Affordable Mercedes-Benz C350 Insurance in Seattle

Nobody likes buying insurance, especially when they are aware that the prices are way too high.

Shocking but true, over 70% of Washington drivers renewed their policy with the same company for a minimum of four years, and about 40% of consumers have never even compared quotes to find cheaper rates. Many drivers in the U.S. could save as much as $850 each year by just shopping around, but they underestimate how much they could save if they switched. You have so many car insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and although it’s nice to have a selection, lots of choices makes it harder to find the best rates for Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance in Seattle.

Cheap companies for Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance

The providers in the list below can provide price quotes in Washington. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you visit several of them to get the best price comparison.

Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in specific Seattle garaging location which can revise coverage prices substantially.

Higher deductibles save money

The chart below demonstrates how deductible levels and can change Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The information is based on a married female driver, full coverage, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Does full coverage make sense?

The chart below illustrates the difference between Mercedes-Benz C350 auto insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The rate quotes are based on no claims or driving violations, $250 deductibles, single male driver, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Should you be buying full coverage?

There is no definitive guideline for excluding full coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than about 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Mercedes-Benz C350 settlement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would get paid by your company is $5,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $500 annually for physical damage coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are some conditions where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should keep full coverage.

Car insurance discounts are available to cut your rates

Some insurance providers don’t list every available discount very clearly, so the below list has both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts you could be receiving when you buy Seattle car insurance online.

• Save with a New Car – Insuring a new C350 can save you some money because new model year vehicles are generally safer.
• Multi-line Discount – Some companies give a lower rate if you buy a life policy as well.
• Save with More Vehicles Insured – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Paperwork-free – Certain larger companies provide a small discount for completing your application digitally online.
• Memberships – Participating in a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on your bill.

Discounts lower rates, but most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.

Popular car insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer can be found below.

• GEICO includes discounts for federal employee, good student, multi-policy, five-year accident-free, anti-theft, and emergency military deployment.
• MetLife may include discounts for defensive driver, good student, claim-free, multi-policy, accident-free, good driver
• State Farm has discounts for anti-theft, good driver, accident-free, multiple policy, and good student.
• Progressive has savings for homeowner, multi-vehicle, online signing, good student, online quote discount, and multi-policy.
• Mercury Insurance may offer discounts for annual mileage, multi-car, multi-policy, type of vehicle, location of vehicle, and ease of repair.
• 21st Century discounts include early bird, defensive driver, automatic seat belts, 55 and older, and good student.
• Allstate offers discounts including defensive driver, auto/life discount, anti-theft, teenSMART discount, FullPay discount, and new car.

It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policies in your area.

The Mercedes-Benz C350 Insurance Premium Equation

Consumers need to have an understanding of a few of the rating criteria that aid in calculating your premiums. When you understand what determines premiums, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you lower premium levels. Lots of things are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. Some factors are common sense like your driving record, but some are less apparent such as your credit history or how safe your car is.

• Incidental coverages may not be needed – Insurance policies have a lot of extra coverages that can add up on your C350 policy. Coverages like rental car reimbursement, towing, and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. You may think they are a good idea when buying your policy, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
• Lower prices with alarm systems – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help stop car theft and help bring rates down.
• Where do you drive? – The more miles you rack up on your Mercedes-Benz each year the more it will cost to insure it. A lot of insurance companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. An incorrectly rated C350 is just wasting money. Double check that your declarations sheet correctly shows the right rating data.
• Having a spouse equates to better premiums – Getting married can actually save you money on your car insurance policy. Having a significant other generally demonstrates drivers are more mature and responsible and statistics prove married couples file fewer claims.
• Rural areas have lower rates – Having an address in a small town can save you money when trying to find low car insurance rates. Fewer drivers and short commutes means fewer accidents in addition to lower liability claims Urban drivers regularly have more road rage incidents and longer commutes to work. The longer drive time means more chances of being involved in an auto accident.

Comparing quotes from local Seattle insurance agencies

Many people still like to sit down with an agent and that can be a smart move Professional insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and will help you if you have claims. A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is you can get cheap rate quotes but also keep your business local. Buying from local agents is especially important in Seattle.

To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in Seattle that can give you free Seattle car insurance quotes to get your business. You won’t need to search for any insurance agencies as quotes are delivered to you. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a specific company, you can always go to their quote page and submit a quote form there.

Pick the best auto insurance agent in Seattle for you

When narrowing the list to find local Seattle agents, you should know the different agency structures and how they function. Auto insurance agents can either be exclusive or independent. Either type can write auto insurance policies, but it’s important to know why they differ since it could factor into the kind of agent you use.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Agents that choose to be independent often have many company appointments so as a result can place your coverage with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent.

If you are comparing rate quotes, it’s recommended you contact a few independent agents to maximize your price options.

Below is a short list of independent agencies in Seattle that can possibly get you free auto insurance rate quotes.

More Seattle agents

Exclusive Agents

These agents write business for a single company like State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive insurance agents are trained well on sales techniques and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.

Below are Seattle exclusive agents that can give you price quote information.

More Seattle agents

Finding the right car insurance agent requires more thought than just a low price. You should also get answers to these questions.

• If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• Is there a 24/7 contact number?
• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage in Seattle?
• Can you contact them at any time?
• How long has their agency been open in Seattle?
• If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?

Once you have received good responses to any questions you may have as well as offering an affordable quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that can be trusted to properly insure your vehicles.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Washington consumers can’t get away from ads for auto insurance savings from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. All the companies advertise the message that drivers can save some big amount if you get a free Seattle car insurance quote and switch your auto insurance policy to them.

How can each company charge you a lower premium? It’s all in the numbers.

Most companies have underwriting criteria for the type of insured that makes them money. One example of this type of insured might be described as over the age of 45, has no prior claims, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good Seattle prices and will probably save a lot on Seattle Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance if they switch.

People who fall short of these stringent criteria may be required to pay a more expensive rate and ends up with the customer not buying. The wording the ads use say “people who switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That is how companies can lure you into getting a quote.

That is why drivers must compare quotes as often as possible. Because without a comparison, you cannot know which auto insurance company will have better rates than you’re paying now.

More comparisons equals affordable rates

We’ve covered some good ideas how to shop for Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest rates come from a small mutual company. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower auto insurance rates as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive and GEICO.

As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone dropped liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost.

Discount Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance in Seattle can be purchased online as well as from independent agents in Seattle, so get free Seattle car insurance quotes from both of them so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies do not provide rate quotes online and these regional carriers only sell through independent agencies.

Additional detailed information can be found by following these links:

• Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has the Cheapest Seattle Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with a DUI? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Seattle Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Requiring a SR22? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers Under 21 in Seattle? (FAQ)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Under 25 in Seattle? (FAQ)
• Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)
• Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)
• Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
• Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)