BMW Car Insurance - Best Companies?

eddiem74

Was orignally with AXA until a ridiculous quote came in 2007, with a 320i Saloon. Then switched to RSA via AA over the last 2 years, and now have a 2008 320i M Sport Coupe with insurance up for renewal in the next few weeks.

Just wondering if you have any recommended companies for good quotes or tips on how to improve the quote?

* AA are telling RSA is still the best quote now at €582 (was €650 before calling)
* I called (cos their website didn't work?) Zurich (BMW Insurance) and got a quote of €550 only with stepback, unlimited NCD was €595.

Other online quotes ranged from the €550's to €800's with only NCD stepback cover on a lot them.

Any thought's / suggestions welcome. Thanks !

Eoin

The only way to do it is to:

Get out phone book
Ring every company and broker in it

eddiem74

eoin wrote: »

The only way to do it is to:

Get out phone book
Ring every company and broker in it

Understood, however I asked as I was hoping some of the many experts & BMW owners in this forum might have some recommendations, or even provide validation that what I am being offered is pretty much on the mark.

Mr Benevolent

Make sure you ask them about being insured for the BMW lane on the motorways as well

Seriously though, they're BMWs, not Ferraris. They won't be treated any different than any other 2-3L car unless it's an M3/5/6

Twin-go

You could try One Direct:

I was getting quotes from anywhere between €550 and €900 on my 318ti M Sport.

One direct came in at €440 with similar benifits (breakdown, stepback etc).
Plus as a bonus you get €50 worth od Prize Bonds. and I won €250 last weekend on them. Nice:D

robtri

Confab wrote: »

Seriously though, they're BMWs, not Ferraris. They won't be treated any different than any other 2-3L car unless it's an M3/5/6

+1

its a normal car you are driving, nothing special about it for insurance reasons.... same as a mondeo or vectra

Eoin

eddiem74 wrote: »

Understood, however I asked as I was hoping some of the many experts & BMW owners in this forum might have some recommendations, or even provide validation that what I am being offered is pretty much on the mark.

There are just too many variables though.

Anan1

eddiem74 wrote: »

Understood, however I asked as I was hoping some of the many experts & BMW owners in this forum might have some recommendations, or even provide validation that what I am being offered is pretty much on the mark.

That's not how it works. Insurance is mainly about the driver, not the car. Get out the Golden Pages and ring around for the best quote.

eddiem74

Twin-go wrote: »

You could try One Direct:

I was getting quotes from anywhere between €550 and €900 on my 318ti M Sport.

One direct came in at €440 with similar benifits (breakdown, stepback etc).
Plus as a bonus you get €50 worth od Prize Bonds. and I won €250 last weekend on them. Nice:D

Just gave them a call, €670, and after pushing €600 was the lowest.

eoin wrote: »

There are just too many variables though.

Anan1 wrote: »

That's not how it works. Insurance is mainly about the driver, not the car. Get out the Golden Pages and ring around for the best quote.

Ok thanks, on to the phones it is, see if I can improve on any of those online quotes.

zielarz

try
http://www.brittoninsurance.com/
they were cheapest for me, 700 euro for 318, 1 year no claims

DaveD

123.ie were cheapest for me.

unkel

Anan1 wrote: »

Insurance is mainly about the driver, not the car.

You know this (you and I both are always banging on about ringing everyone in the phone book), but it can be alot about the car too. I got a much cheaper quote for a 3.5l 7-series compared to a 2.5l 5-series. Both were same year, mileage and value but the former was much faster and more powerful than the latter...

eddiem74

unkel wrote: »

You know this (you and I both are always banging on about ringing everyone in the phone book), but it can be alot about the car too. I got a much cheaper quote for a 3.5l 7-series compared to a 2.5l 5-series. Both were same year, mileage and value but the former was much faster and more powerful than the latter...

Well I do know when I changed from a saloon to the coupe, my insurance premium went up, and the vague reason was because of the type of car.

Gumbo

DaveD wrote: »

123.ie were cheapest for me.

im with RSA through 123.ie too on my 2005 320d, paying €570 fully comp with all the benefits.

MarkN

Some of you posting your own prices need to do a bit of shopping around yourself, my 4.0 BMW is €900 with First Ireland and I'm 27. 600 for a 320 seems expensive in comparison.

01 882 0800

Eoin

unkel wrote: »

You know this (you and I both are always banging on about ringing everyone in the phone book), but it can be alot about the car too. I got a much cheaper quote for a 3.5l 7-series compared to a 2.5l 5-series. Both were same year, mileage and value but the former was much faster and more powerful than the latter...

This is true. My broker wouldn't quote me on a 330d, but had no problem with a 530d or 530i.

Either way there are just too many variables to ask what insurance company is the best.

EPM

McCarthy Insurance 025-31199 saved me €300. They gave me a hibernain policy for half the price hibernian wanted for the same one...

Mac 3

A few years ago I found a broker called Jardine Lloyd Thomson very competitive for insurance for my 320i. I went with them and stayed with them for 5 years.

www.jlt.ie

01-2026000

Johnny Utah

Confab wrote: »

Make sure you ask them about being insured for the BMW lane on the motorways as well

Seriously though, they're BMWs, not Ferraris. They won't be treated any different than any other 2-3L car unless it's an M3/5/6

robtri wrote: »

+1

its a normal car you are driving, nothing special about it for insurance reasons.... same as a mondeo or vectra

Insurance companies are gangsters.


I had to call into the local AXA office recently on some other business, but I asked the girl would she be able reduce the car insurance when it's up for renewal, next year. I'm currently paying around €700 on a 2004 320 coupe, and I have a full NCB. She typed my details into the computer, had a look at my policy, and then said that they probably wouldn't be able to reduce it much, as I'm driving a "high performance car".

"High performance?", says I, "sure it's only a 2 litre diesel- it's hardly high performance".

"Well, your car is classed in group 6, and most cars would be group 3 or less"....... :rolleyes:

eddiem74

Well I just wanted to circle back here, and close out what I started. Attached are my findings after some time and effort online, and via the phone. All quotes include some form of NCD protection, such as 1 unlimited claim, and then stepback, etc.

I've decided to stay with RSA via the AA for a premium of €598. Attached is a snap shot of the policy benefits, however note the NCD protection is in fact for 2 unlimited claims, the €10,000 restriction is now removed.

I stayed because other policies while similar in price and included some form of NCD protection were not as complete as my existing policy was in my opinion (which is by no means an expert one ).

What also surprised me more than once in this excercise was I often got what seemed like a better offer via phone, and then always asked for the offer to be posted out to me. Once I received it there was often data errors/mistakes, which when I queried then made the premium higher. In one case I had an offer of €500 however mileage was incorrect, exact car model was incorrect, etc. I feed this back via email, and was told €500 was fine, I was not comfortable, and then pushed for an updated documented quote with the new details or written confirmation that the discrepancy would not affect my premium or in the event of a claim. After 4days, the new quote arrived closer to €600. :rolleyes: This also helped me make my mind up to stay put !

Thanks again to everyone who provided inputs.