BMW car insurance

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How much does a BMW cost to insure?

From high-performance sports cars to luxury 4x4s, there’s a huge range of cars to choose from if you want a BMW. However, the amount you’ll pay for your car insurance can vary depending on the model you choose.

The most popular BMW cars to buy in the UK are the BMW 1 Series, the BMW 3 Series Saloon, the BMW 5 Series Saloon, and the BMW X Series models. These all topped the list for cars sold by the company in 2019, before the pandemic caused huge disruption to the car production market.

The popular BMW 1 series of cars is marketed at families and the average cost of insurance varies widely depending on the model and trim. As a guide, the popular BMW 118I Sport has an average annual premium of £927* a year.

Another popular range is the BMW 3 series saloon car, which is slightly more expensive to buy and insure. Average annual insurance costs for the common BMW 320D SE (163) model are around £1,341*.

If you want a bigger car with more space, the BMW 5 series could be more suitable and again can vary wildly in insurance price depending on the age, condition and spec of your model. Average premium for the BMW 520D SE is £1,117* per year, for example, while the 525 will set you back a slightly higher £1,209*.

There’s also the X series of cars, which now includes an all-electric model. A standard BMW X5 has an average premium of £1,431 according to our data.

*These prices are an average based on the model, and all our customer quotes from 14/01/21 – 14/06/21. This includes different locations, driving background and other factors. Your own quote could be cheaper or more expensive depending on your personal circumstances.

All information on this page was last reviewed on 29/07/2021, see T&C.

Why does BMW car insurance cost so much?

As BMW is a luxury car brand, the cost to repair or replace a car if it’s damaged or stolen will be a lot higher than a cheaper model. Therefore, you can expect to pay a higher price for BMW insurance to cover these costs.

The newer the car, the higher the price will be. Similarly, if you’ve chosen a top-of-the-range model, expect to pay for the luxury.

However, as with any insurance policy the exact price will depend not just on the car but other factors including your age, profession, and address along with your driving experience and history.

That’s why it’s always worth comparing car insurance to make sure you find a policy that works for you, your car and your budget.

BMW 1 Series

If you’re looking for a family car, this hatchback is one of the most popular and you can choose from a petrol or diesel engine.

The price of the newest model, the 128ti, starts at £25,000, but there are lots of different models and specifications to choose from.

BMW 3 Series Saloon

Starting at £32,595 for a new model, you can pick a petrol, diesel, or plug-in hybrid car in this series.

Voted as the Car of the Year in 2021 by What Car?, the inside of this saloon has BMW’s largest ever sunroof, sports seats, and even a light carpet for when you get in and out the car.

BMW 5 Series Saloon

A slightly bigger (and more expensive) version of the 3 series, this model starts at £39,275 for a new car. It’s one of the most popular small luxury cars out there and the original model was first launched in 2009, with the newest going on sale in 2017.

There’s a range of options to choose from, to suit anyone looking for a luxury saloon – from petrol or diesel to a plug-in hybrid plus the option of two or four-wheel drive.

BMW X Series models

If you’re looking for space, the X series of SUVs are a good option, if you can afford the cost. The price starts at £29,935 and the range was first launched in 2009. At the time BMW said it was the leading compact SUV in the premium end of the market. Since then many new versions have been launched, including the all-electric BMW iX.

The history of BMW

BMW, which stands for Bavarian Motor Works, was founded in Germany in 1916. A year later in 1917 all of its products featured the now famous logo, which incorporates the Bavarian state colours.

All manufacturing took place in sites across Germany to start with and after the Second World War many of these were temporarily closed. It wasn’t until 1951 that it produced its first car after the end of the war, which was the 501.

In 1972 BMW opened a plant in South Africa but it wasn’t until 1989 that it opened the first production facility in the USA, in South Carolina. This move sealed it as a global player in the automotive industry and the American site was built to produce the BMW Z3 Roadster.

It’s come along in leaps and bounds since the 70s and bought some other big brands, including the iconic British Mini brand, which was relaunched in 2001 with the Mini Hatch.

It now sells its luxury cars across the globe, including a range of electric vehicles. Along with BMW, Mini and Rolls Royce are both incorporated within the BMW group.