2009 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 Insurance Rates

If shopping for car insurance quotes online is new to you, most likely you are bewildered due to the large number local agents and online companies that all say they have the best rates.

Lower-cost auto insurance quotes with discounts

Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise every policy discount very clearly, so the list below details some of the best known as well as some of the hidden credits available to you.

• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Forcing all vehicle occupants to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off the PIP or medical payment premium.
• Telematics Data Discounts – Drivers who agree to allow driving data collection to look at their driving habits by using a telematics device in their vehicle like Allstate’s Drivewise may see discounts if they exhibit good driving behavior.
• Braking Control Discount – Cars that have anti-lock braking systems can avoid accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Waiver for an Accident – Not a discount per se, but certain companies allow you one accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts may qualify for discounts of more than 20%.

You should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

To find insurers with discount auto insurance rates, click here.

Tailor your car insurance coverage to you

When choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For example, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
• Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
• How high should deductibles be on a 2009 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500?
• What are the financial responsibility laws in my state?
• Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Well-known auto insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate and Geico consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all advertise the message that drivers will save a bundle just by switching to their company. How do they all offer drivers better rates? It’s all in the numbers.

Companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of this type of risk profile could possibly be between 25 and 40, carries high limits, and drives a vehicle with a low ISO rating. A propective insured that fits those parameters will get the preferred car insurance rates and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

People who don’t qualify for this ideal profile may receive higher premium rates and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much. That’s the way companies can claim big savings.

Because of these techniques, drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It’s not possible to predict which insurance companies will have the best car insurance rates for your profile.

Car insurance policy specifics

Having a good grasp of a car insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Liability auto insurance – Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see liability limits of 25/50/25 that means you have a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, loss of income and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for immediate expenses like pain medications, rehabilitation expenses, chiropractic care and ambulance fees. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your 2009 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Comprehensive coverage – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, fire damage, a broken windshield, hitting a bird and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Collision coverages – This will pay to fix damage to your Ram Pickup 1500 from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against things like hitting a parking meter, backing into a parked car, hitting a mailbox, sustaining damage from a pot hole and sideswiping another vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Power to the consumer

While you’re price shopping online, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut collision coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate.

In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can compare 2009 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 insurance premium rates online. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premium rates are with a small mutual company.

Drivers leave their current company for any number of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, poor customer service, unfair underwriting practices and questionable increases in premium. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding the right car insurance provider can be less work than you think.

More information can be read at these links:

• Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a Dodge Ram in Plano? (PlanoInsure.com)
• Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Vehicle Safety Ratings (iihs.org)
• Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)