Best Car Insurance in Bakersfield, California

State Farm has provided quality coverage for Americans since 1922, making it one of the oldest and best car insurance providers on our list. In Bakersfield, you can seek out dozens of State Farm agents for a variety of car insurance needs, including minimum liability, full coverage, rideshare insurance, roadside assistance, and classic car insurance. With a robust set of discounts and affordable rates, State Farm opens our list as the overall best provider in Bakersfield.

Excellent Discounts

State Farm offers a long list of car insurance discounts that can appeal to a variety of drivers. Whether you’re a homeowner, safe driver, student, or low-mileage driver, there are a number of ways to save with State Farm. Here are some of the most common discounts you can benefit from:

• Multi-policy discount for homeowners, renters, condo, or life insurance
• Mutlivehicle discount
• 5 percent off for drivers over age 55 who take a defensive driving course
• Up to 40 percent off with a vehicle safety discount
• Good student discount for students with a 3.0 GPA or higher
• Accident-free discount

Great for Teens

If you’re a teen driver or the parent of one, you may have noticed the hefty price tag on teen driver premiums. Drivers under the age of 21 pay the most for car insurance because they tend to file more claims, get into more accidents, and receive more tickets. One way to bring your teen’s costs down is to sign up for a safety driving program.

If you’re a new driver or under the age of 21, you can sign up for State Farm’s Steer Clear program. Steer Clear will track your driving habits, provide safety lessons to improve driving, and score you based on how safely you’re driving. In order to get a discount and receive your certificate, you’re required to:

• Complete five training modules
• Complete five hours of driving across 10 trips
• Finish the program within six months of signing up

Rideshare Coverage

Like in most major California cities, rideshare companies have a strong presence in Bakersfield. Bakersfield is home to over 770 restaurants and retailers on Uber Eats, over 500 restaurants on DoorDash, and hundreds of other locations across delivery services.⁴

Whether you’re delivering food or transporting passengers in your vehicle, you’ll need rideshare coverage to stay insured across your entire drive. Most rideshare companies provide insurance while you’re in the process of giving someone a ride, but that coverage doesn’t extend to the period in between rides. You’ll need rideshare coverage to stay insured while you’re waiting to confirm your next passenger or order.

With State Farm, your rideshare coverage works as a simple extension of your existing coverage. Your rideshare plan will look very similar to your personal plan, including its limits, deductible, and additional coverage.

If you’re one of the 13,000 veterans or thousands of other active military members/military families in Bakersfield, you should be looking at USAA as your top choice for auto insurance.⁵ USAA consistently scores highly for customer satisfaction, providing affordable rates and great service to its members. You can benefit from USAA’s long list of discounts, exclusive membership perks, and specialized military coverage, like international coverage, for military families stationed overseas.

Savings Made for Military Members

Whether you’re stationed in a different state or country, USAA offers unique coverage and discounts designed for the challenges and needs of military members. Here are two key discounts you can earn if you’re out of Bakersfield on deployment or stationed out of state:

• You and your family can earn up to 15 percent off your comprehensive coverage if you keep your vehicle garaged on a military installation.
• If you’re out of the city and leave your vehicle in Bakersfield, you can save up to 60 percent on your auto insurance.

International Coverage

If you will be overseas and are unsure how to maintain coverage abroad, USAA has you covered. You can keep your coverage if you’re deployed to or stationed in any of the following countries/territories:

• Azores
• Belgium
• Cuba
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Guam
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• South Korea
• Spain
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• United Kingdom

Excellent Third-Party Rating Scores

USAA consistently ranks highly across third-party rating scores, most of which assess a provider’s financial strength, customer service metrics, and claims satisfaction. Strong financial strength and creditworthiness are signs that an insurer will be able to pay your claims.

Here’s how USAA scored with some of the top third-party rating systems:

• J.D. Power: J.D. Power is the authority when it comes to claims and customer satisfaction in the insurance space. Year after year, USAA ranks first or second for customer service and claims satisfaction among the top auto insurance providers. In 2023, J.D. Power awarded USAA with an 871 out of 100 — the highest customer satisfaction score — in California.
• AM Best: AM Best gave USAA an A++ (Superior) rating, which is the highest rating. A high AM Best rating indicates strong creditworthiness and financial strength, meaning you can count on USAA to pay all claims.
• Standard & Poor’s (S&P Global): S&P Global scores insurers based on their level of investment risk. It gave USAA an AA+, which is the second-highest score. This means that S&P is confident in USAA’s ability to meet its financial obligations and repay its debts.

Wawanesa is one of the cheapest providers in California and our top pick for cheap auto insurance in Bakersfield. With an annual average rate of $537 for minimum liability, Wawanesa is considerably cheaper than the state annual average of $618. It’s available only in two states: Oregon and California. As such, it has several state-specific discounts that can help you bring your rates down and curate the best plan for your needs.

Affordable Rates

Wawanesa’s average annual cost for minimum coverage is $535, which is about 14 percent cheaper than the state average of $618. Wawanesa is able to keep car insurance rates low in two major ways: First, Wawanesa keeps its advertising costs low, so it can pass on those savings to drivers. Second, Wawanesa may reject your application if you have several DUIs, traffic citations, or claims on your record. It keeps premiums down by insuring and offering the highest saving opportunities to safe drivers.

Big Savings

Wawanesa offers several discounts specifically for Californians. We always recommend speaking to your agent to find the best and most current savings opportunities.

Here’s the full list:

• Good driver discount: You’ll be eligible for this discount if you had no DUIs in the past 10 years, have been a licensed driver for at least three years, and have only one violation point or at-fault accident (with only property damage) over the past three years.
• Mature driver improvement course: If you’re 55 years old or older, you can complete a California DMV-approved defensive driving course to qualify for this discount. You need to have completed the course within three years, and the course can’t be part of a court order.
• Multi-vehicle discount: Have more than one vehicle insured with Wawanesa? You might be eligible for this discount (does not include RVs/motorhomes).
• Loyalty discount: You can save up 22 percent on your car insurance by renewing your policy with Wawanesa.
• Multi-policy discount: Bundle your auto insurance with home or condo to be eligible for this discount.
• Affinity discount: Affinity group members may qualify for a discount if their group is partnered with Wawanesa. The California Coast Credit Union, for example, is a qualifying affinity discount group.

Additional Coverage Options

If add-ons are important to you, Wawanesa has several optional coverage types for a variety of needs. From roadside assistance and rental coverage to special equipment coverage, here are Wawanesa’s optional add-ons.

• Roadside assistance: This covers common roadside emergencies, such as towing, jump-starts, and refueling.
• Rental expense: Wawanesa will help pay for your rental car fees while your vehicle is being repaired or otherwise unavailable due to a covered accident.
• Vehicle manufacturer replacement parts: This add-on will help pay for repairs or replacements for parts made by the original equipment manufacturer.
• Special vehicle equipment coverage: If you have custom-made equipment, you can protect those parts as well. This helps with repairs or replacements if your special equipment is damaged or stolen.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: If you get into an accident with someone who has no insurance or low limits — and they’re at fault — this coverage will help pay for your damages.

Acceptance Insurance has offered specialized insurance for high-risk drivers since 1979. If you’re having a hard time finding affordable rates or getting your application approved, Acceptance probably won’t turn you away. Acceptance also offers a few unique coverage options, like traffic ticket reimbursement and a hospital indemnity plan, that can help you save money in times of need.

High-Risk Auto Insurance

If you have a history of accidents, a DUI, claims, or traffic violations, you may need a provider that specializes in high-risk auto insurance, like Acceptance Insurance. Unfortunately for Bakersfield, the city ranks among the worst in the country for accidents, DUIs, and traffic citations.

Here are some key Bakersfield findings from a QuoteWizard study of the 70 largest cities in the U.S.⁸

If you have a poor driving record, Acceptance will not only cover you but provide you with discounts and tools that incentivize better driving habits (we’ll take a closer look at these below).

Coverage for High-Risk Drivers

Acceptance offers a few unique coverage options for drivers with a poor driving history. Whether you have a tendency to violate traffic laws or get into accidents, Acceptance has a few ways to help out.

• Hospital indemnity plan: Acceptance’s hospital indemnity protection, what it calls the “help in case” plan, will help reduce costs if you or a family member is injured in an accident. The plan costs $8 per month ($96 per year). It can help pay for:
  • Hospital stays ($125 per day for up to one year)
  • Nursing costs
  • Ambulance and medical expenses (up to $1,000)
  • Accidental death or dismemberment (up to $10,000)
  • Lost wages
  • Copays and deductibles
• Roadside assistance plan: Acceptance’s roadside assistance plan also offers some unique perks for high-risk drivers. The plan offers many of the standard roadside assistance perks you’d normally see — towing, rental reimbursement, jump-starts, lockouts, etc. — along with a couple of specialized features:
  • Up to $200 in traffic court legal fees
  • Traffic ticket reimbursement ($100 per ticket)

Meet Your SR-22 Needs

An SR-22 is a form provided by your insurance company that proves you hold California’s minimum auto insurance requirements. When you’re issued the SR-22, your provider will file the form with the California DMV on your behalf. You’re required to obtain an SR-22 if you need to reinstate your license after a revocation or suspension, or if you start driving after a serious traffic offense (such as a DUI). Obtaining your SR-22 is important because you need car insurance to register your vehicle in California.

Unlike some providers, Acceptance will issue and file an SR-22 on your behalf. If you’ve had a hard time finding a provider willing to accept your application and issue your SR-22, you should give Acceptance a try.