Cheaper 2009 BMW 3 Series Car Insurance Cost

Looking for lower insurance coverage rates for your BMW 3 Series? Overwhelmed by the crazy number of insurance coverage companies? You’re not the only one! Consumers have so many options that it can be a ton of work to find better rates.

You should take the time to compare rates quite often because rates tend to go up over time. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price for 3 Series coverage a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance coverage because you’re about to learn the things you must know in order to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Discounts are available to cut your rates

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don’t even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of purchase, but some may not be applied and must be asked about before you get the savings.

  • Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
  • Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
  • Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
  • Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount for 3 Series coverage with certain companies.
  • New Car Discount – Insuring a new car is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.

For a list of providers who offer insurance coverage discounts, click this link.

BMW 3 Series premiums are determined by many factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Credit scores impact car insurance rates – Having a bad credit score is a important factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your 2009 BMW 3 Series by improving your credit score. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with poor credit.
  • Marriage brings a discount – Having a spouse helps lower the price on car insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that married couples file fewer claims.
  • Where you live can impact rates – Residing in less populated areas has it’s advantages when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers regularly have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Higher commute times means more change of being in an accident.
  • Women pay lower rates – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that men are worse drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving.
  • Don’t skimp on liability – Liability coverage will protect you if a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
  • Your car’s features help determine rates – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent auto theft.

Everyone needs different coverages

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

For example, these questions might point out if your situation may require specific advice.

  • What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
  • Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
  • Where can I find high-risk insurance?
  • Can my babysitter drive my car?
  • What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in my state?
  • When should I drop full coverage on my 2009 BMW 3 Series?
  • Why am I required to buy liability insurance?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.

Do drivers who switch really save?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and Geico regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing of big savings if you move your policy. How can each company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Potential insureds who do not match the “perfect” profile will have to pay a higher premium and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That’s why insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It’s not possible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest BMW 3 Series insurance rates.

Auto insurance coverages

Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for immediate expenses such as hospital visits, ambulance fees, chiropractic care, dental work and doctor visits. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Collision – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with another moving vehicle, scraping a guard rail and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive insurance – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like theft, rock chips in glass, hitting a deer and hitting a bird. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Liability – Liability coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as medical expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and emergency aid. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your 2009 BMW 3 Series.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked. Normally the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Shop Smart and Save

Cheap 2009 BMW 3 Series insurance can be bought online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance coverage companies may not provide online price quotes and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, poor customer service, unfair underwriting practices or even not issuing a premium refund. Whatever your reason, finding a great new company is actually quite simple.

As you restructure your insurance plan, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.

More resources