Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you there are lots of people in the same boat.
Online insurance companies like State Farm, Geico and Farmers Insurance continually hit you with ads and it can be hard to ignore the promise of big savings and do the work needed to find the best deal.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to save some money using these methods. Finding the best rates is easy if you know what you’re doing. But vehicle owners do need to understand how companies market insurance on the web.
An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that play a part in calculating insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in better insurance rates.
Shopping for lower insurance rates can be a daunting task if you don’t utilize the most efficient way to do it. You can waste hours driving to agents in your area, or you could use online quotes to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
Many of the larger companies belong to an insurance system where prospective buyers send in one quote, and every company can provide price quotes based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do form submissions for each company you want a rate for.
To find out how much you can save on insurance click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to using this type of form is that you can’t choose the insurers to receive prices from. If you prefer to choose individual companies for rate comparison, we have a page of low cost insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
Which method you use is up to you, but compare apples-to-apples coverage limits for every quote you compare. If each company quotes mixed coverages it will be impossible to find the best deal for your Mercedes-Benz R-Class. Just a small difference in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparison shopping, quoting more gives you a better chance of getting the best offered rates.
Auto insurance companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all seem to have a common claim that you’ll save big if you switch your policy. But how can every company claim to save you money?
Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. Any driver who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.
Potential insureds who don’t measure up to the “perfect” profile must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can claim big savings.
This illustrates why it is so important to quote coverage with many companies. It’s not possible to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest Mercedes-Benz R-Class insurance rates.
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. A few discounts will automatically apply when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before they will apply.
A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like you could get a free car insurance policy, you’re out of luck. Any amount of discount will cut your overall premium however.
Companies who might offer these discounts may include but are not limited to:
Check with all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. Discounts may not apply in your state.
When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions might point out if you might need professional guidance.
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Knowing the specifics of your insurance policy can help you determine the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are typical coverages offered by insurance companies.
Liability
Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 100/300/100 which stand for a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as attorney fees, legal defense fees and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but you should buy as large an amount as possible.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Normally these limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Collision coverage protection
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your R-Class resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims like sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a building and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a bird, a broken windshield and vandalism. The maximum amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for bills like prosthetic devices, EMT expenses, dental work and surgery. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover you and your occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
You just learned many tips how you can compare 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with a small mutual company. These companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Progressive or Geico.
When you buy insurance online, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price.
Additional detailed information can be read in the articles below: