Bodily Injury Costs Increase in Virginia, According to Mercury Insurance

Rhea-AI Summary

Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY) launched an expanded personal umbrella insurance product in Virginia on Dec. 18, 2025, the company's ninth state rollout.

Key details: Mercury cites a 35% increase in average liability claim amounts since the pandemic and offers umbrella coverage starting at just over $1.00 a day, multi-policy discounts, a 3-year accident/violation free 5% discount, uninsured motorist coverage up to $1 million, and increased liability limits from $1 million to $2 million.

Mercury sells auto, homeowners and umbrella lines and operates with about 4,700 employees and > 8,000 independent agents across 11 states.

Positive

• Average liability claim amounts reported up 35% since the pandemic
• Umbrella coverage available from ~$1.00 per day
• Liability limits up to $2 million and uninsured motorist up to $1 million
• Ninth-state launch expands product availability to Virginia

Negative

• None.

Mercury's New Umbrella Insurance Better Protects Virginians' Personal Wealth Against Bodily Injury Claims

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi-vehicle crashes, dog bites or a delivery person being injured on your property are some of the unexpected events that are putting Virginians' personal financial health at risk. In fact, bodily injury payouts have continued to climb year over year since the start of the pandemic, with the average amount for a liability claim increasing by 35%, according to Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY).

The recent trend of rising liability injury claims for home and auto owners that exceed traditional policy limits has moved Mercury to unveil an all-new personal umbrella insurance policy for Virginians that offers extra protection with bolstered coverages beginning at just over $1.00 a day.

Per Forbes magazine, an umbrella insurance policy can be an excellent addition to your insurance portfolio if you need liability coverage that goes beyond what your base car insurance or home insurance policies provide. Umbrella insurance is a good way to cover your net worth if you were to get hit with a lawsuit.

The state of Virginia is the ninth launch of this expanded insurance product for Mercury Insurance, following California, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Florida and Nevada. You can learn more about this unique coverage at Mercury Umbrella Insurance.

"Unexpected accidents are becoming more costly for Virginians, which puts them at risk of having to pay out of pocket," said Nick Colby, Vice President and Chief Sales Officer at Mercury Insurance. "Mercury has redesigned its umbrella insurance to give Virginians an extra layer of protection beyond a traditional auto or home policy. It's an affordable safety net that protects you from these expensive accidents and litigious lawyers looking for a big payday."

A cautionary tale for all is that of a Mercury policyholder who had kept the same limits and coverages since college, even though his personal wealth had increased significantly. The policyholder — who later became a doctor — never thought about umbrella coverage until he hit a moped with his automobile, severely injuring the rider. The rider subsequently engaged a lawyer and the Mercury insured ended up having to pay out of pocket for damages that were well beyond his auto policy limit of $25,000.

"He had payments deducted from his salary for a number of years until the settlement was paid off," Colby said.

Key features of Mercury's significantly updated umbrella product include:

• Multi-policy Discounts: Mercury policyholders can save big with multi-policy discounts across their auto, homeowners and umbrella policies.
  
  
• 3-year Accident and Violation Free Discount: A 5% discount is given to all drivers on the Mercury policy with no losses or accidents during the last three years.
  
  
• Uninsured Motorist Coverage: Uninsured motorist coverage up to $1 million in the event of an accident caused by a driver who does not have insurance.
  
  
• Increased Liability: Policyholders can increase their liability coverage from $1 million to $2 million, depending upon policyholders' coverage needs.

"We consider Mercury's umbrella policy the 'Goldilocks' of coverage because it offers a very specific amount of extra protection that fits customers' needs, which is really important for anyone who wants to safeguard their future against unexpected expenses and legal liabilities," Colby stated.

Mercury offers personal auto, mechanical protection, ride-hailing, condo, homeowners, home cyber protection, home systems protection, identity management services, renters, service line protection, business auto and personal umbrella insurance in Virginia.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Mercury Insurance provides auto, homeowners and business insurance through more than 4,700 employees and a network of more than 8,000 independent agents in 11 states.

About Mercury Insurance

Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY) is a multiple-line insurance carrier predominantly offering personal auto, homeowners, renters and commercial insurance through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, as well as auto insurance in Florida. Mercury writes other lines of insurance in various states, including commercial, business owners and business auto, landlord, home- sharing, ride-hailing and mechanical protection insurance.

Since 1962, Mercury has provided customers with tremendous value for their insurance dollar by pairing ultra-competitive rates with excellent customer service, through more than 4,200 employees and a network of more than 6,340 independent agents in 11 states. Mercury has earned an "A" rating from A.M. Best, as well as "Best Auto Insurance Company" designations from Forbes and Insure.com.

Interested media can follow Mercury and receive notifications about new press releases at the new Mercury Insurance Newsroom at https://newsroom.mercuryinsurance.com/, follow the company on Instagram or Facebook or email us at Newsroom@MercuryInsurance.com.

 

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SOURCE Mercury Insurance

FAQ

What does Mercury's new umbrella insurance for Virginia (MCY) cover?

It adds excess liability protection above auto/home limits, with liability up to $2 million and uninsured motorist coverage up to $1 million.

How much does Mercury umbrella insurance in Virginia (MCY) cost?

Mercury advertises coverage starting at just over $1.00 a day as a baseline example.

What discounts are available for Mercury umbrella customers in Virginia (MCY)?

Multi-policy discounts apply and a 5% discount is given for drivers with no accidents or violations in the prior 3 years.

Why did Mercury (MCY) introduce umbrella insurance in Virginia now?

Mercury cites rising bodily injury payouts—an average 35% increase—driving demand for extra liability protection.

Is Mercury's umbrella product widely available elsewhere (MCY)?

Yes; Virginia is the ninth state for the expanded umbrella product after California, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Florida and Nevada.

How large is Mercury's distribution network for its insurance products (MCY)?

Mercury operates with about 4,700 employees and a network of more than 8,000 independent agents across 11 states.