Save Money on Dodge Stratus Insurance in Austin

Do you want more competitive Dodge Stratus insurance in Austin? Think you have high-priced Dodge Stratus insurance in Austin? Trust us, there are a lot of people in Austin just like you who feel imprisoned by their insurance policy.

Astonishing but true, most insurance policyholders have been with the same company for at least four years, and just short of a majority have never quoted rates to find lower-cost coverage. Austin drivers could save as much as 70% a year just by shopping around, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to compare rates online.

Companies like State Farm, GEICO and Farmers Insurance all claim big savings, bombarding you with fancy advertisements and it can be hard to separate fact from fiction and find the best price available.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will surely be able to reduce the price you pay using the concepts covered in this article. Finding the cheapest car insurance coverage in Austin is not rocket science. Although Texas car owners can benefit from knowing the way companies determine premium rates because rates are impacted by many factors.

Insurance discounts help lower rates for Dodge Stratus insurance in Austin

Car insurance companies don’t always publicize the entire discount list very well, so here is a list both well-publicized as well as some of the hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Austin car insurance online.

• Anti-theft Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
• Responsible Drivers – Drivers without accidents can save up to 40% or more on their Austin car insurance quote than drivers with accidents.
• Distant Student – Kids who attend college more than 100 miles from Austin and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Discounts for New Vehicles – Putting insurance coverage on a new Stratus can save up to 30% because new vehicles are generally safer.
• Clubs and Organizations – Having an affiliation with qualifying employment or professional organizations could qualify you for a break on your policy.
• Safety Course Discount – Taking time to complete a safe driver course may get you a small discount and easily pay for the cost of the class.
• Telematics Data – Drivers that enable their insurance company to study their driving habits by using a telematics device such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system may see discounts as long as the data is positive.
• Renewal Discounts – A few larger companies offer discounts for buying a policy before your current Stratus insurance policy expires. You could save around 10% when you buy Austin car insurance online.

Discounts save money, but please remember that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Despite the appearance that you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.

Larger insurance companies and a selection of discounts can be read below.

• Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including multi-vehicle, homeowner, online quote discount, multi-policy, continuous coverage, and online signing.
• AAA has savings for good student, multi-car, education and occupation, good driver, anti-theft, AAA membership discount, and pay-in-full.
• Farmers Insurance may have discounts that include electronic funds transfer, business and professional, switch companies, pay in full, and alternative fuel.
• GEICO may include discounts for daytime running lights, seat belt use, air bags, federal employee, and five-year accident-free.
• Esurance discounts include renters, Switch & Save, good student, claim free, defensive driver, online quote, and homeowner.
• SAFECO offers premium reductions for anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, homeowner, multi-car, teen safe driver, and teen safety rewards.
• State Farm has discounts for accident-free, good driver, anti-theft, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, multiple autos, and student away at school.

It’s a good idea to ask each company which discounts can lower your rates. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be offered everywhere.

How to shop Dodge Stratus insurance online

It’s important to know that comparing more quotes increases the chance that you will find lower pricing.

The companies in the list below are our best choices to provide quotes in Austin, TX. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.

Insurance agencies can help

Some people just want to have an agent’s advice and that can be a smart move An additional benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you may find cheap rate quotes and still choose a local agent.

After filling out this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is emailed to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your coverage. You never need to contact any insurance agencies because prices are sent immediately to your email address. You can most likely find cheaper rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you wish to compare prices from a particular provider, you just need to go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.

Picking the best company requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. Here are some questions to ask:

• How long has their agency been open in Austin?
• Is auto insurance their primary focus in Austin?
• Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
• When do they do policy reviews?
• What company holds the largest book of business for them?
• Is every driver in your family covered?
• If they are an independent agency in Austin, which companies do they recommend?

When finding a good insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the different types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Agents in Austin are considered either independent agents or exclusive agents.

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Exclusive agents can usually just insure with one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on sales techniques which can be an advantage.

The following are exclusive agents in Austin who may provide you with comparison quotes.

View more Austin agents

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent insurance agents do not have single company limitations and that is an advantage because they can write policies with a variety of different insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply switch companies in-house and the insured can keep the same agent. If you need lower rates, we recommend you compare quotes from a few independent agents to have the most options to choose from.

Below are Austin independent agencies who can help you get price quotes.

View more Austin agents

Once you have good answers to your questions and a good coverage price, you may have found a car insurance agent that is reputable and can insure your vehicles. Just keep in mind you have the power to cancel your policy whenever you choose to so don’t assume you’re contractually obligated to any specific company for the full policy term.

Why you need quality insurance for your vehicle

Despite the potentially high cost of Dodge Stratus insurance, maintaining insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.

• Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. In Texas these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
• If your Dodge has a loan, almost every bank will stipulate that you have insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Dodge at a much higher rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
• Auto insurance protects not only your car but also your financial assets. It will also pay for most medical and hospital costs incurred in an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your Dodge gets damaged, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to have it repaired.

The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying more than $850 per year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison every year to ensure rates are inline.

Auto insurance coverage information

Understanding the coverages of a insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find the normal coverages available from insurance companies.

Liability coverages

This can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 30/60/25 which means a limit of $30,000 per injured person, a total of $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability can pay for things such as court costs, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Texas state minimum liability requirements are 30/60/25 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.

Collision coverage

This pays for damage to your Stratus from colliding with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with a tree, driving through your garage door and sideswiping another vehicle. 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 choose a higher deductible on your Stratus in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Dodge Stratus.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (30/60/25 in Texas), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Comprehensive coverages

Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like a broken windshield, hitting a bird, hitting a deer and hail damage. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Coverage for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for immediate expenses for things like pain medications, rehabilitation expenses, EMT expenses and doctor visits. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Persistence pays off

Discount Dodge Stratus insurance in Austin can be bought on the web and also from your neighborhood Austin agents, so you need to quote Austin car insurance with both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and these smaller providers only sell coverage through local independent agencies.

When searching for inexpensive Austin car insurance quotes, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

We’ve covered a lot of tips how to get a better price on Dodge Stratus insurance in Austin. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even be surprised to find that the most savings is with a small local company. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Progressive and GEICO.

Additional insurance information can be found below:

• Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Learners Permit in Austin? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for Homeowners in Austin? (FAQ)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers Over Age 60 in Austin? (FAQ)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)