Best Chevy Cobalt Insurance in Bakersfield

If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to find cheaper prices for Chevy Cobalt insurance is to regularly compare prices from providers who provide auto insurance in Bakersfield.

• Step 1: Take a few minutes and learn about how insurance works and the factors you can control to drop your rates. Many risk factors that drive up the price such as accidents, traffic violations, and a poor credit score can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle. Keep reading for instructions to get cheaper rates and find discounts that you may qualify for.
• Step 2: Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes from multiple sources.
• Step 3: Compare the new quotes to your current policy and determine if cheaper Cobalt coverage is available. If you can save some money and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
• Step 4: Notify your company or agent of your intent to cancel your current coverage and submit the completed application along with a down payment for your new coverage. As soon as you have the new policy, put the new proof of insurance paperwork in an easily accessible location.

The most important part of this process is to make sure you enter similar coverage information on each quote and and to get rates from as many car insurance companies as possible. This provides a level playing field and a good representation of prices.

Statistics show that about 70% of customers have bought car insurance from the same company for at least four years, and 38% of drivers have never compared car insurance rates at all. Drivers in the United States can save roughly $859 each year just by comparing rates, but they just assume it’s a time-consuming process to find affordable car insurance rates.

Just remember that comparing a wide range of rates helps you find the best offered rates.

The companies shown below can provide price comparisons in California. If multiple providers are shown, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.

These discounts can lower your car insurance rates

Car insurance is not cheap, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. A few discounts will automatically apply when you quote, but some must be asked for before being credited.

• Own a Home – Being a homeowner can earn you a little savings due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
• Discounts for Government Workers – Federal government employees could provide a small rate reduction depending on your company.
• New Car Discount – Buying a new car model can get you a discount since new model year vehicles are generally safer.
• Defensive Driving Course – Taking a class that teaches defensive driver techniques can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Organization Discounts – Joining a civic or occupational organization in Bakersfield is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
• Student Discounts – Excelling in school could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. You can use this discount normally well after school through age 25.
• Accident-Free Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims are rewarded with significantly better rates on Bakersfield car insurance quote in comparison with policyholders that have many claims.

While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, it’s just not the way it works.

The diagram below shows the comparison of Chevy Cobalt insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The costs are based on a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, multi-policy, multi-car, safe-driver, claim-free, and marriage discounts applied.

If you would like to view car insurance companies that offer the discounts shown above in Bakersfield, click here to view.

Chevy Cobalt insurance analysis

The price information shown below outlines detailed analysis of insurance policy prices for Chevy Cobalt models. Learning more about how insurance quotes are established can help customers make smart choices when buying a policy.

Data based on married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in specific location which can alter premiums substantially.

Physical damage deductibles

When comparing insurance rates, the most common question is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The premium rates below sum up the cost difference between high and low deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second pricing table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, safe-driver, and homeowner. Table data does not factor in Bakersfield location which can revise auto insurance rates greatly.

We can derive from the above data that using a $250 deductible costs roughly $35 more each month or $420 a year than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would pay $750 more out-of-pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you average more than 21 months between claim filings, you would save money if you elect the higher deductible.

Males versus Females

The illustration below shows the difference between Chevy Cobalt yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data is based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied.

Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage

The diagram below visualizes the comparison of Chevy Cobalt insurance costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The premiums are based on no violations or accidents, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no other discounts are factored in.

Deciding between full coverage and liability only

There is no definitive formula of when to stop paying for full coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of having full coverage is about 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 assume your Chevy Cobalt replacement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would receive is $8,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are paying in excess of $800 annually for your policy with full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are a few cases where removing full coverage is not financially feasible. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should keep full coverage in place.

What if I want to buy from local Bakersfield car insurance agents?

Some people still prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that can be a smart move A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain cheap auto insurance rates and still have a local agent. Putting coverage with small agencies is definitely important in Bakersfield.

Upon completion of this simple form, your insurance data is immediately sent to companies in Bakersfield who will return price quotes for your business. You won’t even need to search for any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered to you instantly. It’s the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you want to compare rates from a specific auto insurance provider, just find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.

Different types of Bakersfield auto insurance agents

If you’re trying to find local Bakersfield agents, you must know there are a couple different types of agencies and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Auto insurance agencies are either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agencies are not restricted to one company and that allows them to write policies with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you want to switch companies, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies.

If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you definitely need to contact independent agents in order to compare the most rates.

Below are Bakersfield independent agencies who can help you get competitive price quotes.

More Bakersfield agents

Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents

Agents that elect to be exclusive can only quote rates from one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agents cannot shop your coverage around so you need to shop around if the rates are high. They receive extensive training in insurance sales and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.

Shown below are Bakersfield exclusive insurance agencies that are able to give rate quotes.

More Bakersfield agents

Finding a good insurance agent requires more thought than just the quoted price. Agents should be asked these questions:

• Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage in Bakersfield?
• When do they do a full risk review?
• Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Is there a local claims center in Bakersfield?
• Where would your vehicle be repaired?

Informed Consumers Know How to Find Car Insurance Cheaper

It’s important that you understand the factors that help calculate the level of your policy premiums. If you know what impacts premium levels, this enables informed choices that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

• Annual miles impacts prices – The more you drive in a year’s time the higher your rate. Almost all companies calculate rates based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that do not get driven very much get more affordable rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. An improperly rated Cobalt may be costing you. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle.

• High performance vehicles cost more to insure – The performance of the car or truck you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a big difference in your rates. The lowest premiums are usually found on economy passenger vehicles, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.

  The data below uses these variables: married male driver age 20, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It compares Chevrolet Cobalt rates compared to other models that have different performance rating factors.

• Filing car insurance claims can cost more – Auto insurance companies in California generally give cheaper rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file a lot of claims you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your car insurance is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
• Little extras can really add up – Policies have add-on coverages that can add up but may not be useful. Insurance for coverage for rental cars, towing, and extra equipment coverage are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if you have no use for them think about removing them and cutting costs.
• Lower rates by increasing deductibles – Your deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Physical damage protection, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some coverage claims are colliding with a stationary object, hail damage, and having a roll-over accident. The higher the amount you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the less money you will pay for car insurance.

Insurance in California serves several purposes

Despite the high cost, paying for insurance serves an important purpose.

First, just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability protection if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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.

Second, if you have a lien on your car, it’s most likely the lender will force you to have insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender will be forced to insure your Chevy at a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them the higher price.

Third, insurance safeguards both your assets and your vehicle. It will also provide coverage for medical transport and hospital expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage will also pay attorney fees if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.

The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. Today the average American driver overpays more than $855 a year so compare rate quotes once a year at a minimum to be sure current rates are still competitive.

How much can you save?

Budget-conscious Chevy Cobalt insurance can be sourced on the web in addition to many Bakersfield insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not offer rates over the internet and usually these small, regional companies sell through independent insurance agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many cases where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost.

For more information, link through to the resources below:

• Pickups fall short in headlight tests (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for Police Officers in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
• Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)
• Driving in Bad Weather (Insurance Information Institute)
• Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
• Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)