Compare 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Insurance Quotes

Searching for budget auto insurance on the web can appear to be somewhat intimidating for drivers not familiar with buying insurance on the internet. With such a big selection of agents and online companies, how can drivers even start to compare the different rates to find the cheapest available price?

If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. The purpose of this article is to help you learn how car insurance quotes work. Nevertheless, drivers do need to understand the methods companies use to compete online and use this information to your advantage.

Compare quotes for auto insurance

To find cheaper auto insurance quotes, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. The quickest method to comparison shop consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This is quite simple and can be completed in a couple minutes as outlined below.

  1. Experts agree that the best way to compare a lot of rates at once would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This style of form eliminates the need for a different quote for every company. A single form gets you coverage quotes instantly.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
  2. A slightly less efficient method to find more affordable insurance is spending the time to visit each company’s website to request a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want to compare rates from GEICO, Farmers and State Farm. You would need to navigate to each company’s site and enter your policy data, which can be really labor intensive.

    For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but make sure you are using equivalent coverage limits and deductibles with every price quote. If you use differing limits it’s not possible to get a fair rate comparison. Just slight variations in coverages may result in a large different in cost. Just remember that getting more free quotes increases your odds of finding more affordable insurance. Some companies don’t provide quotes online, so you need to compare price quotes from them as well.

Insurance coverage policy discounts you can’t miss

Car insurance companies don’t always list every policy discount very clearly, so the list below contains both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving when you buy auto insurance online.

  • Telematics Devices – Drivers that enable driving data submission to study when and where they use their vehicle by using a small device installed in their vehicle like Allstate’s Drivewise may see discounts if they have good driving habits.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower prices if you buy auto and life insurance together.
  • One Accident Forgiven – Not really a discount, but certain companies will allow you to have one accident without getting socked with a rate hike with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
  • Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for switching companies prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
  • Save with More Vehicles Insured – Purchasing coverage when you have several vehicles with one company can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
  • Good Student Discount – Performing well in school may save you up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.

Just know that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

Some of the insurance companies that possibly offer most of the discounts above are:

If you want the cheapest auto insurance quotes, ask each company or agent to apply every possible discount. All car insurance discounts may not be available in every state. If you would like to view insurers that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts, click this link.

How you can control Mercedes-Benz R-Class insurance costs

Many factors are used in the calculation when quoting car insurance. Most are fairly basic like an MVR report, but some are more transparent such as your marital status or how safe your car is.It’s important that you understand some of the factors that are used to determine the level of your policy premiums. If you know what influences your rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes just a few of the factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.

  • Don’t skimp on liability insurance – Your insurance policy’s liability coverage will provide protection if a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Your policy’s liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can cost a lot. This coverage is relatively inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • Your address can affect costs – Being located in smaller towns and rural areas of the country can be a good thing when trying to find low car insurance rates. Lower population translates into fewer accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates. People who live in big cities have more aggressive driving styles and more severe claims. More time behind the wheel statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.
  • Guys tend to take more risk – Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better at driving than males. Females and males cause fender benders at a similar rate, but guys get into accidents with more damage. Men also statistically receive more major tickets such as reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are most likely to cause an accident so they pay the highest premiums.
  • Do thieves like your car? – Choosing to buy a car with a theft deterrent system can save you some money. Advanced theft deterrents such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Do safer cars cost less to insure? – Safer cars tend to have lower insurance rates. Vehicles engineered for safety result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and cheaper rates on your policy. If your Mercedes-Benz R-Class scored better than an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website it may cost less to insure.
  • Incidental coverages may not be needed – Insurance companies have many additional extra coverages that may not really be needed if you aren’t careful. Insurance for roadside assistance, better glass coverage, and extra equipment coverage are probably not needed. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.

Insurance agents can help

When buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique.

For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • What is medical payments coverage?
  • Am I getting all the discounts available?
  • Is my 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class covered for flood damage?
  • Do I need replacement cost coverage?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in my state?
  • Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
  • Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
  • Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
  • What is the minimum liability in my state?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.

Well known brands might not be cheapest

Insurance providers like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the ads have a common claim that you’ll save big if you switch your policy. How can each company have lower policy pricing? It’s all in how they say it.

All companies can use profiling for the driver that will not have excessive claims. For instance, a desirable insured could possibly be over the age of 45, has had continuous coverage, and has a high credit rating. Any driver that matches those criteria will get a cheap rate quote and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile will get a higher premium and this can result in the customer not purchasing. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “customers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings. Each company has different criteria, so you need to compare as many free auto insurance quotes as you can. It is impossible to predict which insurance company will be your best fit.

Car insurance coverage breakdown

Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Collision coverage – This coverage covers damage to your R-Class caused by collision with an object or car. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things such as rolling your car, sideswiping another vehicle and hitting a mailbox. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Mercedes-Benz R-Class.

Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Comprehensive auto coverage – This covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things like hitting a bird, rock chips in glass, falling objects, fire damage and damage from getting keyed. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Medical payments and PIP coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for expenses for chiropractic care, ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses and surgery. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Coverage for liability – Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to a person or their property that is your fault. It protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of 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 policy limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.

Liability insurance covers things like bail bonds, court costs, loss of income, structural damage and attorney fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.

More quotes mean more savings

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of ways to lower your 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class insurance car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies.

A few companies do not offer rate quotes online and many times these smaller providers work with independent insurance agencies. More affordable insurance coverage can be found both online in addition to local insurance agencies, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture.

Drivers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, delays in responding to claim requests, high prices and policy cancellation. No matter why you want to switch, switching insurance coverage companies is easier than you think.

Additional insurance coverage information is located at the links below