If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to get budget Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance in Irvine is to compare prices at least once a year from companies that sell auto insurance in California. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Try to learn about the different coverages in a policy and the measures you can take to prevent high rates. Many things that are responsible for high rates such as traffic citations, accidents, and an imperfect credit history can be controlled by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. Continue reading for tips to prevent high rates and get additional discounts.
- Step 2: Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can quote prices from multiple companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Step 4: Provide notification to your current company of your intention to cancel your current policy and submit payment and a completed application for your new policy. As soon as coverage is bound, keep the new certificate verifying proof of insurance somewhere easily accessible.
A key point to remember is to try to compare the same amount of coverage on each quote and to quote with as many different companies as possible. This provides the most accurate price comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
It’s hard to fathom, but 70% of consumers have been with the same company for at least four years, and 38% of drivers have never even compared rates from other companies. Many consumers in Irvine can save hundreds of dollars each year by just comparing rate quotes, but most tend to underestimate the amount of money they would save if they moved their coverage to a different company.
Just remember that getting more free quotes helps improve the odds of finding the best offered rates.
The car insurance companies shown below provide comparison quotes in Irvine, CA. To find the cheapest auto insurance in CA, we recommend you click on several of them to get the best price comparison.
Here’s why auto insurance is not optional
Despite the potentially high cost of Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance, paying for auto insurance may not be optional for several reasons.
First, most states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if you took out a loan on your Mercedes-Benz C350, almost all lenders will require that you have insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may buy a policy for your Mercedes-Benz for a much higher rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
Third, insurance safeguards not only your car but also your financial assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you cause an accident and are sued. If your Mercedes-Benz gets damaged, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying auto insurance outweigh the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is overpaying over $700 annually so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Detailed insurance information
The price information shown next covers estimates of insurance costs for Mercedes-Benz C350 models. Learning more about how prices are figured can assist in making informed purchases.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C350 W 4-Dr Sedan | $268 | $522 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,354 | $113 |
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Cost estimates assume married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in specific location information which can revise rates significantly.
An analysis of deductible level
One frequently asked question is what deductibles to buy. The figures shown below sum up the premium difference when you select higher and lower comp and collision deductibles. The first table uses a $100 physical damage coverage deductible and the second rate chart uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C350 W 4-Dr Sedan | $478 | $932 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $2,035 | $170 |
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Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C350 W 4-Dr Sedan | $348 | $630 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,578 | $132 |
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Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Rate information does not factor in Irvine location which can change coverage prices noticeably.
We can derive from the above data that using a $100 deductible will cost you about $38 more each month or $456 annually across all Mercedes-Benz C350 models than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $400 more out-of-pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average at least 11 months between claims, you would save more money if you choose the higher deductible.
Difference between full coverage and liability only rates
The diagram below visualizes the comparison of Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance prices with and without full coverage. The premiums assume no claims or violations, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Should you buy full coverage or liability only?
There is no written rule to eliminate physical damage insurance, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than about 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Mercedes-Benz C350 claim settlement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would receive is $7,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying over $700 a year for your policy with full coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
There are some cases where buying only liability insurance is not a good plan. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
Score discounts on Irvine auto insurance
Auto insurance companies don’t list the entire discount list in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that may apply to you.
- Distant Student Discount – Youth drivers who attend college more than 100 miles from Irvine and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Paperwork-free – A few larger companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up on your computer.
- Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more compared to accident prone drivers.
- Auto/Home Discount – When you combine your auto and home insurance and place coverage with the same company you may save at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles on your Mercedes-Benz could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few insurance companies offer discounts for switching companies before your current C350 insurance policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
- Membership in Organizations – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization in Irvine can get you a small discount on your policy.
- Homeowners Savings – Just owning your own home may trigger a policy discount on auto insurance because it shows financial diligence.
- Good Student Discount – Maintaining excellent grades may save you up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount until age 25.
Just know that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Despite the fact that it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky.
The chart below shows the difference between Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The data assumes a female driver, no violations or accidents, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, claim-free, multi-car, marriage, multi-policy, and safe-driver discounts applied.
To see auto insurance companies who offer online Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance quotes in Irvine, click here to view.
Getting quotes from local Irvine insurance agents
Many people prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and that is a smart decision A nice benefit of comparing insurance online is that you can obtain lower car insurance rates and still buy from a local agent. Buying insurance from local agents is definitely important in Irvine.
Once you complete this short form, your coverage information is sent to local insurance agents who want to provide quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t even need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to you. It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you have a need to get a price quote for a specific company, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Picking the best insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the price. The following questions are important to ask.
- How long has the business existed?
- Who are their largest clients?
- If they are an independent agency in Irvine, which companies do they recommend?
- Has the agent ever had any license suspensions?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- How many companies do they write for?
Ratings for Irvine auto insurance companies
Picking the right auto insurance provider can be challenging considering how many companies there are in California. The ranking data in the lists below could help you decide which providers you want to consider to insure your vehicles.
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
One last note
You just read many ways to get a better price on Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance in Irvine. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of getting inexpensive Irvine auto insurance quotes. You may even find the best price on insurance is with a small mutual company. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate or State Farm.
When shopping online for insurance, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
More tips and info about insurance is located in these articles:
- Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Affordable Irvine Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Over Age 70? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for a 20 Year Old Female in Irvine? (FAQ)
- What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)
- Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)
- Safety Features for Your New Car (State Farm)