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If you’re looking for full coverage policies, liability insurance, or you’re a driver with a speeding ticket in Buffalo, MoneyGeek’s analysis shows Erie to be the cheapest car insurance provider. If you are a military member, USAA may be the best choice for you. And while Travelers' may not be the cheapest, its quality customer service and overall affordability rank it as the best auto insurance provider in the city.

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2023

The Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Buffalo

The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Buffalo

In Buffalo, the following insurers offer the most affordable full coverage car insurance plans on average:

  • Erie: $931 per year
  • GEICO: $1,083 per year

Although USAA offers the city's second cheapest full coverage insurance rates at $1,073 per year, its plans are only available to military personnel and their families.

Erie is Buffalo’s cheapest insurance company for full coverage policies. The most expensive is The General, with quotes more than three times that of Erie for a similar policy. Full coverage insurance includes coverages such as comprehensive and collision coverages. Based on the amount of coverage you choose, your annual premiums could vary considerably.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Buffalo
Full Coverage 100/300/100
  • Company
    100/300/100per year
  • 1.
    Erie
    $931
  • 2.
    USAA
    $1,073
  • 3.
    GEICO
    $1,083
  • 4.
    Progressive
    $1,120
  • 5.
    Allstate
    $1,180
  • 6.
    New York Central Mutual Fire
    $1,472
  • 7.
    State Farm
    $1,723
  • 8.
    Travelers
    $1,736
  • 9.
    MetLife
    $1,751
  • 10.
    Nationwide
    $1,798
  • 11.
    Esurance
    $2,482
  • 12.
    The General
    $2,833

To conduct this study, MoneyGeek used the average insurance premiums for a 40-year-old male motorist in Buffalo insured by a full coverage insurance policy.

Apart from liability insurance, full coverage policies include the following coverages and are thus more expensive.

  • Collision Coverage: Provides coverage for damages resulting from an accident with another vehicle or object.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: Provides coverage for damages to your car that are not caused by an accident.

Liability-only or state minimum insurance may be a better alternative for drivers with older cars, especially if the cost of a full coverage car insurance policy exceeds the vehicle’s replacement value.

Compare Car Insurance Rates in Buffalo

Ensure you're getting the best rate for your car insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

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Cheapest Car Insurance in Buffalo for Minimum Coverage

The cheapest insurance policy provides the legally required minimum of coverage. The following companies offer Buffalo's cheapest minimum liability insurance:

  • Erie: $583 per year
  • GEICO: $618 per year

Military personnel and their families can apply for insurance through USAA, which costs $601, the second cheapest in Buffalo. Erie's average premium is $1,247 less than state minimum liability insurance issued by The General at an average yearly cost of $1,830.

Minimum insurance policies are less expensive due to the lower coverage levels. However, if you do not have comprehensive and collision coverage and are involved in a crash, you are at the risk of insufficient coverage.

Check out the table below to discover how increasing liability limitations affects insurance premiums.

Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in Buffalo
State Minimum

New York State requires its drivers to have a minimum of 25/50/10 liability insurance. While this is the cheapest insurance option in Buffalo, it also gives the least coverage. That means if you are found to be at fault in an accident, you will, in all likelihood, have to pay for damages or injury out of pocket.

For example, if you are at fault in an accident and the other driver’s medical bills are $30,000, your insurer will cover $25,000, and you will be liable for the balance.

New York Minimum Liability Requirements

  • Item
    Description
  • Bodily Injury and Property Damage
    $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage. A more protective level is 100/300/100.
  • Uninsured Motorist
    $25,000 per person and $50,000 per incident. The minimum coverage may not be enough if you're in a serious accident.
  • Personal Injury Protection
    $50,000 per person.
  • Other
    $50,000 liability for death per person. $100,000 liability for death per accident.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Buffalo if You Have Driving Violations

A clean driving record helps your insurance costs stay low. Previous offenses will raise these costs based on the severity of the offense. In Buffalo, drivers who have auto insurance with Erie will play an average of $931 if they have no violations. If that same driver gets a DUI, their rate with Erie will rise to $1,587.

Lesser violations can also affect a person's auto insurance premium. Drivers in Buffalo who have auto insurance with Erie will see their premiums rise for speeding tickets and at-fault accidents. An Erie policyholder who gets a speeding ticket may see their insurance raise from $931 to $1,050. Or, if that same driver causes an accident, their insurance may rise from $931 to $1,321.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Buffalo With a Violation
Speeding Ticket

Average Cost of Car Insurance in Buffalo

Buffalo$1,646
New York$3,433
U.S.$1,424

Any traffic violation, such as speeding tickets, being found at fault in an accident, or being charged with a DUI, can raise your auto insurance premiums in Buffalo. The city's cheapest insurance quotes, on average, after the most commonly committed traffic infractions are:

  • Cheapest after a ticket: Erie, $1,050 per year
  • Cheapest after an at-fault accident: Erie, $1,321per year
  • Cheapest after a DUI: Progressive, $1,331per year

USAA offers the second cheapest quote for drivers with a history of speeding tickets and at-fault accidents. However, you can only obtain an insurance policy through USAA if you’re a veteran or current military member.

Regardless of the violation, you can rebuild your driving record over time to lower your insurance premiums. In the meantime, it’s a good idea to compare insurance prices in Buffalo to discover the best and cheapest quote for drivers with bad records.

Personalized Quotes to Get You the Cheapest Car Insurance in Buffalo

Car insurance rates are not static. Several factors affect auto insurance rates. Factors such as your driving record, car make and credit score will be considered by insurance companies to determine your risk factor. The more favorable your risk level is for the insurance company, the lower your premium will be.

Drivers with no previous driving offenses and who have good credit scores should expect a lower insurance rate.

Since individual factors change from time to time, getting a personalized quote regularly helps you determine if you're getting the best rate available to you. If you want cheap car insurance in Buffalo, check different auto insurance companies to compare their offers.

Compare Car Insurance Rates in Buffalo

Ensure you're getting the best rate for your car insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

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The Best Car Insurance Companies in Buffalo

MoneyGeek reviewed Buffalo's car insurers based on price and service. Our study revealed the best companies in Buffalo are as follows:

  • Travelers: MoneyGeek score 90 out of 100
  • State Farm: MoneyGeek score 88 out of 100

USAA earned the highest possible score of 100 out of 100 in Buffalo. Due to the fact that the company's policies are limited to military personnel and their dependents, it was not included on the list of the best insurance companies.

To rank these car insurance companies, MoneyGeek evaluated variables such as the insurers' financial stability, affordability and customer satisfaction. We used multiple resources to perform this study, including findings by data analytics and consumer intelligence company J. D. Power.


1
Erie
Score:98

5/5

Affordability

4.7/5

Claims

4.8/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

2
Allstate
Score:89

4.6/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

3
GEICO
Score:88

4.4/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

4
Progressive
Score:84

4.3/5

Affordability

3.5/5

Claims

3.5/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

5
Travelers
Score:76

3.5/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

6
State Farm
Score:75

3.4/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

4/5

Financial Stability

7
Nationwide
Score:71

3.3/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

8
New York Central Mutual Fire
Score:57

4.1/5

Affordability

NaN/5

Claims

NaN/5

User Satisfaction

NaN/5

Financial Stability

9
MetLife
Score:37

0.8/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

10
Esurance
Score:35

0.8/5

Affordability

3.7/5

Claims

4.2/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

11
The General
Score:12

0.8/5

Affordability

NaN/5

Claims

NaN/5

User Satisfaction

NaN/5

Financial Stability

Average Cost of Car Insurance by Postal Code

Your ZIP code also affects your car insurance premiums and helps insurance companies determine the risks that you and your car may face. People living in high-risk ZIP codes should expect to pay more for their premiums. The difference between the most expensive and the most affordable ZIP code in the city is $584. Buffalo's 14221 ZIP code is the most affordable in the city: $1,445. People living in the 14215 ZIP code area will pay the most in the city — $2,029 on average.

  • Zip Code
    State Minimumper year
  • 14221
    $1,445
  • 14224
    $1,464
  • 14215
    $2,029

Factors That Impact Insurance Costs in Buffalo

In addition to individual driver needs and history, location-specific factors like personal injury protection coverage requirements and the rate of car thefts also contribute to car insurance rates in Buffalo. How Buffalo ranks compared to the 300 most populous cities in the United States can have a significant impact on premium costs.

accident2 icon
Most Accidents With Fatalities237th/300
handcuffs2 icon
Most Car Thefts32nd/300
uninsured icon
Most Uninsured Motorists by State50th/50
insurance2 icon
Personal Injury Protection RequiredYes
rain icon
Most Annual Rainfall108th/300
umbrella icon
Most Rainy Days2nd/300

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a senior content director at MoneyGeek with over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, conducting original research and creating content that can be personalized for every buyer. He has been quoted on insurance topics in several publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Mark earned a master’s degree in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his economics and insurance knowledge to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.