Who has the cheapest car insurance in New York?
Every company has a wide range of rates depending on the type of coverage. Finding cheap New York car insurance takes a little work. That’s why drivers in New York should shop around and compare car insurance companies.
Here’s how six insurers compare for car insurance in New York for three coverage levels:
- State minimum liability requirements
- Bodily injury liability limits of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident, and $50,000 property damage
- Bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident and $100,000 property damage, with comprehensive and collision at $500 deductible
Cheapest for drivers with a recent car accident
If you’re at fault for a car accident, typically your auto insurance rates will increase. However, the amount of the extra cost depends on your driving record and your insurance company, among other variables. Below you’ll see that even with a hike in your cost after a car accident, some car insurance companies charge more than others. Geico had the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers in New York with recent accidents.
| Company | 1 At-fault property damage accident over $2K | 2 At-fault property damage accident over $2k | At-fault bodily injury accident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,127 | $1,127 | $1,127 |
| Progressive | $1,280 | $2,843 | $1,280 |
| Allstate | $1,471 | $2,085 | $1,471 |
| State Farm | $1,561 | $2,826 | $1,561 |
Cheapest for drivers in New York with speeding tickets
No one’s perfect, and sooner or later, most drivers wind up with a speeding ticket or similar moving traffic violation that increases rates. Even so, you can save by comparison shopping. Geico takes the checkered flag for being the cheapest insurance company for New York drivers with speeding tickets.
| Company | Average Rate |
|---|---|
| Geico | $1,007 |
| State Farm | $1,561 |
| Allstate | $1,575 |
| Progressive | $1,589 |
Cheapest car insurance coverage for drivers with bad credit
Drivers with bad credit pay more than drivers with good credit in most cases, but while your working on improving your credit score, it pays to compare car insurance rates. Your current insurance company may not still be the best fit in terms of price.
| Company | Bad credit |
|---|---|
| Geico | $1,234 |
| Allstate | $1,439 |
| State Farm | $2,827 |
| Progressive | $3,520 |
Cheap car insurance coverage in New York for adding teen driver
Adding a teen driver to your insurance will cost you more, but if you research car insurance quotes you can find the insurance company with the lowest rate. Below you'll see that Geico was the top cheap car insurance company for adding teen drivers in the Empire State.
Cheapest car insurance in New York by age
| Company | Average Rate | Average Rate after adding female teen | $ Increase (female) | Average Rate after adding male teen | $ Increase (male) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $865 | $1,447 | $582 | $1,947 | $1,083 |
| Allstate | $1,286 | $2,687 | $1,401 | $3,180 | $1,894 |
| Progressive | $1,280 | $3,318 | $2,038 | $3,690 | $2,410 |
| State Farm | $1,426 | $3,704 | $2,279 | $4,572 | $3,146 |
Best car insurance companies in New York
As mentioned, one car insurance company’s premiums can be much lower for the same coverage than another’s. The following car insurance companies in New York have better than average customer reviews and a strong financial rating:
| Carrier | Best for | Insurance.com score out 5 | J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating (out of 1,000) | National Association of Insurance Commissioners complaints | A.M. Best financial strength rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | Military | 4 | 889 | 1.80 (above average complaints) | A++ |
| State Farm | Safe drivers | 4 | 851 | 0.98 (slightly below average complaints) | A++ |
| Geico | Cheapest car insurance in NY | 3.5 | 846 | 2.05 (above average complaints) | A++ |
| Allstate | Wide network of local agents | 3.5 | 851 | 0.41 (below average complaints) | A+ |
| Travelers | Broad coverage options | 3.5 | 835 | 0.02% (well below average in complaints) | A++ |
Affordable car insurance in New York
Shopping around can help you save, but if you're looking for other ways to find cheap New York car insurance, doing the following things also can reduce your rate:
- Use affiliations to your advantage: Affiliation discounts can save you as much as 25%, so if you're a member of AARP, the military, an alumni association or another membership group, ask about whether insurance discounts are available.
- Ask about discounts: Check with your insurance company to be sure you get all the car insurance discounts that match your driver profile.
- Increase your deductible: Raising your deductible can lower premium, Tritten says, but he also cautions that you should "make sure you're comfortable with higher deductibles. Don't just increase your deductibles to save money."
- Reevaluate your coverage: If you don't need collision and comprehensive coverage because your car is older or the replacement cost is low, then reduce your coverage.
- Get rewarded for your loyalty: Bundling your coverage by buying home insurance and car insurance from the same company can save you 14% on your rates.
- Ask about usage-based plans: Usage-based insurance, which tracks your driving performance through an app or a device that connects to a car's diagnostics dashboard, may be able to get discounted insurance.
- Drive safely: Avoiding accidents and tickets can help you maintain a good driving record that reduces your car insurance rates. Driving fewer miles a year will also keep your rate down.
- Take a driving course: Find qualifying driver's education or defensive driving courses in your area. Completing a course could save you money on your monthly premium.
When it comes to car insurance, price matters -- but it shouldn't come at the expense
of getting the right coverage or the best car insurance in New York for your needs. Shop around, but also make sure you take time to thoroughly compare what you're getting "Auto insurance is not one-size-fits-all. When you're comparing auto insurance companies, know there are differences between auto insurance policies," says
Brandon Tritten, an independent insurance agent with JBLB Insurance Group.
"Insurance policies have limitations and exclusions that vary. It's not the same. I completely understand being price conscious, but insurance educator John Eubank, CPCU, ARM said it best, 'The bitterness of no coverage is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten.'"
Average car insurance cost in New York by city
The price you pay for coverage in New York depends on many factors, and where you live is chief among them. New York City residents pay the most for auto insurance out of major metro areas analyzed.
| City | Average rate |
|---|---|
| Saratoga Springs | $1,485 |
| Ithaca | $1,513 |
| Troy | $1,545 |
| Schenectady | $1,548 |
| Rochester | $1,588 |
| Albany | $1,601 |
| Syracuse | $1,695 |
| Niagra Falls | $1,735 |
| Buffalo | $2,064 |
| Montauk | $2,155 |
| New Rochelle | $2,465 |
| Brookhaven | $2,499 |
| Yonkers | $2,805 |
| Levittown | $2,899 |
| Mount Vernon | $3,098 |
| New York City | $3,929 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance coverage do I need?
Getting the minimum coverage you need to meet liability insurance requirements is the best way to get cheap auto insurance. It's not always the wisest choice, says Tritten. "If you total your auto, can you afford to replace it? Let's say the blue book value is $3,000. [If] you can afford to write a check for that, then liability-only is probably a good idea," Tritten says. "Now, if your auto has a blue book value of $20,000 and replacing that will either cause serious financial strain or is an impossibility, then you need collision and comprehensive coverage."
Use our Car Insurance Coverage Calculator to figure out how much insurance may be enough. In addition, consider adding the following types of optional coverage for the best auto insurance coverage:
Comprehensive and collision car insurance coverage
Comprehensive and collision insurance are often purchased together as “full coverage." The state’s minimum coverage mandates only protect other drivers’ vehicles. Comprehensive and collision pay for damages for your own car. Comprehensive covers against severe weather and storms, fires, theft, vandalism and damages from hitting an animal. Collision pays for repairs such as the infamous pot holes of New York state highways and any other damages caused by a collision. New York drivers pay an average of $700 for collision insurance and $145 for comprehensive insurance when getting full coverage.
Liability coverage
New York liability coverage pays for repairs and losses you may cause to the property of others. The state of New York only requires $10,000. Unless you’re in search of the cheapest car insurance in New York to match your budget, you should consider a higher limit. You would need to pay out of pocket for any damages you’re responsible for over $10,000.
Personal injury protection (PIP)
This coverage protects you, your passengers, and other authorized drivers of your car if you’re in an accident whether you — or someone else — is at fault. All motorists are expected to have at least the minimum liability coverage amount.
If one of the passengers has their own personal injury protection PIP coverage, it will pay for their medical expenses in lieu of the drivers’.
Rideshare insurance
If you have a side gig working as a delivery person or driver for companies such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash or Postmates, a standard car insurance policy won’t pay for damages caused while you’re working, so you'll want additional insurance coverage. Rideshare is an affordable add-on that will protect you in case of an accident while you’re working.
Uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist
Some drivers can’t afford even the cheapest car insurance in New York.
Uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) covers your expenses if the other driver is uninsured. As with the other coverages mentioned on this list, uninsured and underinsured coverage isn't mandatory but is a prudent choice.
How much does insurance cost in New York?
The Empire State is one of the most expensive places to live, so it's no surprise New York drivers pay more for car insurance than most Americans. New York car insurance costs an average of $2,062 a year, or $172 a month for a driver age 30 for full coverage, based on expert analysis by our team. That’s $304 more annually than the national average ($1,758) -- the eighth highest rate in the country.
What are minimum car insurance requirements in New York?
Drivers must carry car insurance to legally drive. The minimum coverage limits for drivers in New York are:
Bodily injury liability insurance of $25,000 per person
Bodily injury liability of $50,000 per accident
Property damage liability of $10,000 per accident
Personal injury protection (PIP) of $50,000
How do New York auto insurance companies determine rates?
Car insurance companies in New York consider your age, driving record, credit history, make and model of your car, and the frequency of claims in your ZIP code when they determine your car insurance quotes. Other factors that affect New York car insurance include:
- New York car insurance fraud: New York’s Attorney General page says that car insurance fraud “costs New Yorkers millions of dollars per year.
- Auto thefts: New York auto thefts are high and inexplicably still rising.
- Road conditions: New York roads are a problem. Over half of New York City’s roads are classified as “in poor condition”. Vehicle-damaging potholes are so pervasive a bill was presented to make the State of New York responsible for damages.
Besides knowing how to find the cheapest car insurance in New York, new drivers in the state of New York should keep the following things in mind:
Make sure you have New York car insurance
Before you move to New York, ask your insurance company if your coverage can be transferred. The state of New York does not accept out-of-state vehicle insurance.
Always carry proof of New York car insurance
Your insurance company will issue you a New York State Insurance ID card. If you’re pulled over or involved in an accident and can’t show you have insurance coverage, you could get fined and even lose your driver's license. Fines for not having auto insurance range between $150 and $1,500.
Register your out-of-state vehicle within 180 days
After you’re insured, you can register your vehicle at a local NY DMV.
You’ll need:
- Completed Application for Vehicle Registration
- Completed Statement of Transaction - Sale or Gift of a Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel
- (Boat), or Snowmobile
- Valid driver’s license or non-driver ID
- Bill of sale and proof of sales tax payment
- Original title
- A current NY State Insurance ID card
