Lower Your 1997 Dodge Dakota Insurance Quotes

Want lower auto insurance rates for your Dodge Dakota? Are you regretting the purchase of an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? You’re in good company because there are a lot of people just like you who feel imprisoned by their auto insurance policy.

Many auto insurance companies vie for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to get the best rates possible.

Consumers should take time to get comparison quotes at least once a year since insurance prices change regularly. Just because you found the best deal for Dakota insurance last year a different company probably has better premium rates today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because it’s time to teach you the right way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to cut costs considerably using this information. Buying car insurance is easy if you know what you’re doing. Nevertheless, car owners must learn the way insurance companies price online insurance because it can help you find the best coverage.

These discounts can lower your insurance rates

Insurance is not inexpensive, but you might find some hidden discounts that you may not even know about. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but some must be asked about before you get the savings.

• Theft Deterent Discount – Cars and trucks equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
• Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts can save up to 15% off PIP or medical payments premium.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you could earn a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
• College Student Discount – Older children who live away from home to go to college and won’t have access to an insured vehicle may qualify for this discount.
• Multi-car Discount – Purchasing coverage when you have all your vehicles on the same insurance policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.

It’s important to note that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way.

If you would like to see a list of providers that offer discounts, click here to view.

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Lower your insurance costs

Lots of factors are used in the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are obvious such as traffic violations, but some are more transparent like your vehicle usage or your commute time.It’s important that you understand some of the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. If you know what determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that may result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The factors shown below are some of the major factors used by your company to calculate prices.

• Poor credit rating equals high prices – Having a bad credit history is a large factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Drivers who have very good credit scores tend to be more responsible than drivers with lower credit ratings. So if your credit history can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your 1997 Dodge Dakota by improving your rating.
• GPS tracking and theft deterrents reduce rates – Choosing to buy a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Advanced theft deterrents like OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems all hinder your car from being stolen.
• Decrease prices by maintaining coverage – Driving without insurance is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance may result in a fine, jail time, or a revoked license.
• Less chance of injury means lower rates – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have lower insurance rates. Highly rated vehicles have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts which can mean better rates for you. If your Dodge Dakota is rated at a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov it may be receiving lower rates.
• Eliminate unneeded add-on coverages – Insurance policies have a lot of extra add-on coverages that may not really be needed if you aren’t careful. Add-on coverages like rental car coverage, death and dismemberment, and membership fees are examples of these. The coverages may be enticing when talking to your agent, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so get rid of them and save.
• Premiums increase with driving tickets – Your driving record influences premium rates substantially. Attentive drivers get better prices as compared to careless drivers. Having just one citation can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have flagrant violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may face state-mandated requirements to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
• Lower annual miles equals lower premium – The higher the mileage driven every year the more it will cost to insure it. Many insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Cars left parked in the garage can be on a lower rate level than cars that get driven a lot. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet is showing the proper vehicle usage. A policy that improperly rates your Dakota is just wasting money.

Different people need different car insurance coverages

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions may help highlight whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.

• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• When should I drop full coverage on my 1997 Dodge Dakota?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
• Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
• Is my teenager covered with friends in the car?
• Is my camper covered by my car insurance policy?
• When would I need additional glass coverage?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Auto insurance coverage information

Understanding the coverages of a car insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverages offered by car insurance companies.

Liability auto insurance

Liability coverage can cover damage that occurs to people or other property by causing an accident. It protects you against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 100/300/100 which stand for a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Another option is a combined limit which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability insurance covers claims such as medical services, funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects and structural damage. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Coverage for collisions

Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Dakota resulting from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for things such as hitting a parking meter, rolling your car and crashing into a ditch. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

Comprehensive insurance pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hail damage and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay 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.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Dodge Dakota.

Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Medical expense insurance

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for expenses such as X-ray expenses, nursing services, surgery, doctor visits and EMT expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

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Final thoughts

Some car insurance companies do not provide the ability to get quotes online smaller providers only sell through independent agents. Discount 1997 Dodge Dakota insurance is attainable on the web and with local insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both to get a complete price analysis.

While you’re price shopping online, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost, not the least amount of coverage.

Other resources

• Bodily Injury Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
• Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)
• Cellphones, Texting and Driving (iihs.org)
• Senior Drivers (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Credit Impacts Car Insurance Rates (State Farm)
• Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)

Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

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