Save Money on Pontiac Vibe Insurance in Bakersfield

A recent survey discovered that over 70% of drivers kept their policy with the same company for more than four years, and almost half have never compared car insurance rates at all. Drivers in Bakersfield could save about 35% every year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t invest the time required to find lower-cost car insurance rates.

If you want to save money, the best way to get affordable auto insurance rates in Bakersfield is to compare quotes once a year from different companies that insure vehicles in California.

Step 1: It will benefit you to learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the modifications you can make to lower rates. Many rating criteria that are responsible for high rates such as distracted driving and an unacceptable credit score can be rectified by being financially responsible and driving safely.

Step 2: Quote rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for many different companies.

Step 3: Compare the new rates to the price on your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a better price and decide to switch, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.

Step 4: Provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel your current coverage. Submit a signed application and payment to your new company or agent. Once the application is submitted, put the new certificate verifying proof of insurance with your vehicle’s registration.

An important note is to use the same amount of coverage on each quote and and to get rates from as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this ensures the most accurate price comparison and the best price selection.

The majority of larger companies allow consumers to get coverage prices directly from their websites. Getting quotes for Pontiac Vibe insurance in Bakersfield is pretty easy because it’s just a matter of typing in the amount of coverage you want into a form. After you complete the form, their rating system will obtain your driving record and credit report and generates a price.

Getting online rates for Pontiac Vibe insurance in Bakersfield makes it easy to compare insurance prices and it’s very important to do this if you want to find cheaper prices.

To save time and find out what other companies charge, compare quotes from the companies shown below. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you replicate your coverages identical to your current policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will be getting rate comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.

The following companies offer free quotes in California. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you compare several of them to get the best price comparison.

Insurance does more than just protect your car

Despite the high cost, paying for insurance may be required for several reasons.

• Almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage in order to license the vehicle. 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.
• If you have a lien on your Pontiac Vibe, it’s guaranteed your bank will require you to have comprehensive coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may buy a policy for your Pontiac at a more expensive rate and make you pay for the expensive policy.
• Insurance protects not only your Pontiac but also your assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you cause an accident and are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.

The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly for liability claims. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is overpaying over $700 annually so you should quote and compare rates at every policy renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.

Insurance rate breakdown

The price information shown next highlights estimates of prices for Pontiac Vibe models. Having a good grasp of how insurance prices are formulated can be valuable when making smart choices when purchasing an insurance policy.

Above prices assume married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, and homeowner. Table data does not factor in zip code location which can affect rates greatly.

Comparison of policy deductibles

A question often asked by Bakersfield drivers is which comprehensive and collision deductibles to buy. The data tables below approximate the price difference of buying low and high deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.

Data rating is based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in specific Bakersfield garaging location which can alter coverage rates significantly.

We can derive from the above data that using a $250 deductible could cost the average driver approximately $18 more each month or $216 each year across all Pontiac Vibe models than buying the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average at a minimum 14 months between claim filings, you would probably save some money if you choose the higher deductible.

Cost comparison with and without full coverage

The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Pontiac Vibe auto insurance costs with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The premiums assume a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no other discounts are factored in.

Deciding between full coverage and liability only

There isn’t a steadfast formula to stop paying for physical damage coverage, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of coverage is more than around 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Pontiac Vibe replacement cost is $3,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would get paid by your company is $2,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying over $200 annually for your policy with full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

There are some circumstances where dropping full coverage is not financially feasible. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not buy liability only.

Do you qualify for discounts on Pontiac Vibe insurance in Bakersfield?

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may be missing some discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but a few must be manually applied before you get the savings.

• Low Miles Discount – Fewer annual miles on your Pontiac can qualify you for slightly better prices than normal.
• Telematics Data Discounts – Drivers who elect to allow companies to scrutinize their driving habits by using a telematics device such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system might get better premium rates as long as they are good drivers.
• Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school may save you up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
• Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a driver safety class is a good idea and can lower rates if you qualify.
• Accident Forgiveness – Not really a discount, but certain companies will turn a blind eye to one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model may earn a small discount because new model year vehicles keep occupants safer.

Remember that most credits do not apply to the whole policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Even though the math looks like you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

The illustration below shows the difference between Pontiac Vibe premium costs with and without some available policy discounts. The data is based on a female driver, no accidents, no driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-car, homeowner, marriage, safe-driver, and multi-policy discounts applied.

To see insurers that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in Bakersfield, click here.

When do I need an agent’s advice?

Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.

These are some specific questions might help in determining whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.

• Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
• Is my son or daughter covered when driving my car?
• How much will a speeding ticket raise my rates?
• What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
• Do they offer discounts for home and auto coverage?
• Do I have newly-acquired coverage?
• How does medical payments coverage work?
• What is an adequate liability insurance limit?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.