View 2004 Dodge Stratus Insurance Rates

Trying to find lower insurance coverage rates for your Dodge Stratus? When shopping for cheaper insurance, do you get frustrated by the crazy number of insurance coverage choices? Many other drivers are too. People have so many choices available that it can quickly become a ton of work to find the lowest price.

It’s a good idea to take a look at other company’s rates occasionally due to the fact that insurance prices go up and down regularly. If you had the lowest price for Stratus coverage last year you will most likely find a better rate today. Ignore everything you know about insurance coverage because you’re going to learn the right way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

Discount car insurance quotes

Car insurance is not cheap, but you might already qualify for some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. A few discounts will automatically apply at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested before being credited.

  • Discounts for Government Workers – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could qualify for a slight premium decrease for Stratus coverage depending on your car insurance provider.
  • Membership in Organizations – Having an affiliation with a qualifying organization could trigger savings on your next car insurance statement.
  • Driver Training Discounts – Taking a course that instructs on driving safety could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Multi-car Discount – Purchasing coverage when you have all your vehicles on the same car insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Military Discounts – Being deployed in the military can result in better rates.
  • Drive Safe and Save – Insureds who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates for Stratus coverage than drivers with accident claims.
  • Online Discount – A handful of larger companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks shop insurance over the internet.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying in monthly installments you could save 5% or more.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

If you would like to choose from a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates, click here to view.

The quickest method we recommend to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to realize car insurance companies pay for the opportunity to compare rate quotes. To start a quote, the only thing you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details such as if you went to college, if a SR-22 is needed, the year, make and model of vehicles, and how much you drive. That information is automatically sent to many different companies and they return cost estimate within a short period of time.

The Dodge Stratus insurance cost equation

Lots of factors are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. Some are pretty understandable like a motor vehicle report, but others are less obvious like your vehicle usage or your commute time.

The itemized list below are some of the factors used by insurance companies to determine premiums.

  • Deter theft and reduce rates – Choosing to buy a car that has a built-in theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Systems that thwart theives like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent vehicle theft.
  • Poor credit decisions can cost you – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in calculating your premium rate. If your credit rating can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your 2004 Dodge Stratus if you clean up your credit. People with very good credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit scores.
  • Stay claim-free and save money – Companies award discounts to policyholders that do not abuse their auto insurance. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for more catestrophic claims.
  • Liability protection preserves assets – The liability section of your policy is the protection in the event that you are found liable for an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability insurance is quite affordable when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Premiums increase with driving tickets – Having a clean driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Just one chargable violation can boost insurance rates by as much as twenty percent. Drivers with clean records pay lower auto insurance prices than their less careful counterparts. Drivers with flagrant citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to file a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive a vehicle.
  • Where you reside is a factor – Living in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Drivers in populated areas regularly have more traffic problems and higher rates of accident claims. Fewer drivers on the road means less chance of accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates.
  • Cheaper rates with high physical damage deductibles – Comp and collision deductibles state the amount of money the insured will be required to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. Insurance for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, or theft of your vehicle. The more you’re willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be for Stratus coverage.

Tailor your insurance coverage coverage to you

When buying proper insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Every situation is different.

For instance, these questions could help you determine if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.

  • Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
  • Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
  • Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
  • Is my camper covered by my car insurance policy?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
  • What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
  • What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
  • Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Am I getting all the discounts available?

If you don’t know the answers to these 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, simply complete this short form.

Be skeptical of car insurance ads

State Farm and Allstate regularly use ads in print and on television. All the ads say the same thing that people will save if you just switch to them. It sounds good, but how can they all claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

Many companies give the best rates for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, this type of insured might be described as over the age of 40, has a clear driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Anyone that meets those criteria will get very good premium rates and will most likely save when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for these standards will probably be forced to pay a more expensive rate and the customer buying from a different company. If you pay attention, the ads say “drivers who switch” not “all people who quote” save money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently lure you into getting a quote. That is why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to guess which car insurance company will be your best fit.

Coverages available on your policy

Knowing the specifics of your policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Dodge Stratus.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Comprehensive coverages

This coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things like theft, vandalism, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, rock chips in glass and hail damage. The maximum amount your auto insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Collision protection

Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your Stratus resulting from a collision with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision insurance covers claims like colliding with another moving vehicle, scraping a guard rail, colliding with a tree and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Coverage for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for expenses like nursing services, pain medications, prosthetic devices and X-ray expenses. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and also covers 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

Coverage for liability

Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to other’s property or people by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see values of 25/50/25 that translate to $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability can pay for things such as attorney fees, medical services and repair costs for stationary objects. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy higher limits if possible.

Quote more, save more

We just covered some good ideas how you can lower your 2004 Dodge Stratus insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding the cheapest insurance. You may even find the lowest rates are with a small mutual company.

Some companies do not offer rate quotes online and most of the time these smaller providers prefer to sell through independent agents. Lower-priced 2004 Dodge Stratus insurance is definitely available online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.

When searching for the cheapest insurance quotes, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, an accident victim reduced full coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, but do not skimp to save money.

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