2005 Dodge Stratus Insurance Rates

Want better insurance rates for your Dodge Stratus? Having to pay for overpriced Dodge Stratus insurance can bottom out your personal savings, especially in this economy. Comparing rates annually can be a smart way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Due to the increasing number of options when it comes to insurance, it is hard for the average consumer to find a lower cost insurance company.

Low cost car insurance prices

Cutting your car insurance rates is not rocket science. All you need to do is take a few minutes to get quotes online with multiple companies. Rate comparisons can be done in a couple of different ways.

  1. The most efficient way to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form keeps you from doing multiple quote forms to each individual car insurance company. A single form gets rate comparisons from car insurance companies with the best prices.
  2. A slightly less efficient method to shop for car insurance online requires you to visit the website for every company you want to comare to request a price quote. For sake of this example, let’s say you want to view quotes from Farmers, Geico and GMAC. To do that, you would have to go to every website and enter your policy data, which can take a lot of time. For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.

Compare rates however you want, just be sure you’re using the same coverage data on every quote you get. If each company quotes different data it will be very difficult to determine which company has the best rates.

Take advantage of these discounts

Companies do not list every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of a few of the more common as well as some of the hidden ways to save on insurance coverage.

  • Resident Student – who attend college more than 100 miles from home and do not take a car to college could get you a discount.
  • Discounts for Government Workers – Federal government employees could provide a small rate reduction for Stratus coverage with a few insurance coverage companies.
  • Service Members Pay Less – Being on active deployment in the military could be rewarded with lower rates.
  • Good Driver Discount – Drivers without accidents can pay as much as 50% less for Stratus coverage than less cautious drivers.
  • Safety Restraint Discount – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off the PIP or medical payment premium.
  • Payment Method – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
  • Theft Prevention Discount – Cars with anti-theft systems help deter theft and that can save you a little bit as well.
  • No Claim Discounts – Drivers who stay claim-free can save substantially when compared with frequent claim filers.

A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. If you do the math and it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way.

Larger insurance coverage companies and their possible discounts can be read below.

  • Farmers Insurance has discounts for electronic funds transfer, switch companies, early shopping, mature driver, and business and professional.
  • Esurance may have discounts that include homeowner, DriveSense, multi-car, good student, defensive driver, and safety device.
  • State Farm has savings for driver’s education, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, defensive driving training, good student, and anti-theft.
  • Geico offers discounts for defensive driver, military active duty, daytime running lights, emergency military deployment, five-year accident-free, and membership and employees.
  • Allstate discounts include multi-policy, good payer, premier plus, 55 and retired, passive restraint, utility vehicle, and EZ pay plan discount.

When quoting, ask all the companies which discounts you qualify for. Some discounts listed above may not apply in your state.

Special considerations

When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions might help in determining whether you might need an agent’s assistance.

  • Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
  • Do I need an umbrella policy?
  • Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
  • How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount?
  • Can my babysitter drive my car?
  • Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my 2005 Dodge Stratus is totaled?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.

Insurance rates are influenced by these factors

Lots of factors are used when you get a price on insurance. Most are fairly basic like your driving record, but some are more obscure such as your credit history and annual miles driven.

Listed below are some of the most rate-impacting factors used by insurance companies to determine your prices.

  • Better credit means lower prices – An insured’s credit history will be a significant factor in calculating your premium rate. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit scores. So if your credit score is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your 2005 Dodge Stratus by spending a little time repairing your credit.
  • Insurance is expensive for younger drivers – Older insureds are proven to be safer behind the wheel, file fewer claims .Drivers with little experience are statistically proven to be inattentive when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates.
  • Always keep your car insurance in place – Having a gap between insurance policy dates is a quick way to increase your renewal premiums. In addition to paying higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance could earn you fines or a revoked license. You may then have to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with your state motor vehicle department.
  • Your location is a factor – Being located in a small town can be a good thing if you are looking for the lowest rates. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates. Drivers who live in large cities tend to have more aggressive driving styles and longer commute times. Higher commute times can result in more accidents.

Is there truth in advertising?

Consumers can’t ignore all the ads that claim the lowest car insurance rates by State Farm, Allstate and Geico. All the companies state the claim that you can save after switching your coverage to them.

How can each company give you a lower rate? This is the way they can do it.

All the different companies have specific characteristics for the driver that will be a good risk. For instance, a preferred risk might be described as a mature driver, has no prior claims, and drives a car with an anti-theft system. Any driver who fits that profile will probably get cheap premium rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential insureds who do not match this stringent profile will get higher prices with the end result being the customer buying from someone else. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “people that switch” not “all people who quote” can save as much as they claim. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict with any certainty which company will be your best fit.

Information about specific coverages

Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. These are typical coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Coverage for collisions

This covers damage to your Stratus resulting from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers claims like driving through your garage door, crashing into a ditch, colliding with a tree and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. You can also increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

This coverage provides protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Dodge Stratus.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently these limits are set the same as your liablity limits.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for immediate expenses for prosthetic devices, funeral costs and doctor visits. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Auto liability

Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people that is your fault. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage protects against things like court costs, funeral expenses, bail bonds and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but buy as much as you can afford.

Comprehensive coverage

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, rock chips in glass and damage from flooding. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Don’t break the bank

When buying insurance coverage, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. Too many times, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits only to discover later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

Cheaper auto insurance is available both online and with local insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not offer online rate quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies only sell through local independent agents.

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