It’s an obvious statement that insurance companies want to keep you from comparing prices. People who compare rates at least once a year are very likely to move their business because there is a significant possibility of finding a policy with better rates. A recent car insurance study discovered that drivers who regularly compared price quotes saved approximately $70 a month compared to people who didn’t regularly shop around.
If finding the lowest price for BMW 328i insurance is your objective, then learning about how to get free comparison quotes and analyze insurance coverage can save money and time.
If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to find cheaper quotes for BMW 328i insurance is to regularly compare price quotes from insurance carriers in Durham.
Step 1: Learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the measures you can take to keep rates in check. Many factors that cause high rates such as at-fault accidents, careless driving, and a lousy credit rating can be rectified by being financially responsible and driving safely. Keep reading for more details to get better rates and find additional discounts you may qualify for.
Step 2: Obtain price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for a wide range of companies. View a list of agents
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Step 4: Provide notification to your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to your new company or agent. Make sure you keep the new proof of insurance paperwork in an accessible location in your vehicle.
A good piece of advice is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical deductibles and limits on each quote request and and to get price estimates from as many car insurance companies as possible. This provides an accurate price comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
Most of the larger companies like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO provide insurance quotes online. Getting BMW 328i insurance prices online is quite simple because it’s just a matter of typing in your personal and coverage information as requested by the quote form. After the form is submitted, the company’s rating system will order credit information and your driving record and provides a quote based on many factors.
This streamlines rate comparisons, and it is imperative to compare as many rates as possible if you want to get the lowest payment possible.
In order to compare rates now, take a look at the companies shown below. To compare your current rates, we recommend you copy the coverage information as close as possible to your current policy. This makes sure you will have comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.
The providers in the list below offer free rate quotes in Durham, NC. To get cheap auto insurance in Durham, NC, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Car insurance protects more than just your car
Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in Durham, maintaining insurance is required by state law in North Carolina and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
- Almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific minimum amount of liability insurance if you drive a vehicle. In North Carolina these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your BMW has a lienholder, more than likely the lender will make it mandatory that you have insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you let the policy lapse, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your BMW at a more expensive rate and require you to reimburse them for the expensive policy.
- Insurance protects your car and your assets. It will also pay for medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also covers legal expenses if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of having car insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially with large liability claims. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is overpaying over $850 per year so compare quotes from several companies each time the policy renews to save money.
BMW 328i coverage analysis
The coverage information below showcases detailed analysis of insurance prices for BMW 328i models. Having a better understanding of how insurance policy premiums are formulated can help drivers make smart choices when buying a car insurance policy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
328I 4-Dr Sedan | $220 | $420 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $988 | $82 |
328I 4-Dr Sedan | $220 | $420 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $988 | $82 |
328I Station Wagon | $246 | $482 | $218 | $12 | $66 | $1,024 | $85 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $246 | $482 | $218 | $12 | $66 | $1,024 | $85 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $246 | $482 | $218 | $12 | $66 | $1,024 | $85 |
328I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $246 | $482 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $1,076 | $90 |
328I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $246 | $482 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $1,076 | $90 |
328I 2-Dr Convertible | $246 | $482 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $1,076 | $90 |
328I 2-Dr Convertible | $246 | $482 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $1,076 | $90 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $246 | $482 | $218 | $12 | $66 | $1,024 | $85 |
328I xDrive 2-Dr Coupe | $246 | $482 | $218 | $12 | $66 | $1,024 | $85 |
328I xDrive Station Wagon | $246 | $482 | $218 | $12 | $66 | $1,024 | $85 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data based on married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in specific garaging location which can change premiums significantly.
Raise deductibles and save
When shopping for car insurance, a common question is which deductible level should you buy. The comparison tables below show the cost difference of buying low and high coverage deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 deductible for comp and collision and the second set of rates uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
328I 4-Dr Sedan | $218 | $382 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $963 | $80 |
328I 4-Dr Sedan | $218 | $382 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $963 | $80 |
328I Station Wagon | $242 | $440 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $995 | $83 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $242 | $440 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $995 | $83 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $242 | $440 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $995 | $83 |
328I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $242 | $440 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $1,045 | $87 |
328I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $242 | $440 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $1,045 | $87 |
328I 2-Dr Convertible | $242 | $440 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $1,045 | $87 |
328I 2-Dr Convertible | $242 | $440 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $1,045 | $87 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $242 | $440 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $995 | $83 |
328I xDrive 2-Dr Coupe | $242 | $440 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $995 | $83 |
328I xDrive Station Wagon | $242 | $440 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $995 | $83 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
328I 4-Dr Sedan | $134 | $240 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $712 | $59 |
328I 4-Dr Sedan | $134 | $240 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $712 | $59 |
328I Station Wagon | $150 | $276 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $714 | $60 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $150 | $276 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $714 | $60 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $150 | $276 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $714 | $60 |
328I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $150 | $276 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $764 | $64 |
328I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $150 | $276 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $764 | $64 |
328I 2-Dr Convertible | $150 | $276 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $764 | $64 |
328I 2-Dr Convertible | $150 | $276 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $764 | $64 |
328I 2-Dr Coupe | $150 | $276 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $714 | $60 |
328I xDrive 2-Dr Coupe | $150 | $276 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $714 | $60 |
328I xDrive Station Wagon | $150 | $276 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $714 | $60 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data rating is based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, and homeowner. Rate information does not factor in your specific Durham location which can revise premiums considerably.
Based on the above data, using a $250 deductible costs about $23 more each month or $276 annually averaged for all 328i models than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average more than 33 months between claims, you would save more money if you choose the higher deductible.
Calculation for raising deductibles
Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $84 |
Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $61 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $23 |
Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $250): | $750 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $750 / $23 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 33 months |
Full coverage rates compared to liability-only
The diagram below shows the difference between BMW 328i auto insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The premiums assume no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no other discounts are factored in.
When to drop full coverage
There is no exact formula to exclude full coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your BMW 328i book value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $7,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are currently paying more than $700 annually to have full coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
There are some circumstances where only buying liability is not financially feasible. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not drop full coverage.
Auto insurance quotes and discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but there may be some discounts that may help make it more affordable. Some discounts will apply at the time of purchase, but a few must be asked about before being credited.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Cars that have air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
- Life Insurance – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a discount if you purchase some life insurance too.
- Drivers Education – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll and complete driver’s education in school or through a local driver safety program.
- Senior Citizen Discount – Older drivers may receive reduced rates.
- Sign Online – Certain auto insurance companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application on your computer.
- Defensive Driver – Taking time to complete a course that instructs on driving safety may get you a small discount if you qualify.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
- Home Ownership Discount – Just owning your own home can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof of financial responsibility.
It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it’s just not the way it works.
The diagram below shows the difference between BMW 328i car insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. Data assumes a female driver, no claims or driving citations, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-policy, marriage, homeowner, multi-car, and safe-driver discounts applied.
Car insurance companies that may include some of the above discounts include:
If you want inexpensive Durham auto insurance quotes, ask all the companies to give you their best rates. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered on policies in Durham. For a list of auto insurance companies that offer discounts in North Carolina, follow this link.