2011 BMW 3 Series Car Insurance Quotes

Trying to find lower auto insurance rates for your BMW 3 Series? Did you come to the realization that you have an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me, there are lots of people in the same boat.

You have so many insurers to insure vehicles with, and even though it’s nice to have multiple companies, so many choices can make it hard to get the best deal.

It’s a good idea to compare prices yearly due to the fact that insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you had the best deal on 3 Series coverage a year ago there may be better deals available now. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the fastest way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Finding the best rates is easy if you know what you’re doing. Essentially everyone who buys insurance coverage will more than likely be able to save money. But car owners need to learn how companies compete online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Informed consumers can slash their insurance premiums

Lots of factors are used in the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving history, but others are more obscure such as your credit history and annual miles driven.

  • Save money by eliminating extra coverages – There are a lot of add-on coverages that may not really be needed but may not be useful. Things like roadside assistance, better glass coverage, and term life insurance could be just wasting money. These may sound like a good investment when buying your policy, but if you’ve never needed them in the past remove them from your policy.
  • With age comes lower rates – Drivers with little experience tend to be careless and easily distracted with other occupants in the car so car insurance rates are higher. More experienced drivers tend to be more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents and tend to be get fewer driving tickets.
  • Rates are affected by your address – Being located in a rural area can save you money when insuring your vehicles. Urban drivers tend to have more auto accidents and more severe claims. Fewer drivers on the road means reduced accidents.
  • Discounts for married couples – Walking down the aisle can get you a discount on your policy. It demonstrates that you tend to be less irresponsible and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Avoid policy lapses – Going without insurance will be a guaranteed way to increase your rates. And not only will insurance be more expensive, not being able to provide proof of insurance may earn you fines and jail time. You may then have to file a SR-22 with your state department of motor vehicles.
  • Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Most major insurers provide a discount to policyholders that purchase more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you still need to shop around to help ensure you have the lowest rates.

Verify you’re getting every discount

Insurance coverage is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but there may be some discounts that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you get a quote, but a few must be asked about before you will receive the discount.

  • Government Employee Discount – Active or former government employment could qualify for a slight premium decrease on 3 Series coverage with some insurance coverage companies.
  • Student in College – Older children who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from home and leave their car at home may qualify for this discount.
  • Homeowners Savings – Owning a home may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may qualify for discounts as much as 30%.
  • Onboard Data Collection – Drivers that enable driving data submission to monitor where and when they drive by installing a telematics device such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system could see a rate decrease if they have good driving habits.
  • No Charge for an Accident – This one isn’t a discount, but some insurance companies may permit one accident before they charge you more for coverage with the catch being you have to be claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
  • Policy Bundle Discount – If you can combine your home and auto policy with the same insurance company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • Accident-Free Discounts – Insureds with no claims or accidents are rewarded with significantly better rates on insurance quote compared to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
  • ABS Brakes – Cars and trucks with ABS and/or traction control are much safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
  • Theft Deterent – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.

Just know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will bring down your insurance coverage premiums.

Car insurance companies who might offer these money-saving discounts include:

When comparing rates, check with every prospective company which discounts you may be entitled to. A few discounts might not apply in your state. If you would like to view companies with discount insurance coverage rates, follow this link.

Well known brands might not be cheapest

Insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive endlessly run ads on TV and radio. All the companies make the same claim about savings if you switch to them. How does every company give you a lower rate? This is how they do it.

Different companies offer their best rates for the type of driver that is profitable for them. One example of this type of insured may be between the ages of 30 and 50, carries full coverage, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote who fits those characteristics will get the preferred prices and will cut their rates substantially.

Insureds who may not quite match those standards will see higher rates which translates to the prospect going elsewhere. The ads state “people that switch” not “everyone that quotes” can get the lowest rates when switching. That’s the way companies can make it sound like they have such great premium rates. Because of the profiling, you should get as many free insurance quotes as possible. It’s not possible to predict which insurance company will provide you with the cheapest car insurance rates.

When should I discuss my situation with an agent?

When it comes to buying the best insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might point out if your insurance needs could use an agent’s help.

  • Am I missing any policy discounts?
  • Should I get collision insurance on every vehicle?
  • Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
  • How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
  • When should I not file a claim?
  • Who is covered when they drive my 2011 BMW 3 Series?
  • Can I rent a car in Mexico?
  • Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
  • Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
  • What are the best liability limits?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area.

Auto insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of your policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.

Liability coverage – This coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 50/100/50 which stand for $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as medical services, structural damage, funeral expenses, court costs and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your BMW 3 Series.

Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Medical expense insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for immediate expenses for things like nursing services, hospital visits, X-ray expenses and EMT expenses. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Collision coverages – Collision insurance covers damage to your 3 Series resulting from a collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers things like sideswiping another vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from flooding, vandalism and damage from getting keyed. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Do the work, save more money

We just covered a lot of ways to save on 2011 BMW 3 Series insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding the cheapest insurance. You may be surprised to find that the best premium rates are with the smaller companies. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower prices compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where an insured cut full coverage and learned later that it was a big mistake. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price and still be able to protect your assets.

Additional car insurance information can be found on the following sites: