Cheap 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class Car Insurance Rates

Tired of wondering where the money will come from to buy car insurance? You have the same problem as most other consumers.

Insurance companies such as State Farm, Farmers Insurance, Geico and Allstate all claim big savings with TV and radio ads and it is difficult to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

How to compare free auto insurance rate quotes

When shopping for cheaper auto insurance quotes, there are a couple of ways of comparing rate quotes from all the different companies. The easiest way by far to find the lowest 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This is quite simple and can be completed in several different ways.

1. The fastest and easiest way to find the lowest comparison rates is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This easy form prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for each company. One form submission gets you coverage quotes instantly.
2. A different way to compare prices requires you to visit each company’s website to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want to see prices from USAA, Liberty Mutual and American Family. In order to compare rates, you need to spend time going to each site individually and enter your policy data, which can be really labor intensive. For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.

Whichever way you use, do your best to enter nearly identical coverages for each price quote. If you have different deductibles you will not be able to decipher which rate is best. Just slight variations in coverages can make a big difference in price. And when price shopping your coverage, more quotes increases your odds of finding the best rates. Not every company allows you to get online price quotes, so you should also compare quotes from them as well.

Discounts for cheaper insurance coverage rates

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there could be significant discounts that can dramatically reduce your bill. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but some need to be inquired about before you get the savings. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you may be paying too high a price.

• Save over 55 – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens may be able to get a slight reduction on a auto insurance quote for CLK-Class coverage.
• Homeowners Pay Less – Owning your own home or condo may earn you a small savings because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
• Waiver for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like Geico and Liberty Mutual will forgive one accident without the usual rate increase as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
• Good Driver Discounts – Drivers who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates for CLK-Class coverage than their less cautious counterparts.
• Savings for New Vehicles – Insuring a new car can get you a discount since new vehicles are generally safer.
• Good Student – Excelling in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up to age 25.
• Bundle and Save – If you combine your homeowners and auto policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
• Telematics Data Discounts – Drivers that enable data collection to spy on their driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Progressive’s Snapshot could save a few bucks as long as they are good drivers.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down on your Mercedes-Benz could qualify for better premium rates on cars that stay parked.
• Seat Belt Discounts – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.

A quick disclaimer, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance coverage companies aren’t that generous.

If you would like to view insurance coverage companies with discount rates, click here to view.

You may need specialized auto insurance coverage

When buying coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if your situation might need professional guidance.

• Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
• Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
• Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
• Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver?
• Is my ex-spouse still covered by my policy?
• Where can I find high-risk insurance?
• Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Seven things that influence your insurance costs

When buying insurance it’s important to understand some of the elements that help determine the level of your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get cheaper rates. Many factors are used when you quote your car insurance policy. Some factors are common sense like an MVR report, but others are not quite as obvious such as whether you are married or your commute time.

• Lower prices with GPS tracking and theft deterrents – Owning a car with advanced anti-theft systems can save you some money. Systems that thwart theives such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
• High credit scores equal low costs – Having a bad credit history factor in calculating your premium rate. Drivers who have excellent credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with bad credit. Therefore, if your credit score is low, you may save money insuring your 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class by spending a little time repairing your credit.
• Only buy what you need – Policies have additional extra coverages you can purchase if you don’t pay attention. Things like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness, and term life insurance are examples of these. They may seem good when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• Discounts for auto and home policies – Many insurers allow discounts to clients who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to shop around to help ensure you have the lowest rates. You may still save money by buying insurance from a different company.
• Get better rates if married – Getting married can get you a discount on your insurance policy. Having a spouse translates into being more responsible and insurance companies like that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
• Does your job raise your insurance rates? – Do you work in a high-stress field? Careers such as doctorspolice officers and dentists have higher average rates attributed to high stress and long work hours. On the flip side, occupations such as professors, engineers and retirees get better rates for CLK-Class coverage.
• Traffic violations can increase costs – Whether or not you get tickets can have a huge impact on auto insurance premiums. Having a single speeding ticket or other violation may increase your cost by as much as twenty percent. Good drivers get better prices as compared to careless drivers. Drivers with dangerous violations such as DUI or willful reckless driving might be required by their state to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.

Brand name doesn’t guarantee savings

Well-known auto insurance companies like State Farm, Geico and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all state the claim that drivers can save some big amount just by moving your auto insurance coverage to their company. How does every company make almost identical claims? This is the trick they use.

Insurance companies give the best rates for the type of driver that will generate a profit. For example, a profitable insured could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 45, carries high limits, and drives a car with an anti-theft system. Anybody who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and have a good chance to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Consumers who don’t meet this stringent profile will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the customer buying from someone else. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can truthfully state the savings.

This emphasizes why you need to do a price quote comparison at every renewal. It’s not possible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Coverages available on your insurance policy

Knowing the specifics of a insurance policy can be of help when determining the best coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverage types offered by insurance companies.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class.

Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Coverage for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for immediate expenses for doctor visits, X-ray expenses, surgery, ambulance fees and prosthetic devices. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Comprehensive coverages

This pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like rock chips in glass, hail damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, vandalism and damage from getting keyed. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Auto collision coverage

This pays for damage to your CLK-Class resulting from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision can pay for things like rolling your car, hitting a parking meter and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Liability coverages

Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show values of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as pain and suffering, funeral expenses and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but consider buying higher limits if possible.

Pennies from heaven

Affordable 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class insurance can be found online as well as from independent agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller providers provide coverage only through independent agents.

When shopping online for insurance coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

We just covered many ways to save on 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best car insurance rates are with the smaller companies. These companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.

Other learning opportunities

• Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)
• What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Safety Belts FAQ (iihs.org)
• Child Safety FAQ (iihs.org)