It takes a little time, but the best way to get affordable Ford Freestyle insurance is to start comparing rates regularly from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in Bakersfield. Price quotes can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the factors you can control to drop your rates. Many rating criteria that result in higher rates like traffic tickets, fender benders, and a less-than-favorable credit rating can be amended by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article gives additional tips to prevent expensive rate increases and get additional discounts that may be available.
- Compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices from multiple insurance companies. Select a company
- Compare the new rates to your existing rates to determine if you can save on Freestyle insurance. If you find a better price and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Give notification to your agent or company of your intention to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit a completed application and payment to your new insurance company. As soon as you have the new policy, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
A good piece of advice is to make sure you enter identical limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get rates from as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this provides a fair price comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
Unimaginable but true, over 70% of drivers kept their policy with the same company for at least the last four years, and almost 40% of drivers have never shopped around. Consumers in California can save hundreds of dollars each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t want to take the time to do a rate comparison.
You may qualify for discounts for Ford Freestyle insurance in Bakersfield
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list the complete list of policy discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the below list has both the well known and also the more inconspicuous savings tricks you should be using when you buy Bakersfield auto insurance online.
- No Accidents – Drivers with accident-free driving histories are rewarded with significantly better rates on Bakersfield auto insurance quote as opposed to accident-prone drivers.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a new Freestyle is cheaper since newer models have better safety ratings.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Just owning your own home can save a few bucks due to the fact that maintaining a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Paperless Signup – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for completing your application on your computer.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking time to complete a class that teaches safe driver techniques could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
Discounts lower rates, but most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Some companies that may have most of these discounts include:
If you need low cost Bakersfield auto insurance quotes, ask each company which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policies in Bakersfield. If you would like to choose from a list of providers with the best Ford Freestyle insurance discounts in California, click this link.
Auto insurance coverages 101
Learning about specific coverages of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Ford Freestyle.
Since many California drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (California limits are 15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Comprehensive coverage – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as a broken windshield, rock chips in glass and hitting a bird. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability car insurance – This protects you from damage that occurs to people or other property in an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 15/30/5 that means you have a limit of $15,000 per injured person, a limit of $30,000 in injury protection per accident, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for things such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, structural damage, medical services, funeral expenses and emergency aid. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy higher limits if possible. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but drivers should carry higher limits.
The next chart demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not provide adequate coverage.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for expenses for EMT expenses, surgery, hospital visits and dental work. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision – Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with an object or car. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for things such as hitting a parking meter, sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a ditch, damaging your car on a curb and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible on your Freestyle to save money on collision insurance.
In Summary
As you quote Bakersfield auto insurance, you should never reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
People leave their current company for a number of reasons such as not issuing a premium refund, high prices, policy cancellation and an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Regardless of your reason, finding the right auto insurance provider is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
We just covered a lot of tips how to compare Ford Freestyle insurance car insurance rates in Bakersfield. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding inexpensive Bakersfield auto insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the best price on auto insurance is with an unexpected company.
More detailed auto insurance information is located at these sites:
- Rollover Crash FAQ (iihs.org)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Drivers Over Age 60 in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Drivers Under 21 in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Hybrid vehicles cost insurers more (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)