A recent car insurance study revealed that the vast majority of consumers kept their policy with the same company for four years or more, and nearly 40% of drivers have never taken the time to shop around. Bakersfield consumers could save themselves $500 a year, but they don’t believe the amount of savings they would get if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
Truthfully, the best way to get affordable car insurance rates is to do a yearly price comparison from companies in Bakersfield.
Step 1: Get an understanding of auto insurance and the things you can control to keep rates low. Many risk factors that cause high rates such as careless driving and a negative credit history can be controlled by paying attention to minor details. Later in this article we will cover additional ideas to keep prices down and find more discounts that you may not know about.
Step 2: Request price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide price quotes for a wide range of companies. Click to view companies
Step 3: Compare the new rates to your existing policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate quote and change companies, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Step 4: Provide notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current policy and submit a completed application and payment to your new agent or company. As soon as you receive it, store the proof of insurance certificate in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
The key thing to know about shopping around is to use identical limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get price estimates from every insurance company. Doing this helps ensure a fair price comparison and the best price selection.
We hope to help educate you on the best way to quote coverages and some money-saving tips. If you have coverage now, you should be able to lower your rates using the concepts you’re about to learn. Nevertheless, California vehicle owners can benefit by having an understanding of the methods companies use to determine how much to charge and use it to your advantage.
Cheap auto insurance in Bakersfield, CA
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide comparison quotes in Bakersfield, CA. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit two to three different companies in order to find the most affordable rates.
Lower your insurance rates with discounts
Insurance is expensive, but companies offer discounts that may help make it more affordable. Most are applied when you complete an application, but some discounts are required to be specially asked for before being credited.
- Safety Course Discount – Passing a class that teaches safe driver techniques could save 5% or more if your company offers it.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% than drivers with accident claims.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags may qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
- Senior Citizen Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can get reduced rates.
- Professional Organizations – Joining qualifying employment or professional organizations could trigger savings when getting a Bakersfield auto insurance quote.
- Good Student – Being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount up to age 25.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles optioned with advanced anti-theft systems help deter theft so companies will give you a small discount.
- Multiple Cars – Buying a policy with more than one vehicle on one policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars and trucks that have anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Active or former government employment can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your overall premium however.
Some of the larger companies that have these discounts possibly include:
Before buying, ask every company which discounts can lower your rates. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered on policies in every state. For a list of insurers that offer discounts in California, follow this link.
Seven Tips to Get Lower-cost Bakersfield Insurance Costs
Lots of things are part of the equation when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable like your driving record, although others are less obvious like where you live or how financially stable you are.
Listed below are a few of the things companies use to determine premiums.
- Premiums may be lower depending on your employer – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as real estate brokers, social workers, and emergency personnel tend to have higher rates than the rest of us attributed to high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the flip side, jobs such as actors, students and performers have lower than average premiums.
- Better auto insurance rates on vehicles with better crash test results – Safe vehicles tend to be cheaper to insure. Vehicles built for safety reduce injuries and fewer serious injuries means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
- Limits of liability protection – Your policy’s liability coverage will provide protection in the event that you are ruled to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide you with a defense in court to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is pretty cheap compared to other policy coverages, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
- Youthful driver insurance rates – Older insureds are more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents, and are safer drivers. Drivers with little experience are statistically proven to get distracted easily when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
- Gender impacts prices – Over time, data shows women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Men and women get in accidents at a similar rate, but males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Not only that, but men also receive more costly citations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly.
- Performance impacts insurance prices – The type of car you need to insure makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. Small economy passenger vehicles generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
- Lower rates with a multi-policy discount – The majority of companies allow a discount to people who carry more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to ten or even fifteen percent. If you currently are using one company, consumers should still check prices from other companies to guarantee you are still saving the most.
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Insurance loss data for Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles – Insurers factor in insurance loss information when determining insurance costs. Models that the data determines to have higher losses will have a higher premium rate. The information below illustrates the loss history for Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles.
For each coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles compiled together is considered to be 100. Numbers below 100 imply a favorable loss record, while percentage values above 100 show a trend for more claims or a tendency for claims to be larger.
Car Insurance Loss Data for Toyota Highlander Hybrid Models Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4dr 4WD 111 143 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Compare prices but buy from a local Bakersfield insurance agency
Some consumers would prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is a smart decision One of the benefits of comparing insurance online is you can get cheap insurance quotes but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is important particularly in Bakersfield.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to participating agents in Bakersfield that provide free Bakersfield auto insurance quotes for your coverage. You never need to do any legwork since price quotes are sent instantly to you. You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent. In the event you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance provider, you would need to visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Not all auto insurance agents are the same
If you want to use a reputable agency, you must know there are a couple types of agencies and how they are distinctly different. Insurance agencies in Bakersfield can be classified as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Independent Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent are appointed with more than one company so they have the ability to put coverage through lots of different companies and find you the best rates. If they find a lower price, they simply move your policy to a different company which requires no work on your part.
When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to get several quotes from independent agents to have the best price comparison. They often place coverage with additional companies that you may not be familiar with which can be an advantage.
Below is a small list of independent insurance agencies in Bakersfield who may provide price quote information.
- Walter Mortensen Insurance
8500 Stockdale Hwy – Bakersfield, CA 93311 – (661) 834-6222 – View Map - El Dorado Insurance Agency, Inc.
2809 Unicorn Rd # 102 – Bakersfield, CA 93308 – (800) 221-3386 – View Map - Covermax Insurance Agency Inc.
1910 E California Ave – Bakersfield, CA 93307 – (661) 363-0645 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agents can only quote rates from one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to shop your coverage around so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive insurance agents are well schooled on the products they sell which can be an advantage. A lot of people use the same exclusive agent mainly due to the prominent brand name rather than having the cheapest rates.
Listed below is a list of exclusive agents in Bakersfield who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Charles Brummer
4300 Coffee Rd, Ste A4 – Bakersfield, CA 93308 – (661) 283-0300 – View Map - David Hall – State Farm® Insurance Agent
5351 Olive Dr #300 – Bakersfield, CA 93308 – (661) 393-8326 – View Map - Farmers Insurance: Ruth Escobar
400 Chester Ave – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 631-2420 – View Map
Finding the right insurance agency should include more criteria than just the bottom line cost. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Will they take your side in the event of a claim?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- What companies can they write with?
- If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
- Are they full-time agents?
After talking to the agent and getting positive responses to any questions you have and a good coverage price, you may have found a car insurance agent that meets the requirements to insure your vehicles.
Shop around and save
Some insurance companies may not have price quotes online and many times these small, regional companies prefer to sell through local independent agents. Affordable Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance in Bakersfield is possible both online and from local agencies, so you need to compare both to have the best rate selection.
We covered a lot of tips how to find cheaper Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance in Bakersfield. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company.
Insureds change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy cancellation and denial of a claim. Whatever your reason, choosing a new company can be pretty painless.
Much more information about auto insurance in California can be read at these links:
- How to Avoid Staged Accidents (State Farm)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Single Moms in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Rates for a Mazda CX-7 in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with a DUI in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for 16 Year Olds in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)
- Understanding your Policy (NAIC.org)