If you want to save the most money, the best way to find cheaper prices for auto insurance rates in Bakersfield is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from different companies that insure vehicles in California.
- Learn about individual coverages and the factors you can control to keep rates down. Many risk factors that are responsible for high rates such as high-risk driving behaviors and your credit history can be improved by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Compare prices from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from many different companies.
- Compare the new rates to your current policy premium to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a better price and decide to switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Tell your current agent or company of your intention to cancel your existing policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new company or agent. As soon as you receive it, store the proof of insurance certificate with the vehicle registration.
A valuable tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same amount of coverage on each quote request and and to compare every insurance company. This enables a level playing field and many rates to choose from.
Unbelievable but true, nearly 70% of customers have stayed with the same insurance company for at least four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared rates from other carriers. Consumers in America can save hundreds of dollars each year just by getting comparison quotes, but most tend to underestimate the amount of money they would save if they just switched companies.
Lower-cost Bakersfield insurance quotes with discounts
Some insurance providers do not list every policy discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below details some of the more common and the harder-to-find credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Bakersfield auto insurance online. If you do not check that you are getting every discount available, you could be getting lower rates.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Owning your own home or condo can save a few bucks because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
- Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies and insure them both with the same insurance company you could save up to 20% and get you affordable Suzuki SX4 insurance rates in Bakersfield.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
- Pay Early and Save – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you can avoid the installment charge.
- Membership in Organizations – Belonging to a professional or civic organization can get you a small discount on your next renewal.
Remember that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
The chart below shows the difference between Suzuki SX4 car insurance rates with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The premiums are based on a female driver, no claims, a clean driving record, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-car, claim-free, homeowner, and marriage discounts applied.
Larger insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are:
- American Family may have discounts that include mySafetyValet, good driver, multi-vehicle, good student, defensive driver, and early bird.
- State Farm has savings for defensive driving training, accident-free, Drive Safe & Save, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, anti-theft, and safe vehicle.
- 21st Century may include discounts for anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, theft prevention, student driver, driver training, and 55 and older.
- Travelers offers discounts including multi-car, IntelliDrive, hybrid/electric vehicle, student away at school, continuous insurance, good student, and early quote.
- GEICO may offer discounts for multi-vehicle, emergency military deployment, seat belt use, federal employee, and air bags.
Check with each company to apply every possible discount. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply in your area.
The easiest way to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to know the trick almost all companies actually pay money for the chance to give you rate quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is give them rating details including if you have an active license, whether you have decent credit, if you lease or own, and how old drivers are. Your rating data is submitted instantly to many different companies and they respond with quotes within a short period of time.
To get price quotes for your Suzuki SX4 now, click here and complete the quick form.
The car insurance companies shown below can provide comparison quotes in Bakersfield, CA. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you visit as many as you can in order to find the most competitive rates.
Rates and detailed analysis
The premium table displayed next covers estimates of insurance prices for Suzuki SX4 models. Learning how auto insurance premiums are figured can help drivers make informed decisions when shopping around for a new policy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SX4 LE | $158 | $354 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,142 | $95 |
SX4 2WD | $182 | $292 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,104 | $92 |
SX4 Sport S | $182 | $418 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,230 | $103 |
SX4 Sport SE | $182 | $418 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,230 | $103 |
SX4 Technology 2WD | $182 | $354 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,166 | $97 |
SX4 Sportback 2WD | $182 | $354 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,166 | $97 |
SX4 AWD AWD | $182 | $354 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,166 | $97 |
SX4 Sport GTS | $182 | $418 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,230 | $103 |
SX4 Technology AWD | $204 | $354 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,188 | $99 |
SX4 Touring AWD | $204 | $354 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,188 | $99 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Price data assumes married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and multi-policy. Rate quotes do not factor in specific garaging location which can impact premium rates greatly.
An analysis of deductible level
A question often asked by Bakersfield drivers is how high should your deductibles be. The following insurance rates illustrate the rate differences between low and high coverage deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second price table uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SX4 LE | $298 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,499 | $125 |
SX4 2WD | $342 | $472 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,439 | $120 |
SX4 Sport S | $342 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,645 | $137 |
SX4 Sport SE | $342 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,645 | $137 |
SX4 Technology 2WD | $342 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,543 | $129 |
SX4 Sportback 2WD | $342 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,543 | $129 |
SX4 AWD AWD | $342 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,543 | $129 |
SX4 Sport GTS | $342 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,645 | $137 |
SX4 Technology AWD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
SX4 Touring AWD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SX4 LE | $242 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,306 | $109 |
SX4 2WD | $278 | $382 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,260 | $105 |
SX4 Sport S | $278 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,424 | $119 |
SX4 Sport SE | $278 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,424 | $119 |
SX4 Technology 2WD | $278 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,342 | $112 |
SX4 Sportback 2WD | $278 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,342 | $112 |
SX4 AWD AWD | $278 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,342 | $112 |
SX4 Sport GTS | $278 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,424 | $119 |
SX4 Technology AWD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
SX4 Touring AWD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in specific location which can increase or decrease price quotes greatly.
Based on this data, using a $250 deductible costs an average of $17 more each month or $204 for a full year than buying the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $250 more if you turn in a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average at least 15 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off by going with a higher deductible.
Impact of careless driving on insurance rates
The diagram below demonstrates how citations and at-fault accidents can drive up Suzuki SX4 insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The price estimates are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
Difference between full coverage and liability only rates
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Suzuki SX4 insurance prices with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The rates are based on no violations or accidents, $500 deductibles, single status, and no other discounts are factored in.
When to stop paying for full coverage
There is no definitive rule for dropping comp and collision coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than about 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Suzuki SX4 settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company would pay you is $2,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying over $200 annually for physical damage coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are a few cases where buying only liability insurance is not in your best interest. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not remove full coverage.
Compare rates but work with a neighborhood Bakersfield auto insurance agent
Many drivers still like to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you may find lower rates and still buy from a local agent. And supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is important particularly in Bakersfield.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your insurance data is immediately sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your car insurance coverage. You won’t need to drive around since rate quotes are delivered to you. You can find the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you want to compare prices from a specific company, don’t hesitate to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
If you are searching for an insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents and how they function. Insurance agencies in Bakersfield are classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Independent Car Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents often have many company appointments so they can quote policies with any number of different companies and find you cheaper rates. If premiums increase, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies.
If you need cheaper car insurance rates, we highly recommend that you include price quotes from at least one independent agent so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
Featured below is a list of independent agents in Bakersfield that may be able to give you rate quotes.
Miroslava Hernandez Insurance Agency
6433 E Brundage Ln # 2 – Bakersfield, CA 93307 – (661) 326-7200 – View Map
Covermax Insurance Agency Inc.
1910 E California Ave – Bakersfield, CA 93307 – (661) 363-0645 – View Map
Edward J. Herrera Insurance Agency
2017 19th St – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 327-4028 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be exclusive normally can only provide a single company’s rates such as State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agents in Bakersfield that can give you rate quotes.
Tom Smethurst – State Farm Insurance Agent
13061 Rosedale Hwy a – Bakersfield, CA 93314 – (661) 589-1991 – View Map
Keith Stonebraker – State Farm Insurance Agent
4600 Ashe Rd #308 – Bakersfield, CA 93313 – (661) 664-9663 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Megan Waite
4200 Easton Dr #1 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 327-3486 – View Map
Choosing the best insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap price. Before buying a policy in Bakersfield, get answers to these questions.
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
Upon receiving positive responses for all questions you ask and locked in a price quote, it’s a good possibility that you have found an insurance agent that can adequately provide car insurance. It’s important to know that it’s your coverage and you can terminate your policy whenever you want so don’t assume that you are obligated to a specific company with no way out.
Auto insurance companies ranked
Ending up with the best company can be a challenge considering how many choices there are in California. The ranking data in the next section can help you decide which auto insurers you want to consider purchasing from.
Top 10 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
Compare but don’t skimp
When searching for inexpensive Bakersfield auto insurance quotes, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The goal is to buy enough coverage at the lowest possible cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
Some insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and these smaller providers only sell through independent agencies. Cheaper Suzuki SX4 insurance in Bakersfield can be bought online and with local Bakersfield insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.
In this article, we presented a lot of techniques to save on Suzuki SX4 insurance in Bakersfield. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the best price on insurance is with a lesser-known regional company. Smaller companies can often provide lower car insurance rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like Progressive and GEICO.
Additional information can be read below:
- What is Gap Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for High School Students in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Tools for Teen Driving Safety (State Farm)
- Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)