Uncover Lower Insurance Rates on a Mercedes-Benz SLK350

Trying to find low-cost insurance for a new or used Mercedes-Benz SLK350 can normally be difficult, but you can learn the following methods to make it easier.

There are both good and bad ways to shop for car insurance and you need to know the best way to compare rates on a Mercedes-Benz and locate the best price possible either online or from local insurance agents.

Compare the Market for Car Insurance

Most major insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO quote pricing online. Getting online rates is quite simple as you just type in the coverage amounts you desire into a form. After the form is submitted, the system makes automated requests for reports for credit and driving violations and gives you a price quote based on these and other factors.

Online quotes simplifies rate comparisons, but the process of having to visit a lot of sites and type in the same information is monotonous and tiresome. But it’s absolutely necessary to compare as many rates as possible if you are searching for better prices.

There is a better way to compare rates

A more efficient way to lower your rates makes use of a single form to obtain quotes from multiple companies. This type of form saves time, requires much less work on your part, and makes quoting online much easier to do. As soon as you send your information, it is rated and you can select any of the price quotes you receive.

If you find a better price you can click and sign and purchase coverage. It takes less than 15 minutes and you’ll know if lower rates are available.

To save time and compare rates now, click here and fill out the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you type in the insurance coverages just like they are on your policy. Doing this guarantees you’re receiving rate comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but a few need to be specially asked for before they will apply. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

• Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
• Multiple Policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
• Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off on SLK350 coverage with a few car insurance companies.
• Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Accident Waiver – Some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will reduce your overall premium however.

Elements that influence Mercedes-Benz SLK350 rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that help determine your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

• Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates. If your Mercedes-Benz SLK350 is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you are probably receiving a discount.
• No coverage gaps is important – Letting your insurance expire is a fast way to pay more for car insurance. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a steep fine or even jail time.You may have to file a SR-22 with your state motor vehicle department.
• More claims means more premium – If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies give cheaper rates to policyholders who are claim-free. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.
• Do you have a high stress job? – Occupations such as real estate brokers, social workers and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates in part from high stress and long work days. On the other hand, jobs such as pilots, students and the unemployed have the lowest average rates on SLK350 coverage.
• Liability coverage is cheap – Liability insurance will protect you if a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
• Higher deductibles cost less – Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend before your car insurance pays a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, insures against damage to your car. Examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, or theft. The more expense you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive on SLK350 coverage.
• Do you know you’re credit rating? – Having a bad credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than drivers who have lower credit ratings. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your Mercedes-Benz SLK350 by improving your rating.

Shop online but buy locally

A small number of people would rather visit with an insurance agent and that is just fine! Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local businesses is important especially in smaller rural communities.

Once you complete this simple form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to insurance agents who will compete for your business. You don’t have to drive around as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy!

The type of insurance agency you choose is important

When searching for local agents, there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies are categorized either captive or independent. Both do a good job, but it’s worth learning the difference between them because it can impact the type of agent you choose

Independent Agents

Independent agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency.

When shopping rates, it’s recommended you include at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection. Most have the option of insuring with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies work for only one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agents receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage. Some consumers prefer to purchase coverage from captives mainly due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

To view a complete directory of insurance agents, visit this site.

Selecting a car insurance agent should depend on more than just a cheap price. Here are some questions to ask:

• Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.

Upon getting reasonable responses to any questions you have in addition to an acceptable price estimate, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.

Car insurance myths debunked

Consumers can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings from companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. They all make an identical promise about savings if you move your policy.

How do they all make almost identical claims?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk could be between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and drives newer vehicles. A driver who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who don’t qualify for the requirements will have to pay higher prices and ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

More effort can pay off

Affordable Mercedes-Benz SLK350 insurance can be bought both online and also from your neighborhood agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies may not provide online quoting and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

People switch companies for a number of reasons such as high rates after DUI convictions, delays in paying claims, policy cancellation and poor customer service. Whatever your reason, finding the right car insurance provider is not as hard as you think.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed full coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.