Feel like you’re a prisoner to an overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us, you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. You have so many car insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare rates.
Pricing the lowest cost coverage is quite easy. If you have a current car insurance policy or are looking for a new policy, you can learn to shop for the lowest rates and still get good coverage. Drivers only need an understanding of the proper methods to shop over the internet.
Are you getting all your discounts?
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but companies offer discounts to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before you get the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- One Accident Forgiven – A few companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
- Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Senior Discount – Older drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10% for ML320 CDI coverage.
- Paperless Signup – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing digitally online.
- Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.
A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.
To see a list of insurers with the best car insurance discounts, click here.
How to Get Car Insurance
Finding a lower price on insurance is actually quite simple. Just spend a little time to compare rate quotes online with multiple companies. This can be done using a couple different methods.
- The most efficient way to get the best comparison quotes is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This type of form eliminates the need for separate forms for every car insurance company. Just one form gets rate comparisons .
- Another way to obtain and compare quotes online requires a trip to the website for each individual company and request a quote. For example, let’s assume you want rates from Progressive, 21st Century and American Family. To get each rate you have to go to every website to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.
- The hardest way to compare rates to insurance agents’ offices. The internet makes this process obsolete unless you want the personal advice that only a license agent can provide. It is possible to comparison shop online and get advice from an agent in your area.
Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare the exact same coverage information with every price quote. If you enter different limits and deductibles on each one you will not be able to truly determine the lowest rate.
Factors determining your Mercedes-Benz ML320 CDI insurance premium
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get big savings.
- High deductibles save money – Your deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and rolling your vehicle. The more expense you have to pay, the less your car insurance will be for ML320 CDI coverage.
- Add-on coverages can add up – There are many add-on coverages that you can buy on your ML320 CDI policy. Things like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
- Cautious drivers pay less – Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Only having one speeding ticket can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than bad drivers. Drivers with serious tickets such as DUI or reckless driving are required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
- The type of vehicle makes a difference – The make and model of the car you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in the rate you pay. The most favorable rates are for small economy passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors. Because the Mercedes-Benz ML320 CDI is a luxury SUV, rates will be substantially more in price than the average rate where you live.
- You might want pay the small claims yourself – Car insurance companies provide lower rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- With age comes lower rates – Mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers are known to be more careless in a vehicle therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
- Protect yourself with liability coverage – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage if a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. It will provide for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Proper usage rating affects rates – The more you drive each year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Autos left parked in the garage receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Improper usage on your ML320 CDI may be costing you. Make sure your car insurance policy properly reflects the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Do I need a local agent?
Some consumers would rather sit down with an agent. Agents can point out coverage gaps and give you peace of mind. The best thing about comparing rates online is you may find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local businesses is important especially if you live in a smaller city or town.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will battle to get your business. You won’t need to drive around since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!
Pick the best auto insurance agent for you
When researching a reliable agent, there are a couple of different types of agents from which to choose. Agencies are classified as either captive or independent. Both insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the difference between them since it may influence the type of agent you choose
Independent Agencies or Brokers
These agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part.
When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to contact at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents can only place business with one company like State Farm or Allstate. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agencies receive extensive training in insurance sales which can be an advantage.
For a full directory of agents, visit this site.
Deciding on an auto insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- How are claims handled?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in your state?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
Upon getting answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and locked in a price quote, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that can properly service your car insurance policy.
Buy online or local, you save
You just learned a lot of techniques to shop for Mercedes-Benz ML320 CDI insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with some of the lesser-known companies. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
When buying insurance coverage, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many cases where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
