Looking for lower car insurance rates for your Dodge Caliber? Have you fallen victim to high-priced car insurance? Trust us when we tell you you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. Companies like Geico, 21st Century and Progressive persitently shower you with advertising and it can be hard to avoid their marketing magic and take the time to shop coverage around.
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but companies offer discounts to help bring down the price. Some discounts apply automatically when you get a quote, but a few need to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you don’t get every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.
A partial list of companies that may offer these money-saving discounts are:
Check with every prospective company which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts may not apply in your state.
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions could help you determine if you would benefit from professional advice.
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Understanding the coverages of your car insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are the normal coverages available from car insurance companies.
Comprehensive coverages – This pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims like rock chips in glass, hitting a bird, damage from getting keyed, damage from a tornado or hurricane and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Coverage for medical payments – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for bills such as doctor visits, nursing services, X-ray expenses and surgery. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Dodge Caliber.
Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Frequently the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Collision – This coverage covers damage to your Caliber caused by collision with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things like sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter, crashing into a building and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Liability – Liability insurance will cover damage that occurs to a person or their property in an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers things like bail bonds, repair costs for stationary objects and court costs. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but consider buying as much as you can afford.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, an insured cut full coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
Discount 2011 Dodge Caliber insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. Some car insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
Even more information is available at these sites: