Average Cost of Car Insurance in New York

The average cost of car insurance in New York is $154 a month, and consists of a combination of liability and comprehensive car insurance rates.

New York State ranks as one of the most expensive states in the U.S. for car insurance coverage. There are many ways to reduce your annual car insurance rates, including checking your rates often and maximizing your discounts.

In New York, the law requires you to carry at least liability car insurance coverage. You must show proof of insurance when you license your car in New York. The state can suspend your driver’s license and vehicle registration if you don’t have the minimum car insurance coverage.

How much is car insurance in New York?

New York is one of the most expensive states to insure a car. Even if you live outside a major city, you will pay more than the national average for car insurance. Insurance premiums in the larger cities of New York can be double or more than the New York state insurance average. 

Historically, these New York cities have higher car insurance rates:

• New York City
• Buffalo
• Rochester 

You can expect more expensive rates with higher insurance coverage levels. Carrying only the state minimum can reduce your cost over a year. This discounted rate may not cover repairs or replacement of your car.

The state minimum may not cover all the damage from an accident you’re at fault for, leaving you to pay the difference out-of-pocket.

Compare quotes from the top car insurance companies and save

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Does cheap car insurance in New York mean less value?

The easy answer to this is no. Cheap car insurance means carrying the least amount you need or the state minimum coverage. In New York, that coverage includes a liability insurance policy.

New York regulates all insurance agencies in the state, with many agencies working together to protect you. So you can be confident when buying cheap insurance in New York. You can learn more about New York’s insurance regulations with their auto resource center page.

There are also independent groups that rate insurers. These ratings are based on financial holdings, state ratings, and insurance policy metrics. Some insurance companies have higher independent reviews based on several factors, including customer satisfaction on claims. Generally, these independent reviews award insurers with a letter grade.

Some of the independent insurance review groups are:

• A.M. Best
• Standard and Poor’s
• Fitch Ratings
• Moody’s

These car insurance companies offer both liability and comprehensive car insurance in New York.

Car Insurance Company	A.M. Best Rating	Standard and Poor's Rating
State Farm	A++	AA+
Geico	A++	AA+
Liberty Mutual	A	A Excellent
USAA	A++	AA+
Progressive	A+ Superior	AA

Learning how independent groups rate insurance providers can help you understand what to look for in a car insurance provider. Comparing car insurance providers by their A.M. Best rating can help you find the best car insurance policy for your needs.

How do you find the best car insurance in New York?

The best car insurance in New York is the policy that best covers your needs and fits your budget. To get the lowest insurance price, you can look for eligible discounts.

Insurance discounts that may apply to your coverage include:

• Retirement-based discounts
• Work or school group benefits
• Low mileage driving discounts

Younger drivers may also receive a good student discount by maintaining a higher GPA. Students may also receive a discount after completing a driver’s education course.

There are many top-rated car insurance companies to choose from in New York. Each insurance company will offer discounts and good driver programs.

There are many things to look for when choosing the best car insurance company. You may want the best rates for good drivers or the best rates for a two-door sports car. Comparing rates can help you narrow down the choices to several good companies. 

Liability Insurance in New York and Policy Upgrades

The state minimum liability coverage sets payout amounts for all policies. Some amounts are based on a single accident, while others are an overall policy amount. These amounts include $10,000 for property damage, $50,000 for bodily injury of one person, and $50,000 for two or more injured people.

You can also add car insurance upgrades to your liability insurance at little cost. These services could cost you hundreds if you had to pay out-of-pocket.

Some popular New York car insurance upgrades include:

• Full glass coverage
• Emergency road service
• Rental car coverage

Most liability policies will allow you to add what you need to your insurance coverage. Many of these upgrades are included in your comprehensive car insurance policy automatically.  

Compare quotes from the top car insurance companies and save

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

How are my car insurance rates set in New York?

Car insurance companies look at many factors when determining your insurance rate. They will have access to your driving record and a demerit system similar to the driver’s license point system for accidents and tickets.

When setting rates, some of the factors insurance companies consider include age, car type, and where you live.

If you carry only the minimum liability insurance and live outside of a large city, you can expect your rate to be much lower.

If you are a new driver, have had tickets, or recently had an accident, your rates will be higher than the average rates. You can take steps to lower your cost, including the state-approved Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention Course.

This course is also known as the Point and Insurance Reduction Program. It is a program managed by New York state that offers a 10% insurance premium reduction for three years and a reduction of points from your driver’s license.

What does the average car insurance cost mean to you?

We looked at the latest data from several large car insurance companies to determine our average insurance cost in New York. We also factored in countrywide rate increase data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which said the rate is around 1.2% per year.

The car insurance companies we used average rates from include:

• USAA Auto Insurance
• AARP Auto Insurance from The Hartford
• Liberty Mutual Insurance

Two other factors that affect insurance rate averages are who the insurance companies give policies to and time. This New York statewide car insurance average includes large cities with higher car insurance premiums.

Once you have your car insurance policy, it can be easy to take for granted that you have a low rate. However, there may be savings you didn’t know you qualified for. Comparing insurance rates every few months could save you money on your insurance policy.

Finding the best car insurance in New York is easy with our comparison tools. Enter your ZIP code below to find your best rates.

Compare quotes from the top car insurance companies and save

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption