Using the web to shop for San Diego auto insurance quotes online can be difficult if you’re new to online quoting. But don’t be confused because comparing quotes is actually very simple.
Statistics show that most consumers in California renewed their policy with the same company for over three years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never quoted rates to find cheap coverage. With the average premium in the United States being $1,847, drivers could save nearly $859 every year just by comparing rates, but they just assume it’s a time-consuming process to shop around.
You need to do price comparisons on a regular basis because auto insurance rates tend to go up over time. Even if you think you had the best deal on BMW 535i insurance in San Diego on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better prices now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the things you must know in order to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.
If you have insurance now, you will be able to shop for the lowest rates using the concepts you’re about to learn. Buying more affordable coverage in San Diego is not as hard as you may think. Nevertheless, California drivers must understand the way companies determine what you pay.
Low-cost BMW insurance rates in San Diego
The companies shown below offer price comparisons in California. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you get rates from several of them to find the most competitive auto insurance rates.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 535I 4-Dr Sedan | $412 | $896 | $424 | $26 | $126 | $1,884 | $157 |
| 535I xDrive Station Wagon | $330 | $734 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,744 | $145 |
| 535I GT 4-Dr Sedan | $330 | $698 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,708 | $142 |
| 535I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $506 | $1016 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $2,248 | $187 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data represents single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in specific zip code location which can impact premium rates greatly.
BMW 535i annual premiums for males versus females
The illustration below illustrates the difference between BMW 535i annual premium costs for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on no claims or driving violations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Physical damage deductible comparison
A question often asked by San Diego drivers is how high should your deductibles be. The following tables lay out the differences in price when you buy lower versus higher physical damage coverage deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $250 deductible and the second rate chart uses a $500 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 535I 4-Dr Sedan | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
| 535I xDrive Station Wagon | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
| 535I GT 4-Dr Sedan | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
| 535I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $518 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $2,025 | $169 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 535I 4-Dr Sedan | $384 | $712 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,696 | $141 |
| 535I xDrive Station Wagon | $384 | $712 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,696 | $141 |
| 535I GT 4-Dr Sedan | $384 | $712 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,696 | $141 |
| 535I xDrive 4-Dr Sedan | $420 | $712 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,732 | $144 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in San Diego location which can modify prices substantially.
Based on this data, using a $250 deductible costs approximately $24 more each month or $288 for a full year than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $250 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have more than 10 months between claims, you would most likely save money if you choose the higher deductible.
Seven Things That Impact Your Insurance Prices
The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at the rating factors that come into play when calculating the level of your policy premiums. When consumers understand what controls the rates you pay, this enables informed choices that could help you find better car insurance rates.
The following are just a few of the factors companies use to determine your premiums.
Safer vehicles means better premiums – Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. Highly rated vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Bundle and save – Lots of companies will give lower prices to clients that purchase more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. If you currently are using one company, it’s in your best interest to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
Premiums can be impacted by your occupation – Careers such as doctors, executives and dentists usually pay the highest average rates attributed to high stress and long work hours. Other jobs like professors, athletes and retirees generally pay rates lower than average.
Performance impacts prices – The type of car or truck you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Since the BMW 535i falls in the luxury sedan class, insuring your vehicle will cost more compared to average rates in San Diego. Low performance passenger cars normally have pretty low rates, but your final cost has many other factors.
Keep the miles off and save – The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you will pay for car insurance. The majority of insurers calculate rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting can be on a lower rate level than those used for commuting. Make sure your car insurance policy shows annual mileage, because improper ratings can cost you money. Improper usage on your 535i is just wasting money.
Deter theft and lower prices – Purchasing a vehicle that has a built-in theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention devices such as OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms all help stop auto theft.
Poor driving leads to higher costs – Having a single citation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance as compared to careless drivers. Drivers who have multiple violations like reckless driving or DUI may need to complete a SR-22 with their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
San Diego auto insurance discounts
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there could be available discounts to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before they will apply.
- San Diego Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home can save you money since home ownership shows financial diligence.
- Good Student – A discount for being a good student may save you up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount up until you turn 25.
- Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle up before driving can save a little on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Distant College Student Discount – Youth drivers who are enrolled in higher education away from home and won’t have access to an insured vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
- Mature Driver Discount – Seniors can possibly qualify for lower premium rates.
- Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less because new model year vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with some auto insurance companies.
- Club Memberships – Having an affiliation with a qualifying organization is a simple method to lower premiums when getting a San Diego auto insurance quote.
- Claim Free – Claim-free drivers are rewarded with significantly better rates on San Diego auto insurance quote as opposed to accident-prone drivers.
It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, companies don’t profit that way.
Large auto insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer can be read below.
- Farmers Insurance offers discounts including youthful driver, switch companies, bundle discounts, distant student, and business and professional.
- Esurance may include discounts for paid-in-full, homeowner, anti-lock brakes, renters, and multi-car.
- State Farm discounts include Drive Safe & Save, multiple autos, multiple policy, driver’s education, and accident-free.
- GEICO may have discounts that include multi-vehicle, driver training, federal employee, air bags, defensive driver, multi-policy, and daytime running lights.
- Allstate offers premium reductions for economy car, FullPay discount, good student, premier plus, multi-policy, and anti-lock brakes.
Double check with all the companies how you can save money. Some credits might not be offered in every state.
Shop online but buy locally
Some people still like to talk to a local agent and that is a personal choice. One of the benefits of getting online price quotes is that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is emailed to local insurance agents in San Diego that can give you free San Diego auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. You can most likely find cheaper rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a particular provider, you would need to navigate to their website and fill out their quote form.
Picking an company should include more criteria than just a low price. A good agent in San Diego will have answers to these questions.
- Is there a local claims center in San Diego?
- Will they take your side in the event of a claim?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage in San Diego?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
- Can you contact them at any time?
If you want a local San Diego insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies from which to choose. Insurance agents are classified as either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive insurance agents generally can only insure with one company and examples are American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. These agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agencies are trained well on their company’s products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. Some people will only buy from the same agent for years partially due to the brand name rather than low price.
Listed below are exclusive agents in San Diego who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Steve Elder – State Farm Insurance Agent
9225 Mira Mesa Blvd #208d – San Diego, CA 92126 – (858) 271-8928 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: PGC Insurance Agency
6919 Paradise Valley Rd, # A9 – San Diego, CA 92139 – (619) 773-2300 – View Map - Duane Werner – State Farm Insurance Agent
6663 El Cajon Blvd j – San Diego, CA 92115 – (619) 668-5414 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents in the independent channel often have many company appointments so they can insure your vehicles through many different insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If prices rise, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, we highly recommend that you include price quotes from a couple of independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison. A lot of them also have access to less well-known companies that many times have cheaper rates.
Shown below are independent insurance agencies in San Diego that are able to give price quote information.
- Kostyo Insurance Agency
4456 Vandever Ave #10 – San Diego, CA 92120 – (619) 325-3600 – View Map - Alcott Insurance
3945 Idaho St – San Diego, CA 92104 – (619) 293-3800 – View Map - Nickie Heath Insurance Agency
16855 W Bernardo Dr # 230 – San Diego, CA 92127 – (858) 487-3737 – View Map
Brand name doesn’t guarantee savings
Respected companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm endlessly run television, radio, and online ads. All the ads make the same claim about savings after switching your coverage to them. It sounds good, but how can they all charge you less for car insurance? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies have specific criteria for the right customer that will be a good risk. For instance, this type of risk profile should be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and drives a vehicle with a low ISO rating. Any customer that meets those criteria will most likely get cheap premium rates and as a result will probably save if they switch.
Drivers who do not meet the ideal profile will have to pay higher premiums which leads to business not being written. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much when switching. That’s why insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This illustrates why drivers must get as many free San Diego auto insurance quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will fit you best based on your risk profile.
There’s no such thing as the perfect car insurance policy
When quoting and choosing coverage online or from an agent, there really is no one size fits all plan. Your needs are unique to you so this has to be addressed.
These are some specific questions might point out if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- Can I insure my car for more than it’s worth?
- Does coverage follow the driver or the vehicle?
- Can my teen drive my company car?
- Am I covered if I hit someone who is not insured?
- Is coverage enough to protect my assets?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
How much can you save?
We covered a lot of information how to save on BMW 535i insurance in San Diego. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get auto insurance rates for, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the best rates are with a lesser-known regional company. Some small companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.
Some companies don’t offer online rate quotes and these smaller providers prefer to sell through local independent agents. Low-cost BMW 535i insurance in San Diego is available both online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis.
Additional information can be found on the following sites:
- Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for a Company Car in San Diego? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 70 in San Diego? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for a Jeep Grand Cherokee in San Diego? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
- Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)
- Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)