1998 BMW 3 Series Insurance Quotes

Want the cheapest car insurance rates for your BMW 3 Series? Are you sick and tired of being strong-armed to pay your car insurance bill each month? You’re in the same situation as many other drivers. Having so many different company options, it’s difficult to choose the cheapest insurance company.

The purpose of this post is to help you learn how to effectively get price quotes and some money-saving tips. If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Drivers just need to understand how to shop online.

Automobile Insurance Quotes

Most major insurance companies provide coverage price quotes on their websites. Getting online quotes doesn’t take much effort as you just type in your personal and coverage information into a form. Once you submit the form, the system makes automated requests for information on your driving record and credit history and returns a price quote based on these and other factors. Quoting online makes comparing rates easy, but the time required to go to many different websites and type in the same information is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it is imperative to compare as many rates as possible in order to find better prices.

An easier way to find lower prices is to use a quote form to get prices from several companies at one time. It saves time, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes price shopping online much more enjoyable and efficient. Once the form is submitted, your coverage is rated and you can choose any one of the returned quotes.

If you find a better price you can simply submit the application and purchase coverage. The entire process only takes a few minutes and you’ll know if lower rates are available.

If you want to compare pricing, click here and fill out the form. To compare your current rates, we recommend you type in the limits and deductibles as shown on your current policy. This helps ensure you are getting a fair comparison using the same coverage and limits.

Elements that influence BMW 3 Series insurance rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.

Shown below are a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate prices.

  • Don’t cancel a policy without a new one in place – Letting your insurance expire will be a guaranteed way to trigger a rate increase. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.
  • Do you know your deductibles? – Deductibles for physical damage define the amount you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are running into the backend of another car, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive for 3 Series insurance.
  • Drive less and save money – Driving more miles each year the higher your rate. Most companies rate vehicles determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Double check that your car insurance coverage properly reflects the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money. If your policy improperly rates your 3 Series may be costing you.
  • Too many car insurance claims drive up costs – Car insurance companies provide better rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance coverage is designed for larger claims.
  • Where you reside plays a part – Being located in a rural area can be a good thing when buying car insurance. Fewer drivers means a lower chance of having an accident and a lower car theft rate. Drivers who live in large cities tend to have much more traffic to deal with and longer commutes to work. Longer commute distances can result in more accidents.
  • Tickets mean higher rates – Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Only having one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Drivers who get serious violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your BMW 3 Series scored better than an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website it may be receiving lower rates.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there could be available discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about in order for you to get them. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you are throwing money away.

  • Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles on your BMW could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
  • Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with one company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Paperwork-free – A few companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
  • Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% for 3 Series insurance with select insurance companies.
  • Student in College – Any of your kids who are attending college and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
  • Discount for Life Insurance – Some companies give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think all those discounts means the company will pay you, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your premiums.

To see a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates, click here.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions may help you determine if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
  • When can I cancel my policy?
  • How does medical payments coverage work?
  • Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
  • Am I covered if I break a side mirror?
  • Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
  • Should I waive the damage coverage when renting a car?
  • Do I need replacement cost coverage on my 1998 BMW 3 Series?
  • Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.

Information about specific coverages

Learning about specific coverages of a car insurance policy can be of help when determining the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the usual coverages available from car insurance companies.

Collision coverages – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your 3 Series caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against things like sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter, colliding with a tree, backing into a parked car and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Auto liability insurance – This protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and 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. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, funeral expenses and attorney fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.

Coverage for medical expenses – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as dental work, chiropractic care, prosthetic devices and nursing services. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Comprehensive car insurance – Comprehensive insurance covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like hitting a deer, damage from flooding, theft and a broken windshield. The maximum payout a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

In the end, you save

Cheap 1998 BMW 3 Series insurance is available on the web and with local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not offer online quoting and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

We covered many ideas to get a better price on insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. They may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

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