Car insurance in New York is pricier than almost anywhere in the U.S.: Drivers paid an average of $3,697 for annual premiums in August 2024, according to Bankrate, almost 60% higher than the $2,329 national average.
But whether you're up in Buffalo or down in the heart of Brooklyn, you can find insurance that fits your budget without sacrificing coverage or customer service.
CNBC Select has chosen the best car insurance companies in New York, based on price, coverage options, customer service and other factors. (See our methodology for more on how we chose the top car insurance companies in New York).
Best cheap car insurance in New York
- Best for a bad driving record: Progressive
- Best for seniors: Erie
- Best for discounts: New York Central Mutual
- Best for families with young drivers: Geico
- Best for military families: USAA
Best for a bad driving record
Progressive Auto Insurance
Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote.
App available
Yes
Policy highlights
Progressive offers several lines of insurance to allow for bundling and convenient tools to help you keep your policy within your budget.
Terms apply.
Read our Progressive auto insurance review.
Pros
- Available in all 50 states
- Low rates for drivers with DUIs
- Non-owner car insurance and SR-22 certificates available
- Offers vanishing deductible as well as accident forgiveness
Cons
- Below-average customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power
- Above-average number of complaints
- Snapshot safe-driving discount program could result in rates going up
Who's this for?Progressive could be right for you if your driving record isn't perfect: It had some of the lowest rates for high-risk drivers in New York of the companies we reviewed, including for those with multiple accidents or DUIs. Progressive will also issue an SR-22 certificate if your state requires it.
Standout benefits: The accident forgiveness plan means your rate won't go up for claims under $500 and, if you've been accident-free for five years, even a larger accident won't raise your premiums. Progressive guarantees repairs made by partner auto shops for as long as you own or lease your car.
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Best for seniors
Erie Auto Insurance
Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available
Yes
Policy highlights
Erie Insurance offers auto insurance for many different situations and affordable premiums. Several different coverages allow you to customize your policy.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Affordable premiums
- Below-average NAIC complaint index
- High customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power
- Quotes available online
Cons
- Only available in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
- Limited online and app capabilities
- Claim filing is not available online
Who's this for?Erie has great rates for seniors, plus a rate lock option to keep your premium from rising year after year.
Standout benefits:Full coverage insurance with Erie includes up to $350 for personal items and up to $500 for pets injured in a collision. The diminishing deductible lowers your out-of-pocket costs each year you're accident-free and, if you have comprehensive coverage, the deductible for glass repair can be waived.
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Best for discounts
New York Central Mutual Insurance
Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote.
App available
Yes
Policy highlights
NYCM providesbodily injury and property damage liability, as well as personal injury protection, which is required by New York state law. Add-ons include supplemental income replacement and three tiers of roadside assistance.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Discounts can cut premiums by up to 55%
- Highly rated for customer service by JD Power
- Low volume of complaints
Cons
- Only available in New York state
- Limited number of optional add-ons
- Must work with agent to buy policy or make changes
Who's this for?New York Central Mutual boasts that drivers who stack discounts can save up to 55% on their premiums.
Standout benefits:Combine NYCM auto and home policies and you could earn a bundling discount worth up to 25%off your premiums. Amica also offers big reductions for having anti-theft devices or a kid on your policy who leaves their car behind when they go to college.
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Best for familieswith young drivers
Geico Auto Insurance
Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available
Yes
Policy highlights
Geico auto coverage is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It offers 16 discounts and a variety of optional add-ons, such as emergency roadside assistance, rental car reimbursem*nt and mechanical breakdown insurance.
Terms apply.
Read our Geico auto insurance review.
Pros
- Low average rates
- Can buy and manage policies online
- Available nationwide
Cons
- No gap insurance or rideshare insurance
- Fewer branches for in-person services
- Pay-per-mile car insurancenot available
Who's this for? Geico has affordable rates for young drivers, making it a no-brainer if you're a parent with a teen or college student on your policy.
Standout benefits:Several of Geico's discounts benefit families, including up to 15% off for students with a B or better grade average and up to 25% for families with more than one car.
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Best for military families
USAA Auto Insurance
Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available
Yes
Policy highlights
USAA auto insurance is available to service members, veterans and their families in all 50 states and Washington D.C.. In addition to low rates, USAA offers discounts if you are deployed or store your vehicle on base.
Terms apply.
Read our USAA auto insurance review
Pros
- Cheapest insurer for liability-only coverage
- Stellar customer satisfaction scores
- Track record of financial strength
- Available in all 50 states
Cons
- Limited to military families and veterans
- No brick-and-mortar offices
- Customer service is not available 24/7
- Safe-driver discount not available in every state
Who's this for? Active service members, veterans and their family members can take advantage of USAA's affordable rates and superior customer satisfaction.
Standout benefits:USAA's perks target military families, including a discount for keeping your car on base or for not using it while deployed. With USAA's nationwide availability, you won't have to shop for a new provider if you're relocated.
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Compare car insurance rates
More on our top New York car insurance companies
Progressive
Progressive combines affordable pricing with an easy-to-use online experience that lets you skip working with an agent. It's one of our top picks for liability-only insurance and for high-risk drivers.
Read our review of Progressive car insurance
A.M. Best financial strength rating: A+
J.D. Power claims satisfaction study score: 870, below average
Better Business Bureau: A
NAIC complaint index: 0.89, below average
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Erie
Erie has been issuing car insurance since 1925 and is a great option if you want to be treated like royalty: It came in second in J.D. Power's 2023 claims satisfaction study and took top spots in two regions for overall customer service.
A.M. Best financial strength rating: A+
JD Power claims satisfaction study score: 902, above average
Better Business Bureau: A+
NAIC complaint index: 0.81, below average
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New York Central Mutual
New York Central Mutual only sells car insurance in New York, which means it's focused on the needs of local drivers. Additional coverage options are limited, but NYCM scored highly for customer satisfaction in JD Power's 2024 auto insurance study.
A.M. Best financial strength rating: A+
JD Power claims satisfaction study score: n/a
Better Business Bureau: A+
NAIC complaint index: 0.04, well below average
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Geico
Geico is a frontrunner in the insurance space, pairing some of the lowest rates in the market with ample discounts and nationwide availability. Drivers in New York can take advantage of the DriveEasy program, which monitors driving habits and rewards safe drivers with lower rates.
Read our review of Geico car insurance.
A.M. Best financial strength rating: A+
JD Power claims satisfaction study score: 871, below average
Better Business Bureau: A+
NAIC complaint index: 0.70, below average
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USAA
USAA has offered auto insurance to active-duty service members, veterans and their immediate family since 1922. It has unique benefits, including discounts for parking on base or not using your car while deployed. Customers can pay monthly without incurring a penalty.
Read our review of USAA car insurance.
A.M. Best financial strength rating: A+
J.D. Power claims satisfaction study score: 900, above average
Better Business Bureau: A+
NAIC complaint index: 1.36, above average
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Car insurance requirements in New York
Vehicles registered in New York must carry bodily injury and property damage liability insurance, as well as uninsured motorist coverage. In addition, New York is a no-fault state, so drivers must have personal injury protection (PIP) to pay for their medical bills, lost wages and other expenses, regardless of who is at fault.
| Coverage | Required minimum |
|---|---|
| bodily injury (per person) | $25,000 (or $50,000 in case of death) |
| Bodily injury (per accident) | $50,000 (or $100,000 in case of death) |
| Property damage | $10,000 |
| Personal injury protection | $50,000 |
| Uninsured motorist protection (per person) | $25,000 |
| Uninsured motorist protection (per accident) | $50,000 |
If you want additional coverage to protect you, your passengers and your vehicle, you'll needfull coverage car insurance, which includescomprehensiveandcollision coverage. If you are leasing or financing your car, you're probably required to have full coverage.
How to get cheaper car insurance in New York
Whether you are looking for replacement coverage or a new policy, follow these steps to lower your premiums.
Take advantage of discounts
Insurance companies offer a variety of discounts that can lower your rates: One of the biggest is for bundling your car insurance with your homeowners policy from the same provider. You can also save up to 40% with a safe-driving app: If you let your insurer track your behavior behind the wheel, you can be rewarded with a lower rate.
Pay your annual premium upfront
Many insurers charge a fee for paying your premium month by month. Paying it all up front could save you as much as 12%, according to car insurance comparison site The Zebra.
Look into pay-per-mile insurance
If you work remotely or otherwise don't drive often, a pay-per-mile policy could save you up to 40% over traditional insurance. Drivers are charged a flat daily rate with an added per-mile surcharge of a few cents per mile. SmartMiles from Nationwide is available in 44 states and only charges you for the 250 miles driven in a day.
Improve your credit
In New York, your credit history affects the price you pay for car insurance. You can boost your credit by making on-time payments on your credit card, keeping older accounts open and limiting how many new credit applications you fill out.
Ask for a higher deductible
Your deductible is the amount you're responsible for before your insurance company covers anything. Typically, the higher the deductible, the lower your premium will be.
Increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce the cost of collision and comprehensive coverage by as much as 30%, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Upping it to $1,000 could save you 40% or more.
If you choose this strategy, be sure you'll have the funds to meet the new higher deductible.
FAQs
How much car insurance is required in New York?
New York state requires at least $25,000 bodily injury liability per person and $50,000 per accident, plus $10,000 property damage liability. Drivers must also have $25,000 in uninsured motorist protection per person, $50,000 per accident and $50,000 in personal injury protection coverage.
Is car insurance higher in New York?
New York drivers pay 59% more than the nationwide average for a year of full coverage. In August 2024, premiums averaged $3,697 in New York, according to Bankrate, compared to $2,329 for the whole U.S. Liability-only insurance was even more expensive — it averaged $1,544 in New York, a 144% increase over the national average of $633.
What is the cheapest car insurance in New York?
According to our research, Progressive offered the cheapest average rates for car insurance in New York. Your individual premiums will depend on a variety of factors, including your driving history, car, credit, gender and age.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. To research the best insurance companies, we compiled over 100 data points on more than a dozen insurance companies. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best insurance companies.
Our methodology
To determine the best insurance companies, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of insurance companies and compared them based on various factors.
While narrowing down the best New York car insurance companies, we focused on a sample premium for a 40-year-old driver with a clean driving record and good credit insuring a 2020 Toyota Camry, commuting five days a week and driving 12,000 miles annually. We looked at premiums for full coverage car insurance from Bankrate using the following limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
We then looked at coverage features, ease of use, customer satisfaction data from theNational Association of Insurance Commissioners, Better Business Bureauand J.D. Power and financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, which measures the likelihood of a company being able to pay claims.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
From there, we sorted our recommendations by the best for discounts, for drivers with at-fault accidents or DUIs, for seniors, for families with young drivers and for military families.
Premiums and policy structures advertised for New York car insurance companies may fluctuate in accordance with company policies.
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Read more
State Farm vs. Geico car insurance: Which is better?
The best car insurance companies for young adults
The best car insurance for seniors
Progressive car insurance review: Tops for drivers with tickets
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
