Expensive car insurance can overdraw your bank account and put a big crunch on your finances. Comparing price quotes is a smart way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket. Since consumers have many online and local companies to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to locate the most affordable insurer.
Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of companies offering insurance coverage discounts, click here.
When it comes to buying the best insurance coverage coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions can help discover whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of insurance coverage companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.
Knowing the specifics of your policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Liability insurance – This coverage can cover damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people in an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see values of 50/100/50 that translate to a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability can pay for claims like attorney fees, medical expenses and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but buy as large an amount as possible.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for bills such as doctor visits, ambulance fees, funeral costs and pain medications. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Comprehensive insurance – This will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims like falling objects, damage from flooding, vandalism and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Mercedes-Benz M-Class.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked.
Collision coverages – This will pay to fix damage to your M-Class from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things like damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a ditch and crashing into a building. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. You can also raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
In this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to get a better price on 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class insurance. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with a small local company. These companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
More information is available at these links: