If saving the most money is your goal, then the best way to get budget BMW X3 insurance in San Francisco is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from different companies who provide auto insurance in California.
- Step 1: Get an understanding of individual coverages and the measures you can control to keep rates low. Many risk factors that cause high rates like speeding tickets, careless driving and an imperfect credit score can be rectified by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to your current policy premium to see if cheaper X3 coverage is available in San Francisco. If you can save money, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Step 4: Provide adequate notice to your current company of your intention to cancel your existing policy. Submit the required down payment along with the signed application to the newly selected company. Once received, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance with the vehicle registration.
A good piece of advice is that you use the same coverage limits and deductibles on each quote request and to quote with as many auto insurance providers as possible. This helps ensure a level playing field and the best price quote selection.
Unbelievable but true, the vast majority of consumers kept their policy with the same company for well over three years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never compared car insurance rates at all. California drivers can save hundreds of dollars each year just by getting comparison quotes, but most undervalue the amount of savings they would get if they bought a different policy.
There are several ways of comparing rates from many different California insurance companies. The recommended way to lower the rate you pay for insurance is to perform an online rate comparison.
When comparison shopping, quoting more helps increase your odds of locating better pricing. Some smaller insurers do not give online rate quotes, so it’s important to compare price estimates from them as well.
The providers in the list below offer price comparisons in California. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.
BMW X3 insurance statistics and information
The premium table below covers detailed analysis of rate quotes for BMW X3 models. Knowing how rate quotes are calculated can help you make decisions on the best policy to buy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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X3 3.0I xDrive AWD 4-Dr | $412 | $960 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $2,052 | $171 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Premium data assumes single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in garaging location in San Francisco which can modify rates substantially.
Higher deductibles lower rates
When buying car insurance, a common question is at what level do you set your deductibles. The comparison tables below lay out how much more rates are when you buy lower versus higher physical damage coverage deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second data table uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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X3 3.0I xDrive AWD 4-Dr | $430 | $780 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,835 | $153 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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X3 3.0I xDrive AWD 4-Dr | $266 | $490 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,356 | $113 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate quotes do not factor in specific San Francisco garaging location which can decrease or increase auto insurance rates noticeably.
We can estimate from the data above that using a $250 deductible would cost the average driver about $40 more each month or $480 annually across all BMW X3 models than buying the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would pay $750 more out of your own pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average more than 19 months between claims, you would more than likely save some money if you opt for a higher deductible. The table below shows the way you can decide this on your own policy.
Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $153 |
Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $113 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $40 |
Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $250): | $750 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $750 / $40 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 19 months |
An important thing to remember is that increasing deductibles to save money results in having to pay to pay more out-of-pocket if you have a claim. You must have enough money stashed away in the event you have to pay the higher deductible.
Car insurance rates based on gender
The example below visualizes the comparison of BMW X3 annual premium costs for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no claims or driving citations, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, single status, and no other discounts are factored in.
Full coverage versus liability-only in San Francisco
The chart below illustrates the comparison of BMW X3 insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The premiums are based on no accidents, no driving violations, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied.
Guidelines for eliminating full coverage
There isn’t a written rule to stop buying comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of coverage is more than about 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s say your BMW X3 book value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $6,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying over $600 a year to have full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are a few cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not recommended. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should maintain full coverage.
Car insurance is not optional
Even though it can be expensive, maintaining insurance is mandatory in California but it also protects more than you think.
First, most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability protection in order to license the vehicle. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if you bought your BMW X3 with a loan, most lenders will make it a condition of the loan that you buy insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender may insure your BMW for a lot more money and make you pay for the expensive policy.
Third, insurance safeguards both your BMW X3 and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for most medical and hospital costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you have damage to your BMW as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of having car insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially for larger claims. On average, a vehicle owner in San Francisco is currently overpaying as much as $810 a year so you should quote and compare rates once a year at a minimum to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Educated Choices Result in Lower Insurance Prices
Many factors are used when pricing auto insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious like an MVR report, although others are not quite as obvious like your vehicle usage and annual miles driven.
The itemized list below are some of the factors used by companies to determine your prices.
- Having a spouse can lower prices – Walking down the aisle may cut your premiums on your policy. Having a spouse may mean you are more mature than a single person and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Theft deterrents lower prices – Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder car theft and help bring rates down.
- Certain jobs pay higher rates – Do you work in a high-stress field? Careers like lawyers, airline pilots, and financial analysts tend to have the highest average rates due to intense work situations and lengthy work days. Conversely, occupations like actors, athletes and homemakers pay the least.
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Driving citations can be expensive – Just one speeding ticket can increase rates twenty percent or more. Attentive drivers receive lower rates compared to bad drivers. Drivers who get dangerous violations like DUI or reckless driving might be required by their state to submit a SR-22 form with their state in order to legally drive a vehicle.
The example below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault claims increase BMW X3 annual premium costs for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a married female driver, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
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BMW X3 insurance claim data – Insurers factor in historical loss data when they calculate premium rates for each model. Vehicles that the data shows to have a higher amount or frequency of claims will have higher premium rates. The next table illustrates the loss history for BMW X3 vehicles.
For each coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, as an average, is represented as 100. Numbers that are below 100 indicate better than average losses, while values that are 100 or greater indicate higher probability of having a loss or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
BMW X3 Insurance Claim Statistics Specific BMW Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury BMW X3 4dr 2WD 122 99 BMW X3 4dr 4WD 109 93 117 69 64 76 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Your situation helps dictate your coverage
When buying coverage for your vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. You are unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply.
For example, these questions could help you determine if your situation might need professional guidance.
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
- Am I covered if I hit my neighbor’s mailbox?
- Can I rent a car in Mexico?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- Is coverage enough to protect my assets?
- Are my company tools covered if they get stolen?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to 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.
Persistence is the key to cheap rates
When shopping online for car insurance, do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at the best possible price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
You just read a lot of information how to find affordable BMW X3 insurance in San Francisco. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest prices come from some of the smallest insurance companies. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.
Additional detailed information is located in these articles:
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much is San Francisco Auto Insurance for 16 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Good Credit in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for 17 Year Olds in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Auto Insurance Rates for Low Mileage Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance After a Speeding Ticket in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Accidents in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Immigrants in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Car Insurance for Teen Drivers with Divorced Parents (Allstate)
- Teen Driving Statistics (GEICO)
- Safety Features for Your New Car (State Farm)
- Auto Insurance Facts and Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)