The words “cheap” and “auto insurance” really don’t belong together, especially when you are looking for the cheapest coverage for high risk drivers. To save some money, let’s get started by showing you a few of the things that impact car insurance premiums, and see if we can help you shave a little off the next policy you buy.
For high risk drivers, one of the more important components that are looked at to determine the amount you pay for auto insurance is where you live in Bakersfield. Larger areas tend to have higher rates, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims get the luxury of paying less.
The following table rates the most expensive areas in California for high risk drivers in which to buy car insurance. Bakersfield comes in at #19 with an annual premium of $1,394 for car insurance, which is approximately $116 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,083 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,079 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 9 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Fontana | $1,535 |
| 12 | Moreno Valley | $1,506 |
| 13 | Modesto | $1,502 |
| 14 | Riverside | $1,497 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,457 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
| 17 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 18 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 19 | Bakersfield | $1,394 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach | $1,374 |
| 21 | San Diego | $1,368 |
| 22 | Fremont | $1,348 |
| 23 | Oxnard | $1,344 |
| 24 | Irvine | $1,330 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,311 |
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Premium amounts are estimated as the specific Bakersfield residence address can influence price quotes substantially.
The vehicle model on the policy is one of the main factors when consumers are trying to find affordable insurance for high risk drivers. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, advanced safety features, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost much less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The next table illustrates insurance costs for a handful of the most cost-effective automobiles to insure.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $3,115 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $3,150 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,354 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $3,356 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $3,387 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $3,486 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $3,519 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 4WD | $3,602 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $3,684 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $3,711 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $3,720 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $3,775 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $3,785 |
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Prices above based on single female driver age 40, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy. Premium amounts do not factor in specific zip code location which can lower or raise auto insurance rates significantly.
By looking at the data, we can expect vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Jetta, and Jeep Wrangler are going to be a few of the cheapest vehicles to insure for high risk drivers. The price for car insurance will tend to be more expensive just because there is more claim risk for high risk drivers, but generally speaking those specific models will most likely have the cheapest rates that you are likely to find.
Figuring out which company offers the most affordable auto insurance rates for high risk drivers calls for a tad more effort than just comparing rates from one or two companies. Every auto insurer uses different criteria for setting rates, so let’s take a look at the most competitive auto insurance companies in Bakersfield.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Bakersfield, CA auto insurance rates are based on many factors that can increase the cost of having a policy. Improving your credit rating, having a teenage driver, or getting into an accident may cause policy rate changes that may make certain companies more affordable than before.
Best Cheap Insurance Rates for Risky Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,155 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,198 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,213 |
| 5 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,379 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,447 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 9 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,591 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,705 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,750 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,788 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,831 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,966 |
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USAA may offer some of the lowest car insurance rates in Bakersfield at around $1,155 annually. Wawanesa, CSAA, Nationwide, and Century National also qualify as some of the most economical Bakersfield, CA car insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you are currently insured with Century National and switched to Wawanesa, you could see an annual savings of around $45. California drivers with 21st Century may save as much as $198 a year, and Grange insureds might reduce rates by $266 a year.
These policy prices are averages for all insureds and vehicles and and are not figured with a specific zip code for high risk drivers. So the insurer that can offer you the best price may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That illustrates why you need to get auto insurance quotes using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
Types of discounts on Bakersfield car insurance
Insurance providers that sell policies for high risk drivers may also provide discounts that can lower rates by as much as 30% if you meet certain criteria. Popular auto insurance companies and their offered discounts include:
- GEICO may offer discounts for air bags, military active duty, seat belt use, anti-lock brakes, emergency military deployment, and good student.
- USAA offers discounts for family discount, multi-policy, defensive driver, military installation, good student, multi-vehicle, and loyalty savings.
- Progressive offers discounts including online signing, multi-policy, continuous coverage, good student, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
- American Family has savings for good driver, mySafetyValet, early bird, multi-vehicle, and Steer into Savings.
- Esurance offers premium reductions for Switch & Save, homeowner, multi-car, good driver, and DriveSense.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include homeowner, business and professional, electronic funds transfer, distant student, alternative fuel, and early shopping.
- State Farm has discounts for safe vehicle, anti-theft, multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and defensive driving training.
The chart below illustrates the difference between insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The information is based on a female driver, one accident and one citation, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second shows the rates with paid-in-full, paperless filing, vehicle safety, multiple vehicle, homeowner, and multiple policy discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, the average savings per year on auto insurance for high risk drivers is 28% or $751.
Should you buy full coverage?
Reducing premiums for auto insurance is the goal of most drivers, and one way to find cheaper insurance for high risk drivers is to not pay for full coverage. The illustration below visualizes the comparison of insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The information is based on no violations or accidents, $250 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Averaged out for all age groups, comp and collision coverage costs $3,147 per year more than insuring for liability only. That is a big expense that brings up the question if buying full coverage is a good investment. There is no exact rule that is best for determining when to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of coverage is more than around 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s book value is $4,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would receive is $3,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing you more than $300 annually to have full coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
There are a few situations where eliminating full coverage is not recommended. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Best auto insurance in Bakersfield
Buying coverage from the highest-rated insurer is hard considering how many different insurance companies sell coverage in California. The company ratings shown below can help you select which car insurance companies you want to consider when comparing rate quotes. The ratings below include major nationwide insurance companies, so companies with more of a regional focus will not be included in these rankings.
Top 10 Major Auto Insurers in Bakersfield Ranked by A.M. Best Rating
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Top 10 Major Auto Insurers in Bakersfield Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
How to find budget-friendly insurance for high risk drivers
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are some thrifty suggestions that can help drivers get more affordable auto insurance.
- Frequent claims will increase rates
- Insure your home and auto with the same company
- Do not get into accidents
- You will pay more if you get tickets or have at-fault accidents
- Drive safe vehicles
- Compare price quotes at least once a year
That last piece of advice is notably crucial, as we noted in the article above. Insurance prices in Bakersfield can change considerably in a year, so don’t hesitate to buy from a new company if you find a better deal. Having a favorite company is great, but it’s not a good idea if that faithfulness ends up costing you hundreds of dollars a year. It takes less than five minutes to compare rates and find cheaper car insurance for high risk drivers.
The auto insurance agents in Bakersfield shown below are willing to help you decide which coverages are best, as many consumers aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to get some professional advice when shopping for the best coverage for high risk drivers. It can be challenging to find the best policy yourself, so insurance agents licensed in the state of California can provide you peace of mind knowing your coverage gives you sufficient coverage at claim time. To find an auto insurance agency by location nearest to you, click the button link following the list or click here to get price quotes now.
- Clifford and Bradford Insurance Agency
1515 20th St – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 283-8100 - William K Lyons Agency Inc
2100 F St # 200 – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 327-9731 - James Stuart – State Farm Insurance Agent
5125 Ming Ave – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 831-6266 - Farmers Insurance: Eric Peters
1519 Eye St – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 872-8113 - El Dorado Insurance Agency, Inc.
2809 Unicorn Rd # 102 – Bakersfield, CA 93308 – (800) 221-3386