Save on 2005 Dodge Dakota Insurance Quotes

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an expensive auto insurance policy? Trust us, there are lots of people in the same boat. You have multiple auto insurance companies to choose from, and although it’s a good thing to have a selection, it can be more difficult to locate the cheapest rates.

Are you qualifying for every discount?

Some insurers do not advertise all their discounts very well, so the below list has both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to you.

• Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driver skills could earn you a small percentage discount if your company offers it.
• Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have a lower rate if you buy life insurance.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
• Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
• Theft Prevention Discount – Cars and trucks equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems have a lower chance of being stolen and will save you 10% or more.
• Resident Student – Children who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from home and do not take a car to college may be insured at a cheaper rate.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your entire bill at once rather than spreading payments over time you could save up to 5%.
• Telematics Data – People who choose to allow data collection to study driving manner by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system could save a few bucks if they show good driving skills.

A quick disclaimer, most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Even though it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. But any discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

A few popular companies and some of the discounts are:

• Geico discounts include good student, multi-vehicle, driver training, anti-lock brakes, and military active duty.
• Travelers may include discounts for save driver, student away at school, good student, IntelliDrive, hybrid/electric vehicle, home ownership, and payment discounts.
• Farm Bureau has savings for multi-vehicle, good student, driver training, multi-policy, renewal discount, safe driver, and 55 and retired.
• Liberty Mutual may offer discounts for hybrid vehicle, multi-policy, good student, safety features, and multi-car.
• American Family offers discounts for early bird, TimeAway discount, good student, mySafetyValet, and good driver.
• Progressive offers discounts including continuous coverage, homeowner, multi-policy, online quote discount, online signing, multi-vehicle, and good student.

Double check with every insurance company which discounts they offer. Some discounts may not be offered in every state.

When in doubt talk to an agent

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions may help highlight if your situation will benefit from professional help.

• Am I covered when driving a rental car?
• What is medical payments coverage?
• How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
• Does insurance cover damages from a DUI accident?
• Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
• Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
• How can I force my company to pay a claim?
• Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Educate yourself about insurance coverages

Understanding the coverages of a insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Shown next are the usual coverages available from insurance companies.

Medical expense insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for immediate expenses like dental work, ambulance fees, pain medications and nursing services. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Dodge Dakota.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.

Collision – Collision insurance covers damage to your Dakota resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers claims such as crashing into a ditch, hitting a mailbox and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as hail damage, hitting a bird, a broken windshield, vandalism and hitting a deer. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability car insurance – Liability coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 which stand for $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000.

Liability insurance covers things like legal defense fees, funeral expenses and pain and suffering. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy as large an amount as possible.

More choices the merrier

When shopping online for insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best possible price and still be able to protect your assets.

Budget-friendly insurance coverage is attainable online and from local agencies, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies don’t offer rates over the internet and these smaller providers work with local independent agents.

To read more, feel free to browse the resources below:

• Drunk Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• State Laws for Cellphones and Texting (iihs.org)
• What is Gap Insurance? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Vehicle Safety Ratings (iihs.org)
• Teen Driving Statistics (Geico)