1997 BMW 3 Series Car Insurance Quotes

Trying to find lower insurance rates for your BMW 3 Series? Overwhelmed by the wide range of insurance choices? You have a lot of company. People have so many options that it can turn into a real hassle to find lower rates.

Consumers should take time to do rate comparisons periodically since rates change frequently. Just because you found the best deal on 3 Series insurance a few years ago you may be paying too much now. Starting right now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in one of the best ways to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. The purpose of this post is to introduce you to how to effectively get price quotes and some tricks to saving. Although consumers must comprehend how big insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.

Verify you’re getting all your discounts

Car insurance companies do not list every available discount very clearly, so we researched some of the best known and the harder-to-find car insurance savings.

  • Good Student Discount – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
  • Senior Citizens – Older drivers can possibly qualify for reduced rates on 3 Series insurance.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
  • No Charge for an Accident – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Federal Government Employee – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off on 3 Series insurance with certain companies.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way.

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

Finding Insurance

There are a lot of ways to compare insurance quotes, but there is one way that is less time-consuming than others. You could spend your day discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get pricing more quickly.

Many popular insurance companies belong to an insurance system where prospective buyers complete one form, and each company then gives them pricing for coverage. This eliminates the need for quote forms to each company.

To compare 1997 BMW 3 Series rates using this form now click here (opens in new window).

The one downside to getting quotes like this is that you can’t choose the insurers to get quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies to compare, we have a page of low cost insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.

Whichever way you use, make sure you use apples-to-apples quote information for every company. If your comparisons have different deductibles you can’t possibly make an equal comparison. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when price shopping your coverage, more quotes will increase your chances of finding a better price.

BMW 3 Series rates are complex

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that play a part in calculating your insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with better insurance rates.

Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into rates.

  • Do you have enough liability coverage? – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage when you are found liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense starting from day one. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Bump up deductibles to save – Deductibles for physical damage define the amount you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims could be running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, and burglary. The higher the amount you have to pay, the bigger discount you will receive on 3 Series insurance.
  • Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are many extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying on your 3 Series policy. Things like rental car reimbursement, accidental death and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
  • Marriage brings a discount – Having a spouse can get you a discount when buying insurance. Having a significant other translates into being more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Driving without insurance is against the law and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage lapse. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.You may have to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with your state motor vehicle department.

When should I talk to an agent?

When buying coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

For instance, these questions may help you determine if you may require specific advice.

  • Are my friends covered when driving my car?
  • Why am I required to buy liability insurance?
  • Where can I find DUI or SR-22 insurance?
  • Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
  • Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
  • I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Insurance coverages explained

Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Collision coverage protection

This covers damage to your 3 Series from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers things such as colliding with a tree, hitting a mailbox, backing into a parked car, rolling your car and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Liability

Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to people or other property. It protects YOU against claims from other people. 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. You might see policy limits of 50/100/50 which means a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability coverage pays for things like funeral expenses, legal defense fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and structural damage. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but buy as large an amount as possible.

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and damage to your 1997 BMW 3 Series.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.

Insurance for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for expenses like doctor visits, ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses, chiropractic care and EMT expenses. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a bird, hail damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and fire damage. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Be a Smart Shopper

People who switch companies do it for many reasons like delays in paying claims, delays in responding to claim requests, denial of a claim or even high prices. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new insurance coverage company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.

Low-cost 1997 BMW 3 Series insurance can be sourced both online as well as from independent agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance coverage companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped full coverage only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.

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