Car insurance is not cheap, but there could be available discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some discounts apply automatically when you purchase, but less common discounts must be asked for prior to receiving the credit. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and earn discounts up to 10%.
- E-sign – Certain companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up online.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of more than 20%.
- Resident Student – Any of your kids who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
- Driver Safety – Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
Paying high Dodge Ram 1500 insurance rates is worse than going to the dentist and most drivers just pay the high price without asking questions. Some car insurance companies in Texas charge high rates to insure pickup trucks, and if you don’t occasionally compare rates, you’ll get taken to the cleaners every time you write a check.
Effectively comparing car insurance prices can be a lot of work if you don’t understand the best way to get rate quotes. You can waste hours discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you could use online quotes for quick rates.
All the larger companies enroll in a system that enables customers to submit their information once, and all the companies then returns a price quote. This system prevents you from having to do multiple quotation requests for each company.
To participate in this free quote system, click here to open in new window.
The only downside to getting quotes like this is buyers cannot specifically choose which companies you will receive quotes from. If you wish to select specific providers to compare we have a page of companies who write car insurance in Texas. Click here to view list.
Whichever way you use, be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverage information for each comparison quote. If you compare higher or lower deductibles you can’t possibly determine the lowest rate for your Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup.
Factors that can influence Dodge Ram Truck insurance rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that help determine car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower car insurance prices.
How many coverages with the same company – Many car insurance companies give discounts to people who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Small claims can cost you – Insurance companies in Texas give discounts to people who file claims infrequently. If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Better credit means lower rates – Your credit history is a big factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. If your credit is not that good, you could save money insuring your Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup by improving your rating. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.
Where you live – Residing in a rural area has it’s advantages when buying car insurance. Drivers in populated areas regularly have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Fewer people means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
Your occupation can affect rates – Did you know your car insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations like judges, executives and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates due to stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. On the other hand, occupations like pilots, students and performers have the lowest average rates.
But don’t I need an insurance agent?
A small number of people prefer to sit down with an agent and that is OK! Educated insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is that you can obtain the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting small agencies is especially important in small towns and cities.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is submitted to Texas insurance agents who will return price quotes for your business. There is no reason to drive around as quotes are delivered directly to your email.
Misconceptions in car insurance advertisements
Texas drivers can’t ignore all the ads for car insurance savings by companies like State Farm and Allstate. All the ads make the same claim that you’ll save big after switching to them.
But how can every company say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.
All companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that makes them money. For instance, a preferred risk might be profiled as between 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. Any driver who matches those parameters will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.
Potential customers who fall outside this ideal profile will be charged a more expensive rate which leads to business not being written. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how companies can claim big savings.
That is why it’s extremely important to compare as many rates as you can. You cannot predict which company will have the lowest rates.
Final thoughts
We’ve covered a lot of techniques to shop for Dodge Ram truck insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the biggest savings come from the smaller companies. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.
When buying insurance coverage, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.
Affordable Dodge Ram 1500 pickup insurance can be found on the web and with local Texas insurance agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Independent insurance agents can write coverage with small, regional companies that may not offer online price quotes.