Hi CT
I was an Insider member for many years and here are my thoughts:
- you have access to special editions (rare locos, etc) and you must order either by visiting your local Märklin dealer or by ordering directly to Märklin (more complicated in case of troubles).
- the Märklin Magazin is available in multiple languages, BUT be aware that if you switch to German (you may at no additional cost) then the magazin is twice thick. It also helps me remaining fluent in German.
- closing dates are often postponed by one months. So check again
- the club member products have a 5 years warranty
- even if I live next to Germany (Paris to be exact), I was a bit frustrated to receive my "Märklin letters" with quite a delay and sometimes, not at all (I had to request another sending).
- often you have inside information about new products (even non-Märklin ones).
- being an Insider was fun but I leter stopped because of the large amount of paper I have collected over more than 20 years of membership.

Cheers
Jean

Hi

It should be enough to just send an email to your authorised dealer with the order and your membership details. At least, that's what I do.
And yes, you need to order the insider wagon and the catalog, even if it's included.

You can also log on to your insider account and see what's available for order and your order history.
The indider magazines are also published as pdf, on the first day of every second month. so you can read the pdf before you receive the paper version in the post.
(Note: The Marklin magazine are not available as pdf on the club pages)
And the insider videos are only available online on the club pages.

I too was an Insider member for several years in the early millenium. I stopped after I lost my former better "paying" job in 2007. It has became increasingly expensive annually since. I still have a few ordser forms for "Exclusive" models. If you do decide to pay the membership fee, but not order a new model, if in the future a shop happens to have one still in stock, you can buy it then, as long as you are a still a member. Note that Indisder models have a longer warranty of up to 5 years.
I still have every insider issue. Lots of good tips. I think I miss the Magazin more though. I have several years of those.