change phones?

If you change phones or reinstall the app, you simply login under existing users. A PIN code will be sent to the email address you provided during initial registration.

What if I downloaded the app but have to change phone numbers?

If you change phone numbers while using MercuryGO, you will need to provide it to your Mercury agent or Mercury customer service at (877) 537-2468. A text with your new PIN code will be sent. Follow the prompts as if though you’re a new MercuryGO user. The good news is that all of your driving data will be updated to the app.

Data & Battery

Will the MercuryGO app use a significant amount of data?

No. The app uses a minimal amount of data for a typical U.S. data plan.

How is driving data collected?

Driving data is collected by the app using the built-in telematics capabilities of your mobile device, such as built-in GPS and accelerometer to measure distances traveled and movement of the vehicle. These functions of a smartphone run in the background while you’re driving a vehicle. (Be sure that your mobile phone has a battery life of at least 10%.)

What driving information does the MercuryGO app collect?

MercuryGO provides feedback about your driving, helping you become a safer and better driver. MercuryGO gathers data about how, when and where the driver operates a vehicle. Driving data includes, for example, miles driven, trip duration, rates of acceleration, vehicle speed, hard braking and phone usage.

What does “not driving” mean?

Some recorded trips are suppressed by the app if they are short or don't involve much driving while some may be shown but flagged as "not driving" based on our classification algorithms. If this is inaccurate, you can change it by selecting the circular icon showing the mode. You can also label several trips at once with the "Edit trips" option.

How is my MercuryGO app driving information used?

MercuryGO generated data is used to calculate any potential discounts you may receive on your auto insurance policy, although the discount on your policy may vary. It will not be used to evaluate if you’re insurable or to increase your rate.

Does the app use my phone battery?

MercuryGO has a limited effect on your phone’s battery. The effect varies from one smartphone to another. Note that when the phone’s battery has less than 10% of a charge, the app will not record any data.

Will the data affect my insurance eligibility?

No, driving data will not affect insurance eligibility. No driver will be considered unacceptable based on driving data or other information collected through the MercuryGO program.

Will the driving data be used for claims purpose?

Our claims and fraud investigation procedures require our personnel to investigate losses using all available sources of evidence. We anticipate that telematics data will be a valuable source of information on the factors and circumstances of losses. As the program grows, the data may be used to assist in the liability investigation of a claim, coverage investigation, and in subrogation matters. In these situations, it will never be the sole source of information used in an investigation. For situations, such as law enforcement, if the data is legally requested (e.g. subpoena) and disclosure is required by law, the information will be provided to the requesting party.

Privacy

Does Mercury Insurance share my MercuryGO app driving information with outside entities?

No. Mercury Insurance respects your privacy and will not share personally identifiable driving data with any third party except to service the administration of the MercuryGO app and your auto insurance policy.

Mercury Insurance maintains strict guidelines and follows best practices to guard and keep your driving data safe and secure.

What data is collected?

MercuryGO gathers data about how, when and where the driver operates a vehicle. Driving data includes, for example, miles driven, trip duration, rates of acceleration, vehicle speed, hard braking incidents and phone usage. It also records data such as gyroscope data, magnetometer data, barometer data and information about the use of the app.

Where can I view the MercuryGO Privacy Policy?

Please click the following link to view the MercuryGO Privacy Policy: https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/go/mercurygo-privacy-policy.html

Customer Support

Who can I contact for help if I encounter issues using the MercuryGO app?

Mercury Insurance customer service is able to answer general questions about the MercuryGO app at (877) 537-2468. Our customer service department is available Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT.

What should I do if my phone has been lost or stolen?

If your phone has been lost or stolen, you simply need to reinstall the app on your new phone and login under existing users. A PIN code will be sent to the email address you provided during initial registration to activate it.

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^*Participation Discount varies by state.