A study showed that over 70% of California drivers have remained with the same insurance company for a minimum of four years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never even compared quotes to find cheaper rates. Most drivers in the United States can save nearly 46.5% each year just by getting comparison quotes, but they underestimate the big savings they would realize if they bought a different policy.
Truthfully, the best way to find discount car insurance rates is to compare prices once a year from different companies who can sell car insurance in Bakersfield. Price quotes can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Learn about how companies price auto insurance and the steps you can take to prevent rate increases. Many rating criteria that result in higher prices such as accidents, traffic tickets, and a lousy credit rating can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Compare price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agents can give you price quotes for many different companies.
- Compare the quotes to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper rate is available in Bakersfield. If you find a lower rate quote and make a switch, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Give proper notification to your current agent or company to cancel your existing policy. Submit payment and a completed application to your new insurance company. Don’t forget to keep the new proof of insurance certificate in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
One key aspect when comparing rates is that you’ll want to compare the same level of coverage on every quote and and to look at as many carriers as you can. Doing this helps ensure a fair rate comparison and maximum price selection.
Slash rates with these ten money saving discounts
Some insurers do not advertise the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so below is a list both the well known and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you may qualify for.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers are able to get lower premium rates.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Purchasing coverage when you have more than one vehicle with one company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can stop better under adverse conditions and will save you 10% or more on WRX insurance in Bakersfield.
- Professional Memberships – Being a member of a qualifying organization could earn you a nice discount when shopping for auto insurance.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit could qualify you for better prices.
- Driving Data Discount – Insureds who allow their auto insurance company to look at their driving habits by using a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise may get a rate reduction if they have good driving habits.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – Not a discount per se, but some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up so long as you are claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
- E-sign – Certain larger companies provide a small discount for buying your policy over the internet.
- Drivers Education – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
One thing to note about discounts is that many deductions do not apply to the whole policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Large auto insurance companies and their offered discounts are outlined below.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including Steer Clear safe driver discount, Drive Safe & Save, anti-theft, multiple autos, accident-free, safe vehicle, and good student.
- American Family has savings for early bird, bundled insurance, good driver, Steer into Savings, mySafetyValet, multi-vehicle, and good student.
- GEICO discounts include membership and employees, anti-theft, air bags, anti-lock brakes, good student, emergency military deployment, and federal employee.
- 21st Century may offer discounts for student driver, 55 and older, theft prevention, homeowners, automatic seat belts, anti-lock brakes, and teen driver.
- Progressive may have discounts that include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, good student, continuous coverage, homeowner, online signing, and online quote discount.
When getting a coverage quote, ask every company what discounts are available to you. All car insurance discounts may not be available in Bakersfield. To find insurers that offer discounts in California, click here.
How to get free Subaru WRX insurance quotes online
Just keep in mind that comparing all the rates in your area helps locate the best offered rates.
The providers in the list below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in California. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get a more complete price comparison.
Which is the best insurance?
Always remember that when buying coverage online or from an agent, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Each situation is unique.
For instance, these questions might point out if you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- Can I get by with minimal medical coverage if I have good health insurance?
- What is an SR-22 filing?
- Should I rate my vehicle as business use?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.
Insurance agents can give valuable advice
A lot of people prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is OK! A nice benefit of comparing rates online is that you can find cheap insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
Upon completion of this quick form, the coverage information is sent to insurance agents in Bakersfield who can give free rate quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to contact any agents as quotes are delivered directly to you. You can find the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. In the event you want to compare prices from a particular provider, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page and submit a quote form there.
Choosing an provider should depend on more than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Bakersfield?
- Do they get paid more for recommending certain coverages?
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
California car insurance company ratings
Ending up with a highly-rated insurance company is difficult considering how many companies there are to choose from in California. The company ratings below may help you analyze which auto insurers you want to consider comparing rate quotes with.
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
Top 10 Bakersfield Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
Specifics of your auto insurance policy
Knowing the specifics of your policy aids in choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Auto liability
Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people. Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see values of 15/30/5 which means $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $30,000 in injury protection per accident, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, medical expenses, structural damage, attorney fees and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but you should buy as much as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.
The next chart demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not be adequate.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like hail damage, fire damage, theft, falling objects and hitting a bird. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision protection
Collision insurance pays for damage to your WRX from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers claims such as crashing into a building, driving through your garage door, scraping a guard rail and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible on your WRX to save money on collision insurance.
Insurance for medical payments
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for immediate expenses for doctor visits, surgery and X-ray expenses. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Subaru WRX.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 15/30/5), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Cheaper rates are available
As you quote Bakersfield car insurance, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Low-cost Subaru WRX insurance in Bakersfield can be sourced both online and from local insurance agents, so you need to quote Bakersfield car insurance with both to have the best selection. A few companies may not have online rate quotes and usually these regional carriers work with local independent agents.
People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, poor customer service, questionable increases in premium and even not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching insurance companies is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
Additional resources
- Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 70 in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Accidents in Bakersfield? (FAQ)
- Honda warning system reduces insurance claims (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Information for Teen Drivers (GEICO)
- Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)