Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that a large majority of drivers have bought insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and about 40% of consumers have never shopped around. Bakersfield consumers could save about $469 every year, but they just feel it’s too hard to go online and compare rates.
The preferred way to find affordable Volvo XC90 insurance in Bakersfield is to regularly compare quotes from providers who can sell car insurance in California.
- First, it will benefit you to learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the things you can control to keep rates in check. Many things that result in higher rates like traffic violations, accidents, and a not-so-good credit history can be eliminated by being financially responsible and driving safely. Keep reading for information to keep prices down and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Second, compare prices from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote rates for many different companies.
- Third, compare the new quotes to the premium of your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find better rates and switch companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, give notification to your agent or company to cancel your current policy. Submit a down payment and signed policy application to the new company. As soon as you have the new policy, store the certificate of insurance in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
The key aspect of shopping around is that you’ll want to make sure you compare similar deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and to quote with as many different insurance providers as possible. This enables a level playing field and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
If you have coverage now or are shopping for new coverage, follow these tips to shop for the lowest rates without sacrificing coverage. Locating the best rates in Bakersfield is much easier if you have a good place to start. You only have to learn the fastest way to compare different rates instantly.
How to Lower Your Insurance Premiums
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at the rating factors that are used to determine the level of your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that could result in cheaper rates.
The list below includes some of the items used by companies to determine your rate level.
Raising physical damage deductibles saves money – Insurance for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. Some coverage claims would be a dented fender, damage from fire, and burglary. Physical damage deductibles tell how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
What are good liability insurance limits? – Liability insurance will provide protection when you are found liable for personal injury or accident damage. This coverage provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. It is affordable coverage compared to other policy coverages, so buy as much as you can afford.
You may save more by bundling policies – Lots of companies will award lower prices to people who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be 10 percent or more. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s always a smart idea to check prices from other companies to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still save money by insuring with multiple companies.
Do you really need to file those insurance claims? – If you file a lot of claims you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance companies in California give better rates to drivers that do not abuse their auto insurance. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of more catastrophic claims.
Getting more affordable auto insurance pricing doesn’t have to be difficult. You just need to invest a little time to compare rate quotes to find the company with affordable Bakersfield car insurance quotes.
Doing price comparisons online is so simple that it makes it obsolete to physically go to insurance agencies in your area. Comparing Volvo XC90 insurance rates online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless your situation requires the professional advice that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. It is possible with some companies comparison shop online but buy the policy through an agent.
The companies shown below provide price quotes in Bakersfield, CA. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get the lowest price.
Detailed insurance information
The data table displayed next highlights a range of insurance costs for Volvo XC90 models. Being more informed about how auto insurance policy rates are calculated is important for you to make decisions when choosing a new policy provider.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XC90 3.2 2WD | $440 | $678 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,904 | $159 |
XC90 3.2 R-Design 2WD | $440 | $678 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,904 | $159 |
XC90 3.2 AWD | $490 | $780 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $2,056 | $171 |
XC90 V8 AWD | $490 | $780 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $2,056 | $171 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Table data represents single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and claim-free. Table data does not factor in specific location information which can affect rates significantly.
Choosing deductibles
One common question asked by Bakersfield drivers is how high should your deductibles be. The tables below sum up the rate difference between high and low policy deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 physical damage deductible and the second price grid uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XC90 3.2 2WD | $386 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,689 | $141 |
XC90 3.2 R-Design 2WD | $386 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,689 | $141 |
XC90 3.2 AWD | $430 | $780 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,835 | $153 |
XC90 V8 AWD | $430 | $780 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,835 | $153 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XC90 3.2 2WD | $314 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,460 | $122 |
XC90 3.2 R-Design 2WD | $314 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,460 | $122 |
XC90 3.2 AWD | $348 | $630 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,578 | $132 |
XC90 V8 AWD | $348 | $630 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,578 | $132 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can affect premiums noticeably.
Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $250 deductible will cost you approximately $20 more each month or $240 every year averaged for all XC90 models than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you usually have more than 13 months between claims, you would save money if you opt for a higher deductible. The table below shows the way we made this calculation.
Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $147 |
Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $127 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $20 |
Difference between deductibles ($500 – $250): | $250 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $250 / $20 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 13 months |
One thing to note is that a higher deductible level means you will have to pay more of your own money when you do file a claim. You should have enough extra savings in order to pay the deductible for vehicle repair.
Poor driving habits will raise your insurance rates
The information below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents can raise Volvo XC90 yearly insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The prices are based on a single male driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
Male drivers versus female drivers
The illustration below shows the comparison of Volvo XC90 insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data is based on no claims or driving violations, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.
Why you need vehicle insurance in California
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Volvo in Bakersfield, paying for car insurance is mandatory in California but it also protects more than you think.
- Most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific level of liability insurance if you want to drive legally. 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 took out a loan on your vehicle, most lenders will make it mandatory that you buy insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Volvo for a lot more money and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards both your Volvo XC90 and your personal assets. It also can pay for medical transport and hospital expenses incurred in an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of having insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially with large liability claims. As of last year, the average driver in California overpays more than $830 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies each time the policy renews to save money.
Discounts mean cheaper rates for Volvo XC90 insurance in Bakersfield
Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but there could be significant discounts that you may not know about. Some of these discounts will be visible when you purchase, but less common discounts must be specially asked for before being credited.
- Seat Belts Save – Forcing all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt could save 15% off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking part in a defensive driving class can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory options such as air bags may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Drivers who insure more than one vehicle on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Early Renewal Discounts – Some auto insurance companies give discounts for renewing your policy prior to your current XC90 insurance policy expiring. Ten percent is about the average savings.
One thing to note about discounts is that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
The diagram below shows the comparison of Volvo XC90 insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The data assumes a female driver, no claims or violations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, marriage, and multi-car discounts applied.
Large auto insurance companies and some of the discounts can be read below.
- State Farm includes discounts for passive restraint, multiple autos, Drive Safe & Save, driver’s education, accident-free, and good driver.
- Nationwide may include discounts for anti-theft, Farm Bureau membership, multi-policy, accident-free, family plan, defensive driving, and business or organization.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for driver training, membership and employees, daytime running lights, multi-policy, and federal employee.
- AAA offers discounts including good driver, education and occupation, multi-policy, anti-theft, multi-car, and AAA membership discount.
- 21st Century may have discounts that include driver training, automatic seat belts, early bird, 55 and older, teen driver, and defensive driver.
- The Hartford has savings for air bag, bundle, defensive driver, anti-theft, vehicle fuel type, driver training, and good student.
If you are trying to find inexpensive Bakersfield car insurance quotes, ask every prospective company what discounts are available to you. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered on policies in Bakersfield. To view providers that offer discounts in California, click this link.
Exclusive versus independent insurance agents
Many drivers would prefer to visit with an insurance agent and we recommend doing that Experienced insurance agents can help you choose the best coverages and help you file claims. A good thing about comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain lower prices and still have a local agent. And supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is still important in Bakersfield.
To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to participating agents in Bakersfield who can give free rate quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to do any legwork as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. If you need to get a comparison quote from a specific company, you can always jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.
The following is a list of insurance companies in Bakersfield that may be willing to give rate quotes for Volvo XC90 insurance in Bakersfield.
Mike Brazzell – State Farm Insurance Agent
3721 Columbus St – Bakersfield, CA 93306 – (661) 872-7770 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Shannon Hill
2500 New Stine Rd Ste 101 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 836-1136 – View Map
Edward J. Herrera Insurance Agency
2017 19th St – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 327-4028 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Hero Singh
3400 Panama Ln h – Bakersfield, CA 93313 – (661) 229-4008 – View Map
Finding the right provider should include more criteria than just a cheap price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in Bakersfield?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
Persistence pays off
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price.
You just read a lot of information how to get a better price on Volvo XC90 insurance in Bakersfield. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting affordable Volvo XC90 insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the best rates are with some of the lesser-known companies. Smaller companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate and Progressive.
Other learning opportunities
- What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Postal Workers in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- Child Safety FAQ (iihs.org)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)