Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can dwindle your savings account, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is a great way to tighten up your finances. There are many insurers to buy insurance from, and although it’s a good thing to have a choice, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates and cut insurance costs.
Be sure to get all your discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known auto insurance savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
- No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared with frequent claim filers.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles can earn a substantially lower rate.
- Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
- Safe Driver Discount – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less for CLS500 coverage than less cautious drivers.
- Sign Online – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing digitally online.
- Own a Home – Simply owning a home can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
To choose insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts, click here.
How to Buy Auto Insurance Online
There are a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices and some are less time-consuming than others. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking about coverages with local insurance agents in your area, or you could save time and use the web to get prices fast.
Most major companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and at least one company returns a rated price. This eliminates the need for form submissions to each company.
To fill out one form to compare multiple rates now click to open in new window.
The only downside to using this type of form is you can’t choose which companies you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose individual companies to compare prices, we have a listing of low cost auto insurance companies in your area. Click to view list.
Whichever way you use, make darn sure you compare identical coverage information for every quote you compare. If you use mixed coverages it’s impossible to make an equal comparison.
Mercedes-Benz CLS500 rates are made up of many parts
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better auto insurance rates.
Shown below are some of the factors companies use to determine your rates.
- Never go without insurance – Driving with no insurance is against the law and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance expire. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.
- Traffic citations inflate rates – A bad driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates than bad drivers. Only having one moving violation can bump up the cost by twenty percent. If you have serious violations such as DUI or reckless driving may find they need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
- Where you reside plays a part – Being located in a small town can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. City drivers have much more traffic and longer commute times. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- Your credit rating is important – A driver’s credit score is a important factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit is lower than you’d like, you could potentially save money when insuring your Mercedes-Benz CLS500 by repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit.
How do I know if I need professional advice?
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions might point out whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in my state?
- Who is covered when they drive my Mercedes-Benz CLS500?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Should I buy only the required minimum liability coverage?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
What if I want to buy from a local agent?
Some people prefer to buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find better rates but still work with a licensed agent.
By using this simple form, the quote information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will compete to get your business. There is no need to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. Now that’s easy!
Picking an insurer needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- How long has their agency been open?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
Not all car insurance agents are the same
When looking for a good insurance agency, there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies are categorized either captive or independent. Either one can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning the differences since it can impact buying decisions.
Agency Captives
This type of agents can only place business with one company and some examples include State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. These agents are well schooled in insurance sales which can be an advantage.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you contact at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.
To view a full list of agents, click here.
Upon getting positive responses in addition to an acceptable price estimate, it’s possible that you found an insurance agency that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.
Quote more, save more
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of techniques to shop for Mercedes-Benz CLS500 insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the best price on auto insurance is with an unexpected company. They may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
