It’s impossible to miss the ads from car insurance companies like Allstate and Liberty Mutual that make claims of huge savings. So drivers just need to pick the one with the catchiest commercial, right?
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple as there are a whole bunch of unknown elements such as citations or tickets, your gender, and the amount of coverage you want. In this article, we will teach you about some of these things and also should give you a jump start in finding the best auto insurance in Bakersfield.
Establishing which companies have the most affordable auto insurance rates for good students takes a little more sweat in order to find the lowest price. Each auto insurer has their own process for determining prices, so let’s take a look at the most competitive auto insurance companies in Bakersfield.
Best Insurance Companies for Students
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,143 |
| 2 | Century National | $1,190 |
| 3 | Wawanesa | $1,192 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,250 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,379 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,477 |
| 8 | Allstate | $1,497 |
| 9 | Mercury | $1,503 |
| 10 | Progressive | $1,512 |
| 11 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,590 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,682 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 17 | Esurance | $1,756 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,777 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,788 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,026 |
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USAA normally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in Bakersfield at around $1,143 annually. This is $508 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide also make the cut as some of the best Bakersfield, CA car insurance companies.
As shown in the rates above, if you buy coverage from CSAA and switched to USAA, you could earn an annual premium reduction of upwards of $79. Insureds with Nationwide could save as much as $107 a year, and 21st Century customers might lower prices by up to $236 a year.
If you want to see how much you could save, click here or visit any of the low-priced companies below.
Remember that these policy rates are averages for all insureds and vehicles and and are not calculated with an exact zip code location for good students. So the auto insurance company that is most affordable for your situation may not even be in the list above. That affirms the importance of why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own driver data and vehicle information.
The type of vehicle you are seeking coverage for is probably the biggest factor when shopping for the most economical car insurance for good students. Vehicles with economical engines, an excellent safety record, or low incidents of liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than higher performance models.
The next table estimates insurance prices for a selection of the cheaper automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $2,758 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $2,787 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $2,975 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $2,982 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,006 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $3,090 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $3,248 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $3,277 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $3,287 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $3,277 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Crew Cab 4WD | $3,308 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $3,313 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4WD 4-Dr | $3,400 |
| Ford Edge Sport AWD | $3,463 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $3,471 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L | $3,463 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Crew Cab 4WD | $3,494 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $3,503 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $3,494 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $3,500 |
| GMC Sierra SLT Crew Cab 2WD | $3,494 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD | $3,502 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT Crew Cab 2WD | $3,523 |
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Data variables include single female driver age 18, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Rates do not factor in your specific Bakersfield, CA location which can impact rates significantly.
Looking at the rates, you can presume that vehicles like the Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, and Volkswagen Jetta are some of the most economical vehicles to insure for student drivers.
Discount Bakersfield auto insurance rates
Auto insurance companies that provide coverage for good students may provide price discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 30% if you are eligible to receive them. Companies and the discounts they provide are shown below.
- State Farm offers discounts for student away at school, anti-theft, good student, multiple autos, passive restraint, and multiple policy.
- Progressive has savings for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online quote discount, continuous coverage, online signing, homeowner, and good student.
- Progressive offers discounts including continuous coverage, online signing, multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, and online quote discount.
- MetLife may include discounts for good student, defensive driver, multi-policy, good driver, and claim-free.
- Farm Bureau policyholders can earn discounts including good student, 55 and retired, youthful driver, safe driver, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- GEICO may offer discounts for federal employee, membership and employees, multi-vehicle, defensive driver, daytime running lights, driver training, and seat belt use.
- SAFECO has discounts for multi-car, accident prevention training, drive less, teen safety rewards, and teen safe driver.
The illustration below illustrates the comparison of auto insurance rates with and without policy discounts. Data assumes a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second shows the rates with passive restraint, anti-theft, continuous coverage, paperless filing, good student, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, the average savings per year on auto insurance for good students is 28% or $973.
The illustration below shows how different deductible levels can increase or decrease insurance costs when trying to find cheap insurance for good students. The prices are based on a single male driver, full coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
The chart above illustrates that a 40-year-old driver could lower their policy premium by $436 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $656 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, like the 20-year-old, could potentially save $1,432 each year just by choosing higher deductibles when buying full coverage. When choosing a higher deductible, it is a good idea to have plenty of discretionary funds to satisfy the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some people from using high deductibles.
Driving violations and accidents
A great way to snag cheap auto insurance premiums in Bakersfield for student drivers is to be a careful driver and avoid accidents and traffic violations. The example below shows how speeding tickets and accident claims can increase insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The data is based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
In the chart above, the average cost of car insurance per year with no violations or accidents is $2,186. Add in two speeding tickets and the average cost jumps to $3,027, an increase of $842 each year. Now add one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of auto insurance for good students goes up to an average of $3,865. That’s an increase of $1,680, or $140 per month, just for a couple of infractions!
Here’s why you should shop around
Bakersfield, CA auto insurance rates are influenced by many factors that can increase your annual premium. Simply turning a year older, buying a different home, or getting caught speeding may generate price changes that can cause some rates to be cheaper than competitors.
Not only may your situation change, but insurers change the rates they charge in California every year to help ensure profitability. An unexpected high level of claims may result in increased policy costs, while a better claims history can cause cheaper Bakersfield car insurance rates.
The bar chart below shows rates for the cheapest car insurance in Bakersfield, CA for a 45-year-old female driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and good credit. If we look at prices based on her current risk profile, USAA might offer the lowest car insurance rates in Bakersfield at $1,192 each year. This is $459 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide are also included in the top five cheapest Bakersfield, CA auto insurance companies.
Let’s now give the driver from the first rate comparison a claim surcharge, slightly worse credit, and a few blemishes on her driving record. Due to the fact that every auto insurer uses their own calculation for determining prices, comparing insurance quotes may now show a slightly different list of companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best auto insurance rate in Bakersfield with Progressive, Mercury, Allstate, and GEICO completing the list. This illustrates why drivers need to shop around with many companies when trying to get the cheapest insurance rates for good students. Car insurance prices are calculated by many things and can change substantially, so the cheapest company two years ago may now be an over-priced policy.