It’s amazing but nearly 70% of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for at least four years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never compared rates from other carriers. California insurance shoppers could cut their rates by up to $469 a year just by shopping around, but most just don’t grasp how much money they would save if they switched.
The preferred way to find low-cost prices for car insurance rates in Bakersfield is to begin comparing prices regularly from insurers who sell insurance in California. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of how car insurance works and the measures you can control to prevent high rates. Many rating criteria that drive up the price like at-fault accidents, careless driving, and a bad credit score can be controlled by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
Step 2: Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates for many different companies.
Step 3: Compare the new rates to your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a better price and switch companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Step 4: Notify your company or agent of your intent to cancel the current policy and submit payment and a completed application to your new agent or company. Once the paperwork is finalized, put the certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
A good tip to remember is to use identical deductibles and limits on every quote and and to get rate quotes from as many different companies as possible. This ensures an accurate price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
Locating the best rates in Bakersfield is actually very simple if you learn how to start. If you have a current insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to find better prices using this information. Consumers just need to learn the proper methods to compare rates from many different companies online.
Reducing your insurance rates is a fairly straight forward process. You just have to spend a little time to compare rates online with multiple companies.
Comparing free price quotes online is easy and it, makes it obsolete to call or drive to different agent offices. The ability to quote Oldsmobile Bravada insurance online makes this unnecessary unless you prefer the advice and guidance of a local agent. Although, it is possible price shop online and still use a local agent.
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Bakersfield, CA. If multiple companies are shown, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get the most competitive price.
Lower-cost Oldsmobile Bravada insurance quotes in Bakersfield
Some insurance providers don’t always publicize every possible discount very well, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more well known as well as the least known discounts that you may qualify for.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags can receive discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Federal government employees can save as much as 8% with some auto insurance companies.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
- Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on your next auto insurance statement.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies provide a discount for signing up early. You may see this discount when you get Bakersfield car insurance quotes online.
- ABS Braking Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with anti-lock braking systems are much safer to drive and will save you 10% or more on Bravada insurance in Bakersfield.
As is typical with insurance, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
A few popular companies and their possible discounts are shown below.
- Travelers has savings for IntelliDrive, student away at school, early quote, hybrid/electric vehicle, new car, multi-car, and home ownership.
- 21st Century may have discounts that include anti-lock brakes, teen driver, air bags, theft prevention, and driver training.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for multiple autos, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, good student, and passive restraint.
- GEICO discounts include multi-policy, defensive driver, driver training, good student, and emergency military deployment.
- SAFECO includes discounts for safe driver, teen safe driver, anti-theft, drive less, bundle discounts, accident prevention training, and multi-car.
- AAA offers discounts for good student, AAA membership discount, pay-in-full, education and occupation, good driver, multi-car, and multi-policy.
Check with every prospective company the best way to save money. All car insurance discounts might not be available to policyholders in your state. To choose insurers that offer some of these discounts in Bakersfield, follow this link.
Exclusive or independent insurance agents
A small number of people still like to visit with an insurance agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases Agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can find the best rates and still choose a local agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to participating agents in Bakersfield who will give competitive quotes to get your business. You don’t have to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. If you need to get a comparison quote from a particular provider, you would need to find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
Finding a good company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. A good agent in Bakersfield will have answers to these questions.
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
Best car insurance in Bakersfield
Picking a high-quality auto insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many companies there are to choose from in California. The ranking data in the next section could help you pick which auto insurers you want to consider when comparing rates.
Top 10 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- 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 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Value
- USAA
- American Family
- The Hartford
- AAA of Southern California
- Titan Insurance
- The General
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Mercury Insurance
- Nationwide
Coverages available on your car insurance policy
Learning about specific coverages of car insurance helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are typical coverages available from car insurance companies.
Comprehensive protection
Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like vandalism, a broken windshield, falling objects and damage from getting keyed. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision insurance
This coverage pays for damage to your Bravada resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things like hitting a mailbox, damaging your car on a curb, driving through your garage door, crashing into a building and backing into a parked car. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also increase the deductible on your Bravada to save money on collision insurance.
Liability
This can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. This coverage protects you from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 15/30/5 that means you have a limit of $15,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for things such as loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, attorney fees, emergency aid and funeral expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but consider buying as much as you can afford. California requires drivers to carry at least 15/30/5 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.
The illustration below shows why low liability limits may not be enough.
Medical expense coverage
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for expenses such as dental work, chiropractic care, surgery and funeral costs. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy 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 only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Cheaper auto insurance rates are out there
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many situations where an insured cut liability coverage limits and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
We just covered many ways to shop for Oldsmobile Bravada insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest prices are with the least-expected company. They can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be read by following these links:
- Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Honda Civic in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Bakersfield Auto Insurance for Unemployed Drivers? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Lyft Drivers in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teenage Males in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)