How Much Does 2003 Dodge Dakota Insurance Cost?

Looking for cheaper insurance rates for your Dodge Dakota? I can’t think of anyone who likes having to buy insurance, in particular when their premiums are too high.

Multiple car insurance companies compete for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a insurer to find the absolute cheapest price

You probably qualify for some discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don’t even know exist. Some trigger automatically when you get a quote, but a few must be asked about in order for you to get them.

  • Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more for Dakota coverage than drivers with accidents.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • Paperwork-free – Certain companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application online.
  • Discount for Good Grades – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts up to age 25.
  • Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course in high school.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
  • Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • College Student – Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
  • Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle with the same company qualifies for this discount.

A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

A partial list of companies that may offer these discounts include:

Before buying, ask every prospective company what discounts are available to you. Discounts might not apply everywhere.

Parts of the Dodge Dakota rate equation

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that help determine your auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

The following are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into your rates.

  • Choose a safe vehicle and save – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars result in less severe injuries and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates. If the Dodge Dakota earned at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you may qualify for a discount.
  • Do you need those extra coverages? – There are many extra bells and whistles that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Things like personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if you don’t need them remove them from your policy.
  • Where you live is a factor – Living in small towns and rural areas can save you money when it comes to auto insurance. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident and a lower car theft rate. Urban drivers have to deal with traffic congestion and longer commutes to work. More time on the road translates into higher accident risk.
  • Credit scores impact auto insurance rates – Credit rating is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers with lower credit ratings. So if your credit can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your 2003 Dodge Dakota by improving your rating.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.

There’s no such thing as the perfect policy

When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you would benefit from professional advice.

  • Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
  • Should I buy full coverage?
  • Do I need motorclub coverage?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
  • What discounts do I qualify for?
  • If my pet gets injured in an accident are they covered?
  • Do I pay less for low miles?
  • If my 2003 Dodge Dakota is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
  • Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Drivers who switch save $440 a year? Really?

Car insurance providers like Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all say the same thing that you’ll save big if you switch to them. How can each company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. An example of a profitable customer could possibly be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Drivers who do not match the requirements will be charged a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

That is why it is so important to get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Coverages available on your insurance policy

Knowing the specifics of a insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverages found on most insurance policies.

Auto liability insurance – Liability insurance will cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and 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 limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers claims such as emergency aid, repair costs for stationary objects, pain and suffering and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.

Coverage for medical expenses – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for expenses for things like funeral costs, rehabilitation expenses, pain medications, chiropractic care and doctor visits. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Collision coverages – Collision coverage pays for damage to your Dakota from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers claims like damaging your car on a curb, driving through your garage door, sideswiping another vehicle, rolling your car and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like hitting a bird, a broken windshield, hail damage, damage from getting keyed and falling objects. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Save your hard earned cash

In this article, we covered many ideas to shop for 2003 Dodge Dakota insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the lowest priced insurance comes from an unexpected company. Some small companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as Geico and State Farm.

Affordable insurance can be bought both online as well as from independent agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

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