It goes without saying that insurance companies don’t want their customers to go rate shopping. Consumers who shop for lower prices will probably switch companies because there is a good chance of finding a cheaper policy. A recent auto insurance study discovered that people who compared prices regularly saved over $850 each year compared to people who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding the best price on insurance in Bakersfield is why you’re here, understanding the best ways to find and compare car insurance can save money and time.
If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to save on Chevy Sonic insurance is to do an annual price comparison from providers who provide auto insurance in Bakersfield.
- First, gain an understanding of how insurance works and the factors you can control to drop your rates. Many things that drive up the price such as traffic tickets, fender benders, and a negative credit score can be rectified by making minor changes in your lifestyle. This article provides the details to help prevent expensive coverage and get additional discounts that may be available.
- Second, obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple insurance companies.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to see if cheaper Sonic coverage is available. If you can save some money, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Fourth, give notification to your agent or company to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit the required down payment along with the signed application to your new insurance company. Be sure to put the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in an accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of this process is to make sure you’re comparing the same amount of coverage on each quote request and and to compare as many carriers as you can. Doing this provides the most accurate price comparison and a good representation of prices.
Chevy Sonic Insurance Cost Factors
Multiple criteria are part of the equation when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as traffic violations, but others are less apparent such as your marital status or your vehicle rating. Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the things that play a part in calculating car insurance rates. If you know what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to lower rates.
The factors shown below are most of the major factors used by companies to determine premiums.
- More people means more accidents – Residing in less populated areas of the country is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Lower population corresponds to lower accident rates and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Residents of big cities have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. The longer drive time means a statistically higher chance of an accident.
- Married drivers get better costs – Having a wife or husband can get you a discount compared to being single. Having a significant other generally demonstrates drivers are more stable financially and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
- Battle of the sexes – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. This data doesn’t prove that men are worse drivers. Both sexes have fender benders in similar numbers, but the males have costlier accidents. Men also get cited for more serious violations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are the most expensive to insure so they pay the highest premiums.
- Do you know you’re credit score? – Having a bad credit score will be a significant factor in determining premium rates. Drivers who have good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with worse credit. So if your credit can be improved, you could be paying less to insure your Chevrolet Sonic if you clean up your credit.
- Fewer miles means better costs – The higher the mileage driven every year the more you’ll pay to insure it. Most insurance companies charge rates based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars left parked in the garage can be on a lower rate level as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your car insurance coverage is rated on the correct usage. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Sonic is just wasting money.
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Insurance loss data for a Chevy Sonic – Insurance companies include the past claim history for a vehicle to help determine the price you pay. Vehicles that the statistics show to have higher prevalence or dollar amount of losses will have higher rates for specific coverages.
The table below demonstrates the compiled insurance loss statistics for Chevy Sonic vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles averaged together is a value of 100. Values under 100 imply a favorable loss record, while percentages above 100 point to more losses or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
Chevrolet Sonic Insurance Claim Statistics Vehicle Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Chevrolet Sonic 104 132 91 167 189 159 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEStatistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Lower-cost Bakersfield auto insurance rates with discounts
Some insurers don’t always list all discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious ways to save on auto insurance.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – Not a discount per se, but some companies like Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm may permit one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear before the accident.
- ABS Brakes – Vehicles with ABS and/or traction control can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more on Sonic insurance in Bakersfield.
- Senior Citizen Discount – Older drivers may qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with a lower price if you buy some life insurance too.
- Bakersfield Homeowners Pay Less – Just owning your own home may trigger a policy discount on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Driver Training Discounts – Completing a course teaching safe driver skills can save you 5% or more and easily pay for the cost of the class.
Policy discounts save money, but some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though you would think it’s possible to get free car insurance, you aren’t that lucky.
A list of auto insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts include:
- GEICO may include discounts for military active duty, anti-lock brakes, air bags, membership and employees, driver training, and multi-vehicle.
- Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including payment discounts, continuous insurance, IntelliDrive, multi-car, and student away at school.
- Nationwide has savings for defensive driving, family plan, anti-theft, easy pay, and good student.
- Farmers Insurance has discounts for teen driver, homeowner, switch companies, mature driver, multi-car, youthful driver, and early shopping.
- Esurance offers discounts for good driver, emergency road assistance, multi-policy, homeowner, and anti-lock brakes.
- State Farm offers discounts including driver’s education, multiple autos, safe vehicle, defensive driving training, and accident-free.
- Progressive may have discounts that include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online signing, homeowner, good student, online quote discount, and continuous coverage.
- Mercury Insurance includes discounts for annual mileage, location of vehicle, anti-theft, good student, low natural disaster claims, and ease of repair.
Double check with all the companies which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policyholders in your state. To see insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Bakersfield, click this link.
Persistence will pay off
We just showed you some good ideas how to get a better price on Chevy Sonic insurance in Bakersfield. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote Bakersfield car insurance, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheaper Bakersfield car insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a small local company. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower car insurance rates than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
Cheaper Chevy Sonic insurance in Bakersfield can be bought from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies may not provide rate quotes online and many times these regional carriers prefer to sell through independent agencies.
While you’re price shopping online, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that it was a big mistake. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
More information
- How do I File a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Ford F-150 in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- How Much are Bakersfield Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Good Credit? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with a DUI in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)