Lower Your 2015 BMW X3 Insurance Rates

Did you come to the realization that you have an overpriced insurance policy? Say no more because many consumers are feeling buyer’s remorse and feel like there’s no way out.

You have so many auto insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, it can be more challenging to locate the cheapest rates.

You should take the time to price shop coverage before your next renewal because prices are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you found the lowest quotes on X3 coverage six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. Ignore everything you know about insurance because we’re going to demonstrate how to use online quotes to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

Low cost insurance rate quotes

When shopping for insurance there are multiple ways to compare prices from local insurance companies. By far the easiest way to find affordable BMW X3 insurance rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done by using one of the methods below.

1. The most efficient way consumers can make multiple comparisons is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This form eliminates the need for separate quote forms for every insurance company. A single, simple form gets rate comparisons from all major companies.
2. A different way to find lower rates is to manually visit the website of each company to complete a price quote. For example, we’ll assume you want to compare Auto-Owners, Farmers and GMAC. You would be required to go to each individual site and repeatedly enter your information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in your area, click here.

However you get your quotes, do your best to enter nearly identical information with every price quote. If you enter different values for each quote you can’t possibly truly determine the lowest rate. Just slight variations in insurance coverages or limits may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that more quotes gives you a better chance of getting more affordable insurance.

Pay discount rates these discounts

Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list all available discounts very well, so the next list breaks down a few of the more well known as well as some of the hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you buy insurance online.

• Student Discounts – Maintaining excellent grades can save 20 to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up to age 25.
• Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed in the military could qualify you for better prices.
• Professional Organizations – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates on insurance coverage.
• Resident Student – who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not take a car to college can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Life Insurance Discount – Some insurance coverage companies give a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck.

Popular insurance coverage companies and their possible discounts can be found below.

• State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including accident-free, driver’s education, passive restraint, multiple policy, Drive Safe & Save, and anti-theft.
• Nationwide offers premium reductions for accident-free, good student, multi-policy, Farm Bureau membership, and defensive driving.
• Geico includes discounts for seat belt use, anti-theft, multi-policy, five-year accident-free, defensive driver, and military active duty.
• AAA may have discounts that include multi-car, education and occupation, good driver, multi-policy, pay-in-full, and AAA membership discount.
• 21st Century has discounts for driver training, 55 and older, teen driver, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, early bird, and theft prevention.
• The Hartford offers discounts for air bag, good student, bundle, vehicle fuel type, and defensive driver.

If you want affordable insurance quotes, ask every prospective company which discounts can lower your rates. Some credits might not apply in every state. To see a list of providers that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts, follow this link.

Special considerations

When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions might help in determining whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

• Where can I get insurance after a DUI in my state?
• What are the best liability limits?
• How can I find cheaper teen driver insurance?
• Am I covered if my car is in a flood?
• Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
• Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
• What is no-fault insurance?
• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
• If my pet gets injured in an accident are they covered?

If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Informed drivers know how to quote insurance coverage cheaper

A large part of saving on insurance coverage is knowing some of the things that help calculate the price you pay for insurance coverage. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that may result in cheaper rates.

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

• Premiums increase with driving tickets – Drivers with clean records get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Even one speeding ticket can increase rates substantially. Drivers who have severe tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 form with their state’s licensing department in order to prevent a license revocation.
• Allowing your insurance coverage policy to lapse raises insurance coverage rates – Letting your insurance expire is a guaranteed way to increase your renewal premiums. Not only will you pay more, being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you fines and jail time.
• Less chance of injury means lower insurance coverage rates – Safer cars cost less to insure. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and fewer serious injuries means lower claim amounts which can result in lower premiums. If your BMW X3 is rated at a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you are probably receiving a discount.
• Deter car thieves – Owning a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can earn a premium discount. Advanced theft deterrents like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all help prevent auto theft and help lower rates.
• File insurance claims and pay more – Auto insurance companies generally give discounts to drivers that do not abuse their auto insurance. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for more catestrophic claims.
• Do you really need the extra coverages? – Policies have additional extra coverages you can purchase on your X3 policy. Insurance for things like rental car reimbursement, accidental death, and Farm Bureau memberships may be wasting your money. The coverages may be enticing when deciding what coverages you need, but if you’ve never needed them in the past eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• Insurance rates for married couples – Walking down the aisle may cut your premiums on your policy. It means you’re more financially stable and insurance companies reward insureds because married couples file fewer claims.
• Improve your credit rating and save – Having a bad credit score can be a huge factor in calculating your insurance coverage rates. If your credit history can use some improvement, you may save money insuring your 2015 BMW X3 if you improve your credit rating. People that have excellent credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than those with lower credit ratings.

Auto insurance 101

Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are typical coverages available from car insurance companies.

Coverage for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for bills like funeral costs, X-ray expenses, nursing services, surgery and doctor visits. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers 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 but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Auto liability insurance

This coverage protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property. It protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see liability limits of 50/100/50 which stand for a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for things such as emergency aid, bail bonds and medical services. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but buy as much as you can afford.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your 2015 BMW X3.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Usually the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Comprehensive coverages

Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as fire damage, damage from getting keyed, vandalism, damage from a tornado or hurricane and rock chips in glass. The highest amount your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Coverage for collisions

Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your X3 from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against claims like scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door, crashing into a building, sustaining damage from a pot hole and hitting a mailbox. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Final considerations

When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at the lowest possible cost.

Low-cost 2015 BMW X3 insurance can be bought both online and from local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not provide online rate quotes and many times these small, regional companies prefer to sell through local independent agencies.

For more information, feel free to browse these articles:

• What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Shopping for a Safe Car (Insurance Information Insitute)
• State Laws for Cellphones and Texting (iihs.org)
• Rollover Crash FAQ (iihs.org)
• Determining Your Vehicle’s Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Insitute)