Affordable Insurance for a Honda Ridgeline in Bakersfield

The recommended way to find affordable Honda Ridgeline insurance in Bakersfield is to compare prices annually from providers who can sell car insurance in California. Rates can be compared by following these steps.

First, take a few minutes and learn about how companies set rates and the steps you can take to drop your rates. Many rating factors that result in higher rates such as your driving record and an imperfect credit history can be rectified by making minor changes in your lifestyle.

Second, obtain price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can give quotes from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for many different companies. View a list of agents

Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find a lower rate, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.

An important bit of advice to remember is to make sure you’re comparing the same deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get rates from as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this provides an accurate price comparison and a thorough price selection.

It’s easy to assume that insurance companies don’t want customers comparing rates. People who shop around will most likely switch to a new company because of the good chance of finding a lower rate. A recent survey found that people who compared prices once a year saved on average $3,400 over four years compared to policyholders who didn’t regularly shop around.

If finding the most affordable car insurance in Bakersfield is your objective, understanding how to get rate quotes and compare insurance premiums can save time and make the process easier.

If you are already insured, you will surely be able to reduce premiums using this information. Buying the cheapest auto insurance in Bakersfield can be much easier if you know how to start. But California vehicle owners do need to know the way companies market insurance on the web.

Cheapest companies for Honda Ridgeline insurance in California

The auto insurance companies shown below provide comparison quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you click on several of them to get the cheapest price.

Detailed insurance information

The coverage information below highlights different insurance rates for Honda Ridgeline models. Being able to understand how car insurance premiums are determined helps drivers make decisions on which coverage to buy.

Prices based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in specific zip code location which can increase or decrease price quotes significantly.

Choosing deductibles

When buying insurance, a common question is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The rates shown below may help you to understand the rate difference when you select higher and lower comp and collision deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second set of rates uses a $500 deductible.

Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Rate quotes do not factor in specific Bakersfield garaging location which can revise price quotes greatly.

Based on the data above, we can derive that using a $250 deductible costs roughly $18 more each month or $216 for a full year averaged for all Ridgeline models than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $250 more to settle a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have more than 14 months between claim filings, you would probably come out ahead if you choose a higher deductible.

Tickets and at-fault accidents raise rates

The chart below illustrates how violations and at-fault collisions increase Honda Ridgeline yearly insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The data assumes a married male driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.

Cost difference between full coverage and liability

The diagram below shows the difference between Honda Ridgeline car insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The costs are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

When to stop paying for full coverage

There isn’t a written rule for phasing out full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Honda Ridgeline replacement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company would pay you is $8,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing you more than $800 annually for full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

There are some cases where eliminating full coverage is not advised. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.

Smart Consumers Can Slash Their Insurance Rates

The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at a few of the rating criteria that come into play when calculating the level of your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively determines premiums, this allows you to make good choices that will entitle you to lower premium levels.

Lower performance equals lower insurance costs – The performance of the vehicle you need insurance for makes a significant difference in your car insurance bill. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.

The following chart uses these assumptions: married male driver age 20, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. The data compares Honda Ridgeline rates compared to other vehicles that have a range of performance rating factors.

Insurance rates in urban areas – Residing in less populated areas of the country has definite advantages if you are looking for the lowest rates. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents in addition to fewer liability claims. City drivers have to deal with more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. More time behind the wheel statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.

Eliminate extra coverages – Policies have extra bells and whistles you can purchase but may not be useful. Things like roadside assistance, death and dismemberment, and extra life insurance coverage are probably not needed. These may sound like a good investment when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money consider taking them off your policy.

Protect yourself with liability insurance – The liability section of your policy kicks in when you are determined to be liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide for a legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is pretty cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.

Experienced drivers pay less – Teen drivers in California are statistically shown to be inattentive when behind the wheel therefore insurance rates are much higher. Older insureds are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents, and are safer drivers.

The data below uses these variables: single driver, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

Bump up physical damage deductibles to lower rates – Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, covers damage that occurs to your car. Examples of some claims that would be covered would be a windshield broken by a bird, damage from fire, and damage caused by road hazards. The more of the claim the insured is willing to pay, the better rate you will receive.

Get cheaper Honda Ridgeline insurance rates in Bakersfield

Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even know about. Some discounts apply automatically when you complete an application, but a few must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings.

• ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars and trucks with anti-lock braking systems can stop better under adverse conditions so you can save 10 percent or more.
• Distant Student Discount – College-age children who are attending college and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Professional Organizations – Joining qualifying clubs or civic groups is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for auto insurance.
• Switch and Save Discount – A few auto insurance companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current coverage expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
• Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying a new car instead of a used Ridgeline can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles are generally safer.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a break if you buy life insurance from them.

As a sidenote, some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Despite the appearance that adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

The diagram below illustrates the difference between Honda Ridgeline insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The premiums are based on a male driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, multi-car, and marriage discounts applied.

Some of the larger companies that may offer these discounts include:

• State Farm
• Farmers Insurance
• GEICO
• American Family
• Nationwide
• Progressive

If you want affordable Honda Ridgeline insurance quotes, ask all the companies what discounts are available to you. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policies in your area. To see a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts in California, click this link.

Local Bakersfield insurance agencies

A small number of people still prefer to have an agent’s advice and that can be a smart move One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get the lowest rates and also buy local. And supporting small agencies is especially important in Bakersfield.

For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents that can provide free Bakersfield auto insurance quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to drive around as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. You can most likely find cheaper rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you want to get a comparison quote from one company in particular, you would need to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.

Insurance agent types

If you are wanting to find a local agent, there are two different types of agencies that you can choose from. Bakersfield agents can be categorized as either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agencies can sell policies from many different companies so they can write business with many different companies and find the cheapest rate. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house and the insured can keep the same agent.

If you are comparing insurance prices, you will definitely want to compare prices from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Below is a list of independent agents in Bakersfield who can help you get free insurance rate quotes.

View more Bakersfield agents

Exclusive Agencies

Agents of this type are contracted to one company and examples are Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot compare rates from other companies so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agents are highly trained on what they offer and that can be a competitive advantage.

Shown below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Bakersfield that are able to give price quote information.

View more Bakersfield agents

Deciding on a insurance agent should include more criteria than just the premium amount. Any agent in Bakersfield should be willing to answer these questions.

• What insurance companies do they work with in Bakersfield?
• If your car is totaled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
• Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
• Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
• Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
• How are claims handled?
• Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?

Auto insurance company ratings

Picking the highest-rated car insurance company is difficult considering how many different insurance companies sell coverage in California. The company rank data in the next section may help you select which auto insurance companies you want to consider when comparing rates.

Top 10 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank

1. USAA – A++
2. Travelers – A++
3. State Farm – A++
4. GEICO – A++
5. Esurance – A+
6. Nationwide – A+
7. Allstate – A+
8. Mercury Insurance – A+
9. Progressive – A+
10. Titan Insurance – A+

Top 10 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies Overall

1. USAA
2. American Family
3. AAA of Southern California
4. State Farm
5. The Hartford
6. AAA Insurance
7. GEICO
8. The General
9. Titan Insurance
10. Progressive

One last note

The cheapest Honda Ridgeline insurance in Bakersfield can be purchased both online in addition to many Bakersfield insurance agents, so get free Bakersfield auto insurance quotes from both of them to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer the ability to get quotes online and many times these small insurance companies prefer to sell through local independent agents.

In this article, we covered a lot of information how to reduce Honda Ridgeline insurance prices online in Bakersfield. The key concept to understand is the more you quote Bakersfield auto insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the best prices are with a lesser-known regional company. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

Much more information about car insurance in California can be read at the links below

• What is Covered by GAP Insurance? (Allstate)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a School Permit in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with a DUI in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
• How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Prepare your Teens for Safe Driving (InsureUonline.org)
• Tread Depth and Tire Safety (State Farm)
• Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)