If you want to save money, the best way to quote cheaper auto insurance rates is to start doing an annual price comparison from companies who provide car insurance in Bakersfield.
- First, try to learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the changes you can make to keep rates in check. Many things that increase rates such as tickets, at-fault accidents, and an unacceptable credit history can be amended by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Second, compare prices from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only quote rates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices from multiple companies.
- Third, compare the new rates to your existing coverage and determine if there is any savings. If you can save money and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Fourth, provide written notification to your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit a signed application and payment to the newly selected company. Immediately keep the new proof of insurance certificate in an easily accessible location.
A tip to remember is to compare the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many companies as feasibly possible. This helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and the best price selection.
A recent insurance study discovered that a large majority of drivers in California have remained with the same insurance company for four years or more, and about 40% of consumers have never compared rates to find lower-cost insurance. Drivers in the United States can save hundreds of dollars each year just by shopping around, but they don’t know the amount of savings they would get if they just switched companies.
We hope to help educate you on how auto insurance companies operate and also pocket some savings If you have insurance now, you will surely be able to find better prices using the ideas presented in this article. But California car owners must comprehend the methods companies use to price insurance differently and use it to find better rates.
The fastest way that we advise to get rate comparisons for Lexus RX 350 insurance in Bakersfield is to know the fact most insurance companies have advanced systems to compare rate quotes. All consumers are required to do is take a few minutes to give details including your education level, whether your vehicle is owned or leased, whether you drive to work or school, and the ages of drivers. That information is sent automatically to all major companies and they return rate quotes very quickly.
To compare rates for your Lexus RX 350 now, click here and enter your coverage details.
The providers in the list below are ready to provide free rate quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.
Statistics and details
The price information below highlights different coverage costs for Lexus RX 350 models. Understanding how insurance rates are established can aid in making informed coverage decisions.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX 350 2WD | $266 | $490 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,436 | $120 |
| RX 350 4WD | $266 | $490 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,436 | $120 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Rate information does not factor in specific location information which can affect price quotes noticeably.
Gender-based insurance rates by age
The diagram below shows the difference between Lexus RX 350 car insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data is based on no claims, a clean driving record, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Full coverage versus liability only rates
The example below shows the comparison of Lexus RX 350 car insurance costs with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The premium estimates are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Are you wasting money paying for full coverage?
There isn’t a written rule that works best for making the decision to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of coverage is more than around 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your Lexus RX 350 book value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would get paid by your company is $6,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying more than $600 a year for physical damage coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are a few situations where eliminating full coverage is not financially feasible. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should maintain full coverage.
Three main reasons to buy car insurance
Despite the high insurance cost for a Lexus RX 350 in Bakersfield, buying car insurance may be required for several reasons.
First, almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability protection 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.
Second, if your vehicle has a loan, almost all lenders will require that you buy full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you default on your policy, the bank will be required to insure your Lexus at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay for it.
Third, car insurance preserves not only your Lexus but also your assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly when you have a large claim. As of last year, the average driver in California is overpaying over $810 a year so you should quote rates once a year at a minimum to save money.
Good Decisions Result in Lower Insurance Rates
Many things are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving record, but other factors are more obscure such as whether you are married or your financial responsibility.
- Be proud to be claim-free – If you file a lot of claims you shouldn’t be surprised to get either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance companies in California award better rates to insureds that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Liability insurance limits should be high – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance provides coverage if ever a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage to attempt to prove you were not liable. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to comp and collision, so do not skimp.
- Having a spouse pays dividends – Walking down the aisle helps lower the price when shopping for auto insurance. It demonstrates that you tend to be more mature than a single person and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.
- Add-on coverages push up premiums – There are a ton of extra coverages you can purchase on your RX 350 policy. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accidental death, and additional equipment coverage may not be needed and are just wasting money. These coverages may sound good initially, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
- Safer vehicles cost less to insure – Cars with five star safety ratings are cheaper to insure. These vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries means less claims paid and thus lower rates.
- Bundle policies and save – Most larger insurers allow discounts to customers that have more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it’s still a good idea to check prices from other companies to make sure you are getting the best deal.
- Low deductibles can be expensive – Physical damage insurance, also called ‘full coverage’, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. Some examples of covered claims could be colliding with a building, damage from fire, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Comp and collision deductibles define how much you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount the insured is willing to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
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Loss statistics for a Lexus RX 350 – Companies use data from past claims as a tool for profitable underwriting. Vehicles that have higher claim frequency or loss amount will have a higher cost to insure.
The data below shows the compiled insurance loss statistics for Lexus RX 350 vehicles. For each type of coverage, the claim amount for all vehicles combined as an average is represented as 100. Values that are 100 or less mean the vehicle has better than average losses, while percentage values above 100 show a trend for more claims or an increased probability of a larger loss.
Auto Insurance Loss Data for Lexus RX 350 Models Specific Lexus Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Lexus RX 350 4dr 2WD 111 96 91 72 97 88 Lexus RX 350 4dr 4WD 122 99 112 83 75 78 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEData Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Save a ton with discounts
Some providers don’t list every possible discount very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to you. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Having primary and secondary vehicles with one company could earn a price break for each car.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having an actively deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premium rates.
- Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for signing up prior to your current RX 350 insurance policy expiration. You may see this discount when you get Bakersfield auto insurance quotes online.
- Low Miles Discount – Low annual miles may allow you to get lower premium rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your insurance provider.
Just know that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. If you do the math and it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
The information below illustrates the difference between Lexus RX 350 annual premium costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The rate quotes are based on a male driver, no accidents, no driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-policy, marriage, safe-driver, multi-car, and homeowner discounts applied.
A few of the larger companies and some of the discounts are detailed below.
- American Family has discounts for air bags, multi-vehicle, mySafetyValet, TimeAway discount, and good student.
- Farm Bureau includes discounts for renewal discount, 55 and retired, driver training, safe driver, multi-vehicle, good student, and multi-policy.
- State Farm has savings for defensive driving training, Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, good student, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and multiple autos.
- Travelers may offer discounts for driver training, save driver, early quote, multi-policy, good student, student away at school, and hybrid/electric vehicle.
- The Hartford may have discounts that include driver training, anti-theft, vehicle fuel type, good student, defensive driver, and air bag.
- GEICO offers discounts for good student, defensive driver, air bags, multi-policy, emergency military deployment, membership and employees, and seat belt use.
- Progressive offers discounts including good student, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, online signing, homeowner, and continuous coverage.
If you need low cost Bakersfield auto insurance quotes, ask each company how many discounts you can get. Savings may not apply to policies in Bakersfield. If you would like to choose from a list of insurers who offer online Lexus RX 350 insurance quotes in Bakersfield, click here to view.
Local neighborhood agents and insurance
A lot of people just prefer to have an agent’s advice. One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is the fact that drivers can get cheap insurance quotes and also buy local. Putting coverage with local insurance agencies is important especially in Bakersfield.
Upon completion of this quick form, your coverage information gets sent to local insurance agents in Bakersfield that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to contact any agents since price quotes are sent to you directly. You can find better rates and work with a local agent. If you want to get a price quote from a specific insurance provider, you would need to search and find their rate quote page and fill out their quote form.
When searching for a reputable agency, you must know there are a couple different types of agents and how they operate. Insurance agencies in Bakersfield may be either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents in the independent channel are not limited to a single company and that enables them to quote your coverage through many companies and find you cheaper rates. If your premiums go up, the agent simply finds a different carrier which makes it simple for you.
When comparing insurance rates, you definitely need to compare quotes from independent agents to get the most accurate price comparison. Many write coverage with smaller regional carriers who may have lower rates.
Shown below is a small list of independent agencies in Bakersfield that may be able to provide rate quotes.
- Crosby and Crosby Insurance Services
111 H St – Bakersfield, CA 93304 – (661) 327-5531 – View Map - William K Lyons Agency Inc
2100 F St # 200 – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 327-9731 – View Map - Fox, James H – James H Fox Insurance
42 Bernard St – Bakersfield, CA 93305 – (661) 322-2023 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
These type of agents can usually just insure with one company and examples are American Family, State Farm, and AAA. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive insurance agents receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Consumers frequently use the same exclusive agent mostly because of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
The following is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Bakersfield that are able to give price quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Diana Martinez
6300 White Ln T – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 827-8800 – View Map - Mike Brazzell – State Farm Insurance Agent
3721 Columbus St – Bakersfield, CA 93306 – (661) 872-7770 – View Map - Tom Smethurst – State Farm Insurance Agent
13061 Rosedale Hwy a – Bakersfield, CA 93314 – (661) 589-1991 – View Map
Deciding on an auto insurance agent is decision based upon more than just a cheap price quote. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Do they offer accident forgiveness?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Bakersfield?
Bakersfield car insurance companies
Insuring your vehicle with a highly-rated insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many different companies there are to choose from in California. The company information shown next could help you decide which providers to look at when looking for cheaper rates.
Top 10 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
Find cheaper car insurance rates by comparing often
As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.
Some car insurance companies do not offer price quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies prefer to sell through independent agents. Lower-priced car insurance in Bakersfield is possible on the web as well as from insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis.
Insureds who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, poor customer service, policy cancellation or delays in responding to claim requests. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
Additional car insurance information is available below:
- Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Safe Drivers in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Bakersfield Car Insurance for Good Students? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for Business Use in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for Welfare Recipients in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Bakersfield Auto Insurance for a Toyota RAV4? (FAQ)
- What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Five Tips to Save on Auto Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)