We don’t have to point out that fact that insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. Insureds who shop around for cheaper rates are likely to buy a new policy because there is a good probability of finding a policy with more affordable rates. A survey found that drivers who made a habit of comparing rate quotes saved an average of $70 a month as compared to drivers who never compared rates.
If finding budget-friendly car insurance in Bakersfield is the reason you’re here, then having an understanding of the best way to shop and compare coverages can help simplify the task of finding more affordable coverage.
The preferred way to get cheaper Chevy Malibu insurance in Bakersfield is to compare prices regularly from insurance carriers in California. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.
First, get an understanding of how auto insurance works and the things you can control to drop your rates. Many factors that result in higher rates such as multiple speeding tickets and your credit history can be remedied by paying attention to minor details. Continue reading for instructions to help reduce prices and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
Second, compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes from multiple companies.
Third, compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available in Bakersfield. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
An important note is to make sure you’re comparing identical limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to analyze every insurance company. Doing this provides a fair rate comparison and maximum price selection.
When looking for affordable Bakersfield car insurance quotes, there are a couple ways to obtain and compare prices from many different California insurance companies. The recommended way to find competitive Chevy Malibu insurance rates is to get quotes online. Keep in mind that getting more free quotes increases the chance that you will find the best offered rates. Not every company provides online rate quotes, so it’s important to compare prices from them as well.
The companies in the list below provide comparison quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you click on several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Why you need to buy auto insurance
Despite the high cost, paying for auto insurance may not be optional for several reasons.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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.
- If you have a lien on your Malibu, almost every bank will have a requirement that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Chevy at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Auto insurance preserves both your Chevy Malibu and your personal assets. Insurance will also pay for medical bills for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If you have damage to your Chevy as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying enough insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. An average driver in America overpays as much as $800 each year so you should quote rates at every policy renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Chevy Malibu insurance coverage information
The data table displayed below outlines detailed analysis of insurance premium costs for Chevy Malibu models. Understanding more about how rates are formulated is important for you to make smart choices when buying a car insurance policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu LS | $270 | $454 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $1,334 | $111 |
| Malibu Hybrid | $270 | $454 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $1,334 | $111 |
| Malibu LT | $304 | $454 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $1,368 | $114 |
| Malibu LTZ | $304 | $536 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $1,450 | $121 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and safe-driver. Price information does not factor in specific garaging location which can modify premium rates considerably.
Higher deductibles save money
One of the more difficult decisions when buying auto insurance is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The following tables approximate the rate difference when you choose different policy deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $100 physical damage coverage deductible and the second set of rates uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu LS | $380 | $686 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,691 | $141 |
| Malibu Hybrid | $380 | $686 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,691 | $141 |
| Malibu LT | $430 | $686 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,741 | $145 |
| Malibu LTZ | $430 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,865 | $155 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu LS | $210 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,172 | $98 |
| Malibu Hybrid | $210 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,172 | $98 |
| Malibu LT | $238 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,200 | $100 |
| Malibu LTZ | $238 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,264 | $105 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-policy. Estimates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can decrease or increase coverage rates significantly.
Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible will cost you approximately $46 more each month or $552 every year than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $900 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to have at least 20 months between claim filings, you would save more money going with the higher deductible.
Impact of careless driving on Bakersfield auto insurance rates
The chart below shows how traffic citations and accidents can impact Chevy Malibu car insurance rates for different age categories. The costs are based on a single female driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
Difference between full coverage and liability only rates
The illustration below compares Chevy Malibu auto insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The premium estimates are based on no claims or driving citations, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no definitive rule of when to exclude comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Chevy Malibu replacement cost is $3,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $2,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are paying over $200 annually to have full coverage, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
There are a few cases where only buying liability is not financially feasible. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not buy liability only.
Insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Companies don’t list every discount available very clearly, so the list below contains both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving when you buy Bakersfield car insurance online.
- Organization Discounts – Belonging to qualifying clubs or civic groups is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
- Early Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you can combine your home and auto policy and insure them with the same company you may earn nearly 15% which can help you find cheaper Malibu insurance.
- Telematics Devices – Bakersfield drivers who agree to allow companies to analyze where and when they drive by using a telematic data system such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system may see discounts as long as the data is positive.
- Resident Student – Any of your kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Bakersfield and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving fewer miles could qualify for slightly better premium rates than normal.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Despite the fact that it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any qualifying discounts should help reduce the cost of your policy.
The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Chevy Malibu auto insurance rates with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The rate quotes are based on a female driver, no claims or driving citations, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, claim-free, multi-car, multi-policy, safe-driver, and marriage discounts applied.
If you would like to view insurance companies with the best discounts in California, click this link.
Compare rate quotes but buy from a local Bakersfield insurance agency
Certain consumers still prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is you can get cheaper auto insurance rates and still have an agent to talk to. Supporting local insurance agents is especially important in Bakersfield.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is transmitted to companies in Bakersfield who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t even need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent to you. You can most likely find cheaper rates and work with a local agent. If you want to get a rate quote from a specific company, you would need to search and find their rate quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you need to find a local Bakersfield insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that you can choose from. Car insurance agencies can be classified as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Independent Car Insurance Agents
These agents are not limited to a single company and that is an advantage because they can write policies through many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they find a lower price, your policy is moved internally and you don’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing rate quotes, we recommend you get some free quotes from at a minimum one independent agency in order to compare the most rates. Many independent agencies also insure through companies you’ve never heard of which may provide better rates.
Featured below are independent insurance agents in Bakersfield who may be able to give you price quotes.
- Baldwin Georgenton Insurance
4200 Truxtun Ave # 102 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 327-8010 – View Map - Lorena Magana Insurance Agency, Inc.
4141 Ming Ave – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (559) 783-9550 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Michaud Insurance Agency Inc
201 California Ave – Bakersfield, CA 93304 – (661) 633-9900 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents can only provide pricing for a single company such as Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agents are well trained on sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often use the same agent mainly due to the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in Bakersfield that can give you price quotes.
- Saif Ahmad – State Farm Insurance Agent
4025 Stockdale Hwy – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 831-1200 – View Map - Bill Thomas – State Farm Insurance Agent
8200 Stockdale Hwy Ste M3 – Bakersfield, CA 93311 – (661) 397-1999 – View Map - Dawn Fore – State Farm Insurance Agent
4801 Truxtun Ave #200 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 324-2300 – View Map
Selecting an car insurance agent should depend on more than just the premium amount. Any agent in Bakersfield should be willing to answer these questions.
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
After receiving acceptable answers for all questions you ask as well as an affordable premium quote, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that meets the requirements to service your policy. It’s important to know that consumers can cancel coverage when you choose so never feel that you are permanently stuck with the car insurance policy with no way out.
Auto insurance is unique, just like you
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing coverage, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- Do they offer discounts for home and auto coverage?
- Do I need special coverage while pulling a rented trailer?
- Does every company file a SR-22 automatically?
- Can I make deliveries for my home business?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in California?
- What is motorclub and do I need it?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form.
Shop smart and save
As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced full coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best possible price.
Lower-priced Chevy Malibu insurance in Bakersfield is attainable both online as well as from insurance agents, so get free Bakersfield car insurance quotes from both of them to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance providers do not offer online rate quotes and usually these smaller providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
We just showed you many tips how you can get a better price on Chevy Malibu insurance in Bakersfield. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest priced insurance comes from the least-expected company.
Other information
- Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for a Hyundai Elantra in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Bakersfield Car Insurance Rates for Teenagers? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for Welfare Recipients in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Veterans in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for a Ford Fusion in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)