The Cheapest Car Insurance in New York for April 2024

NYCM offers the cheapest car insurance in New York, with an average annual rate of $1,053 for full coverage.
Ben Moore
By Ben Moore 
Updated

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Auto insurance is an important purchase, but finding cheap car insurance in New York isn’t always easy. The best way to find cheap car insurance is to compare rates from multiple insurers.

The cheapest car insurance company in New York is NYCM at $1,053 per year on average, or $88 per month, according to the most recent NerdWallet analysis of full coverage car insurance rates in New York. Meanwhile, the average cost of full coverage car insurance in New York is $2,209 per year, or about $184 per month.

Minimum coverage in New York is $853 per year on average, but we found you can likely get a cheaper policy. For example, NYCM offers the cheapest rates in New York at $380 per year, on average, for minimum coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record.

Want the absolute best auto insurance? Check out our roundup of the best car insurance in New York.

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If you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance in your city, NerdWallet analyzed rates for some of the largest New York cities, including:

How we chose the cheapest companies in New York

NerdWallet’s editorial team analyzed car insurance rates from 19 auto insurers in New York and listed the five cheapest options for drivers in several age brackets and with different histories, all driving a 2020 Toyota Camry L. For minimum coverage, we looked at rates that reflect the minimum requirements in New York. For full coverage, we used the below coverage 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 coverage per person.

  • $300,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident.

  • Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible.

  • Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible.

Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate outliers and inaccuracies in pricing data, which include rates from every locale in New York where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts, ages and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.

Cheap car insurance in New York for 20-year-olds

Drivers in their 20s may have to get a lot of quotes to find the best cheap car insurance. Prices can be sky-high for younger 20-somethings, but tend to come down as drivers get more experience on the road. Still, some companies routinely have better insurance rates for young drivers, so it's best to shop around to find them.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in New York for 20-year-olds

Drivers in New York with clean driving records may want to consider the following companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in New York for 20-year-olds

Drivers in New York who want just the state minimum coverage may want to check with these companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 20-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in New York should look at the following insurers with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 20-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 20-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers with a recent accident in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 20-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest auto insurance we found after a DUI is shown here, alongside the insurers' average rates for minimum coverage.

Cheapest for 30-year-old drivers

By the time they reach their 30s, most drivers will enjoy cheaper car insurance rates than in their teens and 20s. Still, factors like a person’s driving record and car make and model can increase prices. Drivers in their 30s can get lower rates by shopping around and taking advantage of any car insurance discounts.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in New York for 30-year-olds

Drivers in New York who want their state's minimum coverage can check with the following companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in New York for 30-year-olds

Drivers in New York who want their state's minimum coverage can check with the following companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 30-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in New York should consider the following companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 30-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 30-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers in New York with a recent accident, here are the lowest average rate options for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 30-year-old drivers after a DUI

For the cheapest auto insurance after a DUI, we found the following options for full coverage.

Cheapest for 40-year-old drivers

Drivers in their 40s tend to have better insurance rates than their younger counterparts on average, but still pay more than older age groups. Shopping around for cheap car insurance quotes with multiple insurers is the best way to find lower rates. Good drivers who don’t get behind the wheel often might want to consider pay-per-mile insurance, which charges drivers by how many miles they drive.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in New York for 40-year-olds

Drivers in New York with clean driving records may want to think about the following companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in New York for 40-year-olds

Drivers in New York who want just the minimum coverage may want to check prices from these companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 40-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in New York can check out the following insurers with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 40-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 40-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers with a recent accident living in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 40-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest full coverage auto insurance we found for drivers with a DUI came from the following companies.

Cheapest for 50-year-old drivers

Drivers in their 50s have cheaper car insurance rates than most other age groups on average. Prices will continue to drop as they inch toward their 60s and gain more driving experience. Rates can still vary depending on other factors such as a driver’s gender and location, so it’s smart to shop around to find the best rate. Our list of cheap auto insurance companies is a good place to start.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in New York for 50-year-olds

Drivers in New York with clean driving records may want to get quotes from these insurers, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in New York for 50-year-olds

Drivers in New York who opt for the state minimum coverage may want to consider the following companies, with the lowest average rates:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 50-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in New York can check with the following companies, which showed the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 50-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 50-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers living in New York with a recent accident, here are the insurers with the lowest average full coverage rates:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 50-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest auto insurance we found for drivers with a recent DUI comes from the following companies, listed with rates for full coverage.

Cheapest for 60-year-old drivers

Although 60-year-olds have cheaper car insurance rates than many other age groups on average, prices will start increasing as they get older. To find cheap car insurance for seniors, drivers in their 60s should make sure to shop around to find the best rate. Drivers in this age group should also take advantage of any available discounts for senior citizens.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in New York for 60-year-olds

Drivers in New York with clean driving records may want to think about getting quotes from these companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in New York for 60-year-olds

Drivers in New York who want just the state minimum coverage may want to check with these insurers, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 60-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in New York can look at the following companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 60-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 60-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers with a recent accident living in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 60-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest auto insurance we found after a DUI came from the following companies, shown with their average rates for full coverage.

Cheapest for 70-year-old drivers

Car insurance costs may start to rise for 70-year-old drivers. To find the cheapest possible coverage, shop around and compare quotes from multiple companies. Also, look for insurers that offer discounts for seniors. For example, some insurers offer discounts to senior drivers who take a defensive driving course.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in New York for 70-year-olds

Drivers in New York with clean driving records may want to think about getting quotes from these companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in New York for 70-year-olds

Drivers in New York who want just the state minimum coverage may want to check with these insurers, which had the lowest average rates:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 70-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in New York can look at the following companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 70-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 70-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers with a recent accident living in New York, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Cheapest auto insurance in New York for 70-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest auto insurance we found after a DUI came from the following companies, shown with their average rates for full coverage.

Cheapest car insurance for military families

If you're an active member of the military or a veteran — or have an immediate family member who is — chances are you'll get a relatively cheap rate with USAA, a company that isn't available to the general public.

Because of that restriction, USAA isn't ranked with the others, but it was among the cheapest five auto insurance options for 37 of the 70 driver profiles we examined.

Minimum auto insurance limits required in New York

New York auto insurance laws require car owners to carry liability insurance, personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI).

The minimum coverage limits in New York are:

  • $25,000 bodily injury liability per person.

  • $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident.

  • $50,000 liability for death per person.

  • $100,000 liability for death per accident.

  • $10,000 property damage liability per accident.

  • $50,000 PIP.

  • $25,000 UMBI per person.

  • $50,000 UMBI per accident.

Liability car insurance covers the cost of any damage, injuries or deaths you cause in a car accident, up to your policy’s predefined limits.

Personal injury protection will cover your medical bills and expenses if you’re injured in a car crash, up to your policy limits, no matter whose fault it was. Depending on your state, PIP may also pay for:

  • Lost wages if you’re unable to work due to injuries from an accident.

  • Services you can no longer perform, like house cleaning or child care, because of your injuries.

  • Funeral costs if an accident-related injury leads to death.

  • A small death benefit as a cash payout.

Uninsured motorist coverage will cover expenses from injuries or damage after an accident with a driver who doesn’t have car insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage will cover the same expenses if you’re hit by a driver with some car insurance, but not enough to cover all costs from the crash.

For the best financial protection, consider buying more than the bare minimum coverage. Any costs that surpass your coverage limits would have to come out of your own pocket, so with these minimums, a serious accident could easily leave you owing more than, say, $10,000 to repair another driver's car.

Alternative car insurance in New York

If car insurance companies are declining to offer you coverage due to DUIs, crashes or other factors, you could qualify for car insurance through the New York Automobile Insurance Plan (NYAIP).

Methodology

For our “good driver” profile, NerdWallet averaged insurance estimates for single male and female drivers with good credit and no tickets or violations. The analysis included 5-10 of the largest insurance companies in each state; smaller insurers were also included when rates were available. Liberty Mutual and its subsidiaries were excluded from our analysis as rates were not available.

For full coverage policies, we used the following coverage 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 coverage per person.

  • $300,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident.

  • Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible.

  • Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible.

In states where required, minimum additional coverages were added. Some policies include additional coverages at the insurer’s discretion.

We used a 2021 Toyota Camry LE for all drivers and assumed 12,000 annual miles driven.

We analyzed rates for drivers 20 to 70 years old in ten-year increments. For the average cost of full and minimum coverage in each state, we looked at 35-year-old drivers.

We used the same assumptions for all other driver profiles, with the following exceptions:

  • For drivers with minimum coverage, we adjusted the numbers above to reflect the minimum required coverage by law in the state.

  • We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor” as reported to the insurer to see rates for drivers with poor credit.

  • For drivers with one at-fault crash, we added a single at-fault crash that happened six months ago, resulting in $10,000 in property damage and no bodily injury claim.

  • For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken driving violation that happened six months ago.

We looked at 35-year-old drivers to find the cheapest company overall, the cheapest company for minimum coverage and the cheapest company for drivers with poor credit in states where credit history is used to price rates. We looked at 20-year-old drivers to find the cheapest company for young drivers.

These are rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different. Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state.

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