I can’t think of a single person who likes paying for auto insurance, especially knowing the price is too high.
There is such a variety of auto insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and although it’s nice to have a choice, having more insurance companies makes it harder to compare rates.
How to Get Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes
There are multiple methods to shop for auto insurance, and some are less time-consuming than others. You can spend your afternoon talking to insurance companies in your area, or you can utilize the web to get prices fast.
Most car insurance companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to enter their policy data once, and every company then gives them pricing based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms for each company.
To fill out one form to compare multiple rates now click to open in new window.
The single downside to comparing rates this way is you can’t choose which carriers to get quotes from. If you prefer to choose specific providers to compare prices, we have a listing of companies who write auto insurance in your area. View list of insurance companies.
However you get your quotes, make sure you use the exact same coverages with each company. If each company quotes mixed coverages it’s not possible to make an equal comparison. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages could mean much higher rates. And when price shopping your coverage, having more price comparisons will enable you to find lower pricing.
Can you really save $421 a year?
Companies like State Farm and Allstate consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the ads make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you change to their company. But how can every company make the same claim?
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as over the age of 50, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who fits that profile receives the best rates and as a result will probably save when switching.
Drivers who do not match this ideal profile will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way insurance companies can advertise the way they do. Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It’s not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.
Some factors that can determine what Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup insurance costs
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
Shown below are a partial list of the pieces that factor into rates.
- Your credit rating is important – A driver’s credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with lower credit ratings. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup by spending a little time repairing your credit.
- Always keep insurance in force – Letting your insurance expire will be a fast way to pay more for auto insurance. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in a license revocation or jail time.
- Traffic citations inflate rates – Only having one citation can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers with flagrant tickets like DUI or reckless driving are required to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
- Occupation reflects on rates – Careers like doctors, social workers and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates due to job stress and long work hours. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and the unemployed pay the least for Ram pickup coverage.
Lower rates by qualifying for discounts
Car insurance companies do not list all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down both well-publicized and the more hidden ways to save on auto insurance.
- Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount for Ram pickup coverage with certain companies.
- No Accidents – Claim-free drivers pay less when compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for reduced rates for Ram pickup coverage.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
- College Student – Youth drivers who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
- Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Price shop online but buy from a local agent
Some consumers prefer to visit with an insurance agent. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you can get the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your information is instantly submitted to companies who will battle for your coverage. You won’t need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to your email. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Deciding on an provider needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
Captive agents vs. Independent agents
When finding a reliable agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that you can select. Insurance agencies are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive).
Captive Agents
These agents can only write with one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. They are very knowledgeable on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.
Independent Agents
Independent agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.
For a complete listing of insurance agents, visit this site.
Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and locked in a price quote, you may have just found an insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy.
A little work can save a LOT of money
Affordable Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup insurance is attainable both online and with local insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.
As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice full coverage to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
In this article, we presented a lot of techniques to shop for Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a small mutual company. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.
