Smart shoppers know that auto insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. Consumers who get price comparisons will, in all likelihood, switch insurance companies because there is a significant possibility of finding lower rate quotes. A recent survey found that people who made a habit of comparing rates saved $865 a year compared to those who never compared prices.
If finding the lowest price for Dodge Stratus insurance is your intention, understanding how to quote and compare auto insurance can make shopping around easier.
To save the most money, the best way to find cheaper quotes for auto insurance rates in Mesa is to start comparing prices yearly from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in Arizona. Rates can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Try to understand how insurance works and the things you can change to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices such as traffic violations, accidents, and a lousy credit rating can be remedied by paying attention to minor details.
- Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from many different companies.
- Compare the new quotes to the price on your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you can save money and make a switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Notify your agent or company of your intention to cancel your current policy and submit payment and a completed application to your new insurance company. As soon as you receive it, keep the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
One important bit of advice is to use the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to get rates from as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this enables an apples-to-apples comparison and the best rate selection.
Earn discounts on Mesa auto insurance
Companies do not advertise every available discount very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of some of the more common and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings. If you do not double check each discount you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Telematics Devices – Drivers who elect to allow their auto insurance company to look at driving manner by using a telematic data system like Allstate’s Drivewise could possibly reduce rates as long as they are good drivers.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up before driving could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Distant Student Discount – Children who are attending college without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
- Good Students Pay Less – This discount can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
- Accident-Free Discounts – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts compared to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Insureds without accidents could pay up to 40% less than less cautious drivers.
- Theft Deterrent System – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems have a lower chance of being stolen and earn discounts up to 10% off your Mesa car insurance quote.
Remember that some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. If you do the math and it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. Any amount of discount will help lower the premium cost.
A few of the larger companies and a selection of discounts are detailed below.
- Progressive may offer discounts for multi-policy, online quote discount, online signing, multi-vehicle, good student, homeowner, and continuous coverage.
- GEICO offers discounts for membership and employees, good student, seat belt use, multi-policy, anti-theft, military active duty, and daytime running lights.
- State Farm has savings for Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, good driver, accident-free, good student, and driver’s education.
- Esurance has discounts for online quote, DriveSense, multi-car, emergency road assistance, anti-lock brakes, online shopper, and safety device.
- The Hartford includes discounts for anti-theft, bundle, good student, air bag, defensive driver, vehicle fuel type, and driver training.
When comparing rates, check with all companies you are considering how you can save money. All car insurance discounts might not apply in your state. If you would like to see a list of providers that offer multiple discounts in Mesa, click here to view.
Most major insurance companies allow you to get coverage prices on the web. The process doesn’t take much effort as all you need to do is type in your personal and coverage information into a form. Once you submit the form, their quoting system obtains information on your driving record and credit history and generates a price based on these factors.
This helps simplify price comparisons, and it’s also necessary to perform this step in order to get affordable rates.
To compare pricing, visit the companies below or click here to submit a quote request to multiple companies at once. To compare your current rates, we recommend you complete the form with the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will be getting comparison quotes based on identical coverages.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer free quotes in Mesa, AZ. To get the cheapest car insurance in AZ, we suggest you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Lower Your Mesa Insurance Premiums
Many things are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are obvious like an MVR report, although others are less obvious like where you live or your financial responsibility. Part of the insurance buying process is learning the rating factors that help calculate your insurance rates. If you have some idea of what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you lower insurance prices.
The items below are a few of the “ingredients” insurance companies consider when setting your rate level.
- Raise physical damage deductibles and save – Insurance for physical damage, also called ‘full coverage’, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. Some instances where coverage would apply could be a dented fender, vandalism, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. The more expense the insured is willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Vehicle risk impacts prices – The performance level of the car you own makes a significant difference in your auto insurance rates. The most favorable rates are generally reserved for lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Your vocation and insurance rates – Careers like real estate brokers, social workers, and miners generally pay higher rates than average because of high stress levels and lots of time spent away from family. On the flip side, professions such as farmers, engineers and the unemployed receive lower rates.
- Married people drive safer – Having a wife or husband may cut your premiums when buying insurance. Having a spouse may mean you are less irresponsible and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
- Low mileage costs less – The more miles you rack up on your Dodge in a year the more you will pay for insurance. Most companies charge rates based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Vehicles left parked in the garage get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Improper usage on your Stratus may be costing you higher rates. Verify your insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Getting quotes from local Mesa insurance agencies
Many drivers still like to get professional advice from a licensed agent. A nice benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find better rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your coverage information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Mesa who will give competitive quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You never need to contact an agency as quotes are delivered directly to your email. You’ll get the best rates AND an agent nearby. If you want to get a comparison quote from a specific company, just find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
Finding a good insurer should include more criteria than just the bottom line cost. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Arizona?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
If you need to find local Mesa agents, it’s helpful to know the types of insurance agents and how they can quote your rates. Car insurance policy providers are categorized either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Exclusive Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive can only write with one company and examples are Allstate, AAA, Farmers Insurance, and State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot provide other company’s prices so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agencies are well trained on their company’s products which aids in selling service over price. Drivers often buy from exclusive agents mainly due to the brand instead of buying on price only.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agents in Mesa willing to provide price quote information.
- State Farm : Mike Wilson
1046 E McKellips Rd – Mesa, AZ 85203 – (480) 926-0388 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Cameron Berrett
5052 S Power Rd #104 – Mesa, AZ 85212 – (480) 454-7518 – View Map - Ed Clark – State Farm Insurance Agent
3035 S Ellsworth Rd #112 – Mesa, AZ 85212 – (480) 832-3878 – View Map
Independent Agents
These type of agents do not write with just one company and that enables them to quote your coverage amongst many companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. To move your coverage to a new company, they can switch companies in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rate quotes, we recommend you get several quotes from several independent insurance agents to maximize your price options. Most also have access to smaller companies which may provide better rates.
Below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Mesa that are able to give price quotes.
- Bryant Insurance Agency, LLC
2941 N Power Rd Suite 101 – Mesa, AZ 85215 – (480) 448-1555 – View Map - Canyon Lands Insurance: Donalds Jeffrey
1550 E University Dr – Mesa, AZ 85203 – (480) 668-7000 – View Map - Jeff Klusmann Insurance Agency
1955 N Val Vista Dr – Mesa, AZ 85213 – (480) 830-0080 – View Map
After getting answers to your satisfaction to all your questions as well as an affordable premium quote, you may have found an insurance agent that is reputable and can insure your vehicles.
Why you need to buy auto insurance
Despite the high cost, insuring your vehicle is required in Arizona but it also protects you in many ways.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car legally. In Arizona these limits are 15/30/10 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a lien on your Dodge Stratus, it’s most likely the lender will make it mandatory that you have physical damage coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Dodge at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay for it.
- Insurance safeguards both your assets and your vehicle. Insurance will also pay for most medical and hospital costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance also pays expenses related to your legal defense in the event you are sued. If your Dodge gets damaged, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of buying auto insurance more than offset the price you pay, particularly if you ever have a claim. But the average driver in Arizona is overpaying over $850 per year so it’s important to compare rates once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are inline.
Smart shoppers get results
We’ve covered a lot of techniques to get a better price on Dodge Stratus insurance in Mesa. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding cheaper Mesa car insurance quotes. You may even find the best car insurance rates are with a smaller regional carrier.
People change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as denial of a claim, high rates after DUI convictions, extreme rates for teen drivers or lack of trust in their agent. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding the right insurance provider can be easy and end up saving you some money.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Additional resources
- Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Nissan Altima in Mesa? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Mesa? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Mesa Car Insurance Quotes for Hybrid Vehicles? (FAQ)
- Crash Avoidance Technologies FAQ (iihs.org)
- Distracted Driving Extends Beyond Texting (State Farm)
- Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)