No one in their right mind likes buying insurance, particularly when they could lower their rates if they shopped around.
It’s astonishing, but most insurance buyers have remained with the same insurance company for at least the last four years, and nearly the majority have never even compared rates from other companies. California consumers can save hundreds of dollars each year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don’t understand how simple it is to go online and compare rates.
Steps to quoting cheaper Dodge Stratus insurance in Sacramento
Truthfully, the best way to get the cheapest Dodge Stratus insurance in Sacramento is to start doing an annual price comparison from insurers that sell auto insurance in California.
- Step 1: Try to learn about auto insurance and the measures you can control to prevent rate increases. Many policy risk factors that are responsible for high rates like inattentive driving and a not-so-good credit history can be remedied by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide prices for many different companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
The key thing to remember is to use similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to analyze as many auto insurance providers as possible. This ensures a level playing field and maximum price selection.
Lots of car insurance companies contend to insure your vehicles, so it can be very hard to choose a insurer and get the best coverage at the lowest rate on Dodge Stratus insurance in Sacramento.
If you’re already insured, you will be able to save money using these tips. Buying the cheapest insurance in Sacramento is actually quite simple. Although California vehicle owners do need to understand how companies sell online and use it to find better rates.
Why Your Insurance Rates might be higher
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating insurance rates. If you have a feel for what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that could help you find cheaper rates. Multiple criteria are part of the equation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious such as traffic violations, although others are not quite as obvious such as whether you are married or how safe your car is.
- Save money by having responsible credit – Your credit history will be a significant factor in determining premium rates. If your credit history can be improved, you may save money insuring your Dodge Stratus by improving your rating. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with lower ratings.
- Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates translates directly to fewer claims which can mean better rates for you.
- Location can influence price – Choosing to live in less populated areas of the country can save you money when trying to find low car insurance rates. Less people translates into fewer accident claims and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers in populated California areas regularly have more traffic problems and higher rates of accident claims. More time on the road means more chances of being involved in an auto accident.
- Can a thief steal your car? – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers help track and prevent your car from being stolen.
- Decrease rates by maintaining coverage – Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a sure-fire way to pay more for insurance. In addition to paying higher rates, not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a steep fine or even jail time.
- Your occupation is a factor – Jobs like fire fighters, social workers, and miners are shown to have higher average rates in part from high stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, professions such as farmers, students and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
Which Dodge Stratus insurance is cheapest in Sacramento, California?
Just remember that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps locate more affordable rates. Not every company does online price quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare price estimates from those companies as well.
The following companies offer price quotes in Sacramento, CA. To find the cheapest auto insurance in Sacramento, CA, we recommend you visit as many as you can to find the most competitive auto insurance rates.
Buying the right Dodge vehicle insurance in California is an important decision
Despite the high cost, paying for insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy a specific minimum amount of liability in order to be legal. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your vehicle has a lienholder, more than likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may insure your Dodge at a significantly higher premium and make you pay the higher premium.
- Insurance protects not only your Dodge but also your assets. It also can pay for medical expenses incurred in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially if you ever need it. The average driver in America is overpaying more than $869 every year so we recommend shopping around every year to ensure rates are inline.
Determine discounts to get cheap Sacramento car insurance quotes
Some companies don’t necessarily list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts that may be available.
- Early Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
- Own a Home and Save – Owning your own home or condo can earn you a little savings since home ownership shows financial diligence.
- Theft Prevention System – Cars with anti-theft systems have a lower chance of being stolen so companies will give you a small discount.
- New Vehicle Savings – Insuring a new Stratus is cheaper since newer vehicles have better safety ratings.
- Renewal Discounts – A few larger companies offer discounts for buying a new policy prior to your current Stratus insurance policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
Discounts lower rates, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
If you would like to see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in California, click this link.
When to talk to an insurance agency
Certain consumers prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is just fine! A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is you can get the best rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from and supporting small agencies is still important in Sacramento.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your insurance data is submitted to local insurance agents who will gladly provide quotes for your coverage. You won’t need to do any legwork because quoted prices will be sent to you directly. You can find lower rates AND a local agent. If for some reason you want to quote rates from one company in particular, you just need to jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.
If you prefer to buy insurance from a local Sacramento insurance agency, it helps to know the two types of agencies and how they can service your needs differently. Sacramento agents are considered either independent or exclusive.
Independent Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Agents in the independent channel are not required to write business for one company so they can write business through many companies and get the cheapest rates. If your premiums go up, they simply move your policy to a different company which is easy for the insured.
If you need lower rates, you should always get some free quotes from a couple of independent agencies to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Shown below are Sacramento independent agents that may be able to give free insurance rate quotes.
Cliff Cottam Insurance Services
1111 Howe Ave #535 – Sacramento, CA 95825 – (800) 807-6871 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Welcome Financial Inc
1102 Jefferson Blvd c – West Sacramento, CA 95691 – (916) 231-3558 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Greg Comia Insurance Agency Inc
7500 Elsie Ave Ste 106 – Sacramento, CA 95828 – (916) 682-6053 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
These type of agents are contracted to one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agents are trained well on the products they sell which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
The following are Sacramento exclusive agencies willing to provide comparison quotes.
Bob Spears – State Farm Insurance Agent
3110 Fulton Ave – Sacramento, CA 95821 – (916) 482-9227 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Wayne Wong
2015 Q St – Sacramento, CA 95811 – (916) 760-7858 – View Map
Darryl Fong – State Farm Insurance Agent
8489 Folsom Blvd – Sacramento, CA 95826 – (916) 388-1900 – View Map
Picking a insurance agency requires you to look at more than just a cheap price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- How would your car be valued if totaled?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- How long has their agency been in business in Sacramento?
Upon receiving positive responses to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that is a good match to properly service your insurance policy.
Sacramento car insurance company ratings
Ending up with the top company can be rather challenging considering how many choices drivers have in Sacramento. The rank data listed below may help you choose which providers to look at purchasing from.
Top 10 Sacramento Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
What is the best car insurance coverage?
Always keep in mind that when comparing your policy, there really isn’t a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply.
These are some specific questions may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Does my policy cover me if I wreck while driving under the influence?
- Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
- What does PIP insurance cover?
- Is other people’s property covered if stolen from my vehicle?
- What exactly is covered by my policy?
- What are the best liability limits?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Do the work, save more money
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.
Lower-priced Dodge Stratus insurance in Sacramento can be sourced from both online companies and with local Sacramento insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who do not provide internet price quotes and these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agencies.
How to find affordable quotes for Dodge Stratus insurance in Sacramento
If saving the most money is your goal, then the best way to get budget Dodge Stratus insurance is to start doing an annual price comparison from insurers who sell auto insurance in Sacramento.
- Step 1: Try to learn about how your policy works and the things you can change to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates like traffic violations, accidents, and a lousy credit rating can be controlled by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Step 2: Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices from multiple sources.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available in Sacramento. If you find better rates, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Step 4: Notify your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application to your new carrier. Once the application is submitted, put the certificate of insurance along with your vehicle registration.
One important bit of advice is that you use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get rates from every insurance company. This provides a level playing field and the best price selection.
Additional detailed information is located at these sites:
- Vehicle Safety Ratings (iihs.org)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for 16 Year Olds in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- How Much are Sacramento Car Insurance Rates for State Employees? (FAQ)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Hybrid vehicles cost insurers more (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)