Short Guide to Buying Coverage Online for a BMW 128i

Tired of scraping the payment together each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than most other car owners.

With consumers having so many choices of insurance companies, it can be impossible to choose the right car insurance company.

It’s a great practice to price shop coverage every six months because prices change frequently. Even if you think you had the lowest price on 128i insurance a few years ago other companies may now be cheaper. You can find a lot of wrong information about car insurance online but with this article, you’re going to get some tested techniques to put money back in your pocket.

Buying car insurance is not rocket science. Just about every vehicle owner who shops for car insurance most likely will be able to find lower rates. But consumers can benefit by having an understanding of the way companies market insurance on the web.

Finding Car Insurance Deals

When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways to compare rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. One of the best ways to compare insurance prices consists of shopping online. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

The most efficient way to get quotes is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating multiple quote forms for each company you want a rate for. One form submission gets you coverage quotes instantly.

A harder way to find lower rates requires a visit to each individual company website to request a price quote. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want rates from Farmers, GEICO and Liberty Mutual. You would have to visit each site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.

For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.

The hardest way to get comparison rates is driving around to and from local insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the personal advice only provided by licensed agents. You can, however, get prices online and get advice from an agent in your area and you’ll learn how to do that later.

It’s up to you which method you use, but make sure you use apples-to-apples coverages and limits with each company. If the quotes have differing limits you will not be able to make an equal comparison. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. It’s important to know that comparing more company’s prices will enable you to find lower pricing.

Don’t I need to talk to an agent?

A small number of people would rather sit down with an agent and that is OK! One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain the best rates but also keep your business local.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your information is emailed to local insurance agents who will compete for your business. You never need to drive around since price quotes are sent to your email. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

Selecting an insurer shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:

• Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
• Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
• How long has their agency been in business?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
• How are claims handled?
• Will your rates increase after a single accident?
• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?

Best insurance agency

If you’re trying to find a local agent, there are a couple of types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies are categorized either captive or independent.

Captive Agents

Captive agents work for only one company like American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.

Independent Insurance Agents

These agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to include multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.

To view a complete directory of insurance agents, visit this page.

Once you have satisfactory answers for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.