General (Policy)	6 Months Ended
General (Policy)	Jun. 30, 2011
General
Consolidation And Basis Of Presentation	The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Mercury General Corporation and its subsidiaries (referred to herein collectively as the Company). For the list of the Company's subsidiaries, see Note 1 "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. The condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), which differ in some respects from those filed in reports to insurance regulatory authorities. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The financial data of the Company included herein has been prepared without audit. In the opinion of management, all material adjustments of a normal recurring nature have been made to present fairly the Company's financial position at June 30, 2011 and the results of operations, comprehensive income, and cash flows for the periods presented. Operating results and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011.
Use Of Estimates	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates require the Company to apply complex assumptions and judgments, and often the Company must make estimates about effects of matters that are inherently uncertain and will likely change in subsequent periods. The most significant assumptions in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements relate to reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses. Actual results could differ from those estimates (See Note 1 "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010).
Earnings Per Share	Potentially dilutive securities representing approximately 110,000 and 77,000 shares of common stock for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and 106,000 and 94,000 shares of common stock for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per common share for these periods because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.

Disclosure of accounting policy for computing basic and diluted earnings or loss per share for each class of common stock and participating security. Addresses all significant policy factors, including any antidilutive items that have been excluded from the computation and takes into account stock dividends, splits and reverse splits that occur after the balance sheet date of the latest reporting period but before the issuance of the financial statements.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

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