BMW 3 Series insurance group & cost

BMW 3 Series models range from insurance groups 18 to 50, so the cost of insurance can vary significantly depending on which model you have.

BMW 3 Series insurance groups and cost

In the table below, we show you the insurance group for different BMW 3 Series model versions alongside the likely premiums for different age ranges.

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Popular model variants Show all Saloon Convertible Gran Turismo Touring Coupe

• How we got these rates

  These premiums are based on quotes for vehicles for drivers aged 20 to 50 in each of the 50 insurance groups. The average price was generated by getting a quote from a cheap (TR8), mid-range (CH1) and expensive (E10) postcode. Correct as of May 2025.

Average BMW 3 Series insurance cost

To provide you with an idea of how much it may cost you to insure your BMW 3 Series, we ran several quotes to find an average figure. Based on our results, on average, you could insure your BMW 3 Series with a comprehensive policy for £1,372.05 yearly, or £119.30 paying monthly.

• How we got this rate

  We generated these quotes using the following assumptions about the vehicle and the driver. We looked at prices for a driver aged 20, 30, 40 and 50. For each age category we took the average price of the 3 best quotes. We said the 20-year-old driver has 3 years of driving experience, the 30-year-old driver has 13 years of driving experience, the 40-year-old driver has 23 years of driving experience and the 50-year-old driver has 25+ years of driving experience, as that is the quote engine's largest option. We used a cheap (TR8), mid-range (CH1) and expensive (E10) postcode for each hypothetical driver.

  All other factors were the same. These were:

  The vehicle:

  • Has a factory-fitted alarm system
  • Hasn't been modified
  • Would be parked in a work car park during the day
  • Would be parked on a driveway at night
  • Hadn't been bought yet but would be by the time the policy starts
  • Isn't fitted with a dashcam

  The driver:

  • Is a teacher
  • Is male
  • Is a non-homeowner
  • Has had no accidents or claims in the last 5 years
  • Has had no motoring convictions, driving licence endorsements or fixed penalty points in the last 5 years
  • Doesn't have any unspent non-motoring convictions
  • Has no medical conditions
  • Has never had insurance declined, cancelled or special terms imposed
  • Has lived in the UK continuously since birth
  • Is single and has no children
  • Has a full UK manual licence
  • Doesn't have use of another vehicle
  • Doesn't have any medical conditions
  • No driving or other convictions in the last 5 years

  Other factors:

  • We used 1 January as the birthday for each driver, alongside their respective birth year
  • We looked for quotes with a 3-year no-claims discount
  • We chose a voluntary excess of £500
  • We didn't protect the no-claims bonus
  • We looked for quotes for comprehensive policies
  • We didn't include additional drivers
  • We opted for an annual payment
  • We used cars that were first registered in 2020, with an aim to find a mid-range car in that group
  • The policy is for social, domestic and commuting purposes
  • We looked at policies covering 10,000 miles per year

BMW 3 Series insurance cost by location

The table above shows the average cost of BMW 3 Series insurance based on insurance groups and driver age. However, there are a number of other factors that affect the cost of your car insurance premiums, and one of the biggest is where you are in the UK. Where you live helps determine the level of risk that your car may be stolen or that you'll be involved in an accident, and this affects the cost of insurance.

To show the power of the postcode, here are some average quotes for a 30-year-old living in 3 different locations. The quotes are for a BMW 3 Series Saloon (2012-2019) 316d SE (07/15-) 4d.

• Expensive: £1,006.97 (London E10)
• Mid-range: £661.75 (Chester CH1)
• Cheap: £540.27 (Newquay TR8)

What factors affect my BMW 3 Series insurance rate?

We've covered insurance groups, age and location. Here are some of the other factors that affect your insurance premium costs:

• Your marital status
• Your credit history and job
• Your car's safety rating score
• The model of your car
• The age of your car
• Your car's security and any extra anti-theft precautions
• Annual miles driven
• Your driving history and activity
• No-claims discount

How can I save on my BMW 3 Series premiums?

When searching for insurance, you'll want to find the best deal for a price that's within your budget. We've uncovered some tricks you can try to lower the cost of your premium, and we've listed them below.

• Limit your car usage (where possible). Occasionally deciding to walk or get public transport, rather than using your car, can help to save on your premiums.
• Pay annually rather than monthly. Whilst it might be scary to part with a large sum of money in one go, if you're able to pay annually you can save an average of £59.52 a year.
• Install extra safety precautions. The safer your car is, the less of a risk it will be for companies to insure. By adding extra safety measures, you're quite likely to lower your premium.
• Clear out the garage! If you have a garage – clear it out and park your car there. Parking your car in a garage reduces your risk to insurers and therefore reduces your premiums too.
• Consider any named drivers. Only name drivers on the insurance policy that regularly drive the vehicle, you can easily add on others at a later date or get them temporary cover.
• Don't just accept your renewal quote. When it's time for renewal, it's worth investing a couple of hours to shop around: there may be cheaper options out there.

Bottom line

As we've shown, factors like where you live, how old you are, whether you want to pay monthly or annually, and the specific variant of BMW 3 Series you're insuring all have a major impact on the cost of cover. In fact, the best prices we found ranged from £386.13 to £16,359.52, and that's based on shopping around to find a competitive deal. Unfortunately, if you don't shop around, there's every chance you could end up paying more than you have to.

Frequently asked questions

• How much car tax do I have to pay for the BMW 3 Series?

  The UK standard car tax rate for cars registered after April 2017 is £195 per year. However, you might pay more or less than that in the first year the car is registered depending on your car's emissions.

• Where can I buy a BMW 3 Series?

  You can buy an BMW 3 Series online or by visiting your local BMW retailer. There is also a range of used BMW 3 Seriess available to buy through various motor resellers and websites such as AutoTrader or Motors.

*Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (January ’26). 51% of Confused.com car insurance customers could save £529.15.