2003 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 Car Insurance Quotes

Trying to find the cheapest auto insurance rates for your Dodge Ram Pickup 3500? Are you irritated from wondering where the money will come from to keep your car insured? Your situation is no different than most other drivers.

Insurance companies such as GEICO, Farmers Insurance and State Farm continually hit you with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to separate fact from fiction and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Consumers should take time to do rate comparisons on a regular basis because insurance prices change quite often. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates on Ram pickup coverage a few years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate quote today. There is a lot of wrong information about auto insurance online, but we’re going to give you some excellent ideas to slash your auto insurance rates.

Free insurance quotes

To get inexpensive insurance coverage quotes, there a variety of ways to obtain and compare prices from local insurance companies. The best method to find the cheapest 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 insurance rates is to get quotes online. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

  1. One of the fastest ways consumers can make multiple comparisons is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions to each individual insurance company. One simple form will return quotes from multiple low-cost companies.
  2. A slightly less efficient method to obtain and compare quotes online is to manually visit each company website and fill out a new quote form. For example, let’s say you want to see prices from Progressive, Safeco and Travelers. To do that, you would have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

    For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.

  3. The most difficult way to find cheaper rates is to spend time driving to different agent offices. The ability to buy insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you’re the type of person who wants the personal advice that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. However, consumers can compare online quotes but buy the policy through an agent.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just do your best to enter nearly identical coverage data on every quote. If you are comparing different limits and deductibles on each one it will be impossible to determine which company has the best rates. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages can result in a big premium difference. And when comparing insurance rates, know that having more price comparisons provides better odds of finding the best offered rates. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide online rate quotes, so you also need to get price quotes from the smaller companies as well.

Auto insurance policy discounts

Some insurers do not list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we researched a few of the more common and also the lesser-known credits that you can use to lower your rates.

  • No Claims – Claim-free drivers pay less when compared to bad drivers.
  • Braking Control Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS braking systems or traction control can reduce accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Larger insurance carriers have a discount if you purchase some life insurance too.
  • Defensive Driver Discount – Taking part in a course in safe driver is a good idea and can lower rates and make you a better driver.
  • Telematics Discount – Drivers that enable driving data collection to scrutinize their driving habits remotely such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system might get better premium rates if their driving habits are good.
  • College Student – Any of your kids who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not take a car to college could get you a discount.

As a sidenote, some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though you would think it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

A list of companies and their offered discounts are:

  • GEICO includes discounts for seat belt use, defensive driver, five-year accident-free, membership and employees, and air bags.
  • Auto-Owners Insurance may offer discounts for group or association, safe vehicle, paid in full, mature driver, air bags, anti-theft, and teen driver.
  • American Family has discounts for good student, defensive driver, bundled insurance, accident-free, air bags, and good driver.
  • Esurance may have discounts that include emergency road assistance, Pac-12 alumni, homeowner, online shopper, DriveSense, anti-theft, and good driver.
  • Progressive offers premium reductions for online quote discount, multi-policy, continuous coverage, homeowner, good student, multi-vehicle, and online signing.
  • State Farm offers discounts including multiple policy, multiple autos, driver’s education, passive restraint, good driver, safe vehicle, and student away at school.
  • AAA may include discounts for good driver, education and occupation, multi-car, AAA membership discount, anti-theft, multi-policy, and good student.

When comparing rates, check with all the companies which discounts can lower your rates. Some credits might not be offered everywhere. If you would like to choose from a list of auto insurance companies that offer the discounts shown above, click this link.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When choosing coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.

  • Who is covered by my policy?
  • Should I have a commercial auto policy?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
  • What if I total my 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 and owe more than it’s worth?
  • Are my friends covered when driving my 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500?
  • What is roadside assistance coverage?
  • Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area.

Good decisions result in lower insurance premiums

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the factors that go into determining your premiums. When you know what positively or negatively determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

  • Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse raises auto insurance rates – Driving your car without having proper coverage can get your license suspended and any future policy may cost more because you let your insurance lapse for non-payment. Not only will rates go up, the inability to provide proof of insurance might get you a fine, jail time, or a revoked license.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less – Safe vehicles get lower rates. Safe vehicles help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and fewer serious injuries means your insurance company pays less which can mean better rates for you.
  • Discounts for theft deterrents – Selecting a car model with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack can thwart vehicle theft.
  • Your address can influence price – Having an address in smaller towns and rural areas of the country may provide you with better prices when trying to find low car insurance rates. City drivers have more aggressive driving styles and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers on the road corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to fewer liability claims.
  • Expect high rates for teens – Older drivers are shown to be more cautious, statistically cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.Inexperience drivers have a tendency to be inattentive and easily distracted in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates.
  • Too many claims will drive prices up – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance companies generally give the lowest premiums to people who file claims infrequently. Your car insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
  • Save money with high credit – Having a bad credit score is likely to be a major factor in determining your rates. People with good credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit. If your credit history is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 if you clean up your credit.
  • Responsible drivers have lower prices – Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Having a single moving violation could increase your next policy renewal by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates as compared to careless drivers. Drivers unfortunate enough to have multiple tickets like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may need to prove financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.

Slick advertising tricks that work

Insurance providers like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm endlessly run television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make the same claim that drivers will save a bundle just by moving your policy. How can each company give you a better price? This is the trick they use.

Most companies have underwriting criteria for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer could be over the age of 35, carries full coverage, and drives a vehicle with a low ISO rating. Someone who matches those parameters receives the best rates as well as save a lot if they switch.

Drivers who cannot meet the ideal profile will be charged more expensive rates and this results in the customer not purchasing. The ad wording is “people that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can confidently make claims that they all have the best premium rates. This really illustrates why drivers must get price quotes at each policy renewal. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Auto insurance 101

Learning about specific coverages of your policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need for your vehicles. Car insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverages found on most car insurance policies.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things like damage from flooding, vandalism, theft, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Dodge Ram Pickup 3500.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked.

Collision coverage

This coverage pays for damage to your Ram Pickup 3500 caused by collision with an object or car. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision can pay for claims such as rolling your car, backing into a parked car, scraping a guard rail and sideswiping another vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.

Medical expense insurance

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for immediate expenses such as hospital visits, nursing services and prosthetic devices. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability coverages

This coverage will cover damage that occurs to other people or property. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see values of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as structural damage, loss of income and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy higher limits if possible.

At the end of the day…

When buying insurance coverage, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where someone dropped collision coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheaper 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup 3500 insurance is definitely available online in addition to local insurance agencies, so get free insurance coverage quotes from both of them so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these smaller companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agents.

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