It’s amazing but the vast majority of California auto insurance customers renewed their policy with the same company for four years or more, and nearly half have never compared rates from other carriers. With the average premium in the U.S. being $1,847, drivers could pocket about $860 a year, but most just don’t grasp how much they could save if they switched to a cheaper policy.
The easiest way to get cheaper auto insurance rates in Bakersfield is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from insurance carriers in California.
- Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about how insurance works and the factors you can control to keep rates low. Many risk factors that result in higher rates such as traffic tickets, fender benders, and a less-than-favorable credit history can be remedied by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can quote prices from multiple insurance companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy and determine if cheaper C30 coverage is available. If you find a better price and change companies, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Tell your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new agent or company. As soon as coverage is bound, keep your new certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location.
The most important part of shopping around is to use similar limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to analyze as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this enables a fair price comparison and a good representation of prices.
It’s important to know that more quotes increases your odds of finding more affordable insurance. Not every company does Bakersfield C30 insurance quotes over the internet, so you should also compare quotes from them as well.
The companies shown below provide comparison quotes in Bakersfield, CA. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you get price quotes from several of them to get the best price comparison.
Facts and figures for Volvo C30 insurance
The coverage information displayed next outlines different insurance prices for Volvo C30 models. Having a better understanding of how car insurance prices are formulated helps drivers make smart choices when selecting a policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C30 T5 | $380 | $686 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,666 | $139 |
| C30 T5 R-Design | $430 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,840 | $153 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and safe-driver. Price information does not factor in garaging location in Bakersfield which can affect prices considerably.
Auto insurance deductibles
When buying auto insurance, a common question is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The following insurance rates may aid in understanding the differences in premium rates of buying low and high deductibles. The first data set uses a $100 physical damage coverage deductible and the second data table uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C30 T5 | $380 | $686 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,691 | $141 |
| C30 T5 R-Design | $430 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,865 | $155 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C30 T5 | $210 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,172 | $98 |
| C30 T5 R-Design | $238 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,264 | $105 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in specific zip code location which can decrease or increase insurance rates significantly.
Based on the data above, we can derive that using a $100 deductible costs roughly $46 more each month or $552 every year than opting for the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $900 more out of your own pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you usually have more than 20 months between claims, you would save more money if you opt for a higher deductible.
Why you need insurance for your vehicle
Even though it can be expensive, paying for auto insurance is required in California but also provides important benefits.
- Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific minimum amounts of liability in order to drive the car. 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 C30, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it a condition of the loan that you have full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may insure your Volvo for a much higher rate and force you to pay the higher price.
- Auto insurance protects both your Volvo C30 and your assets. It will also reimburse you for hospital and medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your Volvo gets damaged, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of having auto insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially when you need to use it. On average, a vehicle owner in Bakersfield is wasting up to $855 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies every year to save money.
Coverages available on your insurance policy
Having a good grasp of insurance helps when choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are typical coverage types available from insurance companies.
Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as falling objects, damage from flooding, hitting a bird, a broken windshield and hitting a deer. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for bills such as X-ray expenses, EMT expenses, surgery and doctor visits. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Volvo C30.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (15/30/5 in California), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Liability auto insurance – This will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see values of 15/30/5 that translate to a limit of $15,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for things such as structural damage, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but buy as much as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The next chart shows why buying minimum limits may not be enough coverage.
Collision coverage – This pays for damage to your C30 caused by collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as colliding with a tree, hitting a mailbox, scraping a guard rail, colliding with another moving vehicle and damaging your car on a curb. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible on your C30 to bring the cost down.
Smart consumers save more
We covered a lot of ways to find cheap Volvo C30 insurance in Bakersfield. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier. Some small companies often have lower rates on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price while still protecting your assets.
Cheaper car insurance in Bakersfield is available from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so you need to quote Bakersfield auto insurance with both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies do not provide the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional carriers only sell coverage through independent agents.
Additional learning opportunities
- Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Company Car in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes for Active Military in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Bakersfield Car Insurance Rates for Teenagers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Single Moms in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Side airbags reduce rollover fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)