For a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, car insurance in Bakersfield, CA, averages about $324 a month ($3,888 a year) for full coverage, based on the rates insurers had filed with state regulators as of Aug. 31, 2026. That’s about the same as the California average of $332 a month. GEICO has the lowest full-coverage average of the five major insurers we compared (Allstate, Auto Club of Southern California, Farmers, GEICO and State Farm), at about $182 a month.
Bakersfield, the Kern County seat at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, is priced close to the California average for our benchmark driver, about $8 a month less. Of the 12 California cities with nine or more ZIP codes in our data, it ranks seventh from most to least expensive, about the same as Stockton. Our California car insurance rates page lists every city and town we price.
We price 11 ZIP codes with a Bakersfield mailing address, from about $309 a month in 93314 to $340 in 93307.
Cost data comes from the auto rates insurers file with state regulators, priced across all 11 Bakersfield ZIP codes in our data, compiled by Quadrant Information Services and updated as new rates are filed.
Rates as of Aug. 31, 2026. Page reviewed Oct. 7, 2026.
How Much Is Car Insurance in Bakersfield, CA?
For our benchmark driver, full coverage in Bakersfield, CA, averages about $324 a month ($3,888 a year), and liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits averages $119 a month. Both use rates insurers had filed with state regulators as of Aug. 31, 2026. The California average of $332 a month is about what full coverage costs here.
- Full coverage (100/300/100, $500 deductibles): $3,888 a year ($324 a month)
- 50/100/50 with $500 deductibles: $3,591 a year ($299 a month)
- Liability only (15/30/5): $1,430 a year ($119 a month)
- Kern County: $3,786 a year ($316 a month) for full coverage
- California average: $3,979 a year ($332 a month) for full coverage
- ZIP code range: $309 (93314) to $340 (93307) a month for full coverage
Cheapest Car Insurance in Bakersfield, CA: Companies Compared
- Lowest average in our data, full coverage: GEICO, at about $182 a month ($2,186 a year).
- Next lowest among the five major insurers we compared: Auto Club of Southern California, at about $299 a month, then State Farm at $324.
- Liability only (15/30/5): about $49 to $165 a month across the five insurers.
- Also on our list: USAA at about $206 a month, Mercury at $236, Progressive at $242, Travelers at $321 and Nationwide at $334 (USAA sells only to military families).
- Most expensive in our data: Farmers and Allstate, effectively tied at about $411 and $405 a month.
GEICO has the lowest full-coverage average among the five insurers in our Bakersfield rate data. Five of the eight published 2026 statewide California rate studies we reviewed also rank GEICO cheapest for full coverage, apart from USAA, which sells only to military families, and a sixth ties GEICO with Progressive. That’s why we name GEICO, though its lead in our data is wider than in those studies. For liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits, averages run from about $49 to $165 a month; the lowest is far enough below the rest that we don’t name a cheapest insurer for that coverage level.
Full-coverage averages by insurer in Bakersfield
Monthly, for the same driver and car. Insurers marked with an asterisk in the table below aren’t in the chart.
Rates insurers filed with state regulators, compiled by Quadrant Information Services, as of Aug. 31, 2026. Benchmark 40-year-old driver, 100/300/100 with $500 deductibles.
| Insurance Company: | Liability Only 15/30/5 (Yearly): | Liability Only 15/30/5 (Monthly): | Full Coverage (Yearly): | Full Coverage (Monthly): |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO | $584 | $49 | $2,186 | $182 |
| Auto Club of Southern California | $1,225 | $102 | $3,584 | $299 |
| State Farm | $1,569 | $131 | $3,892 | $324 |
| Allstate | $1,974 | $165 | $4,855 | $405 |
| Farmers | $1,796 | $150 | $4,926 | $411 |
| USAA (military families)* | $969 | $81 | $2,471 | $206 |
| Mercury Insurance* | $1,182 | $99 | $2,832 | $236 |
| Progressive* | $1,055 | $88 | $2,900 | $242 |
| Travelers* | $1,716 | $143 | $3,857 | $321 |
| Nationwide* | $1,601 | $133 | $4,003 | $334 |
| Bakersfield average | $1,430 | $119 | $3,888 | $324 |
This table uses Bakersfield ZIP codes only. See how we calculated these rates. Your own price depends on your car, driving record and coverage, so compare free car insurance quotes before you buy.
Bakersfield Car Insurance Rates by ZIP Code
Across the 11 Bakersfield ZIP codes we price, full coverage for our driver ranges from about $309 a month in 93314 to $340 in 93307, a gap of $378 a year. West-side ZIP codes such as 93314 and 93312 are the least expensive in our data, and ZIP codes to the south and southeast, such as 93304 and 93307, plus 93301, downtown, the most expensive.
Lowest-priced Bakersfield ZIP codes
Highest-priced Bakersfield ZIP codes
Search the table for your ZIP code. The last column shows how far each ZIP code is above or below Bakersfield’s average.
| ZIP Code: | Liability Only 15/30/5 (Yearly): | Liability Only 15/30/5 (Monthly): | Full Coverage (Yearly): | Full Coverage (Monthly): | Full Coverage vs. City Average: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93301 | $1,476 | $123 | $4,019 | $335 | +3% |
| 93304 | $1,515 | $126 | $4,070 | $339 | +5% |
| 93305 | $1,376 | $115 | $3,884 | $324 | About average |
| 93306 | $1,403 | $117 | $3,830 | $319 | -2% |
| 93307 | $1,440 | $120 | $4,084 | $340 | +5% |
| 93308 | $1,395 | $116 | $3,759 | $313 | -3% |
| 93309 | $1,471 | $123 | $3,896 | $325 | About average |
| 93311 | $1,445 | $120 | $3,833 | $319 | -2% |
| 93312 | $1,393 | $116 | $3,730 | $311 | -4% |
| 93313 | $1,437 | $120 | $3,960 | $330 | +2% |
| 93314 | $1,376 | $115 | $3,706 | $309 | -5% |
Your ZIP code matters
How Much More Does Better Coverage Cost in Bakersfield?
Raising liability limits from 50/100/50 to 100/300/100 adds about $297 a year on average in our Bakersfield data, with the same $500 deductibles. That’s about $25 a month for double the per-person injury limit, three times the per-crash limit and double the property damage limit, and the full-coverage package also raises uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to 100/300.
Is Car Insurance Going Up in Bakersfield?
Not for full coverage, for our benchmark driver. Comparing the four insurers that are in both sets of rates, in the same Bakersfield ZIP codes, their full-coverage average fell from $3,764 a year nine months earlier to $3,629 in rates as of Aug. 31, 2026, a 3.6% drop. State Farm cut its Bakersfield average 12.2%, while Allstate’s, Auto Club of Southern California’s and GEICO’s averages were unchanged. Farmers is new in our rates over the past nine months, so it’s left out, which is why these averages differ from the Bakersfield average above. Liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits rose 6.4%, led by State Farm, which raised its liability-only average 25.5%.
What Shapes Car Insurance Costs in Bakersfield
Kern County averages about $316 a month for full coverage, the eighth-most expensive of the 55 California counties we price: less than Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, but more than San Diego County, at $302.
Bakersfield is the third-most expensive of the 14 Kern County cities and towns we price, behind Lamont and Arvin, to the southeast ($332 and $330 a month). Towns to the northwest cost a little less: Shafter averages about $321 and Wasco $311, and Delano, to the north, $309. Tehachapi, in the mountains to the southeast, averages $284. California insurers price by location as well as by driver and car, so your ZIP code can move your price.
California’s minimum liability limits rose to 30/60/15 for policies issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2025, under S.B. 1107, which the Department of Insurance called the first update in 56 years. The new minimum applies in Bakersfield as it does statewide; our liability-only prices use the older 15/30/5 limits, below today’s minimum.
How Bakersfield Car Insurance Compares With Other California Cities
More California cities and towns are in the California rates by city table, and you can compare states on our car insurance rates by state page.
Visalia–Porterville, which covers Tulare County, averages $307 a month; Visalia is about 70 miles north. Santa Clarita, about 70 miles southeast, averages $344, and Los Angeles, about 100 miles southeast, $476.
What Car Insurance Is Required in Bakersfield?
Drivers in Bakersfield follow California’s rules. The minimum rose for policies issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and every policy must now carry at least:
- Bodily injury liability of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per crash
- Property damage liability of $15,000 per crash
Our California requirements guide covers uninsured motorist coverage, proof of insurance and the penalties for driving uninsured.
How to Lower Your Car Insurance Rate in Bakersfield
- Compare GEICO and Auto Club of Southern California first. They have the two lowest full-coverage averages among the five major insurers we compared in Bakersfield, about $182 and $299 a month.
- Quote several insurers. In our Bakersfield data, the lowest and highest insurer averages are about $229 a month apart for the same driver and car.
- Check that you get the Good Driver discount. If you’ve been licensed for at least three years in a row and have no more than one point on your record, California law requires your rate to be at least 20% lower than a non-Good Driver’s, according to the California Department of Insurance.
- Compare at every renewal. Over the past nine months, State Farm has cut its Bakersfield average 12.2%, so the order in our table can shift.
- Ask about discounts and check your deductible. Many insurers lower rates for a clean driving record, paying in full or insuring more than one car, so ask which car insurance discounts you qualify for. Our full-coverage prices use $500 deductibles. A higher deductible lowers your premium but means you pay more yourself after a claim; see how your deductible works.
- Price a bundle. Pairing your auto policy with a home or renters policy usually earns a multi-policy discount. See home insurance costs in California, then compare free home insurance quotes.
Ready to compare
How We Calculated Bakersfield Car Insurance Rates
Insurers must file their rates and rating rules with each state’s insurance regulator. Quadrant Information Services uses those filings to calculate what each insurer would charge a specific driver, and InsuranceQuotes analyzes those prices. This page uses rates in effect on Aug. 31, 2026.
- Sample: 55 full-coverage premiums from five insurers across 11 Bakersfield ZIP codes, plus the same number of liability-only and 50/100/50 premiums.
- Driver: a single 40-year-old driver, licensed 24 years, with good credit and no accidents or violations, driving a 2024 Toyota Camry LE they own, for personal use.
- Coverage: full coverage is 100/300/100 liability with $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles and 100/300 uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. We also price 50/100/50 with the same deductibles, and liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits, with 15/30 uninsured motorist coverage and no comprehensive or collision. California’s minimum has been 30/60/15 since Jan. 1, 2025, so our liability-only prices use lower limits than the law requires.
- Calculation: for each insurer we take its lowest eligible price in each ZIP code and average those prices across the ZIP codes. The overall average is the mean of every insurer-and-ZIP price. Monthly figures are annual premiums divided by 12 and rounded.
- Rankings: we name a cheapest insurer only where it’s priced in at least half the ZIP codes and its lead over the next insurer isn’t so wide that it looks like an outlier. In Bakersfield, GEICO’s full-coverage average is 39% below Auto Club of Southern California’s, a wider lead than that, but we name GEICO because most of the published 2026 statewide California rate studies we reviewed also rank it cheapest. Annual prices within 3% of each other are called effectively tied.
- Rate changes: we compare the same insurer in the same ZIP codes, for the same driver and coverage, in rates as of Nov. 30, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026. Farmers is new in our rates since November 2025, so it’s left out of rate-change comparisons; the other four insurers, Allstate, Auto Club of Southern California, GEICO and State Farm, are in both sets of rates. Rate-change percentages are calculated from the annual premiums shown; other percentages use the rounded monthly figures.
- Insurers marked *: priced from published 2026 California rate studies, scaled to our benchmark driver. They aren’t included in our averages or rankings.
- What this isn’t: a quote. These are modeled prices for one driver profile, calculated from insurers’ rate filings. Your price depends on your ZIP code, vehicle, driving record, coverage choices and discounts.
Coverage requirements come from California law and the California Department of Insurance. We refresh these figures when new rate data is released.
Bakersfield Car Insurance FAQ
Car insurance rates in Bakersfield, CA, average about $324 a month ($3,888 a year) for full coverage and $119 a month for liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits for our benchmark driver, based on the rates insurers had filed with state regulators as of Aug. 31, 2026. Full coverage is about the same as the California average of $332 a month.
GEICO has the lowest full-coverage average in our Bakersfield rate data, at about $182 a month, followed by Auto Club of Southern California at $299 among the five major insurers we compared. Farmers and Allstate are effectively tied for the highest full-coverage average of the five major insurers we compared, about $411 and $405 a month. For liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits, averages run from about $49 to $165 a month. Five of the eight published 2026 statewide California rate studies we reviewed also rank GEICO cheapest for full coverage, apart from USAA, and a sixth ties GEICO with Progressive. Rates vary by driver, so compare quotes for your own car and ZIP code.
Because mileage is one of the main things California insurers price. Under Proposition 103, insurers must base your rate first on your driving record, then on your annual mileage, then on your years of driving experience, according to the California Department of Insurance. A long daily drive across Kern County adds up, so give your insurer an accurate mileage estimate and update it if your commute changes. Our prices are for one benchmark driver, so compare quotes with your own mileage.
In our data, 93314 has the lowest full-coverage average in Bakersfield, at about $309 a month, and 93307 the highest, at about $340. The ZIP code table on this page lists all 11.
The minimum rose for policies issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and every California policy must now carry at least 30/60/15 liability: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per crash for injuries and $15,000 for property damage. California is an at-fault state, so the driver who causes a crash pays through their liability insurance; when both drivers share the blame, each driver’s share is set by comparative negligence. Insurers must offer uninsured motorist coverage, which you can turn down only in writing. Our liability-only prices use 15/30/5 limits, lower than the law now requires.
Compare insurers first: in our Bakersfield data, the lowest and highest insurer averages are about $229 a month apart for the same driver and car. Check that you get California’s Good Driver discount, which must make your rate at least 20% lower if you’ve been licensed for three years in a row with no more than one point on your record. Keep your annual mileage up to date, and compare again at renewal: over the past nine months, State Farm has cut its Bakersfield average 12.2%.
For our benchmark driver, full coverage in Bakersfield averages about $324 a month. Nearby, Visalia–Porterville averages about $307, Santa Clarita about $344 and Hanford–Corcoran about $282. Visalia–Porterville and Hanford–Corcoran are cheaper; prices depend mostly on ZIP code, so compare quotes for your own address.
- About the Author
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Michael Giusti is a senior insurance analyst, business journalist, and university professor with over 20 years of experience. He serves as department chair at Loyola University New Orleans and contributes to Insurance Thought Leadership, U.S. News, and other leading financial outlets.
