Cheaper 1996 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 Insurance Rates

Comparing and finding cheaper rates for Driversauto insurance can seem to be kind of frustrating for drivers new to online comparison shopping. Because there are so many insurers available, it can quickly become a difficult challenge to compare prices.

Shopping for the best coverage is quite easy. Basically, every driver who carries car insurance will be able to reduce their rates. Nevertheless, consumers must understand how companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.

Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 insurance rate factors

Many different elements are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. Some factors are common sense like an MVR report, but other factors are more transparent like your vehicle usage or how financially stable you are.An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that are used to determine insurance coverage rates. When consumers understand what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are some of the factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set your prices.

  • Choose high IIHS safety ratings and save – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Highly rated vehicles have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 scored better than an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may pay a lower rate.
  • Get a ticket, pay higher costs – Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Only having one ticket can increase the cost of insurance twenty percent or more. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Drivers who get careless violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state in order to legally drive a vehicle.
  • Never have policy lapses – Having a lapse in insurance coverage can be a guaranteed way to increase your insurance coverage rates. Not only will you pay higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license. You may then be required to file a SR-22 with your state motor vehicle department.
  • Additional coverages that may be costing you – Policies have additional coverages that sound like a good idea at the time but may not be useful. Coverages like rental car coverage, better glass coverage, and membership fees are some examples. They may seem like a good idea when deciding what coverages you need, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
  • Your location is a factor – Residing in less populated areas is a positive aspect if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents in addition to fewer liability claims. Drivers who live in large cities regularly have more aggressive driving styles and longer commutes to work. More time on the road translates into higher accident risk.

Cheaper rates with discounts

Some insurance providers don’t always advertise every discount they offer in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous credits that may apply to you. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you are throwing money away.

  • Defensive Driving Course – Taking a course in defensive driver could earn you a small percentage discount if you qualify.
  • Pay Now and Pay Less – If you can afford to pay the entire bill rather than spreading payments over time you could save 5% or more.
  • Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage could qualify for lower auto insurancerates due to less chance of an accident.
  • Active Military Service – Having a family member in the military may lower your premium rates slightly.
  • Discount for Swiching Early – Some larger companies provide a discount for signing up before your current coverage expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
  • Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for newer models.
  • Good Student Discount – Maintaining excellent grades can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply until age 25.

It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will bring down your premiums.

A list of companies and a selection of discounts can be found below.

  • State Farm discounts include student away at school, multiple policy, anti-theft, driver’s education, accident-free, passive restraint, and good student.
  • Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for good student, pay in full, business and professional, youthful driver, and electronic funds transfer.
  • GEICO has discounts for emergency military deployment, good student, multi-vehicle, five-year accident-free, and anti-lock brakes.
  • American Family policyholders can earn discounts including good driver, good student, early bird, multi-vehicle, and Steer into Savings.
  • Nationwide includes discounts for defensive driving, accident-free, good student, Farm Bureau membership, and easy pay.
  • Progressive may include discounts for multi-vehicle, online signing, online quote discount, multi-policy, homeowner, good student, and continuous coverage.

It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company to give you their best rates. Some credits may not apply to policyholders in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of companies with the best discounts, follow this link.

Brand name doesn’t guarantee savings

Respected companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make an identical promise that drivers will save a bundle just by switching to them. How can each company have lower policy pricing? Just pay attention to how they say it.

All companies require specific criteria for a prospective insured that will not have excessive claims. One example of a profitable customer may need to be over the age of 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will probably get the lowest prices and most likely will save money with a new company.

Potential insureds who fall short of the requirements will get higher prices which usually ends up with the customer buying from someone else. If you pay attention, the ads say “people who switch” not “all people who quote” can get the lowest rates when switching. That’s why insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

Different companies use different criteria so you need to get as many free car insurance quotes as possible. It’s not possible to predict which insurance companies will be your best fit.

What is the best auto insurance coverage?

When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Every insured’s situation is different.

These are some specific questions might point out if your situation may require specific advice.

  • What are the best liability limits?
  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in my state?
  • Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
  • Where can I get insurance after a DUI in my state?
  • Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
  • Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
  • Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
  • How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
  • Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

Auto insurance coverage considerations

Knowing the specifics of your policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Dodge Ram Pickup 1500.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.

Collision coverage – Collision coverage covers damage to your Ram Pickup 1500 from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against things such as damaging your car on a curb, driving through your garage door and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Coverage for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for bills like prosthetic devices, EMT expenses, nursing services, surgery and pain medications. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Coverage for liability – This provides protection from damage that occurs to a person or their property. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see values of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage pays for claims like legal defense fees, medical services and structural damage. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix 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 damage from flooding, fire damage and theft. The most your auto insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Best coverage at the best price

As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced collision coverage only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your objective should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

Drivers switch companies for any number of reasons including delays in paying claims, extreme rates for teen drivers, high prices and unfair underwriting practices. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.

In this article, we presented many tips how you can lower your 1996 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 insurance prices. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier.

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