How Much Does 2009 BMW 3 Series Insurance Cost?

Want lower car insurance rates for your BMW 3 Series? Did you make the mistake of buying an expensive car insurance policy? Don’t sweat it because there are many consumers feeling the pinch from expensive car insurance.

There are many insurance companies to buy insurance from, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare rates.

It’s a great practice to get comparison quotes before your next renewal because prices trend upward over time. Just because you found the lowest price for 3 Series coverage two years ago a different company probably has better rates today. You can search a lot of car insurance online but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some of the best ways to quit paying high car insurance rates.

Car insurance rates and discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list every possible discount very well, so we took the time to find both the well known and also the more inconspicuous credits available to lower your premiums when you buy car insurance online.

  • Auto/Home Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you will save as much as 10 to 15 percent.
  • Good Grades Discount – Being a good student can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
  • Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up before driving may be able to save a few bucks off the PIP or medical payment premium.
  • Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
  • Save over 55 – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a small decrease in premiums for 3 Series coverage.
  • Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house can save you money because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS and/or traction control are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Driving Data Discount – Policyholders that allow data collection to study where and when they drive by installing a telematics device such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive might see lower rates as long as they are good drivers.

Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Despite the fact that it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.

The best car insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are:

  • Farm Bureau includes discounts for youthful driver, multi-vehicle, 55 and retired, good student, multi-policy, and safe driver.
  • Liberty Mutual may include discounts for safety features, new vehicle discount, teen driver discount, newly married, preferred payment discount, and multi-policy.
  • State Farm offers discounts including defensive driving training, student away at school, anti-theft, good student, and driver’s education.
  • Auto-Owners Insurance offers discounts for air bags, teen driver, anti-lock brakes, multi-policy, paperless, and multiple vehicles.
  • GEICO has savings for federal employee, five-year accident-free, daytime running lights, membership and employees, and emergency military deployment.
  • SAFECO has discounts for accident prevention training, homeowner, drive less, teen safe driver, anti-lock brakes, multi-car, and teen safety rewards.

It’s a good idea to ask every company to give you their best rates. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be offered in your area. If you would like to see a list of car insurance companies with the best discounts, follow this link.

What affects BMW 3 Series insurance rates?

Many things are used when quoting car insurance. Most are fairly basic such as your driving history, although some other factors are less obvious like where you live or how financially stable you are.The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at the factors that aid in calculating your car insurance rates. If you have a feel for what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you big savings.

  • No car insurance gaps is important – Having a lapse in insurance coverage will be a guaranteed way to trigger a rate increase. And not only will insurance be more expensive, being ticketed for driving with no insurance could result in fines or a revoked license.
  • Location can impact price – Choosing to live in a small town can be a good thing when shopping for auto insurance. Fewer drivers means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. City drivers have more aggressive driving styles and more time behind the wheel. Higher commute times translates into higher accident risk.
  • Policy add-ons could be costing you – There are many extra coverages that may not really be needed on your 2009 3 Series policy. Insurance for things like roadside assistance, high-cost glass coverage, and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them think about removing them and cutting costs.
  • Your car’s features help determine car insurance rates – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your premiums. Systems that thwart theives like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart vehicle theft.
  • Lower rates by increasing comp and collision deductibles – Your deductibles tell how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. Protection for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are rearending another vehicle, hail damage, and having a roll-over accident. The more expense you’re willing to pay, the better rate you will receive for 3 Series coverage.

Situations that may require an agent’s advice

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • What is PIP insurance?
  • Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
  • How high should deductibles be on a 2009 BMW 3 Series?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in my state?
  • What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in my state?
  • Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
  • I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
  • Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Drivers who switch save $483 a year? Really?

Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm endlessly run ads on television and other media. They all seem to make an identical promise about how much you will save if you change your coverage. How can each company make almost identical claims? This is the way they can do it.

Insurance companies have strict underwriting profiles for the right customer that earns them a profit. A good example of this type of risk profile should be a mature driver, has no claims, and drives newer vehicles. Any customer who matches those parameters will get very good rates as well as save when they switch companies.

Insureds who do not meet these criteria will be charged a higher rate which translates to the customer buying from someone else. Company advertisements say “drivers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much when switching. That’s why companies can truthfully make those statements.

That is why it is so important to compare free car insurance quotes often. Because you never know the company that will have the best prices at this point in time.

Insurance policy coverages for a 2009 BMW 3 Series

Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find typical coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Comprehensive coverage

This coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like a broken windshield, falling objects, damage from a tornado or hurricane and hitting a deer. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Collision insurance

This pays for damage to your 3 Series resulting from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against claims like hitting a mailbox, crashing into a ditch and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your BMW 3 Series.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for bills for ambulance fees, hospital visits, surgery and X-ray expenses. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Coverage for liability

Liability insurance provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 50/100/50 which means a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers things such as funeral expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and attorney fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as large an amount as possible.

Find Good Coverage for Less

Cheaper insurance coverage can be found online and with local insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent insurance agents.

When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of techniques to compare 2009 BMW 3 Series insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote car insurance, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. These companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

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