Key Takeaways
- Progressive has the cheapest average car insurance rates for most New York drivers.
- Car insurance in New York costs more than the national average rate.
- One reason for New York's high car insurance costs is that it's an at-fault state.
In this article
The cheapest car insurance companies in New York
Cheapest overall: Progressive
Best for military members: USAA
Cheapest local provider: NYCM
Progressive has the cheapest rates for both minimum-coverage and full-coverage car insurance in New York, with an average rate of $79 a month for minimum coverage and $125 a month for full coverage. For comparison, the average rate for minimum coverage in New York is $136 a month, and the average rate for full coverage in the state is $240.
USAA's average rate for minimum car insurance in New York is $81 a month. On top of low premiums, USAA is frequently known as "the best of the best" of insurance companies for customer satisfaction. USAA only provides car insurance for currently serving and veteran military members, as well as their families. If this sounds like you, definitely consider USAA.
NYCM has an average rate of $82 a month for minimum-coverage insurance in New York state. Operating solely in New York, NYCM provides the cheapest coverage for drivers wanting a local insurer. On top of their already low rate, NYCM offers a variety of discounts to make your rate even cheaper. These discounts include:
- Bundling
- Electronic payment
- Alarm system
- Defensive driving
To make sure you can find your best coverage at the best price, compare car insurance quotes from multiple providers.
New York car insurance minimum limits
New York state requires its registered drivers to carry the following minimum-coverage car insurance limits:
| Coverage type | State requirements |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorists | $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | $50,000 |
| Source: dmv.ny.gov | |
While these limits may seem adequate, a major accident can result in these limits being hit quickly with court costs and medical bills. To avoid having to pay out of pocket once your limits are reached, we recommend raising your liability limits to:
- Bodily injury per person: $100,000
- Bodily injury per accident: $300,000
- Property damage liability per accident: $100,000
Cheapest minimum-coverage auto insurance rates in New York: Progressive
Progressive has the cheapest minimum-coverage car insurance in New York, with an average rate of $79 a month. This is 42% cheaper than the state average of $136 a month.
Minimum-coverage car insurance covers the damages and repairs of others you are responsible for.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $79 |
| USAA | $81 |
| NYCM | $82 |
| State Farm | $138 |
| GEICO | $140 |
| Allstate | $215 |
| Travelers | $220 |
| Rates are for minimum-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with a good driving record. | |
Get cheap car insurance in New York
Cheapest full-coverage auto insurance rates in New York: Progressive
Progressive also has the cheapest rates for full-coverage auto insurance in New York, with an average of $125 a month. Technically, USAA has the second-cheapest rate in the state at $154 a month. However, due to it restricting insurance offerings to current and retired military, NYCM offers the second-cheapest full coverage to most New Yorkers at $198 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $125 |
| USAA | $154 |
| NYCM | $198 |
| State Farm | $206 |
| GEICO | $252 |
| Travelers | $372 |
| Allstate | $375 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with a good driving record. | |
The average rate for full-coverage car insurance in New York is $240 a month. Progressive comes in 48% cheaper.
Full-coverage auto insurance is an excellent value, as minimum coverage only pays for the repairs and injuries of others. To cover your own losses, you need full coverage.
Cheapest car insurance in New York for drivers with bad credit: State Farm
GEICO has the lowest average full-coverage rate of $358 a month for most New York drivers with poor credit. State Farm comes in second at $453.
Providers tend to see poor credit as a risk factor when calculating your car insurance quote, although some states are starting to forbid credit ratings to be used in premium calculation.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| USAA | $280 |
| GEICO | $358 |
| State Farm | $453 |
| NYCM | $464 |
| Allstate | $684 |
| Travelers | $807 |
| Progressive | $1,336 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with poor credit and a good driving record. | |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a prior incident
After an offense such as a speeding ticket, an accident or a DUI, it's likely you'll see an increase in your rates. Progressive has the cheapest insurance rates available for New York drivers with an offense on their record. Here's the breakdown across various driving offenses.
Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket: Progressive
If you have a speeding ticket on your record, Progressive is the cheapest car insurance option at $130 a month for full coverage. NYCM is next at $198.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $130 |
| USAA | $167 |
| NYCM | $198 |
| State Farm | $228 |
| GEICO | $324 |
| Travelers | $428 |
| Allstate | $466 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one speeding ticket on his driving record. | |
If you have a clean and long driving record, there is the possibility that your first speeding ticket may not result in a rate hike. If it does, you can see the increase stay on your car insurance for three to five years. That can result in hundreds of dollars out of pocket during that time. All the more reason to watch the speedometer.
Cheapest for drivers with an at-fault accident: Progressive
After an accident, New York drivers find the most affordable car insurance from Progressive at an average rate of $125 a month. NYCM is the next-cheapest at $198 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $125 |
| USAA | $167 |
| NYCM | $198 |
| State Farm | $228 |
| GEICO | $324 |
| Allstate | $375 |
| Travelers | $465 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one at-fault accident on his driving record. | |
New York is a no-fault state. This means that after an accident you can file a claim with your insurer for damages or injuries even if you're not responsible for the accident. This could result in a rate increase. If your own damages are not going to break your budget, and especially if the damages come in under your deductible, definitely consider paying out of pocket.
Cheapest for drivers with a DUI: Progressive
If you have a DUI, your lowest car insurance rate in New York is with Progressive at $132 a month. The next-cheapest option is State Farm at $228.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $132 |
| USAA | $220 |
| State Farm | $228 |
| NYCM | $298 |
| Travelers | $470 |
| Allstate | $535 |
| GEICO | $849 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one DUI on his driving record. | |
If you are pulled over and found to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08%, you are guilty of driving under the influence (DUI). The penalties for a first-offense DUI in New York include a fine of $1,000 to $2,500, and maximum jail time of one year.
A DUI will undoubtedly lead to an increase in your rates. Unfortunately, auto insurers consider a DUI to be an extreme risk factor, and they may not offer you coverage at all.
Cheapest car insurance for senior drivers: Progressive
Senior drivers in New York pay the cheapest car insurance rates with Progressive, with an average rate of $115 a month. NYCM is next at $183 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $115 |
| USAA | $145 |
| NYCM | $183 |
| State Farm | $184 |
| GEICO | $264 |
| Travelers | $371 |
| Allstate | $399 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 65-year-old male with a clean driving record. | |
Senior drivers often pay higher auto insurance rates than most younger demographics. This is mostly due to the risk that can occur from response-time loss that happens with age. Seniors with a clean driving record will still pay a lower premium than teen drivers.
Compare car insurance quotes from top companies and save money
Cheapest car insurance for young drivers: NYCM and Progressive
NYCM has the lowest minimum-coverage car insurance rates for teen drivers in New York, charging an average of $150 a month. Progressive is the next-cheapest at $235 a month. Teen drivers looking for full-coverage car insurance get the cheapest rate with Progressive at $391 a month, and NYCM is the next-cheapest at $415 a month.
| Company | Minimum coverage | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| NYCM | $150 | $415 |
| Progressive | $235 | $391 |
| USAA | $326 | $578 |
| State Farm | $379 | $585 |
| GEICO | $424 | $764 |
| Allstate | $467 | $960 |
| Travelers | $500 | $934 |
| Rates are for an 18-year-old male with a clean driving record. | ||
Due to their relative inexperience behind the wheel, teens tend to pay the highest rates for car insurance to offset the risk. However, we've found that teens on a parent's insurance pay 48% less for car insurance. If you have a teen driver, adding them to your car insurance will still raise your premium, but it will probably be cheaper than the two of you having separate policies.
Cheapest car insurance for married drivers: Progressive
Married drivers pay the cheapest rates in New York with Progressive, at an average rate of $115 a month. This is 8% lower than New York's average full-coverage rate for singles of $125 a month. Car insurance providers tend to view married drivers as a lower risk, and this is reflected in their rates.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $115 |
| USAA | $139 |
| NYCM | $192 |
| State Farm | $206 |
| GEICO | $256 |
| Travelers | $372 |
| Allstate | $404 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a married 35-year-old male with a good driving record. | |
Car insurance laws in New York
No-fault requirements
New York is a no-fault state, meaning that your own PIP coverage takes care of your medical bills and related costs after a car accident, regardless of who was at fault. If you caused the accident, you are financially responsible for the damages. In this case, your liability insurance covers the expenses caused. You are also responsible for any medical costs that go over the other driver's PIP limits.
CARCO inspection
New York law requires cars purchased to complete an inspection that documents the physical existence of the vehicle, as well as its current condition, security systems and other factors. This inspection is required within two weeks of purchase of the automobile, and normally only requires a few minutes of time, a brief questionnaire and some photos.
The resulting report is then sent to your car insurance provider. Failure to complete the inspection can result in suspension or denial of auto insurance coverage.
If your car has less than 1,000 miles on the odometer, you are not required to get the inspection.
Diminished value claims
In New York, you have three years to file a claim for a car accident with the at-fault party's insurance provider. Diminished value claims law in New York helps cover the recouping of expenses from a car that has depreciated in value after an accident, even if it is repaired to whole status.
New York law limits property damage recovery through diminished value claims to $10,000 for property damage. It offers no coverage for accidents involving an uninsured or underinsured motorist. Most car insurance policies exclude diminished value, but it can be pursued in a third-party claim.
New York car insurance: FAQs
The average cost of minimum-coverage car insurance in New York is $136 a month. Full-coverage car insurance costs an average of $240 a month.
Progressive has the lowest rates for all age brackets, regardless of insurance history.
New York law requires that drivers registered in the state carry the following car insurance minimum limits:
- Bodily injury per person: $25,000 for bodily injury, $50,000 for injury resulting in death.
- Bodily injury per accident: $50,000 for bodily injury, $100,000 for injury resulting in death.
- Property damage: $10,000
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP): $50,000
New York driver report
New Yorkers are generally safe drivers, but the state’s roads are in need of repair. Our team of analysts found that New York has the 13th-best drivers in the nation, but the 19th-worst driving infrastructure. We also found that New York’s infrastructure problem is particularly pronounced on the state’s many bridges.
- New York City, Baldwin and Uniondale are the worst-driving cities in New York.
- Ithaca, North Tonawanda and Franklin Square are the best-driving cities.
- Twenty-seven percent of roads and 10% of bridges are in poor condition.
- Poor road infrastructure costs drivers $509 a year.
Best and worst drivers in New York
New York residents are good drivers overall. New York ranked 13th in our annual list of the best and worst drivers by state. The Empire State ranked 47th in DUIs (lower is better) and 38th in accidents. Some parts of the state, though, have better drivers than others. New York City, Baldwin and Uniondale are the worst-driving cities in New York. Ithaca, North Tonawanda and Franklin Square are the best-driving cities.
Best Drivers by City
- Ithaca
- North Tonawanda
- Franklin Square
- Monsey
- Bay Shore
- Central Islip
- Niagara Falls
- Spring Valley
- East Meadow
- Port Chester
Worst Drivers by City
- New York
- Baldwin
- Uniondale
- Long Beach
- Commack
- New City
- Hempstead
- Albany
- Centereach
- Oceanside
New York infrastructure rating
New York faces major challenges when it comes to road infrastructure. The state has some of the worst bridges in the country, and the roads aren’t much better.
- Twenty-six percent of roads are in non-acceptable condition.
- Ten percent of bridges are in poor condition.
- Poor road and bridge conditions cost drivers an average $509 a year.
When we compared New York’s road infrastructure to the rest of the country, we found that only four states have a higher percentage of bridges in poor condition than New York.
Best and worst drivers by age group
New York drivers under the age of 20 have more dangerous driving incidents than any other age group. Drivers under 20 years old are twice as likely to be involved in dangerous driving incidents than drivers over 30. The difference in incidents for each age group is why younger drivers often pay more for car insurance.
Methodology
The rates shown in this article are based on an analysis of more than 300,000 auto insurance quotes obtained from Quadrant Information Services for sample drivers from across New York.
Unless otherwise noted, our sample driver is a single 35-year-old with good credit. All sample drivers own a 2012 Honda Accord LX that they drive for an average of 13,500 miles per year.
Our senior base driver is a 65-year-old male with a good driving record. Our young base driver is an 18-year-old male with a good driving record.
Minimum-coverage rates reflect the cost of policies meeting the minimum liability limits required by the state.
Full coverage policies include the following coverages, limits and deductibles:
- Bodily injury liability: 100,000 limit per person/$300,000 limit per accident
- Property damage liability: $100,000 limit
- Collision: $500 deductible
- Comprehensive: $500 deductible
Driver report: QuoteWizard analyzed over 100,000 car insurance quotes to determine New York's best- and worst-driving cities. Drivers were evaluated based on the number of accidents, citations, speeding tickets and DUIs in each city. QuoteWizard evaluated Federal Highway Administration data on road and bridge quality to determine the number of roads and bridges in “poor” or “unacceptable” condition.
Sources:
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