The most effective way to get cheaper auto insurance rates is to start comparing prices regularly from insurers in Bakersfield.
First, spend some time learning about how companies price auto insurance and the modifications you can make to keep rates low. Many things that cause rate increases like at-fault accidents, careless driving, and a not-so-good credit rating can be rectified by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
Second, quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from many different companies. Compare rates now
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper rate is available in Bakersfield. If you find a better price, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
Fourth, notify your current company of your decision to cancel your existing policy and submit a down payment along with a signed application for the new coverage. Be sure to place your new certificate of insurance with your vehicle’s registration.
A good tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare similar coverage information on every quote request and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. Doing this enables an apples-to-apples comparison and maximum price selection.
A study showed that nearly 70% of drivers renewed their policy with the same company for four years or more, and virtually 40% of consumers have never compared auto insurance rates at all. Most drivers in California could save about 35% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they underestimate the actual amount they would save if they switch to a new company.
These techniques will teach you how car insurance works and also save some money in the process If you have insurance now, you should be able to get lower rates using the ideas you’re about to read. Drivers only need an understanding of the quickest method to compare company rates online from multiple companies.
Getting a cheaper price on Toyota Avalon insurance is a fairly straight forward process. Just invest a few minutes comparing price quotes provided by online insurance companies.
The companies shown below are ready to provide comparison quotes in Bakersfield, CA. If multiple companies are shown, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Rates and detailed analysis
The coverage table shown below showcases detailed analysis of prices for Toyota Avalon models. Understanding more about how rate quotes are formulated is important for you to make decisions when choosing a new policy provider.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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Avalon XL | $270 | $454 | $394 | $24 | $118 | $1,260 | $105 |
Avalon XLS | $270 | $536 | $394 | $24 | $118 | $1,342 | $112 |
Avalon Limited | $300 | $536 | $394 | $24 | $118 | $1,372 | $114 |
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Data based on married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and safe-driver. Premium costs do not factor in your specific Bakersfield location which can influence coverage rates significantly.
An analysis of deductible level
One of the most common insurance questions is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The comparison tables below may help to conceptualize the rate fluctuation of buying low and high deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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Avalon XL | $386 | $576 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,497 | $125 |
Avalon XLS | $386 | $678 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,599 | $133 |
Avalon Limited | $430 | $678 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,643 | $137 |
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Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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Avalon XL | $314 | $464 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,288 | $107 |
Avalon XLS | $314 | $546 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,370 | $114 |
Avalon Limited | $348 | $546 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,404 | $117 |
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Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in specific zip code location which can revise premium rates greatly.
Based on this data, using a $250 deductible will cost you approximately $19 more each month or $228 a year than buying the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $250 more if you turn in a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you average at a minimum 13 months between claim filings, you would save more money by selecting a higher deductible.
How to determine if raising deductibles makes sense
Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $132 |
Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $113 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $19 |
Difference between deductibles ($500 – $250): | $250 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $250 / $19 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 13 months |
One thing to note is that raising deductibles to save money means you will have to pay more of your own money when you do file a claim. You need to make sure you have some funds available in order to pay more to get your vehicle repaired.
The example below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can increase or decrease Toyota Avalon annual premium costs for different age categories. The rates are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Buying the right Toyota vehicle insurance in California is an important decision
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Toyota in Bakersfield, insurance serves several important purposes.
First, just about all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage if you drive a 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.
Second, if you bought your vehicle with a loan, more than likely the lender will force you to have full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Toyota at a much higher rate and require you to fork over a much higher amount than you were paying before.
Third, insurance protects not only your car but also your assets. Insurance will pay for medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of insuring your Avalon more than cancel out the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. An average driver in America is wasting up to $830 a year so we recommend shopping around at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
You Can Change Your Insurance Premiums
Consumers need to have an understanding of a few of the rating criteria that aid in calculating the price you pay for insurance. When consumers understand what determines premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower insurance prices.
The list below includes a few of the things insurance companies consider when setting your premiums.
- Low mileage costs less – The more miles you rack up on your Toyota in a year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks that have low annual miles qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Avalon may be costing you. Verify your declarations sheet shows the proper vehicle usage.
- Bundle and save – Most insurers give a discount to policyholders who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you already get this discount, drivers will still want to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal. Drivers may still save even more than the discount by buying insurance from more than one company.
- Claims cost money – If you file claims often, you should expect much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Auto insurance companies in California award discounts to drivers who only file infrequent claims. Your insurance policy is designed for the large, substantial claims.
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Get a ticket, pay higher costs – Careful drivers get better prices compared to drivers with tickets. Having just one chargeable violation could increase your next policy renewal to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who have received multiple violations like DUI or reckless driving are required to prove financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
The information below illustrates how traffic citations and fender-benders increase Toyota Avalon insurance costs for each different age group. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
- Premiums and job – Did you know your insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as fire fighters, social workers, and miners have higher premiums than the average policyholder in part from high stress levels and long work days. On the other hand, occupations like scientists, athletes and retirees have the lowest average rates.
- Car features impact prices – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can save you some money. Anti-theft devices like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all help stop car theft.
- Rural areas have lower prices – Residing in less populated areas of the country has definite advantages when buying insurance. People who live in big cities tend to have more aggressive driving styles and higher rates of accident claims. Fewer drivers on the road translates into fewer accident claims and lower theft and vandalism rates.
- Save by driving safer cars – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars reduce the chance of injuries and reduced instances of injuries means your insurance company pays less which can mean better rates for you. If your Toyota is rated at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may pay a lower rate.
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Toyota Avalon claim probability – Companies include the past claim trends for vehicles when determining insurance costs. Models that historically have higher prevalence or dollar amount of losses will be charged more to insure. The table shown below demonstrates the actual insurance loss data for Toyota Avalon vehicles.
For each policy coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles combined as an average is a value of 100. Numbers shown that are under 100 imply a favorable loss record, while values that are above 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or an increased chance of larger losses than average.
Insurance Loss Ratings for Toyota Avalon Vehicles Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Toyota Avalon 113 72 112 106 98 74 Toyota Avalon Hybrid 120 72 132 107 85 80 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEData Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Get cheaper Toyota Avalon insurance in Bakersfield with discounts
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there may be some discounts to reduce the price significantly. A few discounts will automatically apply when you quote, but some discounts are required to be manually applied before you will receive the discount.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your insurance provider.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Drivers who insure all your vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – Not really a discount, but a handful of insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one accident without getting socked with a rate hike if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
- Good Students Pay Less – A discount for being a good student may save as much as 25% on a Bakersfield car insurance quote. Many companies even apply the discount to college students until age 25.
- No Claim Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims can earn big discounts when compared to frequent claim filers.
- Bundled Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
- Responsible Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck. But any discount will bring down your policy cost.
The diagram below compares Toyota Avalon insurance rates with and without policy discounts. Data assumes a male driver, no accidents, no driving violations, 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, multi-car, claim-free, marriage, homeowner, and safe-driver discounts applied.
A list of insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts include:
- State Farm discounts include Steer Clear safe driver discount, anti-theft, driver’s education, passive restraint, and accident-free.
- Farmers Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including mature driver, early shopping, multi-car, switch companies, youthful driver, electronic funds transfer, and pay in full.
- GEICO may offer discounts for seat belt use, defensive driver, good student, federal employee, multi-vehicle, five-year accident-free, and daytime running lights.
- American Family offers premium reductions for bundled insurance, defensive driver, TimeAway discount, Steer into Savings, air bags, and good driver.
- Nationwide includes discounts for multi-policy, easy pay, accident-free, anti-theft, family plan, Farm Bureau membership, and defensive driving.
- Progressive has discounts for online signing, multi-policy, good student, multi-vehicle, and continuous coverage.
If you need lower rates, check with all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. Some discounts listed above might not be offered on policies everywhere. To view insurance companies who offer online Toyota Avalon insurance quotes in Bakersfield, follow this link.
When to get advice from a local insurance agent
Many people prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is not a bad decision Professional insurance agents can make sure you are properly covered and will help you if you have claims. A good thing about getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still buy from a local agent. Buying insurance from local insurance agents is still important in Bakersfield.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), the quote information is submitted to local insurance agents who will give competitive quotes for your coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to even leave your home because prices are sent immediately to your email address. If you wish to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, you just need to visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Two types of car insurance agents
When searching for a good Bakersfield insurance agent, it’s important to understand the different agency structures and how they are slightly different. Agents are either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments. Both types of agents can provide insurance policies, but it’s a good idea to understand the differences because it can impact buying decisions.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies do not sell for just one brand and that gives them the ability to insure with any number of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If they quote lower rates, they can switch companies in-house and that require little work on your part.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we recommend you include rate quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison. They often place coverage with companies that do not advertise much that may provide cheaper insurance rates.
Listed below is a small list of independent agencies in Bakersfield that may be able to give you pricing information.
- Nationwide Insurance – Michaud Insurance Agency Inc
3795 Niles St – Bakersfield, CA 93306 – (661) 633-9900 – View Map - Baldwin Georgenton Insurance
4200 Truxtun Ave # 102 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 327-8010 – View Map - Crosby and Crosby Insurance Services
111 H St – Bakersfield, CA 93304 – (661) 327-5531 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are AAA, Allstate, and State Farm. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agencies are well trained on sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers often purchase coverage from exclusives mainly due to the brand name rather than having the cheapest rates.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Bakersfield who can help you get price quotes.
- James Stuart – State Farm Insurance Agent
5125 Ming Ave – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 831-6266 – View Map - Adam Hopkins – State Farm Insurance Agent
5500 Ming Ave #180 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 396-7947 – View Map - Rosie Schweer – State Farm Insurance Agent
4200 Gosford Rd #103 – Bakersfield, CA 93313 – (661) 396-7961 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent requires more thought than just the premium amount. Below are some questions you should ask.
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Where would glass claims be handled in Bakersfield?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- Does the agent help file claims?
One last note
Low-cost Toyota Avalon insurance in Bakersfield can be purchased on the web as well as from independent agents in Bakersfield, so you need to quote Bakersfield car insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not offer rates over the internet and many times these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
Insureds leave their current company for any number of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, unfair underwriting practices, policy cancellation or poor customer service. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
As you quote Bakersfield car insurance, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at the lowest possible cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Additional insurance information can be found at these links:
- Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Bakersfield Car Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Grand Cherokee? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Learners Permit in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for Business Use in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Bakersfield Car Insurance Rates for Teenagers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- What is Covered by GAP Insurance? (Allstate)
- Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)