BMW 1 series Car Insurance: How Much Should You Expect to Pay?

Quick Facts

• A BMW 1 series is more expensive to insure than the average car.
• Liability auto insurance for a 1 series comes in at about $84 per month, while full coverage normally tends to be around $202 monthly.
• The lowest car insurance company for a 1 series is Workmens.

1 series Overview

With base prices starting at just $31,200 for 2013 models, the BMW 1 series is a great budget-friendly car for drivers of all types. You'll have your choice of two different trim levels, so you'll be sure to find an option to fit your style.

We crunched the numbers on thousands of insurance quotes on Compare.com, and we've determined that, on average, BMW 1 series auto insurance premiums run about $168 a month. But compared to other vehicles in the market, are 1 series car insurance prices higher or lower than those of similar cars?

How Much is Car Insurance for a BMW 1 series?

In the table above, you'll find that compared to other vehicles, BMW 1 series insurance rates are above average. On average, 1 series owners will pay around $84 per month for liability insurance, and about $202 monthly for full coverage, which has comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability (our guide, "State Minimum vs. Full Coverage", can provide more details on the difference).

When compared to other BMW models, the 1 series's insurance rate is in line with the rest of the manufacturer's vehicle lineup. Compared to offerings from other brands, insurance for a 1 series is similarly on the expensive side, with full coverage insurance prices coming in around 14% more and 1% more for liability only insurance.

Overall, they're just more expensive to insure than the average vehicle, no matter which make, model, or body style you compare it to.

Who has the Cheapest Car Insurance for a BMW 1 series?

If you're in the market for an auto insurance policy for a BMW 1 series, you're likely interested in which carrier offers the most affordable premiums. Although there will never be one company that has the cheapest rates for everyone, the lowest average rates for liability only insurance are sometimes just $27 a month from Arrowhead. With car insurance sometimes as low as $28 a month, Hugo is the next most affordable car insurance carrier.

Rounding out the list are CaliforniaCasualty, FirstChicago, and CSAA. But just because these five carriers offer the lowest average rates doesn't necessarily mean they'll be the cheapest companies for you and your unique insurance profile.

Auto insurance carriers take a multitude of things into consideration when offering you rates. By pulling quotes from a multitude of auto insurance companies at once, you can be confident you're finding the lowest rate.

What Factors Affect Car Insurance Rates for a BMW 1 series?

As we mentioned above, there are a range of factors that insurance carriers take into account to determine how much they charge -- and each company weighs certain factors more than others, so there's not one single carrier that's the cheapest for everyone.

The sections below show an array of variables auto insurance companies use to decide rates:

Vehicle Age

The BMW 1 series has been around for a while, so vehicle age will likely make a big difference in what you end up paying for car insurance. Generally, older cars will be cheaper to insure because they're worth less than newer models, and as time goes on and 1 serieses continue to depreciate, insurance costs will gradually decrease.

A new BMW 1 series model hasn't been added to the market for over 5 years, so there isn't data to analyze this trend. However, as you can see in the table above, the cheapest BMW 1 serieses to insure are those that are 2 to 3 years old, while the most expensive models are 1 serieses that are 11 to 14 years old, on average.

Your Age

Your age is another factor that makes a significant difference in how much you pay for insurance. As you can see in the table above, younger drivers pay more for auto insurance than those with more experience. In this case, drivers under 18 pay over three times as much as those 25 or older.

Car insurance prices continue to go down as you get older, with drivers aged 65 years and older making up the cheapest age group for the 1 series.

Your Gender

Men tend to pay more for car insurance than women. This is because women are less likely to get tickets and get into accidents, which decreases the chances of an insurance claim. The BMW 1 series follows this convention, and women pay about $14 less than men monthly for insurance.

Where You Live

You're probably already aware that things such as what vehicle you drive and how old you are play a role in your auto insurance premiums, but you may not realize that where you live has just as much of an impact. Insurance is regulated at the state level, so rates can fluctuate quite a bit depending on where you live.

For example, the average BMW 1 series driver in New York pays around $267 per month for liability coverage, while on average, the same owner from California will pay only a quarter of that price. The table referenced above shows average premiums for the 10 largest states by population, just to give you a good idea of how much prices can change depending on where you live.

BMW 1 series Car Insurance Discounts

No matter how old you are, what vehicle you drive, or what state you live in, it's always in your best interest to take advantage of as many insurance discounts as possible when shopping around for a new policy.

Even though all car insurance carriers offer their own unique discounts, there are a few different ones that you'll find with most companies. These include things like:

• Multi-vehicle discounts for insuring more than one of your cars with the same company
• Pay-in-full discounts for drivers who choose to pay their entire policy premium up front, rather than in monthly installments
• Defensive driving discounts for taking a defensive driving class from an accredited school or institution
• Vehicle safety discounts for having a vehicle with higher safety ratings or one with certain safety features (like air bags or anti-lock brakes)

While these are just a few of the discounts auto insurance carriers offer, there are countless other ways to save money on you monthly insurance bill. Sometimes, the best way to get the cheapest rates is by strengthening your overall insurance profile that carriers look at. This includes things like avoiding lapses in coverage, not having recent insurance claims, and driving safely.

While you may not be able to control every variable insurance companies take a look at to calculate rates (like some of the ones mentioned above), you do have a say over some of them. Below are just a few of the variables you can use to your advantage when it comes to cost savings:

Your Driving Record

You've probably heard ads from car insurance carriers promoting large savings for good drivers. It checks out that your auto insurance premiums will go up if you get cited for speeding or get into an accident. But how much will they cost you?

You can tell from the table above that accidents will usually cost 1 series drivers more than tickets, but both will result in higher than normal rates. BMW 1 series drivers with a single accident on their record pay an average of $108 per month (up $24 from the $84/mo. overall average), while drivers with one ticket will pay about $84 a month. Those who have multiple kinds of either violation will end up paying even more.

How Much You Drive

Another factor that impacts your car insurance prices is the total amount of miles you drive. Drivers who are on the roads less are less likely to get into accidents, so they'll typically get cheaper premiums. In the table above, you can see that BMW 1 series owners who drive fewer than 2,500 miles a year pay about $73 per month for insurance, while those who put 10,000 miles or more on their cars pay $82.

But if you're one of those drivers who don't put very many miles on your BMW 1 series each year, it may be worth considering usage-based or pay-per-mile auto insurance. With these kinds of policies, you pay a small base rate each month, with your final monthly bill being calculated based on how many miles you drove.

How Do BMW 1 serieses Compare to Other Vehicles?

If you're thinking about buying a BMW 1 series, you might be wondering how it compares to other vehicles. Auto insurance is just one cost that's associated with a new car purchase, but it's certainly one that's worth taking into consideration.

Take a look at the table below to see how the BMW 1 series stacks up:

Overall, the BMW 1 series has an MSRP that's on par with the going rate for a new vehicle. The 1 series comes in at $31,200, close to the national average vehicle MSRP of $37,971. And since it's been a few years since a new 1 series model has been on the market, used prices are going to be even less expensive.

Liability insurance for a BMW 1 series is about $26 per month less than average, while full coverage is $18 more monthly.

When it comes to usage, BMW 1 series drivers are far from the national average in annual miles driven, with 11,617 miles for all vehicles each year compared to the 1 series's 9,508 every year.

BMW 1 series Car Insurance Costs by Model Year

So far, you've seen how different factors have an impact on what you'll pay for car insurance. If you're thinking about buying a new vehicle and the 1 series is one you're considering, knowing what you can expect to pay is extremely valuable as you weigh your choices.

2013 BMW 1 series Car Insurance

The average cost to insure a 2013 BMW 1 series with liability only coverage is $55 a month, while full coverage runs around $187 per month.

With prices sometimes as cheap as $23 monthly, Mercury offered the most affordable policy we found for the 2013 BMW 1 series.

These average rates are a great starting point if you're in the market for a 2013 BMW 1 series, but there are many different things that go into calculating your policy rates. If you want to figure out exactly what you'll be asked to pay, get customized quotes by entering your ZIP below.

2012 BMW 1 series Car Insurance

On average, drivers who own a 2012 1 series can expect to pay $86 to $222 per month for liability only and full coverage auto insurance, respectively.

We found Commonwealth Casualty offered the lowest policy, with rates as little as just $26 a month.

Want to know exactly what your car insurance price will be? All you need to do is enter your ZIP code below and you'll be on your way to comparing multiple personalized quotes from the nation's top insurance companies.

2011 BMW 1 series Car Insurance

2011 BMW 1 series drivers can expect to pay an average of $82 monthly for liability or $207 for full coverage.

SafeAuto has premiums sometimes as little as $25 a month for the 2011 BMW 1 series.

If you want to know just how much your rate will be, get free quotes in minutes by just entering your ZIP code below.

2010 BMW 1 series Car Insurance

It costs about $92 per month for liability or $182 for a full coverage policy for the 2010 1 series.

With prices as low as $25 monthly, Elephant offered the most affordable policy we found.

Want to figure out exactly what you'll be asked to pay? Just enter your ZIP code below to get lots of customized quotes for free.

2009 BMW 1 series Car Insurance

You can expect full coverage for a 2009 BMW 1 series to run around $220 a month, while liability only coverage will average about $89 per month.

If you're looking for the lowest possible 2009 BMW 1 series insurance policy, Hugo offered the cheapest policy we found, with rates as cheap as $18 monthly.

If you want more accurate quotes of how much you can expect to pay, just enter your ZIP code below and get several free quotes in minutes.

2008 BMW 1 series Car Insurance

On average, drivers who own a 2008 1 series can expect to pay $90 to $188 a month for liability only and full coverage insurance, respectively.

Looking for the lowest policy? Coverhound offered liability only coverage for as cheap as just $26 monthly.

And if you want more accurate rates tailored specifically to you, just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes in minutes.

BMW 1 series Insurance FAQs

Is a BMW 1 series expensive to insure?

Compared to the national average of all vehicles, rates come in on the more expensive end of the spectrum. Liability insurance runs an average of $84 per month, while full coverage will cost you around $202.

How can I get the best price on car insurance for my BMW 1 series?

The only way to confirm you're getting the cheapest price on auto insurance is to check prices regularly and compare quotes from a whole range of carriers. It's recommended to review quotes every 6 months or so. Luckily, sites like Compare.com let you compare premiums from a wide array of companies at once, meaning you can find the most affordable rates (or guarantee you already have the best deal) for free.

Does the color of my BMW 1 series affect my insurance prices?

You may have heard the old adage that red cars cost more to insure than cars of other colors, but that's actually a myth. Even though there are multiple factors insurance carriers use when they calculate how much your policy will be, your 1 series's color is not factored into that equation.

Do I need to have insurance before I buy a BMW 1 series?

You'll need to have valid car insurance for your vehicle before you can legally drive your it off the dealership lot. Some dealerships might offer you an auto insurance policy as part of the car-buying process, but the best thing to do when buying a a new car is to let your auto insurance company know ahead of time.

What car insurance discounts can I get for my BMW 1 series?

There are a range of discounts out there for car insurance. Many of them (like "pay-in-full discounts" and "multi-policy discounts") are more based on you than the car you drive, but if your 1 series has safety features like anti-lock brakes, anti-theft systems, airbags, and other features, it may qualify for certain discounts. The only way to know for sure is to get in touch with your insurance carrier and ask about their list of discounts, since they change quite a bit from carrier to carrier.