2005 Dodge Stratus Insurance Rates – 5 Tips to Save

Did a good deal turn into an underperforming, overpriced insurance policy? Don’t feel bad because there are many consumers feeling the pinch from expensive insurance.

Numerous insurance companies battle for your business, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the definite best rates possible.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Buying car insurance is quite easy. But consumers can benefit by having an understanding of the way companies price insurance differently and use this information to your advantage.

The best way we recommend to compare policy rates is to know most larger insurance companies provide online access to give free rates quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information such as how your vehicles are used, if you went to college, if it has an anti-theft system, and if the vehicle is leased. That information is automatically sent to insurance carriers in your area and you will get price comparisons within a short period of time.

Why you might not save $406 a year

Respected companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive seem to constantly run ads on TV and radio. All the companies make the same claim that you can save if you move your coverage. How is it plausible that every one can lower your rates? It’s all in how they say it.

Many companies have specific guidelines for a prospective insured that will be a good risk. One example of this type of risk profile could possibly be a married male, has a clear driving record, and has a short commute. Any customer who matches those parameters will get very good rates and will also pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Drivers who do not fit the requirements may be required to pay higher rates with the end result being the customer buying from someone else. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “people who switch” not “everyone who quotes” save the amount stated. This is how companies can advertise the way they do. Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to compare as many free insurance coverage quotes as you can. It is impossible to guess which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

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Insurance Coverage Discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may be missing some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Certain reductions will be credited when you get a quote, but a few need to be specially asked for in order for you to get them.

• More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Safety Restraint Discount – Forcing all vehicle occupants to fasten their seat belts can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Active Military Service – Having a family member in the military may lower your prices slightly.
• ABS Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS braking systems or traction control have fewer accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
• Waiver for an Accident – Not a discount per se, but a few companies such as Geico, Progressive, and Allstate allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a set time period.

Policy discounts save money, but some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So even though you would think you could get a free insurance coverage policy, that’s just not realistic.

Large insurance coverage companies and a partial list of their discounts are included below.

• State Farm discounts include good driver, anti-theft, student away at school, multiple policy, good student, accident-free, and multiple autos.
• Esurance has savings for Switch & Save, emergency road assistance, anti-lock brakes, multi-car, anti-theft, and paid-in-full.
• Progressive may offer discounts for multi-policy, continuous coverage, homeowner, online signing, and online quote discount.
• Liberty Mutual has discounts for safety features, hybrid vehicle, newly retired, new graduate, teen driver discount, and new vehicle discount.
• Auto-Owners Insurance may include discounts for air bags, anti-theft, paid in full, safe driver, company car, and group or association.
• Geico offers discounts including five-year accident-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, air bags, and seat belt use.

If you want the cheapest insurance coverage quotes, ask all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be available to policyholders in your area. If you would like to see a list of companies that offer discounts, follow this link.

Tailor your insurance coverage to you

When it comes to buying the best insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can help discover whether you would benefit from professional advice.

• Will filing a claim cost me more?
• Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
• Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
• How high should my medical payments coverage be?
• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• How can I get my company to pay me more for my totalled car?
• Should I get collision insurance on every vehicle?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Learn about auto insurance coverages for a 2005 Dodge Stratus

Learning about specific coverages of your policy can be of help when determining the right coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are the usual coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.

Comprehensive coverages

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like rock chips in glass, theft, a broken windshield and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Coverage for medical payments

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills for hospital visits, ambulance fees, surgery and prosthetic devices. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Dodge Stratus.

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.

Auto liability insurance

Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property in an accident. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage protects against things such as structural damage, funeral expenses, bail bonds and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Coverage for collisions

This covers damage to your Stratus caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision can pay for things such as crashing into a building, colliding with another moving vehicle and scraping a guard rail. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

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Buy online or local, you save

As you shop your coverage around, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The aim is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

We just covered some good ideas how to save on 2005 Dodge Stratus insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the best rates are with an unexpected company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or Geico.

Helpful resources

• Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)
• What are my Rights when Filing a Claim? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Understanding your Policy (NAIC.org)

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