Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that most drivers have purchased from the same company for a minimum of four years, and 38% of drivers have never shopped around. Most drivers in Bakersfield could save themselves $470 a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they just don’t understand how much they could save if they switched to a more affordable policy.
It takes a little time, but the best way to get cheaper Scion tC insurance in Bakersfield is to compare quotes once a year from providers that insure vehicles in California. Rate comparisons can be done by following these guidelines.
- First, gain an understanding of how your policy works and the changes you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many things that increase rates such as careless driving and an imperfect credit rating can be rectified by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Second, request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from many different companies. Select a company
- Third, compare the new rates to your existing policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you can save money and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Fourth, tell your current agent or company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit the required down payment along with the signed application for the new coverage. When you receive it, safely store the proof of insurance paperwork along with your vehicle registration.
A good piece of advice is to use the same deductibles and limits on each quote and and to compare as many companies as you can. Doing this provides a fair price comparison and a complete price analysis.
Our objective in writing this article is to help you learn the best way to buy inexpensive auto insurance and how you can save the most money. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to save money using the ideas you’re about to read. Smart buyers just need to learn the tricks to compare rate quotes online.
Buy Bakersfield Scion tC insurance online
The companies shown below have been selected to offer free rate quotes in California. If multiple providers are shown, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Rates and information analytics
The table displayed below covers different coverage prices for Scion tC models. Learning as much as possible about how rates are calculated can benefit drivers when making informed coverage decisions.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TC 2-Dr Hatchback | $266 | $664 | $530 | $32 | $158 | $1,650 | $138 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data based on married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and safe-driver. Estimates do not factor in specific location information which can change premium rates significantly.
Impact of careless driving on Bakersfield insurance rates
The information below illustrates how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders raise Scion tC premium costs for different categories of driver ages. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
Men versus women drivers and insurance cost
The example below illustrates the comparison of Scion tC yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied.
Scion tC liability rates compared to full coverage
The chart below compares Scion tC car insurance rates with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The price estimates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no policy discounts are applied.
Should you pay for full coverage or liability only?
There isn’t a written rule of when to exclude comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Scion tC settlement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would get paid by your company is $7,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are currently paying more than $700 a year for physical damage coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are some situations where removing full coverage is not recommended. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not buy liability only.
Insuring your Scion vehicle just makes sense
Even though Bakersfield tC insurance rates can get expensive, buying insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- Most states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require a specific level of liability insurance 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 your Scion has a lienholder, almost every bank will stipulate that you carry insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may insure your Scion at a much higher premium rate and require you to reimburse them for the expensive policy.
- Insurance protects not only your Scion but also your assets. It will also cover many types of medical costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you in the event you are sued. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of buying insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver is overpaying more than $800 each year so you should quote and compare rates at least once a year to make sure the price is not too high.
Scion tC Insurance Prices Can Be More Affordable
Lots of factors are used in the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some factors are common sense like an MVR report, but other criteria are not quite as obvious such as your credit history or how safe your car is.
Listed below are some of the items that factor into your premiums.
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Premiums drop with age – Older people tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets. Youthful drivers have been known to be more careless in a vehicle and because of this, their insurance rates are much higher.
The following data assumes a single driver, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
- Do you really need roadside assistance? – There are a ton of extra add-on coverages that you can buy on your insurance policy. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness, and membership fees may not be needed and are just wasting money. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if you have no use for them consider taking them off your policy.
- Don’t abuse claims – If you file a lot of claims you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in California award the lowest premiums to insureds that do not abuse their auto insurance. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
- Responsible credit scores equal low prices – Credit history factor in determining what you pay. Therefore, if your credit score could use some work, you could be paying less to insure your Scion tC by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with excellent credit scores tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with poor credit scores.
- Continuous coverage lowers premiums – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a quick way to increase your insurance rates. Not only will you pay more, being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. You may need to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department.
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Scion tC insurance loss probability – Insurers study historical loss data to calculate a rate that will offset losses. Vehicles that statistically have a trend towards higher claims will have higher premium rates. The table below illustrates the insurance loss data used by companies for Scion tC vehicles.
For each policy coverage, the claim amount for all vehicles as a whole is represented as 100. Percentages below 100 suggest losses that are better than average, while percentages above 100 point to more losses or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
Scion tC Insurance Claim Statistics Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Scion tC 133 139 136 148 152 143 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEStatistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Determine discounts on Bakersfield insurance
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied before they will apply.
- Accident Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts when compared to bad drivers.
- Bakersfield Homeowners Pay Less – Just being a homeowner may trigger a policy discount on insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
- Anti-theft System – Cars and trucks with anti-theft systems have a lower chance of being stolen and that can save you a little bit as well.
- Accident Waiver – This one isn’t a discount, but companies like Allstate and State Farm will let one accident slide before your rates go up so long as you are claim-free for a specific time period.
- Policy Bundle Discount – When you combine your auto and home insurance with one company they may give you a discount of over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking a defensive driver class is a good idea and can lower rates and make you a better driver.
Don’t be surprised that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Despite the fact that it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, that’s just not realistic.
The chart below visualizes the comparison of Scion tC insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The premiums are based on a female driver, no claims or driving citations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, safe-driver, multi-car, homeowner, marriage, and multi-policy discounts applied.
A few of the larger companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are:
- Farm Bureau may have discounts that include multi-vehicle, renewal discount, youthful driver, good student, driver training, and multi-policy.
- State Farm includes discounts for multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, safe vehicle, accident-free, anti-theft, good student, and driver’s education.
- Progressive may offer discounts for homeowner, multi-policy, good student, continuous coverage, and online signing.
- Allstate offers discounts for economy car, good payer, teenSMART discount, anti-theft, 55 and retired, and safe driver.
- Nationwide discounts include accident-free, multi-policy, business or organization, easy pay, anti-theft, and defensive driving.
- MetLife may include discounts for good student, claim-free, multi-policy, defensive driver, and good driver.
If you need lower rates, check with every company which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts might not be offered on policies in Bakersfield. To locate companies with discount insurance rates in California, follow this link.
Buying auto insurance from Bakersfield auto insurance agents
Many drivers still prefer to buy from a local agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases Professional insurance agents are trained risk managers and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is that you can obtain better rates and also buy local. Buying insurance from local insurance agents is important especially in Bakersfield.
Once you complete this quick form, your insurance data gets sent to companies in Bakersfield who will return price quotes to get your business. You never need to contact any agents due to the fact that quote results will go to you instantly. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a specific insurance company, you would need to search and find their rate quote page and fill out their quote form.
Two different types of auto insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a reputable agency, you need to know there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents in Bakersfield may be either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer. Both sell affordable auto insurance policies, but it’s good to learn why they differ since it can impact the kind of agent you use.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Agents in the independent channel are not limited to a single company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move your policy to a different company which requires no work on your part.
If you are comparing rate quotes, you should always check rates from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. Most have the option of insuring with small regional insurance companies which may have better rates.
Featured below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Bakersfield that can give you price quotes.
- Baldwin Georgenton Insurance
4200 Truxtun Ave # 102 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 327-8010 – View Map - Stockdale Insurance Agency Inc
1675 Chester Ave #310 – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 327-3321 – View Map - California Insurance Specialist
1601 New Stine Rd # 100 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 397-3944 – View Map
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents work for only one company like State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Exclusive agents are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agents are usually well trained on what they offer and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. Some people will only buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the prominent brand name and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Bakersfield that can give you comparison quotes.
- Tom Smethurst – State Farm Insurance Agent
13061 Rosedale Hwy a – Bakersfield, CA 93314 – (661) 589-1991 – View Map - Abir M Pulskamp – State Farm Insurance Agent
1100 Mohawk St #240 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 322-3338 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Lee Hernandez
1801 21st St Ste 3 – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 327-7761 – View Map
Choosing an insurance agency requires you to look at more than just the bottom line cost. Any good agent in Bakersfield should know the answers to these questions.
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Does the company have a local claim office in Bakersfield?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
Upon receiving satisfactory answers to these questions and a good coverage price, it’s a good possibility that you have found an insurance agent that meets the requirements to service your policy.
Quote more to save more
Affordable Scion tC insurance in Bakersfield is attainable on the web and from local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not provide price quotes online and these small insurance companies only sell through independent agencies.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice full coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
We just presented a lot of tips how to reduce Scion tC insurance car insurance rates online in Bakersfield. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get premium rates for, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the best car insurance rates are with a lesser-known regional company.
More information
- Collision Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Who Has Cheap Bakersfield Car Insurance for High Risk Drivers? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for Hybrid Vehicles in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Bakersfield Auto Insurance Rates for Government Employees? (FAQ)
- Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Anti-Lock Brake FAQ (iihs.org)
- Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Institute)