A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that the vast majority of drivers kept their coverage with the same car insurance company for four years or more, and just under half have never compared quotes from other companies. Bakersfield drivers could save themselves approximately $469 a year by just comparing quotes, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to compare rate quotes online.
If you want to save money, the best way to get discount auto insurance rates in Bakersfield is to regularly compare quotes from insurance carriers that insure vehicles in California. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
- Try to understand how auto insurance works and the things you can change to keep rates low. Many rating criteria that result in higher rates such as traffic citations, accidents, and an unacceptable credit history can be eliminated by making minor changes in your lifestyle. This article provides more information to lower rates and get discounts that may be available to you.
- Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote rates for many different companies.
- Compare the new quotes to the premium of your current policy and determine if cheaper RC 200t coverage is available. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Notify your company or agent of your intention to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a down payment along with a signed application to the newly selected company. When you receive it, keep the new proof of insurance certificate in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
A crucial key to this process is that you use the same liability limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to compare every insurance company. Doing this ensures a fair rate comparison and a complete price analysis.
If you have coverage now, you will surely be able to save money using the ideas you’re about to read. Buying affordable auto insurance in Bakersfield can really be easy if you know what you’re doing. Nevertheless, California vehicle owners can benefit from knowing the methods companies use to determine what you pay and take advantage of how the system works.
These discounts can lower your auto insurance rates
Not too many consumers would say auto insurance is affordable, but there could be significant discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of purchase, but a few must be specially asked for in order for you to get them.
- Federal Employees – Active or former government employment can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
- New Car Discount – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can get you a discount since new model year vehicles are generally safer.
- Early Renewal Discounts – A few larger companies allow discounts for signing up before your current RC 200t insurance policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
- Payment Discounts – By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying monthly you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Theft Deterrent Discount – Cars and trucks with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Multi-car Discount – Insuring multiple cars on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- 55 and Retired – Drivers over the age of 55 could receive a small decrease in premiums.
- College Student Discount – Any of your kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Bakersfield and won’t have access to an insured vehicle could get you a discount.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Despite the appearance that you would end up receiving a 100% discount, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
Companies and their offered discounts are shown below.
- Travelers offers discounts including IntelliDrive, continuous insurance, early quote, home ownership, hybrid/electric vehicle, and multi-car.
- 21st Century has savings for 55 and older, teen driver, student driver, driver training, good student, and theft prevention.
- State Farm has discounts for passive restraint, good driver, Steer Clear safe driver discount, defensive driving training, good student, and accident-free.
- GEICO may include discounts for emergency military deployment, military active duty, air bags, seat belt use, driver training, daytime running lights, and multi-vehicle.
- SAFECO may offer discounts for anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, drive less, teen safe driver, homeowner, and safe driver.
- AAA discounts include good driver, multi-policy, AAA membership discount, pay-in-full, multi-car, and education and occupation.
Before purchasing a policy, check with each company or agent the best way to save money. All car insurance discounts might not apply in Bakersfield. If you would like to see a list of providers who offer cheap Lexus RC 200t insurance quotes in California, click here.
The quickest way to compare rates for Lexus RC 200t insurance in Bakersfield is to realize almost all companies provide online access to provide you with free rate quotes. The one thing you need to do is provide a small amount of information like if you are currently licensed, if it has an anti-theft system, marital status, and your occupation. The rating information is instantly provided to multiple auto insurance providers and you should receive rate quotes almost instantly.
To start a rate quote now, click here and enter your zip code.
The companies in the list below offer price comparisons in Bakersfield, CA. If more than one company is shown, it’s highly recommended you visit as many as you can to find the lowest auto insurance rates.
Buy Cheaper Insurance with These Tips
One of the most helpful ways to save on insurance is to to have a grasp of the different types of things that aid in calculating your premiums. When consumers understand what impacts premium levels, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that may result in better insurance rates.
The items below are some of the things that factor into your premiums.
Does your employer cost you more? – Jobs such as judges, airline pilots, and stock brokers generally have the highest average rates in part from high stress levels and long work hours. Other occupations such as professors, students and homemakers get better rates.
Pay more by driving carelessly – Drivers with clean records get better rates compared to bad drivers. Only having one chargeable violation may increase your cost substantially. Drivers who have flagrant violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may face state-mandated requirements to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
Affects performance affects auto insurance premiums – The performance level of the car you are buying insurance for makes a substantial difference in your premium level. The lowest premiums tend to be for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
Filing insurance claims can cost more – If you tend to file frequent claims, don’t be surprised to see increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Car insurance companies in California provide lower rates to drivers who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for claims that pose a financial burden.
Pay more if you have a long commute – Choosing to live in a rural area can save you money when shopping for auto insurance. Less people means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers tend to have congested traffic and more time behind the wheel. Higher commute times can result in more accidents.
Uninterrupted coverage lowers premiums – Going without insurance will be a quick way to increase your rates. Not only will rates go up, getting caught without coverage can result in fines and jail time.
Will just any policy work for me?
Always keep in mind that when comparing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.
- When should I drop full coverage on my Lexus RC 200t?
- What exactly is covered by my policy?
- What happens if I owe more than my Lexus RC 200t is worth?
- What if a claim settlement is too low?
- Am I covered if I have no license?
- Should I bundle my homeowners policy with my auto?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Will my insurance pay for OEM parts?
- Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required California minimum liability coverage?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form.
You may need help from an insurance agent
A small number of people still like to go talk to an agent. One of the benefits of getting free rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheap rate quotes but still work with a licensed agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Bakersfield who will gladly provide quotes for your business. You don’t have to search for any insurance agencies because prices are sent straight to your inbox. You can most likely find cheaper rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you need to get a price quote from a specific company, you just need to visit that company’s website and submit a quote form there.
Choosing the best insurance company requires you to look at more than just a low price. Any good agent in Bakersfield should know the answers to these questions.
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
- Which companies do they recommend if they are an independent agency?
- Are they in the agency full-time?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Bakersfield?
- Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
Exclusive and independent Bakersfield car insurance agents
When searching for a reliable insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different types of agents that you can select. Car insurance agents can either be independent agents or exclusive agents.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
These agents work for only one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below are exclusive insurance agents in Bakersfield willing to provide price quotes.
Rosie Schweer – State Farm Insurance Agent
4200 Gosford Rd #103 – Bakersfield, CA 93313 – (661) 396-7961 – View Map
Dawn Fore – State Farm Insurance Agent
4801 Truxtun Ave #200 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 324-2300 – View Map
GEICO Insurance Agent
5550 California Ave #101 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 431-1780 – View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
These type of agents are not limited to a single company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies and find you cheaper rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they can switch companies in-house and you don’t have to do anything. When searching for an agent, you will definitely want to compare quotes from several independent insurance agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
The following are independent agents in Bakersfield that can give you rate quotes.
California Canyon Insurance Agency
B, 4900 California Ave #210 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 377-2978 – View Map
Baldwin Georgenton Insurance
4200 Truxtun Ave # 102 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 327-8010 – View Map
Omega Financial and Insurance Services Inc
400 H St – Bakersfield, CA 93304 – (661) 326-6870 – View Map
Why you need auto insurance
Even though it can be expensive, insuring your vehicle is required in California but it also protects you in many ways.
- Just about all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage 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 loan on your RC 200t, it’s guaranteed your bank will stipulate that you carry insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender will be forced to insure your Lexus at a much higher premium rate and require you to fork over for it.
- Auto insurance protects not only your car but also your assets. It will also cover many types of medical costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers legal expenses if you cause an accident and are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your auto insurance policy will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially if you ever need it. On average, a vehicle owner in Bakersfield is overpaying over $825 a year so compare quotes from several companies at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Compare. Compare. Compare.
When you buy Bakersfield auto insurance online, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at the lowest possible cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
Insureds leave their current company for a number of reasons such as delays in paying claims, denial of a claim, lack of trust in their agent or an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies can be pretty painless.
Cheap Lexus RC 200t insurance in Bakersfield is possible online as well as from independent agents in Bakersfield, so you need to shop Bakersfield auto insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies may not have internet price quotes and many times these smaller providers prefer to sell through independent agents.
Helpful learning opportunities
- Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for 4×4 Vehicles in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Teenage Females in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Veterans in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Tread Depth and Tire Safety (State Farm)
- Safety Belts FAQ (iihs.org)
- What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)