Unbelievably, most drivers in California have stayed with the same insurance company for at least four years, and just under half have never even shopped around for cheaper coverage. With the average auto insurance premium being $1,847, U.S. drivers could pocket up to $850 a year, but they just feel it’s too hard to compare other rate quotes.
The preferred way to find cheaper auto insurance rates in Bakersfield is to compare prices once a year from insurance carriers in California.
- Try to learn a little about auto insurance and the steps you can take to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices such as speeding tickets, accidents and an imperfect credit score can be rectified by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Continue reading for tips to prevent high rates and find available discounts that you may qualify for.
- Compare prices from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers. Begin your rate comparison
- Compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find a better price and make a switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
A crucial key to this process is to try to compare identical limits and deductibles on every price quote and to quote with as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this provides an accurate price comparison and a complete rate analysis.
If you already have coverage or are just looking to switch companies, use these tips to buy cheaper car insurance without sacrificing coverage. Locating the most cost-effective car insurance policy in Bakersfield can be much easier if you know how to start. Smart buyers just need to know the most efficient way to compare prices on the web.
Save money with these price cutting discounts
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there’s a good chance there are discounts to help offset the cost. Most are applied when you get a quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before they will apply.
- Discount for Multiple Policies – When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could save as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a defensive driver course may get you a small discount if your company offers it.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles are stolen with less frequency and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Renewal Discounts – Select companies give a discount for buying a new policy before your current Golf insurance policy expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Club Memberships – Belonging to qualifying clubs or civic groups could qualify you for a break on your next renewal.
- Pay Early and Save – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Save over 55 – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive reduced rates.
- Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home can earn you a little savings due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Multiple Cars – Purchasing coverage when you have more than one vehicle on a single policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- ABS Braking Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with ABS or steering control can stop better under adverse conditions and will save you 10% or more on Golf insurance in Bakersfield.
As is typical with insurance, some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. If you do the math and it seems like you can get free auto insurance, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
The information below illustrates the comparison of Volkswagen Golf yearly insurance costs with and without discounts. The data assumes a female driver, no violations or accidents, 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 claim-free, multi-car, multi-policy, marriage, safe-driver, and homeowner discounts applied.
Large insurance companies and the discounts they provide can be read below.
- AAA offers discounts for education and occupation, good driver, anti-theft, good student, AAA membership discount, and multi-policy.
- Progressive has discounts for homeowner, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, online signing, and online quote discount.
- State Farm includes discounts for multiple autos, passive restraint, good student, multiple policy, student away at school, and safe vehicle.
- Esurance may have discounts that include Pac-12 alumni, renters, claim free, anti-lock brakes, multi-car, DriveSense, and paid-in-full.
- Nationwide may offer discounts for anti-theft, Farm Bureau membership, accident-free, defensive driving, multi-policy, and easy pay.
It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company to give you their best rates. Discounts may not be offered everywhere.
The quickest method to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to realize most of the bigger providers allow for online access to provide you with free rate quotes. The only thing you need to do is give them rating details such as whether you drive to work or school, types of safety features, whether you have decent credit, and which vehicles you own. That rating data is automatically sent to many different companies and they return rate quotes quickly.
To start a rate quote now, click here and enter your coverage details.
The following companies are our best choices to provide comparison quotes in California. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them to find the cheapest auto insurance rates.
Detailed insurance information
The table shown below highlights different policy rates for Volkswagen Golf models. Learning how rates are formulated can assist in making informed decisions when comparing rates.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golf 2.5 2-Dr Hatchback | $216 | $464 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,256 | $105 |
| Golf 2.5 4-Dr Hatchback | $244 | $464 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,284 | $107 |
| Golf 2.0T Turbo Diesel 2-Dr Hatchback | $244 | $534 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,354 | $113 |
| Golf 2.0T Turbo Diesel 4-Dr Hatchback | $244 | $464 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,284 | $107 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data represents married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in Bakersfield location which can decrease or increase insurance rates noticeably.
The example below shows how choosing a deductible and can increase or decrease Volkswagen Golf insurance premiums for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a single female driver, full coverage, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Annual premiums for males versus females in Bakersfield
The example below shows the difference between Volkswagen Golf auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Cost difference between full coverage and liability
The chart below shows the difference between Volkswagen Golf annual premium costs with full coverage and liability only. The premiums assume no violations or claims, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.
Are you wasting money paying for full coverage?
There is no exact formula that works best for making the decision to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than about 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Volkswagen Golf replacement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $4,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying over $400 annually for your policy with full coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some circumstances where eliminating full coverage is not recommended. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to carry full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage on your policy.
Choices You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Rates
When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand some of the things that are used to determine your premiums. If you have some idea of what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in cheaper rates. Many things are considered when quoting car insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving history, but other criteria are not as apparent such as whether you are married or how financially stable you are.
The itemized list below are some of the factors that factor into rates.
Getting married can save on auto insurance – Your spouse can get you a discount on your auto insurance bill. Marriage demonstrates that you tend to be more mature and responsible and insurance companies like that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
Only buy coverage you need – There are quite a few extra add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your Golf policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness, and extra equipment coverage may not be needed and are just wasting money. The coverages may be enticing when buying your policy, but if you’ve never needed them in the past get rid of them and save.
Lower prices with theft deterrents – Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack all help prevent auto theft and help lower rates.
Traffic violations inflate costs – Careful drivers pay lower auto insurance prices than bad drivers. Only having one moving violation could increase your next policy renewal by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who get multiple citations like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may find they need to maintain a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
The illustration below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault accidents can raise Volkswagen Golf insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Lower prices with uninterrupted coverage – Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and companies may charge more for letting your coverage have a gap. In addition to paying higher premiums, not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license. You may have to file a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department.
You might want pay the minor insurance claims yourself – Insurance companies in California award better rates to drivers who only file infrequent claims. If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Location can impact price – Residing in smaller towns and rural areas of the country has it’s advantages when it comes to auto insurance. Fewer drivers on the road means a lower chance of having an accident in addition to lower liability claims. People in densely populated areas tend to have more auto accidents and more severe claims. Spending more time driving means higher likelihood of an accident.
Volkswagen Golf insurance loss statistics – Companies study historical loss data when they set coverage costs for each model. Models that tend to have increased claim numbers or amounts will have a higher cost to insure.
The information below illustrates the historical loss data for Volkswagen Golf vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles averaged together is a value of 100. Values that are 100 or less are indicative of better than average losses, while values over 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or larger claims.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Golf | 109 | 97 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Get rate quotes but work with a local Bakersfield insurance agency
Some people still prefer to get advice from a local agent. Good insurance agents can answer important questions and help in the event of a claim. An additional benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain better rates but still work with a licensed agent.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, your information is transmitted to local insurance agents that can give you free Bakersfield car insurance quotes for your business. You won’t need to contact any agents because prices are sent to you. If you have a need to get a rate quote for a specific company, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
Selecting a insurer should depend on more than just a cheap price quote. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- What company do they have the most business with?
- How many years have they been established?
- Will they give you a referral list?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage in Bakersfield?
- Can you contact them at any time?
After talking to the agent and getting good responses in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you may have found a company that meets the requirements to provide car insurance coverage. Just be aware that once you purchase a policy you can terminate your policy whenever you want so don’t feel that you are permanently stuck with any specific agency for the full term.
It may be expensive, but it’s not optional
Even though Bakersfield Golf insurance rates can get expensive, maintaining insurance is required by state law in California and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
First, the majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific minimum amounts of liability protection if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 have a loan on your Golf, more than likely the lender will have a requirement that you have comprehensive coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Volkswagen at a more expensive rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
Third, insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It will also provide coverage for most medical and hospital costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, will also pay to defend you if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of insuring your Golf greatly outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. As of last year, the average driver in California is currently overpaying as much as $825 a year so we recommend shopping around at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Quote. Compare. Save.
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where someone dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best possible price while still protecting your assets.
Some insurance companies may not offer rates over the internet and most of the time these smaller providers prefer to sell through local independent agencies. More affordable insurance in Bakersfield is attainable both online in addition to many Bakersfield insurance agents, so compare prices from both so you have a total pricing picture.
Additional information can be found at the links below
- Winter Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Bakersfield Auto Insurance Quotes for First-time Drivers? (FAQ)
- How Much are Bakersfield Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Good Credit? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Drivers Under 25 in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Bakersfield Auto Insurance for Uninsured Drivers? (FAQ)
- Car Insurance: When not to Skimp (BankRate.com)
- Front crash protection reduces rear-end crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)