Car Insurance Quotes for a BMW 328i in Columbus

If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to find cheaper prices for BMW 328i insurance is to start doing a yearly price comparison from companies who provide auto insurance in Columbus.

1. Spend a few minutes and learn about how auto insurance works and the steps you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many risk factors that are responsible for high rates like speeding and poor credit history can be improved by paying attention to minor details. Read the full article for more details to help prevent costly coverage and find overlooked discounts.
2. Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices from multiple sources.
3. Compare the new quotes to your existing rates to see if a cheaper rate is available in Columbus. If you find a better price and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
4. Notify your agent or company to cancel your current coverage. Submit a completed application and payment for your new coverage. Once received, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.

One important bit of advice is to use identical coverages on each price quote and and to analyze as many different companies as possible. Doing this enables an accurate price comparison and maximum price selection.

Sad but true, a large majority of drivers kept buying from the same company for at least the last four years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never compared rates with other companies. With the average premium in Ohio being $1,340, drivers could cut their rates by as much as 55% a year just by shopping around, but they just assume it’s a time-consuming process to compare rates online.

Best companies for BMW 328i insurance

The companies shown below provide free quotes in Columbus, OH. If the list has multiple companies, it’s a good idea that you get rate quotes from several of them to find the most affordable car insurance rates.

BMW 328i insurance charts and tables

The rate information shown below highlights detailed analysis of insurance costs for BMW 328i models. Knowing how policy rates are figured can be useful when making informed coverage decisions.

Table data assumes married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can revise premium rates substantially.

Physical damage deductible comparison

When comparing car insurance rates, the most common question is how high or low should comp and collision deductibles be. The figures shown below outline the cost difference when you choose different physical damage deductibles. The first rate comparisons uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second data table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, and claim-free. Premium amounts do not factor in specific garaging location which can lower or raise premium rates considerably.

We can estimate from the data above that using a $250 deductible could cost the average driver approximately $22 more each month or $264 each year than choosing the higher $1,000 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $750 more out of your own pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average at least 34 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off if you choose a higher deductible.

Careless driving habits raise car insurance rates

The illustration below shows how violations and at-fault accidents impact BMW 328i car insurance rates for different age groups. The costs are based on a married male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Cost comparison with and without full coverage

The diagram below illustrates the difference between BMW 328i insurance rates with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The premium estimates are based on no accidents, no driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.

When to drop comprehensive and collision coverage

There isn’t a steadfast formula to exclude full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than about 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your BMW 328i claim settlement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company would pay you is $5,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If premiums are more than $500 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are a few cases where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to carry full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

Car insurance policy discounts you can’t miss

Some companies don’t always advertise every policy discount very clearly, so below is a list a few of the more common and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using when you buy Columbus auto insurance online.

• Paperless Signup – Some of the larger companies may give you up to $50 shop Columbus auto insurance over the internet.
• Government Employee Discount – Having worked for a branch of the government may qualify for a discount when you quote Columbus auto insurance with some car insurance companies.
• Discount for Multiple Policies – When you combine your auto and homeowners insurance and insure them with the same company they may give you a discount of at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
• Anti-theft System – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10% off your Columbus auto insurance quote.
• Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. You can use this discount normally up until you turn 25.
• Accident Free – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims get the best car insurance rates in comparison with frequent claim filers.
• Accident Waiver – This isn’t a discount exactly, but a few companies such as Progressive, Allstate, and Liberty Mutual will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
• Distant College Student Discount – Kids who are attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have anti-lock braking systems have fewer accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
• Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.

Don’t be shocked that most discount credits are not given to the whole policy. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will positively reduce the premium cost.

The information below illustrates the difference between BMW 328i car insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The rate quotes are based on a male driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, Ohio 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 safe-driver, marriage, homeowner, multi-car, claim-free, and multi-policy discounts applied.

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

• GEICO offers discounts including multi-vehicle, seat belt use, multi-policy, emergency military deployment, good student, and air bags.
• Travelers may offer discounts for multi-car, multi-policy, driver training, hybrid/electric vehicle, and good student.
• Farm Bureau discounts include renewal discount, 55 and retired, youthful driver, multi-policy, driver training, safe driver, and multi-vehicle.
• Liberty Mutual may have discounts that include preferred payment discount, good student, multi-policy, newly married, multi-car, exclusive group savings, and new vehicle discount.
• American Family has discounts for good student, mySafetyValet, Steer into Savings, TimeAway discount, air bags, accident-free, and bundled insurance.
• Progressive offers premium reductions for continuous coverage, homeowner, good student, online quote discount, multi-policy, and online signing.

Check with each company what discounts are available to you. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered in Columbus. To see a list of companies that offer discounts in Ohio, click here to view.

Lower Your Columbus Insurance Prices

Consumers need to have an understanding of a few of the rating criteria that help determine your premiums. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that can earn you lower premium levels.

• Fewer miles means better premiums – The more you drive your BMW in a year the more it will cost to insure it. Most companies apply a rate based on their usage. Vehicles that are left in the garage receive better premium rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. An improperly rated 328i may be costing you. It’s always a good idea to double check that your vehicle rating shows the proper vehicle usage.
• Do you really need the incidental coverages? – There are a ton of additional coverages that may not really be needed on your auto insurance policy. Coverages like rental car reimbursement, death and dismemberment, and extra equipment coverage may be wasting your money. The coverages may be enticing when buying your policy, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so consider taking them off your policy.
• More stress means more cost – Occupations like military generals, airline pilots, and dentists tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder because of intense work situations and long work days. On the other hand, careers like farmers, students and performers have lower than average premiums.
• Decrease premiums by maintaining coverage – Having a gap between insurance policy dates can be a guaranteed way to trigger a rate increase. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in fines or a revoked license.
• Consider raising physical damage deductibles – The deductibles state the amount of money you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. Protection for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, insures against damage to your car. Some coverage claims are a windshield broken by a bird, damage from fire, or theft of your vehicle. The more of the claim you have to pay, the less money you will pay for auto insurance.

• Teen drivers are expensive to insure – Older people are proven to be safer behind the wheel, statistically cause fewer accidents, and usually have better credit. Teenage drivers tend to be more careless when driving with friends and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.

  The next chart is based on a single driver, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

When to get professional advice

Always remember that when buying a policy, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different and your policy should reflect that.
These are some specific questions might help in determining whether you will benefit from professional help.

• If my BMW 328i is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
• Do I have coverage if I rent a car in Mexico?
• Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
• How do I insure my teen driver?
• Is coverage enough to protect my assets?
• Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Ohio?
• What does medical payments coverage do?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Car insurance agents near you

A small number of people prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases A nice benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find cheaper prices but still work with a licensed agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will give you quotes for your car insurance coverage. You won’t even need to search for any insurance agencies because prices are sent immediately to you. You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you wish to compare prices from a specific company, you would need to navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.

Finding the right provider requires you to look at more than just the bottom line cost. These are some valid questions you should ask.

• What company do they have the most business with?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
• If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
• Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
• Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?

Best auto insurance agent in Columbus

If you want to buy car insurance from a good Columbus insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different agency structures and how they can write your policy. Agencies in Columbus are classified as either exclusive or independent.

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

These agents have only one company to place business with like Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They generally cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are well schooled on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage.

Below is a short list of exclusive agents in Columbus willing to provide price quote information.

More insurance agents

Independent Car Insurance Agents

Agents of this type are not employed by one company so they can write business with lots of companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If they find a lower price, your policy is moved internally and you can keep the same agent. When comparing car insurance prices, you will definitely want to get several quotes from multiple independent agents in order to compare the most rates.

The following are Columbus independent insurance agents who can help you get rate quotes.

More insurance agents

If you get acceptable answers to these questions and cheaper 328i insurance quotes, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that can be trusted to insure your vehicles.

More effort can pay off

We covered a lot of tips how to save on BMW 328i insurance in Columbus. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the best car insurance rates are with an unexpected company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower premium rates than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or GEICO.

While you’re price shopping online, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where an insured dropped liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal is to get the best coverage possible at the best cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.

Additional auto insurance information is available at these links:

• Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Used Cars in Columbus? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Government Employees in Columbus? (FAQ)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Chevrolet Equinox in Columbus? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Columbus Car Insurance for a GMC Acadia? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Columbus Auto Insurance Quotes for College Graduates? (FAQ)
• How Much is Auto Insurance for High Risk Drivers in Columbus? (FAQ)
• Shopping for a Safe Car (Insurance Information Institute)
• Rollover Crash FAQ (iihs.org)
• Determining Your Vehicle’s Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Institute)