View 2006 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 Car Insurance Rates

Using the web to shop for insurance quotes online can seem difficult if you’ve never compared online insurance quotes. But don’t be confused because there is an easy way to compare rates.

It is always a good idea to compare rates before your policy renews because insurance rates change quite often. Just because you found the lowest rate for Ram pickup coverage six months ago there is a good chance you can find better prices now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the best methods to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Shopping for the lowest cost coverage is quite easy. Essentially every vehicle owner who carries auto insurance will more than likely be able to save money. Nevertheless, consumers need to have an understanding of the way companies compete online and take advantage of how the system works.

Buy insurance online

Shopping for lower insurance rates can be challenging if you don’t understand the easiest way. You could waste time driving to agents in your area, or you could use online quotes to quickly compare rates.

All the larger companies belong to a marketplace where prospective buyers only type in their quote data once, and each participating company can give them a price determined by their information. This eliminates the need for quotation requests for each company you want a rate for.

To find out what other companies charge click here (opens in new window).

The only downside to using this type of form is you don’t know exactly the insurers to get quotes from. If you wish to select from a list of companies to compare rates, we have a page of the cheapest insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you’re using identical coverages with every price quote. If you have different coverage information you will not be able to determine which rate is truly the best. Even a minor difference in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just remember that comparing more rates from different companies will improve the odds of getting more affordable rates.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Companies like Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads in print and on television. They all make the same claim about saving some big amount after switching your coverage. Is it even possible that every company can charge you less for car insurance? Here is the trick they use.

Insurance providers can use profiling for a prospective insured that makes them money. One example of a profitable customer could be over age 30, carries full coverage, and drives a lower-performance vehicle. Any person who fits those characteristics receives the best car insurance rates and will most likely save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who do not match those criteria may receive higher premium rates and the customer not buying. The ads state “people who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much when switching. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently make it sound like they have such great prices.

Because of these techniques, you absolutely need to quote coverage with many companies. You cannot predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Informed drivers can lower insurance rates

Lots of things are part of the calculation when you get a price on insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving record, but others are less apparent such as whether you are married or your financial responsibility.

Listed below are some of the items insurance coverage companies consider when setting prices.

• Accidents mean higher costs – Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Having just one chargable violation may cause rates to rise to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than bad drivers. Drivers unfortunate enough to have serious violations such as DUI or willful reckless driving may find that they have to to prove financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to legally drive.
• You might get higher premiums if you are single – Walking down the aisle actually saves money on your insurance coverage policy. Marriage usually means you are less irresponsible it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
• Drive fewer miles and save – Driving more miles in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks that have low annual miles get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Ram Pickup 3500 may be costing you higher rates. It’s a good idea to make sure your policy properly reflects the correct usage, because it can save money.
• Do safer cars cost less to insure? – Safer cars tend to have lower insurance rates. The safest vehicles help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you. If your Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 earned at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you may pay a lower rate.
• Do you have enough liability? – Liability coverage is the protection if you are ruled to be at fault for causing personal injury or damage in an accident. It provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. Liability is cheap compared to other policy coverages, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
• Insurance coverage rates and your employer – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for insurance coverage? Jobs like military generalsairline pilots and emergency personnel generally have the highest average rates attributed to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations such as actors, engineers and homemakers have the lowest average rates for Ram pickup coverage.

Don’t overlook these auto insurance discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following list contains both well-publicized and also the more inconspicuous credits available to you.

• Discount for Life Insurance – Larger insurance carriers have a small discount if you purchase a life policy as well.
• Driver Training Discounts – Taking time to complete a defensive driver course could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Mature Driver Discount – Older drivers can possibly qualify for a small discount on rates for Ram pickup coverage.
• Accident Forgiveness Coverage – Not necessarily a discount, but certain companies will turn a blind eye to one accident before raising your premiums if you have no claims for a certain period of time.
• Multiple Policy Discount – If you combine your auto and home policies with one insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
• Multiple Vehicles – Having several vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
• Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
• Military Deployment Discount – Being deployed in the military could trigger a small discount.
• ABS Braking Discount – Cars and trucks with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• No Claim Discounts – Insureds with no claims or accidents are rewarded with significantly better rates on insurance quote as compared to accident-prone drivers.

One thing to note about discounts is that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Despite the appearance that all the discounts add up to a free policy, that’s just not realistic.

If you would like to view auto insurance companies who offer cheap auto insurance quotes, click here to view.

When to get professional advice

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different.

These are some specific questions can help discover whether you might need an agent’s assistance.

• Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
• Am I insured when driving a different vehicle?
• Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
• Do I have newly-aquired coverage?
• How high should my medical payments coverage be?
• Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
• What exactly is covered by my policy?
• Will filing a claim cost me more?

If you don’t know the answers to these 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.

Coverages available on your policy

Knowing the specifics of your policy aids in choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Collision coverage – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as scraping a guard rail, damaging your car on a curb, colliding with a tree, sideswiping another vehicle and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Liability coverages – This coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. It does not 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. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers things such as bail bonds, medical services, court costs and repair costs for stationary objects. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy as much as you can afford.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – This will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like hitting a deer, a broken windshield and hitting a bird. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Medical costs insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills for things like pain medications, doctor visits, dental work, ambulance fees and chiropractic care. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible

UM/UIM Coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Dodge Ram Pickup 3500.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Saving money makes a lot of cents

We covered many tips how you can shop for 2006 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better likelihood of getting the cheapest insurance. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with the smaller companies.

Some companies may not provide internet price quotes and these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent insurance agents. Discount 2006 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 insurance can be found online in addition to many insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money.

When shopping online for insurance, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an accident victim reduced full coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at the best price while still protecting your assets.

Much more information about insurance is available on the following sites:

• Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Auto Insurance Facts and Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Property Damage Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
• Determining Your Vehicle’s Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Insitute)