2011 Dodge Durango Insurance Quotes

Are you drained from paying out the nose each month for auto insurance? You are no different than most other people. People have many auto insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and although it’s a good thing to have multiple companies, more choices can make it harder to compare rates and cut insurance costs.

Consumers need to shop coverage around before your next renewal due to the fact that insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest quotes on Durango coverage at your last renewal a different company probably has better rates today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the best way to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

Insurance Discounts

Car insurance companies don’t always list every policy discount very clearly, so the following is a list of both well-publicized as well as some of the hidden credits that may apply to you.

• Accident Forgiveness – but certain companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
• Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Insurance companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life policy as well.
• Save with More Vehicles Insured – Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
• Student in College – Children who attend college more than 100 miles from home and do not take a car to college may be able to be covered for less.
• Driver’s Education for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
• Bundled Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company they may give you a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free insurance policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

A few of the larger companies and a partial list of their discounts are shown below.

• State Farm has discounts for multiple autos, defensive driving training, Drive Safe & Save, accident-free, student away at school, and good driver.
• Farmers Insurance discounts include electronic funds transfer, youthful driver, bundle discounts, distant student, business and professional, and mature driver.
• Geico may have discounts that include seat belt use, driver training, military active duty, emergency military deployment, and good student.
• American Family may include discounts for air bags, bundled insurance, good student, TimeAway discount, multi-vehicle, good driver, and accident-free.
• Nationwide policyholders can earn discounts including business or organization, easy pay, Farm Bureau membership, family plan, good student, and defensive driving.
• Progressive offers discounts for online signing, online quote discount, good student, homeowner, and continuous coverage.

It’s a good idea to ask every insurance company which discounts you may be entitled to. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not be available in your area. To choose companies that have a full spectrum of discounts, click this link.

How to get affordable insurance coverage

Finding a better price on insurance coverage is an easy way to save money. Just spend a few minutes getting comparison quotes to find the company with cheaper insurance coverage quotes. This can be done using one of these methods.

The fastest way consumers can make multiple comparisons is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This method eliminates the need for separate quotation requests for every insurance coverage company. A single form gets rate comparisons from insurance coverage companies with the best prices.

A different way to find more affordable insurance consists of visiting each individual company website and request a quote. For instance, we’ll assume you want to compare prices for Farmers, State Farm and Geico. To do that, you would have to take the time to go to each site to enter the same coverage data repeatedly, and that’s why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in your area, click here.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing the same deductibles and coverage limits on every quote. If the quotes have different values for each quote you will not be able to determine which company has the best rates.

How do insurers determine Dodge Durango insurance prices?

Lots of things are used in the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious like your driving record, but other criteria are not quite as obvious such as your marital status or how safe your car is.

Listed below are some of the items used by your company to calculate prices.

• Stress out and pay more – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Jobs such as lawyers, social workers and stock brokers tend to have the highest rates in part from high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other occupations such as scientists, students and the unemployed receive lower rates on Durango coverage.
• Increase physical damage deductibles to save – Coverage for physical damage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. A few examples of covered claims could be colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles are the amount of money the insured will be required to pay if the claim is covered. The larger the amount you’re willing to pay, the better rate you will receive on Durango coverage.
• Policy claims cost money – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Car insurance companies generally give better rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Insurance coverage is intended for more catestrophic claims.
• Amount of liability insurance – The liability coverage on your policy provides coverage in the event that a jury decides you are liable for an accident. Your policy’s liability insurance provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. This coverage is relatively inexpensive compared to comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
• Deter theft and pay less – Choosing to buy a car with advanced anti-theft systems can help lower your premiums. Advanced theft deterrents like OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.

Tailor your auto insurance coverage to you

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions can aid in determining if your situation may require specific advice.

• How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in my state?
• Why is insurance for a teen driver so high?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
• When would I need rental car insurance?
• Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
• Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
• When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
• Do I have newly-aquired coverage?
• Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.

Auto insurance myths debunked

Consumers can’t escape the ads that claim the lowest rates from the likes of State Farm, Geico and Progressive. They all seem to convey the message about saving some big amount just by moving to them.

How does every auto insurance company give you a better price? You have to listen carefully.

Companies provide the lowest rates for the type of customer that will most likely be profitable. An example of a desirable risk might be over the age of 35, has other policies, and has a high credit rating. A driver who matches those parameters will get the preferred premium rates and therefore will save a lot if they switch.

Potential insureds who fall outside the requirements will have to pay higher premiums and the prospect going elsewhere. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “people who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save money. That’s the way companies can make the claims of big savings.

Because of this risk profiling, it’s extremely important to compare price quotes frequently. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will have the best rates at this point in time.

Insurance policy specifics

Understanding the coverages of insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Insurance terms can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find the normal coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Auto liability

This will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 50/100/50 which means a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability insurance covers claims like structural damage, medical expenses, emergency aid, attorney fees and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Auto collision coverage

This coverage covers damage to your Durango resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers things such as crashing into a ditch, damaging your car on a curb, colliding with another moving vehicle and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)

This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as hail damage, a broken windshield, damage from flooding and fire damage. The highest amount your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Insurance for medical payments

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for short-term medical expenses such as nursing services, hospital visits, prosthetic devices, rehabilitation expenses and chiropractic care. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

In the end, you save

In this article, we covered a lot of information how to compare 2011 Dodge Durango insurance premium rates online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the biggest savings come from some of the lesser-known companies. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.

As you shop your coverage around, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at the best cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

For more information, feel free to browse these articles:

• Rollover Crash FAQ (iihs.org)
• What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)
• Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)
• Car Insurance: When not to Skimp (BankRate.com)
• Help Your Teen Be a Better Driver (State Farm)