Lower Your 2004 Dodge Caravan Insurance Cost

Searching for lower insurance rates for your Dodge Caravan? Do you think you bought high-priced insurance? Believe me when I say many drivers feel the same as you.

Drivers have many car insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and though it is a good thing to have multiple companies, more options can take longer to find the lowest rates.

How to buy insurance coverage online

Comparing insurance coverage rates can take time and effort if you don’t know the fastest way to get free quotes. You could spend the better part of a day discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in your area, or you could save time and use the internet to maximize your effort.

Most of the larger companies belong to a marketplace that enables customers to enter their policy data once, and at least one company can give them a price based on that information. This saves time by eliminating quote forms for each company. To enter your information into the quoting system, click here to open in new window.

The only downside to doing it this way is you can’t choose the companies you want to price. So if you want to choose specific insurance companies to compare rates, we put together a list of companies who write insurance coverage in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you are comparing exactly the same coverages for every quote you compare. If you use unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be nearly impossible to determine the best price for your Dodge Caravan. Quoting even small variations in insurance coverages or limits may cause a big price difference. Just keep in mind that quoting more gives you a better chance of getting more affordable insurance.

Insurance coverage policy discounts

Insurance coverage is neither fun to buy or cheap, but there could be significant discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Certain credits will be shown at the time of quoting, but some must be specially asked for in order for you to get them.

  • Military Rewards – Being on active deployment in the military may lower your insurance coverage rates slightly.
  • Save with More Vehicles Insured – Drivers who insure primary and secondary vehicles with one company can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
  • Student Discounts – Performing well in school may save as much as 25% on a insurance coverage quote. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
  • Theft Deterent System – Cars optioned with advanced anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Auto/Life Discount – Larger insurance carriers have better prices if you take out a life policy as well.
  • Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll and complete driver’s education as it can save substantially.
  • Paperwork-free – A few larger online companies provide a small discount just for signing your application over the internet.
  • Telematics Data – Policyholders that allow their company to analyze driving manner by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may get a rate reduction if they exhibit good driving behavior.
  • Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates for Caravan insurance than drivers with accidents.
  • Sign Early and Save – Select insurance coverage companies give a discount for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. It could save around 10% when you buy insurance coverage online.

Discounts lower rates, but some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, you aren’t that lucky.

Companies that possibly offer most of the discounts above are:

If you want low cost insurance coverage quotes, ask all the companies to give you their best rates. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered on policies everywhere. To see a list of providers who offer insurance coverage discounts, follow this link.

Get lower-cost insurance premiums by understanding these factors

Multiple criteria are considered when quoting car insurance. A few of the factors are predictable such as traffic violations, but other criteria are more obscure like where you live or your vehicle rating.A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the rating factors that play a part in calculating car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates, this enables you to make decisions that may result in much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Better credit means lower premiums – Having a bad credit score can be an important factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit history leaves room for improvement, you may save money insuring your 2004 Dodge Caravan by improving your rating. People that have very high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than those with poor credit scores.
  • Where you live factors in – Choosing to live in areas with lower population can save you money when buying car insurance. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates. Residents of big cities tend to have more road rage incidents and more time behind the wheel. More time commuting means higher likelihood of an accident.
  • Are females or males drivers cheaper? – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown females are less aggressive when driving. However, don’t assume that men are WORSE drivers than women. Both genders cause fender benders at a similar rate, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. They also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving.
  • Cautious drivers pay the best rates – Just one ticket could increase your next policy renewal by as much as thirty percent. Careful drivers pay lower auto insurance prices than bad drivers. People who have flagrant citations like DUI or willful reckless driving may need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive.
  • Incidental coverages that aren’t used – There are a lot of optional add-on coverages that may not really be needed but may not be useful. Coverages like roadside assistance, towing, and extra life insurance coverage could be just wasting money. These may sound like a good investment when discussing your needs, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
  • Always have car insurance – Having a gap between insurance policy dates will be a fast way to increase your car insurance rates. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in fines and jail time. You may have to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with your state motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
  • Limits of liability – Liability insurance kicks in if you are ruled to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide for a legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage, there is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • Do I pay less for low miles?
  • How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
  • I have a DUI can I still get coverage?
  • Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
  • Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my 2004 Dodge Caravan is totaled?
  • Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
  • What discounts do I qualify for?
  • Should I carry comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Save $494 a year! What?

Popular insurance coverage providers such as State Farm, Allstate and Geico endlessly run television, radio, and online ads. All the companies tend to make the same promise of big savings if you get a free insurance coverage quote and switch your insurance coverage policy to them. That’s great but how can every company charge you a lower premium? This is the way they can do it.

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that will be a good risk. For instance, this type of insured should be married and over the age of 30, has a clean driving record, and insures a new vehicle. A driver that fits those parameters gets the lowest rates and will also save a lot of money.

Potential customers who fall short of the requirements will see a higher premium which leads to the prospect going elsewhere. If you listen closely, the ads state “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That’s the way companies can make it sound like they have such great premium rates. Because of this risk profiling, you really should compare free insurance coverage quotes often. Because you cannot predict with any certainty which company will provide you with the cheapest car insurance rates.

Coverage specifics

Having a good grasp of your policy aids in choosing the best coverages for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the usual coverages found on most insurance policies.

Liability auto insurance

Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 25/50/25 that translate to $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage protects against things like structural damage, medical services, bail bonds and attorney fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as much as you can afford.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This coverage gives you protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Dodge Caravan.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Medical expense coverage

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses like doctor visits, hospital visits, rehabilitation expenses, EMT expenses and pain medications. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision coverage protection

This covers damage to your Caravan resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for claims like sustaining damage from a pot hole, driving through your garage door and colliding with a tree. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive protection

This covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like a broken windshield, fire damage, damage from getting keyed and falling objects. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Stretch your dollar

We’ve covered some good ideas how to compare 2004 Dodge Caravan insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest prices come from the smaller companies. These companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or Geico.

A few companies may not offer online rate quotes and usually these small, regional companies work with independent insurance agents. Budget-conscious 2004 Dodge Caravan insurance is possible on the web as well as from insurance agents, so you need to compare both to have the best rate selection.

Additional insurance information can be found below: