Merchants Insurance Group Company Review 2025

Explore our take on the company's products, service offerings, and more.
Ann Herro, Insurance Expert Written by Ann Herro
Ann Herro, Insurance Expert
Written by Ann Herro

Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She covers topics ranging from car insurance to healthcare costs.

Reviewed by Cara Carlone
Reviewed by Cara Carlone

Cara Carlone is a licensed P&C agent with 20 years of experience. She has her P&C license in RI and TX and holds CPCU, API, and AINS designations.

Updated

Merchants Insurance Group Final Score

4.5/5 stars

4.5 Stars


Merchants Insurance Group was founded in 1918, giving the carrier more than a century of experience in the insurance industry. Merchants Insurance Group is comprised of two companies: Merchants Preferred Insurance Company and Merchants Mutual Insurance Company. 

The carrier currently offers coverage in eight states, including Vermont, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Massachusetts.

Merchants Insurance Group caters to individuals and businesses, offering commercial auto insurance, personal umbrella coverage, retail business coverage, homeowners insurance, and much more. The insurance company works exclusively with a network of over 1,000 independent insurance agents to sell its products. Independent insurance agents provide a more personalized and complete experience for insurance customers of all kinds.

Thanks to its extremely long-standing history, wide network of independent insurance agents, and variety of insurance products offered, Merchants Insurance Group has earned a reputation as a financially stable insurance company that’s projected to be around for many more years to come. 

AM Best, the leading global credit rating agency monitoring the insurance industry, gives Merchants Insurance Group an “A-” rating, indicating the carrier is an excellent choice for insurance customers. High ratings from AM Best assure customers that Merchants Insurance Group is capable of offering guaranteed, secure coverage from a trustworthy and reputable carrier.

We award Merchants Insurance Group a final rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The insurance company has been around for over a century and remains a strong and stable entity. 

Merchants Insurance Group offers a wide selection of insurance products for businesses and individuals. We’re also big fans of the fact that the carrier works exclusively with a network of independent insurance agents. 

Coverage is only offered in eight states, but the carrier’s insurance products meet the needs of customers in its service area. The insurance company loses a couple of points for not providing information about its entire claims process or a claims response time frame promise on its public website. Providing online bill pay, online claims reporting, and a mobile app are all great features, however. 

Don’t hesitate to look into Merchants Insurance Group with help from your independent insurance agent.

Key Takeaways

  • Merchants Insurance Group caters to individuals and businesses, offering commercial auto insurance, personal umbrella coverage, retail business coverage, homeowners insurance, and much more.
  • Merchants Insurance Group offers business insurance in eight states: Vermont, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Massachusetts. It offers personal insurance (auto, home, umbrella) in New York state.
  • The carrier is rated “A-” (excellent) by AM Best and "A+" by the Better Business Bureau.

Merchants Insurance Group Pros and Cons

Pros: Cons:
Offers a wide variety of coverage options for individuals and businesses
Not a BBB accredited business
Long history in the insurance industry
Coverage not available nationwide
“A-” (excellent) rating from AM Best
Claims process not detailed on public website
“A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Large network of independent insurance agents
Good customer feedback
Strong financial stability
Online claims reporting and mobile app available

Merchants Insurance Group Products

Merchants Insurance Group offers a variety of insurance products for individuals and businesses. The company's product offerings include: 

Business insurance (available in the entire eight-state service area)

  • Commercial auto insurance
  • Commercial umbrella insurance
  • General liability insurance
  • Commercial property insurance
  • Cyber liability insurance
  • Employment practices liability insurance
  • Professional liability insurance
  • Employee benefits liability insurance
  • Inland marine insurance

Personal insurance (available only in New York)

  • Homeowners Insurance
  • Auto Insurance

This list of insurance products Merchants Insurance Group offers is not exhaustive. Your independent insurance agent can help you explore even more coverage options.

Merchants Insurance Group Industries

Merchants Insurance Group specializes in business insurance for the following industries:

  • Auto repair shops
  • Beauty salons and barbers
  • Building owners
  • Contractors

An independent insurance agent can help you determine if Merchants Insurance Group has the right business insurance package for your type of work. 

What Discounts Does Merchants Insurance Group Offer?

Merchants Insurance Group offers a handful of competitive discounts for its auto and home insurance customers in New York, including the following:

Auto insurance discounts

  • Company car discount
  • Safety equipment discount
  • Anti-theft device discount
  • Good student discount
  • Driver training education discount
  • Defensive driver course
  • Paid in full discount
  • Multiple policy discount

Home insurance discounts

  • Protective device discount
  • Renovation discount
  • Multiple policy discount

Your independent insurance agent can help you find even more information about discounts offered by Merchants Insurance Group and other ways to save.

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Merchants Insurance Group Customer Service

Merchants Insurance Group allows customers to report claims online at any time. The carrier also provides the following customer service options:

  • Online claims reporting
  • Phone claims reporting
  • Email contact option
  • Mobile app available
  • Claims reporting by phone hour restrictions are not noted

The best way to ensure a smooth customer service experience is to work with an independent insurance agent. Independent insurance agents can help handle claims and other concerns for you.

Merchants Insurance Group FAQs

Merchants Insurance Group allows customers to file claims at any time through its website or mobile app, but does not list a specific claims response time frame promise on its public website.

Merchants Insurance Group allows customers to file claims at any time online, through email, or via the mobile app. Hours are not noted for customer service or claims reporting by phone. Customers can also pay their bills through the website or mobile app. 

The carrier also has a social media presence on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn, which makes it more accessible to customers.

Merchants Insurance Group allows its customers to file claims at any time through multiple channels. However, they do not provide information about their specific claims process. To check the status of a claim after filing or to ask questions about the claims process, customers can contact their independent insurance agent, call the carrier, or log into their online account.

Overall, Merchants Insurance Group provides a user-friendly experience for its customers. 

Merchants Insurance Group’s public website is intuitive and easy to navigate. Important information can easily be located by customers; however, the carrier does not provide details about its claims process or claims response time frame. Not providing this information could be a deterrent for some prospective customers. 

The insurance company does provide many modern services for its customers online, such as bill pay, finding an agent, filing claims, and more.

Merchants Insurance Group offers comprehensive business insurance packages for many types of businesses. Their service/retail/wholesale business insurance package provides the following coverages:

  • Building and business personal property coverage
  • Equipment breakdown coverage
  • Business income and extra expense coverage
  • Identity recovery coverage
  • Business liability coverage
  • Money and securities coverage
  • Money orders and counterfeit money coverage
  • Computer coverage
  • Outdoor signs coverage
  • Valuable papers and records coverage
  • Employee dishonesty coverage
  • Employment practices liability coverage
  • Cyber liability coverage (add-on)

An independent insurance agent can help you find out more about Merchants Insurance Group’s business insurance policies.

Yes, Merchants Insurance Group is a good insurance company.

Merchants Insurance Group has many years of experience in the industry and high ratings from AM Best and the BBB. The carrier offers a wide variety of business and personal insurance solutions. Many customers seem satisfied with their coverage, as well. 

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https://www.merchantsgroup.com

https://www.bbb.org/us/ny/buffalo/profile/insurance-companies/merchants-insurance-group-0041-5508/addressId/45692