Comparing car insurance companies in Bakersfield, California can be challenging because choosing the right Bakersfield insurance agency takes more work than just driving to the closest agent’s office. It’s likely you’re not only searching for a great agent that can assess your needs, but you also want to find the lowest possible price.
With insurance companies like Farmers, Allstate, and independent agents having offices in Bakersfield, it can be hard to know which car insurance agent will provide the best service and rates. To help decide, consumers can use online price quotes to get a list of agencies from which to choose.
Quote online, buy local
Educated insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain better rates and still choose a local agent. And supporting local insurance agencies is important particularly in Bakersfield.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to participating agents in Bakersfield who will compete for your coverage. There is no need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!
Auto insurance agents in Bakersfield come in two varieties
When searching for a good insurance agency, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies in Bakersfield are either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both do a good job, but it’s worth learning how they differ because it can impact the selection process.
Independent Agents
Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When shopping rates, you should always contact at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.
Listed below are Bakersfield independent agencies that may be able to provide rate quotes.
William K Lyons Agency Inc – 2100 F St # 200 – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 327-9731
United Insurance Co Of America – 1601 H St # 150c – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 325-8931
Wilmert Insurance Agency – 314 Chester Ave – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 864-1504
Driver Alliant Insurance Svc – 3651 Pegasus Dr # 121 – Bakersfield, CA 93308 – (661) 391-4980
Steve Snider Agency – 4646 Wilson Rd # 103 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 836-1136
Captive Agents
These agents work for only one company like American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agents are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Shown below is a list of captive agencies in Bakersfield who can help you get price quotes.
Farmers Insurance Group – 5401 Business Park S # 108 – Bakersfield, CA 93309 – (661) 325-5151
Allstate Home Loans – 2101 17th St – Bakersfield, CA 93301 – (661) 321-0602
State Farm Insurance – 8200 Stockdale Hwy # M3 – Bakersfield, CA 93311 – (661) 397-1999
To view a complete directory of Bakersfield captive insurance agents, visit this link.
Picking an insurance agency should depend on more than just the price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
After receiving reasonable responses to these questions and locked in a price quote, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy.
Isn’t it cheaper to buy from online companies like Geico?
Insurance agents are perfect for certain consumers, but you can also find affordable California auto insurance direct from companies that only sell online. A few companies like Allstate and State Farm who sell through the agent channel also give you the option to buy direct online, and consumers should do that.
If you’re uncomfortable with having to choose coverages yourself, this is expected but don’t let that bother you. Insurance companies provide toll-free numbers you can use to get advice on coverages.
Are car insurance rates lower online? That is a tough question to answer because there are a lot of things which can raise or lower premium rates. It’s often assumed that a customer who purchases direcly from an online company saves the commission normally paid to an agent. But in most cases, marketing expenses are significant and this tends to eat up any savings.
More consumer information in California
Additional information is located on the website for the California Department of Insurance. Click here for link. California consumers can read industry bulletins, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find a variety of consumer forms.
What is YOUR best insurance company?
People change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as questionable increases in premium, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, extreme rates for teen drivers or even denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easier than you think.
The cheapest car insurance is definitely available on the web in addition to many Bakersfield insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some car insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
