- CEO
- Gabriel Tirador
- Full Time Employees
- 4,300
- Sector
- Financial Services
- Industry
- Insurance - Property & Casualty
- Address
- 4484 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles CA United States of America 90010
- IPO Date
- Nov 20, 1985
- Business
- Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) is an insurance holding company primarily engaged in writing personal automobile insurance policies; homeowners insurance; commercial automobile insurance; commercial property insurance; mechanical protection; umbrella insurance; and other property and casualty products including renters, dwelling fire, and cyber protection coverages. Its automobile insurance offerings encompass collision, property damage, bodily injury, comprehensive, personal injury protection, underinsured and uninsured motorist, roadside assistance, and other hazards; while homeowners coverages include dwelling, liability, personal property, additional living expenses, and other protections. The company distributes its policies through a network of over 8,000 independent agents, its owned agencies, and direct internet sales portals, targeting personal and small business customers with standard, non-standard, and preferred private passenger automobile options.
Founded in 1961 by George Joseph and headquartered at 4484 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, Mercury General operates principally in California, which accounts for over 80% of its direct premiums written, with additional presence in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. The company maintains approximately 4,200 employees and total assets exceeding $8.3 billion, supported by subsidiaries such as Mercury Casualty Company, Mercury Insurance Company, California Automobile Insurance Company, and others focused on specific lines and regions. It employs conservative underwriting, disciplined expense management, and reinsurance programs—including a $1.29 billion catastrophe reinsurance limit renewed in 2024—to manage exposure, particularly to California wildfires.
In recent developments, Mercury General reported record after-tax operating income of $7.19 per share in 2024, driven by a companywide combined ratio improvement to 96.0% from 105.4% in 2023, alongside 18.7% growth in net premiums earned to $5.08 billion, primarily from rate increases in personal lines. The company expanded its catastrophe reinsurance coverage in July 2024, increasing limits from $1.11 billion to $1.29 billion at an annual cost of $105 million, and secured a 50% upsized $150 million catastrophe bond issuance through Luca Re Ltd. in July 2025 for California fire protection. It received approval for a 12% rate increase on California homeowners policies, appointed Victor Joseph as President and COO effective January 2024, and anticipates ongoing premium growth and favorable underlying results in 2025 despite expected wildfire losses from the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires, estimated at $155 million to $325 million net of reinsurance and subrogation.