The words “cheap” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, in particular when you are searching for the best car insurance rates for drivers over age 70. Because of the high cost, let’s start the ball rolling by going over some of the things that significantly impact auto insurance premiums, and come up with some ideas to take the sting out of the next policy you buy.
Comparing rates for affordable car insurance is not the easiest thing to do, and deciding which insurers offer the most affordable car insurance rates for drivers over age 70 involves additional perseverance.
Each auto insurance company uses their own formula to determine premium rates, so we’ll go over the most competitive car insurance companies in California.
Best Cheap Insurance Rates for Age 70+
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,143 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,157 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,214 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 5 | CSAA | $1,234 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,491 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,512 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 10 | Mercury | $1,548 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 12 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 16 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,756 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,842 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
| Find Your Rate Go | ||
USAA has some of the best car insurance rates in Bakersfield at around $1,143 a year. This is $508 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, Nationwide, and CSAA would also be considered some of the lowest-priced Bakersfield, CA car insurance companies.
In the above example, if you are insured with Nationwide and switched to USAA, you could realize an annual savings of approximately $83. Customers with CSAA could save as much as $91 a year, and 21st Century insureds might reduce rates by $182 a year.
Be aware that those prices are averages for all drivers and vehicles and are not factoring in a specific zip code for drivers over age 70. So the insurer that has the cheapest rates for you may not even be in the top 24 companies shown above. That underscores the importance of why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own individual information.
For older drivers, one of the big things that are used to help calculate the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is your address in Bakersfield. Areas with a lot of weather claims or more people tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates benefit from having to pay less for coverage.
The next table shows the most expensive places in California for drivers over age 70 to buy auto insurance in. Bakersfield comes in at #23 with an annual cost of $1,340 for the average policyholder, which is approximately $112 each month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,168 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 3 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Oakland | $1,687 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
| 7 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 8 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 9 | Long Beach | $1,562 |
| 10 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 11 | Garden Grove | $1,524 |
| 12 | Moreno Valley | $1,506 |
| 13 | Fresno | $1,502 |
| 14 | Riverside | $1,497 |
| 15 | Modesto | $1,487 |
| 16 | Anaheim | $1,444 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | San Diego | $1,381 |
| 20 | Irvine | $1,371 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Table data uses estimated as the specific Bakersfield residence address can increase or decrease auto insurance rates substantially.
The vehicle you are seeking coverage for is a significant factor when trying to find affordable car insurance for drivers over age 70. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, good safety features, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The next list outlines car insurance costs for the most economical vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $890 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $899 |
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $890 |
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $906 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $962 |
| Toyota Prius | $976 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,000 |
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $1,007 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,040 |
| Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $1,048 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,040 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS 2WD | $1,056 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,062 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $1,056 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Regular Cab 2WD | $1,064 |
| Start a Quote Go | |
Prices based on single female driver age 70, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in specific Bakersfield, CA garaging location which can affect prices noticeably.
Looking at the data, you can figure that cars like the Hyundai Elantra, Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, and Ford Escape are most likely to be the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for older drivers. Car insurance rates will trend higher because there is more inherent risk for drivers over age 70, but generally speaking those particular vehicles will tend to have the best insurance prices that you are likely to find.
California car insurance companies
Buying coverage from the best insurer is difficult considering how many companies sell coverage in California. The company rank data below could help you decide which auto insurers to look at putting your business with.
The ratings below are only made up of companies that insure vehicles across America, so smaller regional companies will not be included in these rankings. To view rates from these top-rated insurers and more, just click here.
Top 10 Major Car Insurance Companies in Bakersfield Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
Irresponsible driving raises your rates
The easiest method to score the cheapest car insurance rates for older drivers is to be a careful driver and not get tickets or have accidents. The diagram below highlights how traffic violations and accidents can influence insurance rates for each age group. The information is based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
The data above shows the average cost of car insurance in Bakersfield per year with no accidents or violations is $1,570. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost surges to $1,810, an increase of $239 each year. Now throw in one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for drivers over age 70 goes up to an average of $2,466. That’s an increase of $896, or $75 per month, just for not keeping your driving record clean!
Why you should shop around
Bakersfield car insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially change the cost of your policy. Getting older, moving to a new city, or having an accident can trigger price changes that may make certain companies more affordable than the competition. Not only may your risk profile change, but car insurance companies modify pricing at least once a year to ensure their profitability. Higher than usual claims can cause additional premium costs, while profitable underwriting may produce cheaper Bakersfield car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the bar chart below shows the cheapest car insurance in Bakersfield, CA for a 35-year-old male driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and a good credit rating. If we compare prices based on his personal risk profile, USAA quotes the lowest car insurance rates in Bakersfield at $1,123 a year. This is $528 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide round out the rest of the top five cheapest Bakersfield, CA auto insurance companies.
In this example, we will give the driver from the first example a claim, a lower credit score, and an imperfect driving record. Since every insurance provider has their own formula for setting rates, comparing rates will most likely result in a different ranking of the cheapest car insurance companies in Bakersfield as shown below.
Grange now has the lowest car insurance rate in Bakersfield with Mercury, Allstate, GEICO, and Allied also having competitive pricing. This example demonstrates why California drivers need to take the time to shop around to find the most budget-friendly car insurance quotes for drivers over age 70.
Auto insurance prices are made up of many different factors and change frequently, so the cheapest option when you last compared rates may now not even be in the top five.