Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you’re not the only one. Companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO promote their brand names with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the propoganda and find the best price available.
If you have insurance now or need new coverage, you will benefit by learning to shop for the lowest rates while maximizing coverage. Buying car insurance is not that difficult. Vehicle owners just need to understand the proper methods to buy auto insurance over the internet.
Auto Insurance Comparison Rates
All major auto insurance companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive allow you to get coverage prices directly from their websites. The process is fairly straightforward as you just enter your coverage information as detailed in the form. Once entered, the system obtains your credit score and driving record and provides a quote determined by many factors. This makes comparing rates easy, but the time it takes to visit a lot of sites and fill out multiple forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it’s very important to compare as many rates as possible if you are searching for a better rate.
The preferred way to find lower prices utilizes a single form that obtains quotes from several companies at one time. This type of form saves time, eliminates form submissions, and makes online shopping a lot less work. As soon as you send your information, it is quoted with multiple companies and you can pick any one of the quotes returned. If the quotes result in lower rates, you simply finish the application and buy the policy. It can be completed in a matter of minutes and can result in significant savings.
To save time and compare rates using this form now, click here and submit the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter exactly as they are listed on your policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will receive comparison quotes based on similar coverages.
Take these 5 discounts and save
Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched some of the more common and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Drivers Education – Have your child complete a driver education course in high school.
- Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts when compared to bad drivers.
- Bundle and Save – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a house may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
- Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To choose insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates, click here.
Buying auto insurance from a local agent
Some people prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. Agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain the best rates but also keep your business local.
After completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information is sent to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no need to drive around as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier!
Deciding on a company should depend on more than just the premium amount. These questions are important to ask:
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
Insurance agents come in two varieties
When researching a good insurance agency, there are a couple of different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both types can insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the differences because it can impact the type of agent you choose
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents write business for a single company and some examples include State Farm or Allstate. They are unable to shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. They are trained well in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Independent Agents
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part.
When shopping rates, it’s recommended you contact at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.
For a complete listing of agencies, click here.
Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to these questions and an acceptable price quote, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to properly service your auto insurance policy.
But I don’t know anything about car insurance
When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every insured’s situation is different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions can aid in determining whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.
- What are no-fault laws?
- Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in my state?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.
Auto insurance 101
Understanding the coverages of auto insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are the normal coverages available from auto insurance companies.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your SLK230 resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims such as damaging your car on a curb, colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a building, rolling your car and hitting a parking meter. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive auto coverage – This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like damage from getting keyed, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, fire damage and damage from flooding. The maximum payout a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This provides protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Mercedes-Benz SLK230.
Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for expenses for funeral costs, pain medications, surgery and dental work. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Auto liability insurance – Liability insurance provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property by causing an accident. It protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 25/50/25 that translate to $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability coverage pays for things such as loss of income, medical expenses and legal defense fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
Budget-conscious Mercedes-Benz SLK230 insurance is possible from both online companies and also from your neighborhood agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
You just read many ways to save on Mercedes-Benz SLK230 insurance. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the best price on auto insurance is with a small local company. These companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or GEICO.
