Save on 1997 BMW 5 Series Insurance Rates

Looking for better insurance rates for your BMW 5 Series? Searching for cheap insurance on the web can be challenging for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. Since there are so many insurance companies available, how can drivers effectively compare the different rates to find the cheapest available price?

Save money by taking advantage of these discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but companies offer discounts to cut the cost considerably. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied in order for you to get them.

  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
  • Early Signing – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
  • Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a home can save you money because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
  • Resident Student – Children who are attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
  • Senior Discount – Mature drivers may receive a small decrease in premiums on 5 Series insurance.
  • Save with a New Car – Insuring a new car can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
  • Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts when compared with frequent claim filers.
  • Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • E-sign – Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
  • Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurers who offer insurance coverage discounts, click here to view.

These factors can influence BMW 5 Series insurance rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining the price you pay for insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are some of the items insurance companies consider when setting prices.

  • An active claims history can cost you – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance companies give cheaper rates to people who are claim-free. Your insurance policy is intended for the large, substantial claims.
  • Your spouse saves you money – Having a wife or husband helps lower the price when buying insurance. It usually means you are more mature than a single person and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
  • More than one policy can earn a discount – The majority of insurance companies will award you with lower prices to policyholders who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
  • Rates may be higher depending on your occupation – Occupations like judges, architects and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates due to high stress and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, occupations like farmers, engineers and retirees receive lower rates on 5 Series insurance.
  • How your age affects price – Older drivers tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel. Young drivers are known to be less responsible behind the wheel therefore insurance rates are much higher.
  • Rate your vehicle for proper use – The higher the mileage driven each year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your insurance declarations sheet properly reflects the correct usage for each vehicle. Incorrect usage on your 5 Series can cost quite a bit.
  • Do you have enough liability coverage? – Liability coverage provides coverage if ever a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Don’t buy coverages you don’t need – There are a lot of add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying insurance. Things like personal injury protection, accidental death and membership fees are examples of these. They may seem good initially, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.

When should I use an insurance agent?

When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.

These are some specific questions could help you determine if you would benefit from professional advice.

  • Can I rent a car in Mexico?
  • Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
  • How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
  • Is a fancy paint job covered?
  • What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
  • Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
  • If my 1997 BMW 5 Series is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. All the ads say the same thing that you’ll save big if you switch to their company. How can each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All the different companies can use profiling for the type of customer they prefer to insure. For example, a driver they prefer could possibly be over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and has great credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That is how companies can claim big savings.

This emphasizes why you absolutely need to quote coverage with many companies. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will have the lowest BMW 5 Series insurance rates.

Insurance coverage basics

Understanding the coverages of insurance helps when choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses like doctor visits, X-ray expenses, rehabilitation expenses, chiropractic care and prosthetic devices. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover you and your occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Comprehensive coverage

Comprehensive insurance covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like theft, hail damage and hitting a bird. The most a insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.

Collision coverage

This covers damage to your 5 Series resulting from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as crashing into a building, sideswiping another vehicle, scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Auto liability insurance

Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 50/100/50 which means a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage pays for things such as funeral expenses, medical services and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but you should buy as large an amount as possible.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

And the best car insurance company is…

As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many cases, an insured dropped full coverage only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

Drivers leave their current company for many reasons like being labeled a high risk driver, high rates after DUI convictions, lack of trust in their agent and even extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.

We just showed you a lot of information how to lower your 1997 BMW 5 Series insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the most savings is with an unexpected company.

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