2012 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Insurance Rates – 7 Tips to Save

Expensive insurance can take a big chunk out of your bank account and make it hard to pay other bills. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to cut your insurance bill.

Since consumers have many companies to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to pick the lowest price company.

It’s a great practice to price shop coverage quite often since rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates on SL-Class insurance six months ago you may be paying too much now. So ignore everything you know about insurance because you’re going to learn the fastest way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

The quickest method we recommend to get policy rate comparisons takes advantage of the fact most larger insurance companies allow for online access to compare rate quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is provide a little information including whether you drive to work or school, your education level, if it has an anti-theft system, and coverage limits. Your details gets sent immediately to many highly-rated insurers and you receive quotes very quickly.

To find lower rates now, click here and find out if lower rates are available.

Do you qualify for a discount?

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. Some trigger automatically at the time of purchase, but a few must be asked about prior to getting the savings.

  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Save with a New Car – Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
  • Sign Early and Save – Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
  • Passive Restraints – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of more than 20%.
  • Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will cut your premiums.

A partial list of companies who might offer these money-saving discounts include:

Before buying, ask all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. Some discounts may not apply in every state.

What coverages do I need?

When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions might help in determining if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

  • Is my teenager covered with friends in the car?
  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
  • Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • Should I carry comprehensive and collision coverage?

If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Auto insurance 101

Understanding the coverages of your policy can help you determine the right coverages for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find the normal coverages available from auto insurance companies.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills such as ambulance fees, nursing services, EMT expenses, hospital visits and prosthetic devices. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible

Liability car insurance

This protects you from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers claims such as loss of income, pain and suffering, attorney fees and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.

Coverage for collisions

Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your SL-Class caused by collision 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 coverage protects against claims like scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door, rolling your car and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive coverage

This coverage pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as a broken windshield, damage from a tornado or hurricane, hail damage, rock chips in glass and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Mercedes-Benz SL-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 is very important. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.

Quote often and quote early

Budget-conscious 2012 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class insurance is definitely available both online and with local insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Helpful learning opportunities