Find Cheaper Chevy Equinox Insurance in Bakersfield

The easiest way to get discount Chevy Equinox insurance is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from providers in Bakersfield. You can compare prices by following these guidelines.

• First, gain an understanding of how companies set rates and the factors you can control to keep rates low. Many risk factors that drive up the price such as getting speeding tickets and poor credit can be eliminated by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
• Second, get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes from multiple insurance companies.
• Third, compare the new rates to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you can save money and change companies, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
• Fourth, tell your current company of your intent to cancel the current policy. Submit a signed application and payment to the new insurer. Make sure you safely store the certificate verifying proof of insurance along with the vehicle’s registration papers.

One thing to point out is to try to use the same level of coverage on every quote and and to compare as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this ensures an accurate price comparison and and a good selection of different prices.

Statistics show that most California auto insurance customers have remained with the same auto insurance company for over three years, and just under half have never shopped around. American consumers could save roughly $850 every year just by shopping around, but they don’t want to take the time to compare rates.

If you have insurance now or just want to reduce your rates, use these money-saving tips to get lower rates and possibly find even better coverage. Choosing the best rates in Bakersfield is really quite simple as long as you have a good starting point. Shoppers just need to know the most efficient way to quote multiple rates from many different companies online.

The best way to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to understand auto insurance companies participate in online systems to quote your coverage. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details such as an estimate of your credit level, your occupation, how much education you have, and how you use your vehicles. Those rating factors is then submitted to many highly-rated insurers and you get price estimates immediately.

If you would like to start a quote now, click here then complete the form.

The following companies offer comparison quotes in Bakersfield, CA. If the list has multiple companies, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies to find the lowest car insurance rates.

Insurance statistics and figures

The premium table displayed below highlights a range of insurance coverage prices for Chevy Equinox models. Knowing how insurance policy premiums are formulated is important for you to make decisions on the best policy coverages.

Prices above based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can change coverage rates substantially.

Comparison of policy deductibles

One frequently asked question is which deductible level should you buy. The following tables lay out the difference in cost between high and low policy deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second rate table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and safe-driver. Price information does not factor in garaging location in Bakersfield which can raise or lower prices significantly.

Based on this data, we can arrive at the conclusion that using a $250 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $33 more each month or $396 a year than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more if you turn in a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to go at least 23 months between claims, you would save more money by going with a higher deductible. The table below shows the way you can come to your own conclusion.

One thing to note is that increasing deductibles to save money results in more money out-of-pocket when you have to file a claim. You need to have some non-essential savings in order to pay the deductible for vehicle repair.

Reckless driving habits raise insurance rates

The chart below illustrates how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders can impact Chevy Equinox auto insurance rates for each different age group. The rate quotes are based on a married female driver, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Impact of age and gender on insurance rates

The example below illustrates the comparison of Chevy Equinox insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data assumes no violations or accidents, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no policy discounts are applied.

Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage

The chart below compares Chevy Equinox premium costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The premiums assume no claims or violations, $100 deductibles, marital status is single, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to buy liability coverage only

There is no definitive formula to eliminate full coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Chevy Equinox book value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $2,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $200 annually to have full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are a few cases where only buying liability is not advised. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.

Auto insurance is not optional

Even though Bakersfield Equinox insurance rates can get expensive, insuring your vehicle may not be optional for several reasons.

• The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 your vehicle has a loan, almost every bank will require you to buy insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank may insure your Chevy for a lot more money and force you to reimburse them for the much more expensive policy.
• Insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your assets. Insurance will pay for all forms of medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability coverage will also pay for a defense attorney if you cause an accident and are sued. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of carrying enough insurance more than offset the price you pay, particularly for liability claims. The average driver in California overpays more than $865 each year so you should quote rates every year to save money.

Specifics of your insurance policy

Having a good grasp of a insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. These are typical coverages found on most insurance policies.

Medical payments and PIP coverage – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for immediate expenses such as nursing services, pain medications, chiropractic care, EMT expenses and funeral costs. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible

Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like hail damage, damage from flooding, theft, hitting a bird and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Liability – Liability insurance can cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 15/30/5 that means you have a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use a combined limit that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage pays for things such as attorney fees, structural damage and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as much as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.

The chart below demonstrates why the minimum limit may not be adequate coverage.

Collision – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for things such as backing into a parked car, colliding with another moving vehicle, hitting a mailbox, damaging your car on a curb and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to raise the deductible on your Equinox to get cheaper collision coverage.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Chevy Equinox.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (California limits are 15/30/5), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Cheaper auto insurance prices are available

Lower-priced Chevy Equinox insurance in Bakersfield can be sourced from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so get free Bakersfield auto insurance quotes from both of them to get a complete price analysis. A few companies don’t offer online rate quotes and these small, regional companies work with local independent agencies.

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of ways to save on Chevy Equinox insurance in Bakersfield. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of getting affordable Bakersfield auto insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the lowest premium rates are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

Additional information is located below:

• Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has Cheap Bakersfield Car Insurance for High Risk Drivers? (FAQ)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Learners Permit in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for Welfare Recipients in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Accidents in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
• If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Young Drivers: The High Risk Years Video (iihs.org)