1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Insurance Cost – 6 Ways to Save

If shopping for insurance quotes online is new to you, by this point your are probably baffled by the vast assortment of local and online companies all advertising big savings.

Consumers should take time to do price comparisons yearly because auto insurance prices change regularly. Just because you found the best rates on S-Class coverage a couple years back you will most likely find a better rate quote today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to find out one of the best ways to get good coverage at a lower rate.

How to shop car insurance online

Comparing car insurance rates can take hours if you don’t utilize the best way to get rate quotes. You can waste a few hours (or days) driving to local insurance agents in your area, or you can utilize online quoting to get pricing more quickly.

Many of the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace where prospective buyers submit their information once, and each company provides a quote based on that data. This saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions to each individual car insurance company. To compare rates now click here (opens in new window).

The only drawback to getting quotes like this is that consumers can’t choose which providers you want pricing from. So if you want to choose from a list of companies for rate comparison, we have a page of companies who write car insurance in your area. Click here to view list.

However you get your quotes, try to keep apples-to-apples information for every company. If the quotes have differing limits it’s impossible to make a fair rate comparison. Just slight variations in coverage limits may cause a big price difference. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that having more price comparisons provides better odds of finding better pricing.

Use discounts to get cheaper auto insurance rates

Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize all available discounts very clearly, so we break down some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you may qualify for. If you are not receiving all the discounts you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

• Good Grades Discount – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students until age 25.
• Mature Driver Discount – Seniors can get a slight reduction on a insurance quote on S-Class coverage.
• Driver’s Education for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to participate in a local driver’s education class if it’s offered in school.
• Active Service Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront as opposed to paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
• Auto/Life Discount – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a discounted auto insurance rate on car insurance if you buy a life policy as well.

We need to note that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will positively reduce the premium cost.

Popular auto insurance companies and the discounts they provide are included below.

• State Farm includes discounts for driver’s education, defensive driving training, safe vehicle, accident-free, Drive Safe & Save, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
• Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for business and professional, pay in full, distant student, switch companies, and bundle discounts.
• Progressive offers discounts including homeowner, multi-policy, continuous coverage, good student, online signing, multi-vehicle, and online quote discount.
• GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including air bags, military active duty, good student, federal employee, multi-vehicle, and anti-lock brakes.
• Auto-Owners Insurance has savings for anti-theft, good student, group or association, paperless, teen driver, safe vehicle, and student away at school.
• The Hartford has discounts for vehicle fuel type, defensive driver, good student, air bag, driver training, and bundle.
• Farm Bureau discounts include driver training, good student, youthful driver, 55 and retired, renewal discount, and safe driver.
• USAA offers discounts for safe driver, new vehicle, loyalty savings, military installation, annual mileage, vehicle storage, and family discount.

Before you buy a policy, ask every insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Savings might not be offered in your area. To find insurers with discount rates, click here to view.

Tailor your insurance coverage coverage to you

When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For example, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.

• Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
• Am I covered if I hit my neighbor’s mailbox?
• Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in my state?
• Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
• Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• Who is covered by my policy?
• Is motorclub coverage worth it?

If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form.

What car insurance coverages do you need?

Knowing the specifics of car insurance can help you determine the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like vandalism, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, theft, damage from a tornado or hurricane and a broken windshield. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as doctor visits, rehabilitation expenses, hospital visits and dental work. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This gives you protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.

Liability auto insurance – This can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people that is your fault. Liability coverage has three limits: 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, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.

Liability coverage pays for things such as pain and suffering, court costs and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.

Collision coverage – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your S-Class caused by collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision can pay for things like crashing into a ditch, hitting a parking meter, crashing into a building, driving through your garage door and rolling your car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.