Save Money on BMW 328i Insurance in El Paso

Has it been a year or more since you last compared quotes for the cheapest insurance rates in El Paso, TX? El Paso consumers have a choice when looking for affordable BMW 328i insurance. You can either spend your time contacting agents trying to get quotes or use the internet to get rate quotes.

There is a right way and a wrong way to shop for insurance so you're going to learn the quickest way to quote coverages for a BMW and find the lowest possible price.

This information will teach you a little about the best way to quote coverages and also pocket some savings If you have a current auto insurance policy, you should be able to find better prices using the techniques covered below. Shoppers just need to know how to shop from many different companies.

Get cheaper BMW 328i insurance rates in El Paso

Not too many consumers would say insurance is affordable, but you may be missing some discounts that can help lower your rates. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at quote time, but less common discounts must be specially asked for before you will receive the discount.

• Multi-policy Discount - When you combine your auto and home insurance and insure them both with the same insurance company they may give you a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
• Payment Discounts - By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
• Multi-Vehicle Discounts - Drivers who insure multiple vehicles on one policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
• New Car Discount - Insuring a new 328i can save you some money due to better safety requirements for newer models.
• No Charge for an Accident - Not really a discount, but companies like GEICO, State Farm, and Progressive will forgive one accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
• Drive Safe and Save - Insureds who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates compared to accident prone drivers.
• Claim Free - Insureds who avoid accidents and claims pay less as opposed to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.

As a sidenote, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn't quite work that way. Any amount of discount will lower the cost of your policy.

The illustration below shows the comparison of BMW 328i car insurance rates with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The prices are based on a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, Texas state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, multi-car, and marriage discounts applied.

A few of the larger companies and some of the discounts can be found below.

• State Farm offers premium reductions for defensive driving training, driver's education, multiple policy, anti-theft, safe vehicle, Drive Safe & Save, and good driver.
• GEICO may include discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, emergency military deployment, five-year accident-free, defensive driver, and air bags.
• Progressive offers discounts including homeowner, good student, online signing, online quote discount, and continuous coverage.
• 21st Century may offer discounts for driver training, student driver, 55 and older, homeowners, teen driver, automatic seat belts, and air bags.
• American Family may have discounts that include air bags, Steer into Savings, TimeAway discount, accident-free, good student, and defensive driver.
• The Hartford offers discounts for driver training, vehicle fuel type, good student, bundle, defensive driver, air bag, and anti-theft.
• AAA discounts include AAA membership discount, multi-car, education and occupation, pay-in-full, and multi-policy.

If you need affordable El Paso car insurance quotes, ask every prospective company the best way to save money. All car insurance discounts might not be available to policyholders in every state.

Getting a cheaper price on insurance doesn't have to be difficult. The only thing you need to do is take time to compare rates to find out which insurance company has inexpensive El Paso car insurance quotes.

The companies shown below are our best choices to provide comparison quotes in Texas. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.

Rate information and statistics

The coverage information displayed below outlines detailed analysis of insurance coverage prices for BMW 328i models. Having a better understanding of how prices are calculated can help customers make informed purchases.

Table data represents single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Prices do not factor in specific garaging location which can alter coverage rates noticeably.

An analysis of deductible level

The hardest decision when buying coverage is how high should your deductibles be. The rates below highlight how much more rates are when you choose different policy deductibles. The first pricing table uses a $250 physical damage deductible and the second rate chart uses a $500 deductible.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and homeowner. Table data does not factor in El Paso location which can change prices greatly.

Based on the above data, using a $250 deductible will cost you about $18 more each month or $216 each year averaged for all 328i models than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Since you would have to pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you usually have at a minimum 14 months between claim filings, you would come out ahead if you opt for a higher deductible. The table below shows an example of how we made this calculation.

One important caveat is that raising deductibles means you pay more out-of-pocket when you have to file a claim. That will necessitate enough extra savings in order to pay more to get your vehicle repaired.

The example below shows how choosing a deductible and can change BMW 328i insurance costs for each age group. The prices are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Does full coverage make sense?

The information below illustrates the difference between BMW 328i insurance rates with and without full coverage. Data assumes no violations or claims, $250 deductibles, single status, and no policy discounts are applied.

Are you wasting money on full coverage?

There is no definitive formula of when to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of full coverage is about 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

For example, let's say your BMW 328i settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company would pay you is $2,000 after paying your deductible. If premiums are more than $200 annually for your policy with full coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

There are some cases where buying only liability insurance is not in your best interest. If you haven't satisfied your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you can't afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not eliminate full coverage.

Do I need special coverages?

When selecting the best auto insurance coverage, there really isn't a "perfect" insurance plan. Your financial needs are unique.

These are some specific questions might point out if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• Is my BMW 328i covered for smoke damage?
• Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
• Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
• Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
• Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
• Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
• Which is better, split liability limits or combined limits?
• Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
• How much liability insurance is required?

If you're not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.

Local agents and car insurance

Certain consumers still like to sit down and talk to an agent and that is OK! Licensed agents can answer important questions and help in the event of a claim. A nice benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find better rates and still have an agent to talk to. Putting coverage with local agencies is especially important in El Paso.

After filling out this short form, your information is immediately sent to agents in your area who want to provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won't have to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered to you. If you need to get a rate quote from a specific car insurance provider, you would need to go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.

Shown below is a short list of car insurance companies in El Paso who can help you get comparison quotes for BMW 328i insurance in El Paso.

• Pan American Insurance
  7399 Alameda Ave - El Paso, TX 79915 - (915) 772-9000 - View Map
• Flor and Associates Insurance Agency
  1005 E Yandell Dr - El Paso, TX 79902 - (915) 996-9799 - View Map
• Red Rock Insurance
  7500 N Mesa St # 202 - El Paso, TX 79912 - (915) 845-7777 - View Map
• Tony Ramos Insurance
  7230 Gateway Blvd E H - El Paso, TX 79915 - (915) 599-1678 - View Map

More insurance agents

Selecting an insurance company should include more criteria than just a low price. The following questions are important to ask.

• Is the agent properly licensed in Texas?
• Which family members are covered?
• Does the company have a solid financial rating?
• Is the agency active in community causes in El Paso?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?

Learn about auto insurance coverages for a BMW 328i

Understanding the coverages of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Auto collision coverage

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with an object or car. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against claims like sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a ditch, backing into a parked car, hitting a parking meter and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to raise the deductible on your 328i to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive insurance

This coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as hail damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from getting keyed and vandalism. The highest amount you'll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle's value it's probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Coverage for liability

Liability coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property. This coverage protects you against claims from other people, and doesn't cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 30/60/25 that translate to $30,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for claims such as structural damage, emergency aid, loss of income, legal defense fees and pain and suffering. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it's cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Texas requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/25 but it's recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.

The next chart shows why minimum state limits may not be high enough to cover claims.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills such as X-ray expenses, hospital visits, nursing services, funeral costs and dental work. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This provides protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your BMW 328i.

Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (30/60/25 in Texas), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That's why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liability limits.

Cover all your bases

In this article, we presented many ways to lower your BMW 328i insurance premium rates in El Paso. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your chances of lowering your prices. You may even discover the lowest priced insurance comes from a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising.

Cost effective BMW 328i insurance can be purchased online and with local El Paso insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies don't offer rates over the internet and most of the time these smaller providers provide coverage only through independent agencies.

As you quote El Paso car insurance, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.

Steps to buying cheaper BMW 328i insurance in El Paso

Really, the only way to find cheaper quotes for BMW 328i insurance is to compare prices at least once a year from providers who sell insurance in El Paso.

1. Learn about how auto insurance works and the modifications you can make to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that increase rates like inattentive driving and a bad credit rating can be controlled by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
2. Compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide prices from multiple insurance companies.
3. Compare the new quotes to your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
4. Tell your current company of your intent to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a signed application to the new company. Immediately upon receiving it, place your new proof of insurance certificate with your registration paperwork.

One piece of advice is that you use similar limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get rate quotes from every insurance company. This enables a level playing field and maximum price selection.

Even more information can be read by following these links:

• A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
• Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)
• Child Safety FAQ (iihs.org)
• Prepare your Teens for Safe Driving (InsureUonline.org)
• How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)