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When you’re shopping for the best cheap car insurance in New York, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider. While the Insurance Information Institute (III) estimates the typical New Yorker will spend $1,349 each year on car insurance premiums (the amount you pay yearly for insurance), there are ways to get better rates.
Car insurance companies consider your location, age, gender, and driving record to calculate rates. Other factors like credit score, marital status, vehicle type, previous coverage, and miles driven can all play a role in the amount you’ll pay for coverage.
You can price compare and see what company has the best cheap auto insurance quotes for you by shopping around. There’s no “one size fits all” approach to car insurance — everyone’s information and life situation is different, meaning that every insurance company will assess their risk and price their premiums differently.
Here are the best cheap auto insurance companies in New York.
Minimum car liability insurance requirements in New York
In the US, drivers must have liability coverage. If you’re involved in an accident, liability insurance covers damage you cause to the other vehicle, driver, and passengers. If you finance or lease your car, your lender probably requires comprehensive and collision coverage.
The two main components of liability insurance are bodily injury and property damage, which most states require. Liability insurance also includes uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage to protect you when an at-fault driver hits you and they have no coverage or not enough coverage.
According to data from the III, New York requires bodily, property, personal, uninsured, and underinsured coverage. New York’s minimum liability requirements are 25/50/10 — up to $25,000 of injury protection for each person involved in an accident, up to $50,000 worth of injuries per incident, and up to $10,000 of property damages per incident.
| Types of liability coverage | Definition |
| Bodily injury (BI) | Injury you cause to others, includes medical expenses, lost wages, and funeral expenses |
| Property damage (PD) | Damage you cause to others’ vehicle or property |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Protects you when an at-fault driver hits you with no insurance |
| Underinsured motorist (UIM) | Protects you when an at-fault driver hits you with not enough coverage |
Best cheap car insurance in New York based on credit score
Consumer Reports compiled information on which companies generally provide the most affordable car insurance in each state, calculated based on each company’s pricing formulas for each state. There are four that generally came up as the best cheap car insurance companies in New York, although the top pick varies by credit score:
| Excellent Credit (FICO 800+) | Good Credit (FICO 670-739) | Poor Credit (FICO 300-579) |
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Best car insurance for New York drivers with a clean record
For a driver in New York state age 25 or older with no accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
| Company | Average monthly car insurance premium |
| USAA* | $173 |
| Allstate | $182 |
| Nationwide | $190 |
| GEICO | $191 |
| State Farm | $193 |
| Travelers | $203 |
| Safeco | $216 |
| Esurance | $216 |
| Progressive | $227 |
| Liberty Mutual | $263 |
| Farmers | $278 |
| MetLife | $470 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Above data obtained from Savvy, based on 5,248 policyholders in the state of New York
Best car insurance for New York drivers with one or more accidents
For a driver in New York state, age 25 or older, with one or more accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
| Company | Average monthly car insurance premium |
| State Farm | $134 |
| GEICO | $202 |
| Allstate | $209 |
| Progressive | $222 |
| Esurance | $246 |
| Farmers | $329 |
Above data obtained from Savvy, based on 5,248 policyholders in the state of New York
Average premiums for seniors and teen drivers in New York
The table below shows the average senior and teen drivers can expect to pay in New York. Because teen drivers are new drivers with little driving history and more prone to accidents, their rates are high. New York is the third most expensive state to insure a teen driver. However, most insurance companies offer discounts to teen drivers for good grades or taking driving safety classes.
Senior drivers typically see an uptick in car insurance premiums as they age, but not as much of an increase as new or teen drivers. If you’re still driving in your 60s and 70s, there are ways to negotiate cheaper auto insurance rates, like pay-per-mile usage.
| Average premium for senior drivers | Average premium for teen drivers |
|
$2,049 per year |
$3,870 per year |
Data provided by Goosehead Insurance
New York car insurance rates by city
Below is the estimated average annual premium of auto insurance policies per household in New York’s most populous cities.
| City | Average annual car insurance premium |
| New York | $1,454 |
| Buffalo | $1,299 |
| Rochester | $1,267 |
| Yonkers | $1,466 |
| Syracuse | $1,296 |
| Albany | $1,370 |
| New Rochelle | $1,568 |
| Cheektowaga | $1,410 |
| Mount Vernon | $1,438 |
| Schenectady | $1,318 |
| Brentwood | $1,596 |
| Utica | $1,317 |
| White Plains | $1,589 |
| Hempstead | $1,470 |
| Tonawanda | $1,457 |
| Levittown | $1,724 |
| Troy | $1,363 |
| Irondequoit | $1,456 |
| Niagara Falls | $1,308 |
| West Seneca | $1,487 |
| Binghamton | $1,287 |
| Freeport Village | $1,543 |
| West Babylon | $1,646 |
| Hicksville | $1,699 |
| Coram | $1,601 |
| East Meadow | $1,657 |
| Valley Stream | $1,686 |
| Brighton | $1,529 |
| Commack | $1,787 |
| Central Islip | $1,533 |
The above data was obtained from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Best car insurance in New York based on customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction with car insurance providers may factor into your decision. Customer satisfaction is defined by five factors: billing process and policy information; claims; interaction; policy offerings; and price. According to a 2021 survey by J.D. Power, a consumer research company that surveys customers, these are the top New York car insurance companies:
Most popular car insurance companies in New York based on market share
The following are the most popular car insurance companies in New York, based on the percentage of insured New York drivers who use them:
| Company | Market share (%) |
| GEICO | 32.34 |
| Allstate | 13.76 |
| State Farm | 12.09 |
| Progressive | 11.20 |
| Liberty Mutual | 5.74 |
| Travelers | 3.88 |
| USAA* | 3.07 |
| NYCM Insurance | 2.73 |
| National General | 2.03 |
| Nationwide | 1.89 |
| MetLife | 1.42 |
| The Hartford | 1.01 |
| Farmers Insurance | 0.96 |
| Erie Insurance | 0.87 |
| Chubb | 0.77 |
| American Family Insurance | 0.75 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Above data obtained from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Who gets the best car insurance rates in New York?
People with the best credit get the lowest car insurance premiums. Generally, drivers in more rural areas will also get better rates — someone living in upstate New York will generally pay less than someone in New York City.
Another way to save is to shop around — every insurance company prices policies differently, and no two policies are the same. Prices vary greatly depending on whether you get liability, comprehensive, or collision coverage.
Consider the amount of coverage and the types of coverage listed on your quote. Remember, you’re looking for the most coverage for your money. Don’t forget to look at the deductible or the amount you’ll pay out of pocket if you get into an accident.
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