How Much Does 2009 Dodge Durango Insurance Cost?

Trying to find cheaper insurance for a new or used Dodge Durango can normally be a painful process, but you can learn a few tricks to find lower rates. There are more efficient ways to find insurance coverage online and you need to know the quickest way to quote coverages for a new or used Dodge and locate the cheapest rates from both online companies and local agents.

It’s a good idea to shop coverage around as often as possible since insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you think you had the lowest rates for Durango insurance two years ago you can probably find a better premium rate now. You can find a lot of wrong information about insurance coverage online, but we’re going to give you some great ideas on how to slash your insurance coverage rates.

How to compare auto insurance price quotes

Getting a more affordable price on 2009 Dodge Durango insurance can be quick and easy. The only thing you need to do is take time getting comparison quotes online from several insurance companies. Comparing prices online can be done in a couple of different ways.

1. One of the best ways to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This easy form eliminates the need for separate quote forms for each company. A single, simple form will get you price quotes from multiple low-cost companies. This is by far the quickest method.
2. A more difficult way to find lower rates requires a visit to the website of each company to complete their respective quote request forms. For examples sake, we’ll assume you want to view quotes from State Farm, Allstate and Travelers. To get each rate you have to go to every website to enter the same coverage data repeatedly, which is why the first method is more popular.

   For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.

Whichever way you use, be certain you are entering nearly identical coverages for each price quote. If you are comparing different limits and deductibles on each one it will be next to impossible to determine which company has the best rates.

Use discounts on auto insurance

Companies do not advertise every policy discount very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more common as well as some of the hidden discounts that may be available. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you could be saving more on your auto insurance.

• Discounts for Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off for Durango insurance with select insurance companies.
• Resident Student – Older children who are enrolled in higher education away from home and leave their car at home may be able to be covered for less.
• ABS Braking Discount – Cars with anti-lock braking systems are much safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Driving Data Discount – Insureds that choose to allow data collection to monitor where and when they drive remotely like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm could save a few bucks as long as the data is positive.
• Renewal Discounts – Some companies reward drivers for switching to them before your current coverage expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
• Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles prevent vehicle theft so companies will give you a small discount.

As a footnote on discounts, some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, that’s just not realistic.

Popular auto insurance companies and their offered discounts can be found below.

• State Farm may offer discounts for multiple autos, driver’s education, safe vehicle, good student, and Drive Safe & Save.
• Farmers Insurance has savings for electronic funds transfer, youthful driver, alternative fuel, multi-car, and pay in full.
• Geico discounts include air bags, good student, multi-policy, military active duty, driver training, and membership and employees.
• American Family offers discounts for good driver, Steer into Savings, mySafetyValet, multi-vehicle, bundled insurance, early bird, and air bags.
• Nationwide has discounts for accident-free, easy pay, Farm Bureau membership, good student, multi-policy, and defensive driving.
• Progressive offers discounts including online signing, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, continuous coverage, and online quote discount.

Before purchasing a policy, check with every prospective company which credits you are entitled to. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policyholders in every state. If you would like to see a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates, click here.

Tailor your insurance coverage coverage to you

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different.

These are some specific questions could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• When would I need additional glass coverage?
• What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• I have health insurance so do I need medical payments coverage?
• Will my insurance pay for OEM parts?
• Is my state a no-fault state?
• Do I need replacement cost coverage?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
• Does coverage extend to Mexico or Canada?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.

Seven things that influence your insurance costs

The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at some of the elements that aid in calculating the level of your policy premiums. If you have a feel for what influences your rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better insurance rates. Many different elements are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. Most are fairly basic such as traffic violations, although some other factors are less apparent like your vehicle usage or how safe your car is.

The items below are a partial list of the pieces used by insurance companies to determine your premiums.

• Higher insurance rates for tough occupations – Occupational choices like military personnel, architects and emergency personnel usually pay higher average rates because of stressful work requirements and long work days. Other careers like farmers, historians and performers generally pay rates lower than average for Durango insurance.
• Car and home together may be cheaper – Many insurance companies give a discount to buyers who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to five, ten or even twenty percent. If you currently are using one company, it’s always a smart idea to check prices from other companies to ensure the best deal. It’s possible to still find better rates by buying from different companies
• City dwellers may pay more – Having an address in a small town has it’s advantages when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers on the road translates into fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate. City drivers regularly have congested traffic and much longer commute distances. More time on the road means a statistically higher chance of an accident.
• Liability coverage limits on your policy – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance provides coverage if you are ruled to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Your liability coverage provides legal defense to defend your case. It is affordable coverage when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
• Men drivers tend to cost more – Statistics demonstrate females are less aggressive when driving. However, don’t assume that females are better at driving than males. Men and women are in fender benders in similar numbers, but men tend to have higher claims. They also receive more major tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Young males generally have the highest accident percentage and therefore have the most expensive insurance rates.
• Careless driving means higher rates – Even a single moving violation may increase your cost substantially. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates as compared to those with violations. Drivers who have gotten flagrant tickets like DUI or willful reckless driving may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
• Allowing your policy to lapse raises prices – Driving without insurance can get your license suspended and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance coverage expire. In addition to paying higher premiums, getting caught without coverage can result in a steep fine or even jail time.

Can you really save if you switch?

Consumers can’t get away from all the ads that claim the cheapest rates by Progressive, Allstate and Geico. They all seem to seem to make the promise that people will save if you change your policy.

How does each company have lower policy pricing? Here is the trick they use.

Most companies offer their best rates for the type of driver that makes them money. One example of a desirable risk might have to be between 25 and 40, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. Any customer who meets those qualifications will get a cheap rate quote and will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential customers who do not match those standards will be quoted more expensive rates and this results in the prospect going elsewhere. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everyone who quotes” can get the lowest rates when switching. That’s the way companies can truthfully make claims like that. Because of the profiling, drivers should compare free auto insurance quotes often. It is impossible to guess which company will have the best rates for your profile.

Car insurance policy specifics

Learning about specific coverages of car insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Comprehensive coverages – This will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hail damage, damage from a tornado or hurricane, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and hitting a bird. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Coverage for medical payments – Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like X-ray expenses, prosthetic devices and rehabilitation expenses. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for things like sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter, driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to bring the cost down.

Auto liability – Liability coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage pays for things such as funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects, legal defense fees, pain and suffering and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and damage to your Dodge Durango.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked.

A tidy conclusion

As you shop your coverage around, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In too many instances, someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not skimp to save money.

You just learned many tips how you can shop for 2009 Dodge Durango insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with some of the smallest insurance companies.

Cheaper 2009 Dodge Durango insurance is possible from both online companies in addition to many insurance agents, so you need to quote auto insurance with both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not offer internet price quotes and these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent agents.

Even more information can be found in the articles below:

• Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Cellphones, Texting and Driving (iihs.org)
• Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)