Cheap Mercury Mountaineer Insurance in Bakersfield

Has it been over a year since you last compared quotes for low-cost Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Bakersfield? There isn’t a single person who anticipates paying for car insurance, especially when they know they could find lower prices if they just compared rates.

It’s an obvious conclusion that car insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. People who shop for lower rates will probably switch to a new company because of the good chance of finding a more affordable policy premium. A study discovered that consumers who compared prices regularly saved about $865 a year compared to policyholders who never compared rates.

If saving the most money on insurance in Bakersfield is your ultimate goal, knowing the best way to shop and compare auto insurance can help simplify the process.

How to find more affordable Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Bakersfield

Really, the only way to save money on Mercury Mountaineer insurance is to regularly compare prices from insurers in Bakersfield. Price quotes can be compared by following these guidelines.

• First, try to learn a little about car insurance and the things you can change to keep rates low. Many risk factors that cause high rates such as traffic tickets, fender benders, and poor credit rating can be eliminated by being financially responsible and driving safely.
• Second, compare rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates for a wide range of companies.
• Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
• Fourth, provide notification to your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit payment and a completed application to your new insurance company. Be sure to put the proof of insurance paperwork in your glove compartment.

An essential thing to point out is to compare identical deductibles and limits on each quote request and and to get price quotes from all possible companies. Doing this guarantees the most accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.

Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to see past the corporate glitz and do the work needed to find the best deal.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will definitely be able to find the best rates using the concepts you’re about to learn. Locating the best rates in Bakersfield is not that difficult as long as you know where to start. Nevertheless, California consumers do need to know how companies compete online.

Companies offering Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Bakersfield

The companies in the list below offer free rate quotes in California. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you visit as many as you can in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Analysis of coverages

The data table shown below covers different insurance rates for Mercury Mountaineer models. Having a good grasp of how insurance quotes are formulated can be useful when making informed coverage decisions.

Price data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and homeowner. Price information does not factor in Bakersfield location which can alter auto insurance rates significantly.

Raise deductibles and save

When comparing insurance rates, the most common question is which comprehensive and collision deductibles to buy. The following tables may help to conceptualize the rate fluctuation when you select higher and lower physical damage deductibles. The first price estimate table uses a $100 deductible for comp and collision and the second set of prices uses a $1,000 deductible.

Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-policy. Premium amounts do not factor in specific location which can decrease or increase insurance rates greatly.

We can derive from the above data that using a $100 deductible will cost you about $47 more each month or $564 annually than buying the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $900 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you average at a minimum 19 months between claims, you would most likely save money if you opt for a higher deductible. Here is an example of how you can make your own decision.

One important issue to know is that a higher deductible level means you pay more out-of-pocket when you do file a claim. That will force you to have enough money put aside in the event you have to pay the higher deductible.

Full coverage or liability only

The example below illustrates the comparison of Mercury Mountaineer insurance prices when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The data assumes no violations or claims, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no policy discounts are applied.

When to switch to liability coverage only

There is no clear-cut rule of when to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Mercury Mountaineer replacement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would receive is $4,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $400 a year for your policy with full coverage, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.

There are a few cases where removing full coverage is not advised. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not eliminate full coverage.

Cheaper rates by applying discounts

Some insurers don’t list every possible discount very well, so the list below contains both the well known and the more hidden auto insurance savings.

• Club Memberships – Being a member of qualifying clubs or civic groups could qualify you for a break on your next auto insurance statement.
• Good Driver Discount – Safe drivers could pay up to 40% less than their less cautious counterparts.
• Distant Student Discount – Older children who attend college more than 100 miles from Bakersfield and leave their car at home may qualify for this discount.
• Telematics Data – People who choose to allow driving data submission to study vehicle usage remotely such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate might get better premium rates if they have good driving habits.
• Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
• Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one isn’t a discount, but certain companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims for a specific time period.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the personal injury premium cost.
• Discount for New Cars – Buying insurance coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper because newer models have to meet stringent safety requirements.

While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

The example below compares Mercury Mountaineer insurance premiums with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The premium estimates are based on a male driver, a clean driving record, no claims, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, multi-car, and multi-policy discounts applied.

The best auto insurance companies and the discounts they provide can be found below.

• State Farm discounts include multiple autos, safe vehicle, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, anti-theft, and multiple policy.
• GEICO may include discounts for military active duty, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, emergency military deployment, and anti-theft.
• SAFECO may have discounts that include safe driver, drive less, bundle discounts, teen safety rewards, multi-car, teen safe driver, and homeowner.
• Farmers Insurance offers discounts for early shopping, multi-car, bundle discounts, good student, electronic funds transfer, and youthful driver.
• AAA has discounts for good driver, pay-in-full, anti-theft, good student, multi-policy, multi-car, and AAA membership discount.
• USAA offers premium reductions for safe driver, driver training, annual mileage, vehicle storage, and family discount.

When getting a coverage quote, ask every prospective company to apply every possible discount. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not apply in your area. If you would like to see a list of auto insurance companies that offer multiple discounts in Bakersfield, click here to view.

How Your Mountaineer Insurance Costs are Determined

Many things are part of the equation when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, but others are less obvious such as whether you are married or your commute time. A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the rating factors that aid in calculating car insurance rates. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that could help you find lower premium levels.

The items below are some of the most common factors used by your company to calculate your prices.

• Getting married equates to better prices – Having a significant other helps lower the price when shopping for car insurance. It means you’re more mature and responsible and insurance companies like that married drivers get in fewer accidents.

• Vehicle risk impacts premiums – The make and model of the car or truck you are insuring makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. Small economy passenger cars generally receive the lowest base rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.

  The following data assumes a married male driver age 20, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It shows Mercury Mountaineer car insurance rates compared to other models that have different performances.

• Miles impacts rates – The higher the miles on your Mercury each year the higher your rate. Many insurance companies calculate rates partially by how you use the vehicle. Autos left parked in the garage receive lower rates than cars that get driven a lot. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Mountaineer can cost quite a bit. Make sure your policy is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
• Where you live can influence costs – Living in smaller towns and rural areas of the country has definite advantages when insuring your vehicles. Less people means a lower chance of having an accident in addition to fewer liability claims. Drivers who live in large California cities tend to have more traffic problems and higher rates of accident claims. More time behind the wheel translates into higher accident risk.
• Extra policy coverages that may not be needed – There are quite a few additional coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Insurance for things like coverage for rental cars, towing, and term life insurance are some examples. You may think they are a good idea initially, but if you have no use for them eliminate them to save money.

When to talk to an agent

Many people just want to buy from a local agent and doing that can be a smart decision A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is you can get cheap rate quotes and also buy local. And buying from local insurance agents is still important in Bakersfield.

Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance data gets sent to insurance agents in Bakersfield who can give free rate quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t even need to search for any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered immediately to you. Get lower rates and work with a local agent. If you have a need to compare prices from a specific insurance provider, you would need to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.

If you want to buy insurance from a reliable insurance agent, you should know the different types of agencies and how they work. Agencies in Bakersfield are considered either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.

Independent Insurance Agencies or Brokers

Agents that elect to be independent often have affiliation with several companies so they can quote policies with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier which is easy for the insured. When searching for an agent, we highly recommend that you get rate quotes from a few independent agents to have the best price comparison.

Below are independent insurance agents in Bakersfield that can possibly get you price quotes.

View more Bakersfield agents

Exclusive Insurance Agents

These type of agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and some examples include State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which aids in selling service over price.

Listed below are exclusive agents in Bakersfield that are able to give comparison quotes.

View more Bakersfield agents

Finding the right insurance agency requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:

• Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
• Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in Bakersfield?
• Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
• Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
• What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
• Is insurance their full-time profession?

After talking to the agent and getting positive responses to any questions you may have as well as affordable Mercury Mountaineer insurance rates in Bakersfield quotes, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that is reliable enough to adequately provide insurance.

Auto insurance companies ranked

Finding a good quality auto insurance provider is hard considering how many choices you have in Bakersfield. The company ratings in the next section may help you pick which coverage providers you want to consider comparing rate quotes with.

Find cheap rates by comparing often

While you’re price shopping online, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, an insured dropped full coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. 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 presented many tips how you can get a better price on Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Bakersfield. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the most savings is with the smaller companies. They may have significantly lower prices on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

How to find low-cost Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Bakersfield

If you want to save money, the best way to find low-cost prices for Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Bakersfield is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurers that sell auto insurance in California. Prices can be compared by following these steps.

First, read about what coverages are included in your policy and the changes you can make to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that cause high rates such as speeding tickets, careless driving and a low credit rating can be rectified by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.

Second, compare rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple sources.

Third, compare the new rates to your existing rates and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate and buy the policy, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.

The key thing to know about shopping around is to use the same level of coverage on each quote and and to analyze as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this guarantees a level playing field and a complete rate analysis.

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