How to Compare Columbus Dodge Dakota Insurance

The most effective way to find the cheapest price for car insurance rates in Columbus is to compare prices once a year from different companies who provide auto insurance in Ohio.

1. Try to learn a little about how your policy works and the changes you can make to keep rates low. Many rating factors that result in higher rates like getting speeding tickets and a not-so-good credit rating can be remedied by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
2. Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies.
3. Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.

A good tip to remember is to make sure you’re comparing the same deductibles and limits on every quote and and to get rates from as many companies as possible. This helps ensure a fair rate comparison and the best price quote selection.

It’s shocking but a large majority of consumers kept their coverage with the same insurance company for more than four years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never compared rates from other carriers. American insurance shoppers could cut their rates by nearly 47% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but most tend to underestimate the benefits if they switch to a new company.

Finding and comparing the lowest-priced auto insurance in Columbus is easy to do. Just about everyone who needs lower cost auto insurance should get a lower-priced policy. But Ohio vehicle owners can benefit from knowing the methods companies use to compete online and use it to find better rates.

Get Cheap Insurance Costs by Understanding These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that come into play when calculating your premiums. When you understand what controls the rates you pay, this helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs. Many different elements are used when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, but some are less apparent such as your credit history or your vehicle rating.

The following are a few of the things companies use to determine your prices.

You might want pay the small insurance claims yourself – Car insurance companies in Ohio generally give lower rates to people who only file infrequent claims. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of claims that you cannot pay yourself.

Lower rates by increasing coverage deductibles – Physical damage protection, aka comp and collision, is used to repair damage to your Dodge. Some instances where coverage would apply could be a broken windshield, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. Comp and collision deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.

Rates increase with policy add-ons – There are many extra bells and whistles that may not really be needed if you aren’t diligent. Things like replacement cost coverage, better glass coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships are probably not needed. You may think they are a good idea when buying your policy, but if you have no use for them eliminate them to save money.

Liability limits should be high – Your policy’s liability coverage will afford coverage if ever you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Your policy’s liability insurance provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is pretty cheap when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.

Rates also based on gender – Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. This data doesn’t prove that females are better drivers. Males and females cause fender benders in similar percentages, but the men cause more damage. Not only are claims higher, but men get higher numbers of serious violations like driving under the influence (DUI).

The illustration below shows the difference between Dodge Dakota car insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data is based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.

Discounts for auto and home policies – Many insurers will award a discount to policyholders who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. The amount of the discounts can be as much as ten percent or more If you currently are using one company, it’s always a smart idea to compare Dodge Dakota rates in Columbus to help ensure you have the lowest rates.

Tickets are costly – Attentive drivers receive lower rates as compared to those with violations. Getting just one speeding ticket can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. People who have serious violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find that they have to to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.

The illustration below shows how traffic citations and at-fault collisions can affect Dodge Dakota insurance costs for each age group. The costs are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

When comparing auto insurance rates, know that comparing more prices helps locate more affordable insurance.

The auto insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer quotes in Ohio. If multiple companies are shown, it’s a good idea that you click on several of them to get the best price comparison.

Coverage statistics and figures

The coverage table below highlights different insurance costs for Dodge Dakota models. Being more informed about how rates are formulated is important to be able to make decisions on which coverage to buy.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-policy. Information does not factor in vehicle location which can alter rates greatly.

Does full coverage make sense?

The diagram below shows the difference between Dodge Dakota insurance prices when comparing full coverage to liability only. The data is based on no accidents or driving violations, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are factored in.

Should you pay for full coverage?

There is no written rule to delete full coverage, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might consider buying liability only.

For example, let’s pretend your Dodge Dakota book value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company would pay you is $6,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying in excess of $600 a year for physical damage coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are some situations where dropping physical damage coverage is not advised. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not eliminate full coverage.

Protect more than your Dakota

Even though it can be expensive, buying auto insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.

• The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability insurance in order to license the vehicle. In Ohio these limits are 25/50/25 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a loan on your vehicle, most lenders will stipulate that you have physical damage coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the bank may buy a policy for your Dodge at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over much more than you were paying before.
• Insurance protects both your Dodge Dakota and your personal assets. It will also provide coverage for most medical and hospital costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you cause an accident and are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to have it repaired.

The benefits of buying auto insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially if you ever need it. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is currently overpaying as much as $869 every year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.

Save money on Dodge Dakota insurance in Columbus with these car insurance discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize every discount they offer very clearly, so here is a list a few of the more common as well as the least known credits available to bring down your rates.

• Theft Deterrent Discount – Cars and trucks with anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen so companies will give you a small discount.
• Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government may qualify for a discount when you quote Columbus auto insurance depending on your company.
• Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying a new car instead of a used Dakota can get you a discount due to better safety requirements for newer models.
• Safety Course Discount – Passing a course teaching defensive driver skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
• No Charge for an Accident – This one isn’t a discount, but a few companies such as Progressive, State Farm and GEICO will let one accident slide without getting socked with a rate hike as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
• Passive Restraints – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may qualify for discounts of 25 to 30%.

It’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the whole policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though you would think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way.

The diagram below illustrates the difference between Dodge Dakota insurance costs with and without policy discounts. The rate quotes are based on a female driver, no accidents or driving violations, Ohio state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-policy, marriage, homeowner, multi-car, and safe-driver discounts applied.

Companies who might offer some of the discounts shown above possibly include:

• State Farm
• Progressive
• Progressive
• MetLife
• Farm Bureau
• GEICO
• SAFECO

Check with all companies you are considering which credits you are entitled to. Some discounts listed above may not apply everywhere. To find insurers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Ohio, click here to view.

You may require the services of a local insurance agent

Many people still like to talk to an insurance agent and often times that is recommended The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is the fact that drivers can get the best rates and still have a local agent. Buying from and supporting local insurance agents is still important in Columbus.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is immediately sent to agents in your area who will return price quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to drive around because prices are sent immediately to you. You can find better rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you have a need to get a price quote from one company in particular, you can always go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.

Columbus car insurance agents come in two flavors

If you need to find a reputable agency, you need to know there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Car insurance policy providers are classified as either exclusive or independent.

Independent Car Insurance Agents

Agents in the independent channel are appointed with more than one company and that allows them to write policies with a variety of different insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part.

When shopping rates, you should always contact several independent agencies for maximum quote selection.

Featured below is a partial list of independent agents in Columbus that may be able to give you free car insurance rate quotes.

View more Columbus agents

Exclusive Insurance Agents

These agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot compare rates from other companies so you might not find the best rates. These agents are usually well trained on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.

Shown below are Columbus exclusive agents that can give you comparison quotes.

View more Columbus agents

Picking an car insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. Any good agent in Columbus should know the answers to these questions.

• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
• Do they assist clients in filing claims?
• If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
• How often do they review coverages?
• Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Ohio?

Affordable coverage is out there

Cheaper car insurance in Columbus is attainable online as well as from insurance agents, so you need to shop Columbus auto insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide price quotes online and these smaller companies prefer to sell through local independent agencies.

As you quote Columbus auto insurance, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price, but do not skimp to save money.

For more information, take a look at the resources below:

• How to Avoid Common Accidents (State Farm)
• Who Has the Cheapest Columbus Car Insurance for Teenage Females? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Columbus Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers with Bad Credit? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for a Ford Escape in Columbus? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for First-time Drivers in Columbus? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Columbus Car Insurance for a GMC Acadia? (FAQ)
• What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Rental Reimbursement Coverage (Allstate)
• Auto Insurance Basics (Insurance Information Institute)