Cheapest Car Insurance in Rochester (2026 Rates)


Quick Take
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NYCM: Most affordable for diverse driver types at $42 monthly for full coverage and $18 for minimum coverage. Drivers save 21% compared to Rochester's average rates.

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Kemper: Runner-up for affordability with $47 monthly full coverage and $23 minimum coverage rates. This insurer offers especially competitive pricing for senior drivers.

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Progressive: Progressive charges Rochester's lowest premiums for young drivers and drivers with accidents, who pay 30% to 50% more with competitors.

Cheapest Monthly Rates by Coverage and Driver Profile in Rochester:

Cheapest Car Insurance in Rochester by Coverage Type

NYCM offers Rochester's lowest full coverage rate at $42 monthly, 55% below the city average of $93. Progressive charges $47 per month, saving drivers 46% compared to average Rochester rates.

Minimum coverage costs even less. NYCM charges just $18 monthly (55% below average), while Kemper's $23 monthly rate saves drivers 48%. Your actual rate depends on your ZIP code, driving record and coverage choices, so compare quotes from several insurers.

NYCM Insurance$19$43-55%
Kemper$24$47-48%
Progressive$26$47-46%
Geico$30$62-32%
American Family$39$76-16%

Not in Rochester? Read more about the cheapest car insurance or the best providers in New York.

Cheapest Rochester Car Insurance for Teen and Young Drivers

Teen drivers pay Rochester's highest insurance rates. NYCM Insurance charges the lowest premium at $71 monthly. Progressive costs $110 per month, and Kemper charges $145 monthly.

Add your teen to your existing policy rather than buying separate coverage, you'll save hundreds annually. Defensive driving courses reduce premiums by 5% to 15% at most insurers.

NYCM Insurance$71$855-66%
Progressive$111$1,329-47%
Kemper$145$1,742-30%
American Family$146$1,747-30%
Erie Insurance$156$1,871-25%

Cheapest Rochester Car Insurance for Senior Drivers

Rochester seniors pay low car insurance rates. NYCM Insurance charges $59 monthly for full coverage, Kemper costs $60, and Progressive charges $64.

Drivers 65 and older save more through defensive driving courses, discounts up to 10% last three years. Many insurers offer accident forgiveness for seniors, preventing rate increases after your first at-fault accident.

NYCM Insurance$59$710-52%
Kemper$60$724-51%
Progressive$64$774-48%
Geico$79$947-36%
Erie Insurance$105$1,262-15%

Cheapest Rochester Car Insurance by Driving Record

Violations increase your insurance rates, but Rochester insurers price them differently. NYCM Insurance charges $18 monthly for minimum coverage after an at-fault accident, while Progressive charges $25. After a speeding ticket, NYCM costs $25 monthly and Progressive charges $26. Progressive offers the lowest DUI rates at $27 monthly, with NYCM at $28.

Speeding tickets affect your rates for three to five years. DUIs impact premiums for up to 10 years. Compare quotes after any violation; insurers price violations differently, and switching can save you hundreds annually.

At-Fault AccidentNYCM Insurance$19-67%
At-Fault AccidentProgressive$26-55%
DUIProgressive$27-64%
DUINYCM Insurance$29-61%
Speeding TicketNYCM Insurance$26-55%
Speeding TicketProgressive$27-53%

Rochester Car Insurance Costs by ZIP Code

ZIP codes create major rate differences in Rochester. Drivers in 14611 pay $131 monthly for full coverage, while drivers in 14625 pay $76, a $55 monthly gap based on location alone. Insurers price coverage based on your ZIP code's traffic density, crime rates and accident frequency. Your address affects your premium more than your driving record in some cases.

Most Expensive ZIP Codes in Rochester
14611$131
14620$116
14627$96
14621$92
14619$89
14605$89
14614$88
14608$88
14613$88
14604$87
Least Expensive ZIP Codes in Rochester
14625$76
14624$77
14623$78
14615$79
14616$79
14609$79
14612$79
14606$79
14610$80
14607$80

Choose Your Best Rochester Car Insurance Company

Progressive leads Rochester auto insurers with a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100. Progressive offers extensive coverage options at competitive rates. NYCM, Geico, Erie and American Family also rank highly for Rochester drivers. These insurers balance affordable premiums with strong customer service and fast claims processing.

Progressive96341
NYCM Insurance94196
Geico90487
Erie Insurance88612
American Family87567
Progressive

Progressive: Best Customer Service

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  • Extensive coverage options

  • Digital claims tracking with repair service coordination

  • Accepts high-risk drivers

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  • Fewer discount options than competitors

  • Slower claim handling reported by Rochester customers

  • Higher deductible requirements

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Progressive offers strong coverage options and digital tools for Rochester drivers. The company accepts drivers with violations while maintaining competitive rates. Progressive's mobile app provides 24/7 claims filing and repair coordination, useful when accidents occur. The Name Your Price tool lets you adjust coverage levels and deductibles to match your budget.

NYCM Insurance

NYCM: Second Best Overall

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  • Most affordable rates across all driver types

  • Teen driver monitoring alerts for parents

  • 120+ years of New York expertise

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  • No rideshare coverage for Uber or Lyft drivers

  • Outdated mobile app and online claim tools

  • Limited service options for out-of-state travel

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

NYCM offers Rochester's lowest rates for young drivers, seniors and drivers with violations or accidents. The company's 120+ years in New York means coverage built for local conditions, including winter weather damage. NYCM provides Vehicle Safety and Defensive Driver discounts, plus 24/7 claims filing and processing.

How to Lower Your Car Insurance Rates in Rochester

Rochester drivers pay high insurance costs. These strategies reduce your premiums:

  1. 1
    Bundle and save

    Combine auto with home or renters insurance for 15% to 25% savings. Add good driver, paperless billing and automatic payment discounts. Multi-car policies save 10% to 25% per vehicle. Total savings can reach 30% to 40%.

  2. 2
    Consider a higher deductible

    Raising your deductible from $500 to $1,000 cuts annual premiums by 10% to 15%. Keep enough savings to cover the higher deductible if you file a claim.

  3. 3
    Review your policy yearly

    Insurance companies adjust Rochester rates based on local accident data and weather patterns. Three years of clean driving qualify you for lower rates than you paid initially.

Cheap Rochester Car Insurance: FAQ

Is car insurance in Rochester expensive?

How We Chose the Best and Cheapest Car Insurance in Rochester, NY

Finding affordable car insurance in Rochester starts with understanding how insurers price policies across the city. Traffic congestion, theft risk and New York’s insurance requirements all shape your premium. Even within city limits, drivers in ZIP code 14611 often pay much more than those in 14625.

We partnered with the New York State Department of Financial Services and Quadrant Information Services to analyze hundreds of thousands of quotes from 12 insurers across every Rochester ZIP code. 

Our ratings for the best car insurance in Rochester are calculated by a weighted score incorporating affordability (60%), customer experience (30%) and coverage options (10%). 

Read more about our methodology, which shows which insurers maintain competitive rates across Rochester neighborhoods and driver categories while delivering reliable claims service, not just advertised rates for perfect-record drivers.

About Mark Fitzpatrick


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Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.


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