Trying to find low-cost insurance for a Dodge Journey in Texas could be a lot of work, but you can use these tips to save time. There is a better way to shop for car insurance and you need to know the best way to compare rates for a Dodge and obtain the lowest possible price from Austin insurance agents and online providers.
How Your Journey Insurance Premiums are Determined
Many factors are used when you quote your car insurance policy. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but other criteria are not as apparent like your vehicle usage or your financial responsibility. An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help calculate your premiums. If you know what determines base rates, this allows you to make good choices that may reward you with lower premium levels.
- Optional features that cut rates – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft deterrent systems like OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems help track and prevent auto theft.
- Rates can drop if you have more than one policy – The majority of insurance companies apply discounts to people who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can be ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. If you currently are using one company, it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal.
- Know your vehicle’s IIHS safety rating – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to have lower insurance rates. Vehicles built for safety reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims which can result in lower premiums.
- Little extras can really add up – Policies have add-on coverages that can add up on your car insurance policy. Insurance for things like replacement cost coverage, death and dismemberment, and additional equipment coverage may not be needed and are just wasting money. These coverages may sound good when discussing your needs, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
- Frequent car insurance claims will cost you more – Car insurance companies in Texas provide most affordable rates to insureds who are not frequent claim filers. If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you can look forward to higher rates. Your car insurance is intended for larger claims.
- Does your job raise your prices? – Jobs such as military personnelair traffic controllers and accountants generally have the highest rates attributed to intense work situations and long work days. On the flip side, careers like farmers, engineers and retirees have lower than average premiums for Journey insurance.
- Gender matters – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that males are worse at driving than females. Females and males tend to get into auto accidents at about the same rate, but men tend to have higher claims. Men also tend to get ticketed for serious violations like driving under the influence (DUI).
- Rural vs Urban Areas – Residing in a rural area can save you money when trying to find low car insurance rates. People in densly populated areas have to deal with much more traffic and more severe claims. Fewer drivers on the road means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
Most major insurance companies allow consumers to get prices from their websites. Comparing rates online is fairly straightforward as you just type in your required coverages as requested by the quote form. Upon sending the form, their system automatically orders information on your driving record and credit history and returns a price determined by many factors.
Online quotes simplifies rate comparisons, but the process of having to visit different websites and type in the same data can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. But it’s necessary to perform this step in order to find better prices.
Quote rates the easy way
A better way to find lower prices is to use a quote form that gets price quotes from many companies. The form is fast, eliminates form submissions, and makes comparison shopping much more efficient. As soon as you send your information, it is rated and you can choose any of the pricing results. If the quotes result in lower rates, it’s easy to complete the application and purchase the new policy. This process just takes a couple of minutes and could lower your rates considerably.
To find out how much you can save on car insurance, click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend that you enter your coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This guarantees you will get rate quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Car insurance ads are enticing
State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. All the companies have a common claim that you can save if you get a free and switch your coverage. It sounds good, but how can they all charge lower premium rates? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies have specific guidelines for the type of insured that earns them a profit. One example of a preferred risk might be described as between 30 and 50, has had continuous coverage, and has a high credit rating. Anyone who matches that profile receives the best rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential insureds who fall outside the “perfect” profile will see higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “customers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This really emphasizes why you should compare many company’s premium rates. It is just not possible to predict which car insurance company will be your best fit.
Car insurance policy discounts
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so below is a list a few of the more common and also the more inconspicuous credits available to lower your premiums when you .
- Driving Data Discount – Insureds who allow data collection to scrutinize where and when they drive through the use of a telematics system such as Progressive’s Snapshot and State Farm’s In-Drive could see a rate decrease if their driving habits are good.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle with the same car insurance company can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking time to complete a driver safety course may get you a small discount depending on where you live.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit may lower your car insurance rates slightly.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles with ABS braking systems or traction control can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Distant Student – Any of your kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from home and won’t have access to an insured vehicle could get you a discount.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying insurance coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
- Life Insurance – Not all car insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a break if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
As a sidenote, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Despite the appearance that having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Companies that may offer quotes with these benefits include:
If you are trying to find , ask each company how many discounts you can get. All car insurance discounts might not be available to policyholders in your area. To locate providers that offer multiple discounts in Texas, follow this link.
How do I know if I need professional advice?
When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique.
These are some specific questions could help you determine if your situation may require specific advice.
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- Should I rate my Dodge Journey as pleasure use or commute?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.
Additional detailed information can be read at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can read industry bulletins, file complaints about a company, download brochures, and find out industry alerts.
These articles may also be worth reading.
- Get Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes From Austin, TX Agents
- Auto Insurance in Austin, TX 6 Discounts You Might be Unaware of
- 6 Best Tips to Lower Auto Insurance Costs in Austin Texas
In Summary
Discount Dodge Journey insurance is attainable both online in addition to many Austin insurance agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies may not offer rate quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent agencies.
When getting , it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Drivers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, high prices and even questionable increases in premium. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new company is less work than it seems.