It takes a few minutes, but the best way to get affordable Dodge Grand Caravan insurance in Stockton is to regularly compare prices from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in California. You can compare rates by completing these steps.
First, try to learn about car insurance and the measures you can control to keep rates low. Many risk factors that result in higher prices like inattentive driving and an unfavorable credit rating can be eliminated by being financially responsible and driving safely.
Second, quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes from many different companies.
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate quote and switch companies, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
Fourth, provide adequate notice to your current company of your decision to cancel the current policy and submit a completed application and payment to your new company or agent. Once the paperwork is finalized, keep your new proof of insurance certificate along with your vehicle registration.
An essential thing to point out is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same level of coverage on each price quote and and to compare as many companies as possible. Doing this ensures a fair rate comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that most California auto insurance customers have stayed with the same insurance company for over three years, and 38% of customers have never compared rate quotes at all. Drivers in the U.S. could save about 46.5% each year by just comparing rate quotes, but most tend to underestimate the large savings they would see if they bought a different policy.
Comparison shopping for the cheapest auto insurance coverage in Stockton is not that difficult. If you’re already insured or just want to reduce your rates, you will benefit by learning to find the best rates without having to cut coverage. Smart shoppers only have to learn the least time-consuming way to compare insurance rates over the internet.
Six factors that affect insurance prices
Lots of factors are taken into consideration when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, but other criteria are less apparent like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are.
Shown below are most of the major factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.
Use credit responsibly and save – Your credit history will be a significant factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure than those with lower credit scores. If your credit is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your Dodge Grand Caravan if you improve your credit rating.
Traffic violations cost more than a fine – Whether or not you get tickets has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Just one chargeable violation could increase your next policy renewal by as much as twenty percent. Careful drivers receive lower rates than bad drivers. Drivers who get flagrant tickets like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding might be required by their state to prove financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
The illustration below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault claims can raise Dodge Grand Caravan insurance premiums for different insured age categories. Data assumes a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
Is car insurance cheaper for males or females? – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both genders cause auto accidents in similar percentages, but males have accidents that have higher claims. Men also tend to get ticketed for serious violations such as reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 have the highest risk to insure and therefore pay the highest rates.
The information below visualizes the comparison of Dodge Grand Caravan insurance rates for male and female drivers. The information is based on no claims, a clean driving record, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.
Reduce prices by driving cars with good safety ratings – Cars with high safety ratings cost less to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates. If your Dodge scored better than an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may pay a lower rate.
More performance means more cost – The performance level of the car you are insuring makes a significant difference in your premium level. The cheapest insurance rates are usually for lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
The next chart assumes a married female driver age 20, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It illustrates Dodge Grand Caravan policy rates compared to other makes and models that have different performance risks.
Liability protection claims can be big – Your policy’s liability coverage kicks in if ever a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Your liability coverage provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
Dodge Grand Caravan insurance claim data – Auto insurance companies use past loss statistics for each vehicle in order to profitably underwrite each model. Vehicles that the data determines to have high amounts or severity of claims will be charged more to insure. The table below outlines the collected loss data for Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles.
For each coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is set at 100. Values that are under 100 imply a favorable loss record, while values that are above 100 indicate more frequent claims or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
| Specific Dodge Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Grand Caravan | 79 | 104 | 81 | 108 | 108 | 107 |
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
The companies shown below are ready to provide price comparisons in California. If more than one company is shown, we suggest you compare several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Premium rates and analysis
The price information below highlights estimates of insurance prices for Dodge Grand Caravan models. Having a better idea how auto insurance premiums are calculated is important for drivers to make smart policy decisions.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Caravan CV | $296 | $480 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,352 | $113 |
| Grand Caravan SE | $296 | $480 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,352 | $113 |
| Grand Caravan Hero | $296 | $584 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,456 | $121 |
| Grand Caravan Crew | $334 | $584 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,494 | $125 |
| Grand Caravan SXT | $334 | $584 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,494 | $125 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Cost estimates assume married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Price estimates do not factor in specific location which can revise premiums greatly.
Here’s why car insurance is not optional
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Dodge in Stockton, buying car insurance serves several important purposes.
- Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific minimum amounts 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 you bought your vehicle with a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will stipulate that you have full coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may insure your Dodge at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over for the much more expensive policy.
- Car insurance preserves not only your Dodge Grand Caravan but also your assets. Insurance will also pay for most medical and hospital costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your car insurance policy will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially with large liability claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is overpaying over $869 every year so shop around at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
Get discounts to get affordable Stockton insurance rates
Insurance is expensive, but you might find some hidden discounts that you may not even know about. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you complete an application, but once in a while a discount must be specifically requested before they will apply.
- No Claim Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts as opposed to drivers with a long claim history.
- Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles can earn substantially lower premium rates.
- Distant College Student Discount – College-age children who live away from home at college and do not have a car could get you a discount.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Having worked for a branch of the government may reduce rates when you quote Stockton auto insurance with select insurance companies.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Drivers who insure multiple cars or trucks with one company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Smart Student Discounts – Excelling in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Remember that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Even though the math looks like you can get free auto insurance, you aren’t that lucky.
The example below shows the difference between Dodge Grand Caravan insurance prices with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The rates are based on a female driver, no accidents or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, marriage, multi-car, and safe-driver discounts applied.
The best insurance companies and some of the discounts can be read below.
- State Farm may include discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, safe vehicle, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, and passive restraint.
- Progressive has discounts for online quote discount, good student, online signing, homeowner, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- Travelers offers discounts including home ownership, student away at school, driver training, IntelliDrive, new car, and multi-policy.
- American Family policyholders can earn discounts including TimeAway discount, defensive driver, Steer into Savings, good student, accident-free, and multi-vehicle.
- Liberty Mutual includes discounts for good student, multi-car, hybrid vehicle, newly retired, safety features, new move discount, and newly married.
When getting free Stockton auto insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to every company which discounts you qualify for. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered in your area. To view providers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Stockton, click here.
When should I get advice from a local insurance agent?
A small number of people would rather have an agent’s advice and often times that is recommended Licensed agents can help you choose the best coverages and help you file claims. A good thing about comparing rates online is you can get cheap auto insurance rates and also buy local. Supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is definitely important in Stockton.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your insurance data gets sent to companies in Stockton who will give you bids to get your business. You never need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent to you instantly. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote from a specific company, you would need to jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Types of auto insurance agents
If you want to buy auto insurance from a reputable insurance agent or broker, it’s important to understand the different types of agents and how they operate. Agencies in Stockton are either independent or exclusive. Either one can do a good job, but it’s important to know how they are different since it could factor into which type of agent you select.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent can sell policies from many different companies and that enables them to quote your coverage amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, your policy is moved internally and that require little work on your part.
When searching for an agent, you absolutely need to include a couple of independent agencies to have the best price comparison. Many independent agencies also insure through different regional companies that may provide cheaper auto insurance rates.
Featured below is a list of independent insurance agents in Stockton who may provide price quote information.
- Rangel Insurance
6025 Pacific Ave – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 474-7777 – View Map - Truex Insurance Agency
4609 Quail Lakes Dr #1 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 477-1111 – View Map - Big Savings Insurance Agency, Inc
7153 Pacific Ave – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 956-2000 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive normally can only provide a single company’s rates such as Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents. Many people use the same exclusive agent primarily because of high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Shown below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Stockton that can give you rate quotes.
- Don Widmer – State Farm Insurance Agent
2155 W March Ln a – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 951-4008 – View Map - Farmers Insurance: Edward Barney
1350 W Robinhood Dr #3 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 477-6215 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Russell Steele
829 Rosemarie Ln i – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 956-8561 – View Map
Choosing an auto insurance agent should include more criteria than just a low price. Any agent in Stockton should have no problem answering these questions:
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Stockton?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
Upon getting positive feedback to your questions as well as low cost Dodge Grand Caravan insurance quotes, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that can be relied on to adequately provide auto insurance. It’s important to know that policyholders can cancel your policy whenever you wish so never assume you’re contractually obligated to any specific company for a certain time period.
More effort can pay off
We just covered some good ideas how you can get a better price on Dodge Grand Caravan insurance in Stockton. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
Drivers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, delays in paying claims, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or even poor customer service. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed full coverage and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at the best possible price, not the least amount of coverage.
More information
- Collision Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for State Employees in Stockton? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Stockton Auto Insurance Quotes for Government Employees? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Stockton Car Insurance Quotes for a Subaru Outback? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for a Chevrolet Equinox in Stockton? (FAQ)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
- Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)
- Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)