Pretty sure you bought high-priced Dodge Dakota insurance in Philadelphia? You’re in good company because many Philadelphia consumers feel financially strained by their auto insurance policy.
It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. Consumers who do rate comparisons will, in all likelihood, buy a new policy because there is a great chance of finding a policy with better rates. A survey found that people who compared rate quotes regularly saved approximately $865 a year compared to policyholders who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding budget-friendly insurance is your objective, then learning a little about the best way to quote and compare insurance premiums can help you be more efficient.
Insurance companies such as GEICO, Progressive and Allstate promote their brand names with catchy ads and it is difficult to sift through the bull and find the best price available.
Smart consumers take time to price shop coverage once or twice a year because auto insurance prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. If you had the best rates on Dodge Dakota insurance in Philadelphia last year you will most likely find a better premium rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to learn one of the easiest ways to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
Just keep in mind that getting more free quotes increases your odds of finding more affordable insurance. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide price estimates online, so you also need to get price estimates on coverage from those companies, too.
The following companies have been selected to offer comparison quotes in Philadelphia, PA. If the list has multiple companies, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them in order to find the cheapest rates.
Why you need auto insurance
Even though Philadelphia Dakota insurance rates can get expensive, insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to carry a minimum amount of liability protection if you drive a vehicle. In Pennsylvania 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 you have a lien on your Dodge Dakota, most banks will make it a condition of the loan that you have physical damage coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Dodge for a lot more money and require you to fork over for the expensive policy.
- Auto insurance preserves your Dodge and your assets. It will also reimburse you for medical transport and hospital expenses incurred in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of insuring your Dakota definitely exceed the cost, particularly for liability claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays more than $830 a year so you should quote and compare rates each time the policy renews to ensure rates are competitive.
Insurance coverage details
The premium table shown below covers estimates of insurance costs for Dodge Dakota models. Having insight into how premiums are figured can be useful when making decisions when shopping around.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota ST Ext Cab 2WD | $172 | $364 | $396 | $24 | $118 | $1,074 | $90 |
| Dakota Bighorn Ext Cab 2WD | $172 | $364 | $396 | $24 | $118 | $1,074 | $90 |
| Dakota Lonestar Ext Cab 2WD | $198 | $364 | $396 | $24 | $118 | $1,100 | $92 |
| Dakota ST Crew Cab 2WD | $198 | $364 | $396 | $24 | $118 | $1,100 | $92 |
| Dakota Bighorn Crew Cab 2WD | $198 | $430 | $396 | $24 | $118 | $1,166 | $97 |
| Dakota Lonestar Crew Cab 2WD | $198 | $430 | $396 | $24 | $118 | $1,166 | $97 |
| Dakota Bighorn Ext Cab 4WD | $224 | $364 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,016 | $85 |
| Dakota ST Ext Cab 4WD | $224 | $364 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,016 | $85 |
| Dakota Laramie Crew Cab 2WD | $224 | $430 | $396 | $24 | $118 | $1,192 | $99 |
| Dakota ST Crew Cab 4WD | $224 | $364 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,016 | $85 |
| Dakota Lonestar Ext Cab 4WD | $224 | $364 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,016 | $85 |
| Dakota Bighorn Crew Cab 4WD | $224 | $364 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,016 | $85 |
| Dakota TRX Crew Cab 4WD | $224 | $430 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,082 | $90 |
| Dakota TRX Crew Cab 4WD | $224 | $430 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,082 | $90 |
| Dakota Lonestar Crew Cab 4WD | $224 | $430 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,082 | $90 |
| Dakota Laramie Crew Cab 4WD | $250 | $430 | $316 | $18 | $94 | $1,108 | $92 |
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Table data represents married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Table data does not factor in Philadelphia location which can revise coverage rates substantially.
Accidents and violations increase rates
The information below shows how traffic citations and at-fault fender-benders can drive up Dodge Dakota auto insurance costs for different age categories. The information is based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Difference between full coverage and liability only rates
The information below illustrates the difference between Dodge Dakota insurance costs with full coverage and liability only. The prices are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
When to buy liability coverage only
There is no exact formula for phasing out physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Dodge Dakota claim settlement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $5,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying more than $500 a year to have full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are a few situations where only buying liability is not a good idea. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to maintain full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
Affordable Philadelphia car insurance rates with discounts
Car insurance companies do not list every possible discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down a few of the more common and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using when you buy Philadelphia car insurance online. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.
- Pay Early and Save – By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Teen drivers should take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
- Buy New and Save – Insuring a new Dakota can save up to 30% because newer models are generally safer.
- Low Miles Discount – Keeping the miles down on your Dodge may allow you to get cheaper car insurance rates.
- Online Discount – A few larger companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
- Safety Course Discount – Passing a course teaching driver safety skills could earn you a small percentage discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Data Collection Discounts – Policyholders that allow data collection to monitor driving manner by using a telematic data system such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system may see discounts if they have good driving habits.
- Good Student – Excelling in school may save you up to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
Remember that most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. But all discounts will reduce your policy premium.
The chart below illustrates the comparison of Dodge Dakota auto insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The data assumes a male driver, a clean driving record, no claims, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, multi-car, marriage, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free discounts applied.
Larger car insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts can be found below.
- Progressive discounts include multi-vehicle, online signing, online quote discount, continuous coverage, multi-policy, homeowner, and good student.
- MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including accident-free, good driver, good student, multi-policy, defensive driver, claim-free
- Mercury Insurance has discounts for good driver, location of vehicle, accident-free, good student, multi-car, and age of vehicle.
- Nationwide offers discounts for easy pay, business or organization, defensive driving, family plan, multi-policy, and Farm Bureau membership.
- GEICO has savings for seat belt use, multi-policy, air bags, multi-vehicle, driver training, and five-year accident-free.
- AAA offers discounts including multi-policy, good student, AAA membership discount, anti-theft, education and occupation, and pay-in-full.
Before purchasing a policy, check with every company which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts listed above may not apply in Philadelphia.
Local Philadelphia insurance agencies and car insurance
A small number of people still like to get advice from a local agent and doing that can be a smart decision An additional benefit of comparing car insurance online is that you can find cheaper auto insurance rates and still choose a local agent.
Upon completion of this quick form, your information is emailed to local insurance agents that can provide free Philadelphia car insurance quotes for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. You can find better rates and work with a local agent. If you wish to quote rates for a specific company, you can always find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Finding the right provider requires more thought than just the quoted price. Any agent in Philadelphia should be forthright in answering these questions:
- How long have they been in business?
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- Where would glass claims be handled in Philadelphia?
- Do they offer accident forgiveness?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
The following are Philadelphia auto insurance companies who can help you get price quote information for Dodge Dakota insurance in Philadelphia.
Dennis Jackson – State Farm Insurance Agent
6200 Frankford Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19135 – (215) 289-5179 – View Map
Dave Penning – State Farm Insurance Agent
2962 Robbins Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19149 – (215) 537-8050 – View Map
K and A Insurance Agency
5520 Wayne Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19144 – (215) 991-4900 – View Map
Pamela R Wilkins – State Farm Insurance Agent
8912 Frankford Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19136 – (215) 331-4500 – View Map
What insurance coverages do I need?
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing coverage online or from an agent for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a single plan that fits everyone. Your situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- How much can I save by bundling my policies?
- What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- How can I force my company to pay a claim?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Quote more to save more
Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including poor customer service, denial of a claim, lack of trust in their agent and not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
There are still a few companies who may not offer internet price quotes and most of the time these smaller providers only sell through local independent agents. Affordable Dodge Dakota insurance in Philadelphia is attainable from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice full coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
More learning opportunities
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has the Cheapest Philadelphia Car Insurance for a Learners Permit? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Company Car in Philadelphia? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a 20 Year Old Female in Philadelphia? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for High School Students in Philadelphia? (FAQ)
- Event Data Recorders FAQ (iihs.org)
- Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
- What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)
- How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)