The Cheapest Car Insurance in New York for 2022

GEICO is the cheapest car insurance option for the average New York driver. However, since your age, driving history and credit score also affect premiums, the cheapest option for you depends on your profile.

For example, Progressive and State Farm have the lowest annual premiums for drivers with a DUI, while Erie is the cheapest insurer for seniors. For military members and veterans, USAA is the cheapest car insurance provider in New York.

For those looking for an even more local solution, we also broke down the cheapest companies by city, as well as the best car insurance companies in New York for those looking to balance quality service and cost.

To find out how MoneyGeek calculated the cheapest car insurance in New York, read our methodology.

cheapestauto insuranceNew York2022

The Cheapest Car Insurance in New York

Cheapest for minimum liability - GEICO

Cheapest for full coverage - GEICO

Cheapest for drivers with a DUI - Progressive

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The cheapest car insurance in New York is a minimum coverage policy that only meets the state’s car insurance requirements. If you cause an accident, this liability-only package only covers the other party’s medical and vehicle repair costs but not your own expenses.

The cheapest car insurance companies in New York for minimum coverage are:

• GEICO: $1,092 per year
• Erie: $1,133 per year

If you or a family member are in the military, you qualify for USAA insurance, with an affordable average premium of $902 per year. The General is the costliest insurer for minimum coverage, with average yearly prices of $5,352.

Cheapest Minimum Car Insurance in New York

These prices are only estimates based on rates for an average New York driver and should not be used to compare insurance prices.

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A full coverage package costs more than minimum coverage, but it includes higher liability limits and comprehensive and collision insurance. These features will ensure you’re protected against most road accidents and off-road incidents in New York. This policy also shields against the cost of damages to your car, not just others. You should ideally compare car insurance quotes to save money.

The least expensive full coverage car insurance providers in New York are:

• GEICO: $1,867 per year
• Erie: $1,928 per year

For military personnel and their families, USAA offers the cheapest full coverage package in New York, averaging $1,622 annually. The most expensive car insurance for full coverage in New York is The General, costing an average of $7,026 per year.

Cheapest Full Coverage Car Insurance in New York

Please keep in mind that your individual premiums will be different than these examples. Costs are for a policy with comprehensive and collision insurance, $100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident and $100,000 in property damage coverage per accident.

You can easily get accurate online car insurance quotes on most companies’ websites. While comparing quotes, be sure to get the rates for consistent limits. For example, if you get a quote with one insurer for $50,000 in bodily liability insurance per accident, you should make sure to use the same number when obtaining rates from another carrier.

Use MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator to get a quote estimate for your car insurance. If you want a personalized quote, you’ll need to provide personal information. The three cheapest car insurance firms in New York are USAA, GEICO and Erie, and you can start your policy search with these providers.

Auto Insurance Calculator

State

New York

Age

30-65

Driving Record

Clean

Credit Score

Excellent

Vehicle Type

Compact

Vehicle Year

2020

Liability Coverage

State Min

Comprehensive and Collision Insurance

None

Gender

Female

Add Student Driver

Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates

Click the section of the wheel in your price range to see options.

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on average

high end

Click your preferred price range to see company options.

Click an insurer below to visit their review page or continue to your personalized quote.

Company

Average Annual Rates

1.

USAA

$884

2.

Erie

$1147

3.

GEICO

$1150

4.

Allstate

$1415

5.

State Farm

$1679

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It’s smart to drive safely, as a traffic violation like a DUI on your record can reflect badly on your premiums. Car insurance for high-risk drivers is a lot more expensive. In New York, a driver with a DUI needs to pay $5,982 per year on average for their auto insurance, compared to $3,433 for the average driver with a clean record.

The cheapest car insurance for a driver with a DUI and full coverage in New York are:

• Progressive: $2,736 per year
• State Farm: $2,736 per year

For military members and their families, USAA's $2,642 average annual rate is likely the most affordable option for a New York driver with a DUI.

Average Car Insurance Rates With a DUI

Part of your insurance rate is determined by your driving history, including moving violations and DUI (Driving Under the Influence) convictions, though New York refers to it as DWI (Driving While Intoxicated). It is important to understand that a DWI in New York isn’t always limited to alcohol use; Drug use while driving can also earn you a DWI. In New York, a DWI doesn’t automatically earn you any jail time, but it does earn you a fine of up to $1,000 and a six-month suspension of your license.

3,233 people in New York were killed in alcohol-related car accidents between 2009 and 2018. 1.3% of New York drivers report driving after drinking too much in the past 30 days.

The above table reflects estimates of what drivers in New York can expect to pay for auto insurance if they receive a DWI.

In New York, you could serve jail time for being convicted with a DWI. In fact, if you are convicted of a 3rd DWI, you could spend up to seven years in jail. Typically speaking, a DWI has a significant impact on your car insurance rates, more than doubling them in some cases. It is possible to find cheap car insurance for people with a DWI in New York. If you have a DWI on your record, you will need to get quotes from multiple companies to make sure you are getting the lowest possible rates.

In New York, having an at-fault accident on your record will increase the cost of your car insurance significantly. On average, a driver with an at-fault accident will pay $5,003 per year for car insurance.

The most affordable car insurance companies in New York for drivers with at-fault accidents are:

• Erie: $2,695 per year
• Allstate: $2,795 per year

USAA is the cheapest option in New York if you have an at-fault accident, but it is only available to members of the military and their families.

Cheapest Car Insurance With an At-Fault Accident

Even a minor driving offense like a ticket can hike your car insurance prices. New York drivers with a speeding ticket pay $4,287 per year on average for their auto insurance coverage, roughly $854 less than the typical driver pays.

The least expensive insurers in New York for a driver with a speeding ticket and full coverage are:

• Erie: $2,166 per year
• GEICO: $2,635 per year

Are you or a family member in the military? If so, USAA has the cheapest insurance option for a New York driver with tickets, at an average of $1,759 annually.

Average Car Insurance Rates With a Ticket

The CDC says that using a cell phone behind the wheel is the worst type of distracted driving, but distracted driving also includes people who are eating, fiddling with their GPS, changing radio stations or doing anything other than focusing on the road while they drive. If you receive a ticket for distracted driving or speeding, that will increase your insurance rates, as you can see in the chart below.

There are some insurance companies that will allow you to avoid a rate increase by taking a safe driving course, but this isn’t a guarantee, so check with your insurance company if you receive a ticket while driving. A ticket will stay on your record in New York for three years. If you earn 11 or more points on your driving record in an 18 month period, your license will be suspended, so drive carefully.

One significant advantage of a good credit score is lower car insurance rates. In New York, drivers with poor credit need to pay an average annual cost of $7,334 for their auto insurance policy, more than double what a driver with good credit pays.

The most affordable and largest auto insurance companies in New York for a driver with poor credit and full coverage are:

• GEICO: $2,941 per year
• Nationwide: $3,062 per year

For military personnel and family members, USAA also offers a competitive rate for drivers with bad credit in New York, at an average annual rate of $2,989.

Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for Drivers With Bad Credit

While it may seem unrelated, your credit score can have a significant impact on your insurance rate. According to Experian, the average credit score in New York is 712, which is higher than many other states in the country. A poor credit score can result in higher insurance premiums because insurance companies view a low score as a higher risk to insure. The above estimates reflect what a person in New York with a poor credit score may pay for auto insurance.

Your credit score is important to your insurance rate because insurance companies see a higher credit rate as a sign you are more responsible and, therefore, less likely to be in an accident and more likely to pay your premiums on time. While this may seem unfair, it does mean that improving your credit score can lower your insurance premium.

Car insurance companies charge senior drivers higher rates compared to middle-aged and young adult drivers. A senior driver in New York typically needs to pay an average of $3,960 per year for their car insurance, compared to $3,433 for the average non-senior adult driver.

The cheapest car insurance companies in New York for senior drivers with full coverage are:

• Erie: $2,081 per year
• GEICO: $2,159 per year

For military members and their families, USAA's average annual rate of $1,908 for New York seniors is your most affordable option.

Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for Seniors

Generally speaking, your insurance rates typically go down with age. Senior citizens, however, may see their rates increase as their vision gets worse and their reaction time slows. As upsetting as this may be, drivers 65 and older made up 16.4% of all fatal traffic accidents in 2017, which is a factor insurance companies take into account when determining your rate.

The chart above shows that insurance rates vary from company to company for senior citizens. Understanding that money is tight for many senior citizens, insurance companies offer discounts for seniors who take safe driving courses, reduce their annual mileage or drive vehicles with certain safety features.

Due to inexperience, young drivers are riskier to insure, and as a result, young drivers in New York pay more for car insurance. On average, the cheapest car insurance policy for a 16-year-old in New York costs $6,352 per year, while a 25-year-old pays much less at approximately $2,436 per year.

GEICO is, in most cases, the cheapest car insurance company for young drivers in New York aged between 16 and 25.

Annual Car Insurance In New York for Young Drivers

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• Age
  Average Cost
  Cheapest Company
  Company Cost
• 16
  $6,352
  GEICO
  $5,815
• 17
  $7,380
  Allstate
  $5,274
• 18
  $5,425
  GEICO
  $4,621
• 19
  $5,028
  GEICO
  $4,111
• 20
  $4,507
  GEICO
  $3,221
• 21
  $3,593
  GEICO
  $2,746
• 22
  $3,387
  GEICO
  $2,605
• 23
  $3,060
  GEICO
  $2,118
• 24
  $2,881
  GEICO
  $2,030
• 25
  $2,436
  GEICO
  $1,735

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Higher premiums apply to young drivers due to their inexperience behind the wheel. Choosing a vehicle wisely can help make your teen’s premiums more affordable. Insurers may also offer discounts for good students or teens who take a defensive driving class. Comparing quotes from several different companies before you need to add your teen to your policy is the best way to make sure you find cheap car insurance for young drivers in New York.

With many active-duty military personnel and veterans, New York requires auto insurers licensed to operate in the state to offer discounts to military members and veterans. Every plan is different, but they are all required to give active and retired vets a reduced rate. In addition to your military discount, shopping around could save even more money.

Although military members and veterans have to carry auto insurance like everybody else, once they have automobile coverage they can get a price break at the New York DMV.

Service members don't have to pay sales tax on vehicles purchased out-of-state even if they're registered in New York. If your New York vehicle registration or license expires while you're deployed, there's an automatic extension of up to 60 days after you return to New York State. Liability insurance coverage must be maintained on vehicles in use, including the extension period on re-registering.

Anyone who wants to register a vehicle in New York must obtain car insurance, even if you don’t drive the car. However, if you don’t drive often, insurance companies might grant you a low-mileage discount.

Proof of Insurance

Under New York law, car insurance companies must issue two original insurance ID cards or give you access to digital ID cards. Whether printed or digital, you need to show the ID card in these scenarios:

• A police officer asks for it
• You're involved in a car accident
• You register or renew your vehicle

Minimum Liability Insurance Requirements in New York

Each state has minimum liability insurance requirements. Here are the minimum requirements for New York:

• $10,000 for property damage
• $25,000 for bodily injury to a single person
• $50,000 for the death of a single person
• $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
• $100,000 for the deaths per accident

Note that these are the state's legal minimums. Experts strongly recommend you consider higher limits and additional coverage.

Low-Cost Insurance Program

New York does not have a special state program for providing low-cost car insurance to low-income drivers.

High-Risk Auto Insurance Program in New York

The New York Automobile Insurance Plan (NYAIP) is for drivers who can't get car insurance coverage, perhaps because they have a poor driving record or file too many claims. The NYAIP helps these drivers obtain coverage.

How Much Coverage Do You Need in New York?

Even though New York law requires only minimum levels of liability car insurance, experts recommend that you cover up to $100,000 in injury liability per person and $300,000 per accident.

Keep in mind that New York is a no-fault car insurance state, which means that no matter who was at fault in an accident, each auto insurance policy will pay for up to $50,000 in crash-related expenses. However, purchasing personal injury protection (PIP) coverage can increase that no-fault limit to $100,000 or more.

Consumers in New York have questions about which car insurance policy to buy and how much it costs. Here are the answers to help drivers make an informed coverage decision.

Expert Advice on Finding Affordable Car Insurance in New York

To help you find credible and accurate insights on car insurance in New York, MoneyGeek gathered expert advice from proven professionals. The perspectives and opinions conveyed are those of the individual contributor.

1. What are the key factors drivers in New York should look for when searching for the best auto insurance coverage?
2. What steps can drivers in New York take to find affordable car insurance?
3. How do regulations and rules in New York impact insurance pricing and how consumers might shop for coverage?

Mitchell Langbert

Associate Professor of Business Management at Brooklyn College

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Aron Tobias

Assistant Professor of Economics at Syracuse University

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Angelo DeCandia

Professor of Business at Touro College

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Steven Gattuso

Assistant Professor of Economics & Finance at Canisius College

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Mary-Jo Kranacher

ACFE Endowed Professor of Fraud Examination at York College, CUNY

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Dr. Sahar Milani

Associate Professor of Economics at St. Lawrence University

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About the Author

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Rachael Brennan is a professional finance writer and licensed insurance agent. She has worked in the insurance industry for more than a decade, earning her P&C license in all 50 states and her life, health and AD&D license in New York and the surrounding states. Rachael has worked for well-known companies such as 21st Century Insurance and BlueCross BlueShield and was the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) insurance plans coordinator for three years. She specializes in property, casualty, health, life, accidental death and disability insurance.

Rachael earned her bachelor of science degree in communications from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Rachael combines her writing background with her insurance and personal finance experience to share practical knowledge and help people make informed financial decisions.

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