Unbelievably, almost 70% of insureds kept their policy with the same company for more than four years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never compared rates to find cheap insurance. With the average premium in North Carolina being $976, drivers could save as much as $94 a year just by comparing rates, but most tend to underestimate how much they could save if they switched to a cheaper policy.
The best way we recommend to find affordable Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance is to compare quotes annually from different companies who can sell car insurance in Charlotte.
- Take a few minutes and learn about how car insurance works and the modifications you can make to drop your rates. Many things that cause rate increases such as traffic violations, accidents, and poor credit can be amended by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Compare price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple companies.
- Compare the quotes to the price on your current policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find a better price, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Tell your current agent or company of your intention to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit a completed application and payment to your new carrier. As soon as you have the new policy, store the certificate verifying proof of insurance above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
The most important part of this process is to try to compare identical deductibles and limits on each quote request and and to get price quotes from every company you can. This guarantees the most accurate price comparison and the best rate selection.
Most companies make it easy to get coverage prices online. Obtaining pricing for Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance in Charlotte is pretty easy as you simply enter your coverage information into a form. Once entered, the company’s rating system gets information on your driving record and credit history and gives you a price quote.
The ability to get online rates for Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance in Charlotte simplifies rate comparisons, and it’s also necessary to compare as many rates as possible in order to get a lower rate.
If you want to find out how much you’re overpaying now, visit the companies below or click here to submit a quote request to multiple companies at once. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you duplicate the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This makes sure you will get a rate comparison for exact coverage.
The providers in the list below have been selected to offer price comparisons in North Carolina. To get cheap auto insurance in Charlotte, it’s a good idea that you get rates from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Auto insurance statistics for a Mercedes-Benz C350
The table shown below showcases detailed analysis of prices for Mercedes-Benz C350 models. Understanding more about how auto insurance policy rates are figured is important for you to make smart choices when purchasing an insurance policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C350 W 4-Dr Sedan | $232 | $514 | $262 | $16 | $78 | $1,102 | $92 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Cost estimates assume married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in specific location which can impact coverage rates considerably.
Raise deductibles and save
When shopping for auto insurance, a common question is at what level do you set your deductibles. The following insurance rates lay out the difference in cost when you select higher and lower deductibles. The first price estimate table uses a $100 deductible and the second set of prices uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C350 W 4-Dr Sedan | $270 | $524 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $1,157 | $96 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C350 W 4-Dr Sedan | $150 | $276 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $764 | $64 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, and claim-free. Premium amounts do not factor in specific zip code location which can revise price quotes significantly.
Based on the figures above, using a $100 deductible will cost you roughly $32 more each month or $384 each year than buying the higher $1,000 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $900 more if you file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you normally average at a minimum 28 months between claims, you would probably come out ahead if you opt for a higher deductible. The numbers below show an example of how you can do this calculation yourself.
| Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $96 |
| Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $64 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $32 |
| Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $100): | $900 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $900 / $32 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 28 months |
One important caveat is that a higher deductible means you will have to pay more of your own money when you file a claim. That will require some available funds in the event you have to pay more for the deductible.
The chart below illustrates how your choice of deductibles and can change Mercedes-Benz C350 annual premium costs for each age group. The data assumes a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
Safe drivers pay cheaper rates
The information below illustrates how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders can drive up Mercedes-Benz C350 yearly insurance costs for different age groups. The costs are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
Male drivers versus female drivers
The information below illustrates the comparison of Mercedes-Benz C350 premium costs for male and female drivers. The rates are based on no claims or violations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.
Do you need full coverage?
The chart below illustrates the difference between Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance rates with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The premium estimates are based on no violations or accidents, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no other discounts are factored in.
When to switch to liability coverage only
There is no exact rule of when to phase out physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is about 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Mercedes-Benz C350 claim settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would receive is $4,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying more than $400 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some situations where buying only liability insurance is not advised. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to maintain full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.
Auto insurance does more than just protect your car
Despite the high insurance cost for a Mercedes-Benz C350 in Charlotte, paying for auto insurance serves several important purposes.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific level of liability in order to license the vehicle. In North Carolina these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your Mercedes-Benz C350 has a lienholder, almost every bank will stipulate that you carry insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Mercedes-Benz for a lot more money and force you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects both your Mercedes-Benz C350 and your personal assets. It also can pay for medical transport and hospital expenses that are the result of an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive coverages will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance more than cancel out the cost, especially with large liability claims. The average driver in North Carolina is wasting up to $855 a year so compare rates every year to ensure rates are inline.
Get cheaper rates by taking advantage of these five discounts
Some companies don’t necessarily list all available discounts very clearly, so the below list has some of the more common and the harder-to-find credits available to bring down your rates.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you could save up to 20% and get you cheaper C350 insurance.
- Paper-free Discount – Some of the larger companies provide a small discount for buying a policy and signing up on the web.
- First Accident Forgiveness – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some insurance companies allow you one accident before they charge you more for coverage if you are claim-free for a set time period.
- Telematics Data – Drivers who elect to allow their insurance company to track driving habits remotely like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot may get a rate reduction if they have good driving habits.
- Military Discounts – Having an actively deployed family member could trigger a small discount.
It’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, nobody gets a free ride.
The chart below visualizes the comparison of Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance prices with and without discounts applied. The information is based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, multi-car, marriage, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver discounts applied.
Popular insurance companies and the discounts they provide are included below.
- 21st Century may offer discounts for early bird, teen driver, defensive driver, anti-lock brakes, and automatic seat belts.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including defensive driving training, anti-theft, good driver, accident-free, and safe vehicle.
- AAA may have discounts that include anti-theft, pay-in-full, good student, multi-policy, multi-car, and AAA membership discount.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts for newly married, preferred payment discount, new graduate, exclusive group savings, and safety features.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for multi-policy, continuous coverage, good student, online signing, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and online quote discount.
When getting a coverage quote, ask all companies you are considering which credits you are entitled to. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be available in your state.
Can’t I compare rate quotes from local Charlotte insurance agencies?
A small number of people would prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that is a smart decision Professional agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help you file claims. One of the benefits of comparing insurance online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates and also buy local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your insurance data gets sent to participating agents in Charlotte that can provide free Charlotte auto insurance quotes for your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent directly to you. If you want to compare rates for a specific company, don’t hesitate to jump over to their website and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right provider needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions you should ask.
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
- Is the quote a firm price?
- If they are an independent agency in Charlotte, which companies do they recommend?
The different types of car insurance agents
When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of different types of agents and how they can write your policy. Insurance agents are either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Both types can sell insurance policies, but it is a good idea to know the subtle differences because it can impact your selection of an agent.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
These agents have only one company to place business with and examples are Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agencies are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them sell on service rather than price. Drivers often use the same agent primarily because of the prominence of the brand instead of buying on price only.
Shown below are Charlotte exclusive insurance agents that are able to give price quote information.
- Roger Craig – State Farm Insurance Agent
1427 Emerywood Dr – Charlotte, NC 28210 – (704) 553-2327 – View Map - Kyle Fadeley – State Farm Insurance Agent
13551 Steelecroft Pkwy #120 – Charlotte, NC 28278 – (704) 588-5585 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Michael Randolph
1001 W W.T. Harris Blvd m – Charlotte, NC 28213 – (704) 549-1710 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent are not restricted to one company and that gives them the ability to insure with multiple insurance companies and find you cheaper rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move your policy to a different company and you won’t have to switch agencies. If you are comparing insurance prices, you definitely need to include price quotes from a few independent agents for the best price selection. Many independent agencies also insure through companies you’ve never heard of who may have lower rates.
Below are independent agencies in Charlotte that are able to give rate quotes.
- RJR Insurance
7810 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy # 300 – Charlotte, NC 28277 – (704) 543-2700 – View Map - A1 Insurance
537 W Sugar Creek Rd # 104B – Charlotte, NC 28213 – (704) 598-4442 – View Map - O H Walker Insurance Agency Inc
2210 Crownpoint Executive Dr – Charlotte, NC 28227 – (704) 814-4343 – View Map
Coverages available on your policy
Understanding the coverages of your car insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Medical expense coverage
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses for things like nursing services, prosthetic devices, doctor visits, dental work and pain medications. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Mercedes-Benz C350.
Due to the fact that many North Carolina drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (North Carolina limits are 30/60/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.
Comprehensive protection
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like vandalism, rock chips in glass, hitting a bird and falling objects. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Auto liability
Liability coverage protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show limits of 30/60/25 that translate to a limit of $30,000 per injured person, a limit of $60,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for things like funeral expenses, structural damage, court costs and emergency aid. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but buy as much as you can afford. North Carolina state law requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/25 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not provide you with enough coverage.
Collision protection
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for claims like damaging your car on a curb, rolling your car, hitting a mailbox, scraping a guard rail and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible on your C350 in order to get cheaper collision rates.
More quotes mean more insurance savings
Insureds change insurance companies for many reasons like delays in responding to claim requests, policy cancellation, extreme rates for teen drivers or denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
You just learned a lot of tips how to reduce Mercedes-Benz C350 insurance rates online in Charlotte. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding the cheapest Mercedes-Benz C350 rate quotes. You may even discover the lowest priced insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier.
When buying insurance coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret that it was a big mistake. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price, but do not skimp to save money.
For more information, feel free to visit these articles:
- What is Full Coverage? (Allstate)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for High School Students in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Learners Permit in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Honda CR-V in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for 19 Year Olds in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Dodge Grand Caravan in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Tread Depth and Tire Safety (State Farm)
- What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)