Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you many consumers are feeling buyer’s remorse and feel like there’s no way out. Companies like Progressive, GEICO and Farmers Insurance persitently shower you with advertising and it can be hard to ignore the propoganda and do the work needed to find the best deal.
Fast and Easy Auto Insurance Quotes
All the larger auto insurance companies provide coverage prices directly from their websites. This process is pretty easy as you just type in your coverage information as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, the company’s rating system sends out for your driving and credit reports and returns a price determined by many factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, but the time required to go to several different sites and fill out multiple forms can be a bit repetitive. But it’s very important to do this if you want to find a lower rate.
The preferred way to locate the lowest prices is to use a quote form to get prices from a bunch of companies at once. It saves time, eliminates form submissions, and makes online quotes much more enjoyable. Immediately after submitting the form, it is quoted and you can select any or none of the quote results. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you simply finish the application and purchase coverage. It can be completed in less than 10 minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.
If you want to find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and submit your coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you type in the insurance coverages exactly as shown on your declarations page. This makes sure you will receive a price comparison for the exact same coverage.
Discounts are available to cut your rates
Companies offering auto insurance do not list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the best known and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down on your Dodge can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
- Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have a break if you buy life insurance from them.
- Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
- Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
- Discount for Good Grades – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Memberships – Belonging to a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy for Stratus coverage.
Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Factors that can influence insurance rates for a Dodge Stratus
Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.
The following are some of the factors that factor into your rates.
- Liability coverage is cheap – Your policy’s liability coverage will protect you in the event that a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
- Safer occupants lowers premiums – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Dodge is rated at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you may qualify for a discount.
- What type of vehicle do you drive? – The performance of the vehicle you own makes a substantial difference in the rate you pay. The cheapest insurance rates are usually for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors. Since the Dodge Stratus is considered a passenger car, rates will be similar in price or lower as compared to the average rate.
- Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies give cheaper rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
- Better credit scores mean better rates – A driver’s credit score is a big factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with lower ratings. If your credit is low, you could be paying less to insure your Dodge Stratus by repairing your credit.
- Increase deductibles and save – Your deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay before a claim is paid by your company. Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, or theft. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be for Stratus coverage.
Do the work, save more money
Cheap Dodge Stratus insurance can be bought from both online companies and with local insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
In this article, we presented many ways to shop for Dodge Stratus insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with a small local company. These companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
