If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to get cheaper car insurance rates is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurers who sell auto insurance in Bakersfield. This can be done by following these guidelines.
First, gain an understanding of what coverages are included in your policy and the measures you can control to lower rates. Many things that result in higher prices like distracted driving and an unacceptable credit rating can be controlled by paying attention to minor details. This article gives ideas to help prevent expensive coverage and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
Second, request price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agencies can quote prices for a wide range of companies. Find a Bakersfield insurance agent
Third, compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Fourth, provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to your new carrier. Once the paperwork is finalized, store the proof of insurance paperwork with your vehicle’s registration.
The most important part of shopping around is that you use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. This provides an accurate price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
It’s an obvious conclusion that auto insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. Insureds who get price comparisons will probably switch to a new company because they have good chances of finding a cheaper policy. Remarkably, a study showed that drivers who faithfully checked for cheaper rates saved on average $860 a year compared to people who never shopped for cheaper rates.
If finding low prices for Toyota Corolla insurance in Bakersfield is your target objective, understanding how to find companies and compare insurance premiums can help you succeed in saving money.
When comparison shopping, there are several ways of comparing rates from local Bakersfield auto insurance companies. One of the best ways to find the cheapest Toyota Corolla insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. Keep in mind that comparing more rates from different companies gives you a better chance of getting more affordable rates.
The following companies are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we suggest you click on several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Facts and figures for Toyota Corolla insurance
The coverage information displayed next showcases different insurance costs for Toyota Corolla models. Knowing how prices are calculated can be of help when making smart choices when buying a policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corolla LE | $316 | $546 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,648 | $137 |
| Corolla S | $316 | $546 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,648 | $137 |
| Corolla XLE | $316 | $546 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,648 | $137 |
| Corolla XRS | $358 | $546 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,690 | $141 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can influence premiums noticeably.
Auto insurance premiums by gender
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Toyota Corolla insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data assumes no tickets, no at-fault accidents, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.
Cost difference between full coverage and liability
The illustration below illustrates the comparison of Toyota Corolla annual premium costs with and without physical damage coverage. The prices are based on no claims or driving citations, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
When to buy liability coverage only
There isn’t a steadfast formula of when to stop paying for full coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than about 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Toyota Corolla replacement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $6,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying more than $600 a year for your policy with full coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some circumstances where removing full coverage is not financially feasible. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you must maintain physical damage coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should maintain full coverage.
Save a ton on Toyota Corolla insurance in Bakersfield with these insurance discounts
Some providers don’t always list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so the below list has some of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving when you buy Bakersfield auto insurance online.
- Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory options such as air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts as much as 30%.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents could pay up to 40% less as compared to drivers with claims.
- Full Payment Discount – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying in monthly installments you could save up to 5%.
- Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to the expiration date on your current Corolla insurance policy. This can save 10% or more.
- Employee of Federal Government – Having worked for a branch of the government could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
- Bundle and Save – When you combine your auto and homeowners insurance with the same insurance company you could earn a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Require your teen driver to participate in a local driver’s education class if offered at their school.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it’s just not the way it works. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.
The information below illustrates the comparison of Toyota Corolla annual premium costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The rate quotes are based on a male driver, no claims or driving citations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, homeowner, marriage, multi-car, claim-free, and multi-policy discounts applied.
A list of insurance companies and some of the discounts can be read below.
- GEICO includes discounts for emergency military deployment, membership and employees, defensive driver, good student, daytime running lights, and multi-policy.
- MetLife offers premium reductions for accident-free, defensive driver, good student, multi-policy, and claim-free.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including safe vehicle, passive restraint, driver’s education, good driver, and accident-free.
- Progressive offers discounts for online quote discount, homeowner, online signing, good student, and continuous coverage.
- Mercury Insurance has discounts for type of vehicle, ease of repair, professional/association, location of vehicle, and good driver.
- 21st Century may include discounts for defensive driver, air bags, driver training, automatic seat belts, anti-lock brakes, and theft prevention.
- Allstate may offer discounts for 55 and retired, utility vehicle, resident student, new car, good payer, economy car, and teenSMART discount.
Check with every prospective company which discounts can lower your rates. Savings may not apply to policies in Bakersfield.
Why you need insurance for your vehicle
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Toyota Corolla in Bakersfield, auto insurance is required in California but it also protects you in many ways.
First, most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability coverage in order to be legal. 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 you took out a loan on your Corolla, more than likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Toyota at a much higher premium rate and force you to pay for it.
Third, auto insurance preserves both your Toyota Corolla and your assets. It will also cover all forms of medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your Toyota gets damaged, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially if you ever need it. On average, a vehicle owner in Bakersfield is currently overpaying as much as $810 a year so it’s recommended you shop around at every renewal to ensure rates are inline.
How much car insurance do I need?
When quoting and choosing coverage online or from an agent, there is no one-size-fits-all type of policy. Everyone’s situation is unique.
For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Am I insured when driving a different vehicle?
- What if an uninsured driver hits me?
- How long can I keep a teen driver on my policy?
- Am I getting all the discounts available?
- What is an SR-22 filing?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
When should I contact an insurance agent?
Some consumers still like to have an agent’s advice and doing so can bring peace of mind One of the great benefits of comparing rate quotes online is that you can find the best rates but also keep your business local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your coverage information is immediately sent to companies in Bakersfield who will gladly provide quotes for your auto insurance coverage. You don’t have to contact an agency as quotes are delivered instantly to you. You can get cheaper auto insurance rates AND a local agent. In the event you want to compare prices for a specific company, just search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
Finding a good provider is decision based upon more than just the price. Any agent in Bakersfield should be willing to answer these questions.
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
Once you have good responses to any questions you may have and cheap Corolla insurance quotes, you may have just found an provider that can adequately provide auto insurance.