Do you want to learn to get more competitive Dodge Stratus insurance in Portland? Paying cheaper rates for Dodge Stratus insurance in Portland might be challenging for drivers who are beginners to buying insurance online. People have so many options available that it can quickly become a burden to find the lowest price on Dodge Stratus insurance.
Steps to buying low-cost Dodge Stratus insurance in Portland
The easiest way to get cheaper Dodge Stratus insurance is to compare prices once a year from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in Portland.
- Try to understand what is in your policy and the things you can change to keep rates low. Many rating criteria that increase rates such as careless driving and a less-than-favorable credit history can be amended by paying attention to minor details.
- Get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from multiple companies. View companies
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Notify your agent or company of your decision to cancel your existing policy. Submit a down payment along with a completed application for your new policy. As soon as coverage is bound, place your new certificate of insurance in your vehicle.
An essential thing to point out is to make sure you enter similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to look at all possible companies. Doing this enables the most accurate price comparison and a thorough price selection.
It’s safe to assume that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. People who shop around for better prices will probably switch insurance companies because the odds are good of finding a more affordable policy. A survey found that drivers who compared rates once a year saved an average of $860 a year compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding the best price on Dodge Stratus insurance is why you’re here, then learning a little about how to find and compare auto insurance can make it easier to shop your coverage around.
You should make it a habit to shop coverage around occasionally since insurance prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal on Dodge Stratus insurance in Portland last year you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad information regarding Stratus insurance out there, but I’m going to show you some of the best ways to lower your insurance bill.
When price shopping your coverage, comparing a large number of companies helps you find a lower rate than you’re paying now. Some smaller insurers do not give rate quotes online, so it’s necessary to compare rates from the smaller companies as well.
The auto insurance companies shown below can provide price comparisons in Portland, OR. If your goal is to find cheaper car insurance in Portland, OR, we recommend you visit several of them to find the most affordable auto insurance rates.
Car insurance is an important decision
Despite the high cost, paying for car insurance is mandatory in Oregon but it also protects more than you think.
First, almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to get the vehicle licensed. In Oregon these limits are 25/50/20 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $20,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if you took out a loan on your vehicle, it’s most likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Dodge at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
Third, car insurance preserves not only your car but also your assets. Insurance will also pay for many types of medical costs for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also pays expenses related to your legal defense if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If you have damage to your Dodge as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of insuring your Stratus are definitely more than the cost, especially for larger claims. The average driver in Oregon is currently overpaying as much as $700 annually so it’s important to compare rates every year to save money.
Companies offer lots of discounts on Dodge Stratus insurance in Portland
Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list every discount they offer very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of some of the best known and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using when you buy Portland car insurance online.
- Accident Waiver – Not really a discount, but some insurance companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you have no claims before the accident.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with ABS and/or traction control are much safer to drive so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Resident Student – College-age children who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Portland without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.
- New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% because newer vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Accident Free – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims pay much less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Telematics Devices – Drivers that enable driving data submission to analyze driving patterns remotely like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm may see discounts if they show good driving skills.
It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will positively reduce the premium cost.
Large car insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts include:
- Travelers has discounts for new car, student away at school, continuous insurance, payment discounts, and driver training.
- 21st Century may include discounts for student driver, theft prevention, early bird, automatic seat belts, and good student.
- State Farm may offer discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, passive restraint, driver’s education, student away at school, and defensive driving training.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including anti-lock brakes, multi-policy, daytime running lights, military active duty, anti-theft, air bags, and seat belt use.
- SAFECO offers discounts including homeowner, accident prevention training, anti-theft, multi-car, safe driver, and anti-lock brakes.
- AAA has savings for pay-in-full, multi-car, education and occupation, AAA membership discount, multi-policy, and good student.
When comparing rates, check with all companies you are considering how many discounts you can get. Some discounts listed above may not be available in your state. To see providers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Oregon, click here to view.
Compare rates but work with a local Portland insurance agent
A lot of people still like to talk to a local agent and that is a personal choice. One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates and still buy from a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, the quote information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Portland who will give competitive quotes for your coverage. You don’t have to drive around since rate quotes are delivered immediately to you. You can get cheaper auto insurance rates and work with a local agent. If you have a need to compare rates from a specific auto insurance provider, just navigate to their website and submit a quote form there.
Deciding on an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Is the quote a firm price?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Oregon?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage in Portland?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
If you are searching for a reputable agency, there are two different types of agents and how they can service your needs differently. Auto insurance agents are categorized either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot place coverage with different providers so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agents are highly trained on sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage. Some people will only purchase coverage from exclusives mostly because of the brand legacy and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Listed below are Portland exclusive agencies willing to provide price quotes.
- State Farm: Rick Hennessy
6335 SW Capitol Hwy – Portland, OR 97239 – (503) 245-9345 – View Map - Vu Han – State Farm Insurance Agent
322 NE 82nd Ave – Portland, OR 97220 – (503) 252-1114 – View Map - John Lokting – State Farm Insurance Agent
307 SE 102nd Ave – Portland, OR 97216 – (503) 252-5581 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Independent insurance agents often have affiliation with several companies so they can insure your vehicles through lots of different companies and potentially find a lower price. If premiums increase, your agent can switch companies which requires no work on your part. If you are comparing rate quotes, we highly recommend that you get quotes from several independent insurance agents to maximize your price options. Many write coverage with mutual insurance companies that may provide cheaper auto insurance rates.
Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Portland who can help you get price quotes.
- Cundari Insurance
8309 SW 22nd Ave – Portland, OR 97219 – (503) 292-0075 – View Map - Vern Fonk
9955 SE Washington St #103 – Portland, OR 97216 – (971) 213-1015 – View Map - Propel Insurance
888 SW 5th Ave #1170 – Portland, OR 97204 – (503) 467-7540 – View Map
After you get good answers to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that will provide auto insurance coverage. Keep in mind consumers can terminate coverage at any point so don’t assume you are locked into the auto insurance policy for a certain time period.
Ratings for Oregon auto insurance companies
Choosing a highly-rated auto insurance provider is hard considering how many choices you have in Oregon. The ranking information below could help you decide which companies to look at comparing rate quotes with.
Top 10 Portland Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
- Nationwide
Top 10 Portland Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- GEICO – A++
- State Farm – A++
- The Hartford – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
How much can you save?
Cheap Dodge Stratus insurance in Portland can be purchased both online and with local Portland insurance agents, so you need to quote Portland car insurance with both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance providers may not provide the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agencies.
As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice full coverage only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
You just learned many ideas to compare Dodge Stratus insurance rates in Portland. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting the cheapest Dodge Stratus rate quotes. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
How to find better rates for Dodge Stratus insurance in Portland
The best way we recommend to get more affordable Dodge Stratus insurance in Portland is to compare quotes once a year from insurance carriers who provide car insurance in Oregon. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.
- First, try to understand how your policy works and the measures you can control to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that increase rates like traffic violations, accidents, and an imperfect credit history can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Second, compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can quote rates from multiple insurance companies. Select a company
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to determine if you can save on Stratus insurance. If you find better rates and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Fourth, notify your current company of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit payment and a completed application for the new policy. Once coverage is bound, put the certificate of insurance with the vehicle registration.
The most important part of this process is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get price estimates from as many companies as possible. Doing this helps ensure a fair price comparison and maximum price selection.
For more information, link through to these articles:
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Portland Auto Insurance Quotes for Postal Workers? (FAQ)
- How Much are Portland Car Insurance Rates for Good Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Active Military in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for a Company Car in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Portland Auto Insurance Quotes for a Toyota 4Runner? (FAQ)
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Credit Impacts Car Insurance Rates (State Farm)