2011 BMW 1 Series Car Insurance Quotes

Want lower auto insurance rates for your BMW 1 Series? Are you a victim of high-priced auto insurance? Trust us, many consumers are feeling buyer’s remorse and feel like there’s no way out.

Drivers have so many insurance companies to buy insurance from, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates and find the lowest cost auto insurance.

Smart consumers take time to compare rates periodically since insurance rates change regularly. Just because you had the best price for 1 Series coverage a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about auto insurance online but I’m going to show you some excellent ideas to put money back in your pocket.

Finding affordable coverage is not that difficult. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Although consumers benefit from understanding the way insurance companies market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.

The most recommended method to compare car insurance rates is to know the trick almost all companies provide online access to provide you with free rate quotes. All consumers are required to do is give the companies some data like which vehicles you own, if you have an active license, whether you have decent credit, and any included safety features. Those rating factors is instantly provided to multiple top-rated companies and you receive quotes within a short period of time.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies don’t list all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list both the well known and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance.

  • More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
  • Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
  • Good Students Pay Less – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
  • Paperless Signup – A few companies give back up to $50 simply for signing digitally online.
  • Theft Prevention System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like you could get a free car insurance policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.

Car insurance companies who might offer some of the above discounts include:

It’s a good idea to ask each company what discounts are available to you. Savings might not apply in your state.

BMW 1 Series rate determination is complex

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that come into play when calculating insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower insurance prices.

The list below includes some of the factors insurance companies consider when setting prices.

  • Men pay higher rates – The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men cause accidents at a similar rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
  • Small claims can cost you – Car insurance companies award better rates to people who are claim-free. If you file claims often, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
  • Better credit means lower rates – Having a bad credit history is a important factor in determining what you pay for insurance. Therefore, if your credit history is not that good, you could pay less to insure your 2011 BMW 1 Series by repairing your credit. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores.
  • Your occupation can affect rates – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for insurance? Jobs such as judges, executives and financial analysts tend to pay higher average rates in part from job stress and long work days. Conversely, jobs such as actors, engineers and performers have the lowest average rates for 1 Series coverage.
  • Liability coverage is peace of mind – Liability insurance is the coverage that protects you if ever you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides legal defense starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions may help you determine if your situation may require specific advice.

  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Are rental cars covered under my policy?
  • What is UM/UIM insurance?
  • Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
  • Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
  • Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
  • Is upholstery damage covered by car insurance?
  • Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Insurance companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive continually stream ads on television and other media. They all seem to make an identical promise of big savings after switching your coverage to them. How do they all claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a driver they prefer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has great credit. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who don’t meet these standards will be quoted a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do. This emphasizes why it is so important to get as many comparisons as possible. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Auto insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of a insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Shown next are typical coverage types found on the average insurance policy.

Liability coverages – This coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. It protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for 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 values of 50/100/50 which means a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as emergency aid, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, bail bonds, court costs and funeral expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.

Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as damage from flooding, fire damage and rock chips in glass. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This provides protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your 2011 BMW 1 Series.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.

Coverage for medical expenses – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for short-term medical expenses like dental work, nursing services and X-ray expenses. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Collision – Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your 1 Series resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against claims like driving through your garage door, sideswiping another vehicle and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Saving money is sweet as honey

We’ve covered a lot of tips how to save on 2011 BMW 1 Series insurance. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the best prices are with a small local company. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.

Budget-conscious insurance is available from both online companies in addition to many insurance agents, so compare prices from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some car insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

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