Best Cheap Car Insurance in New York for 2020

If you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance in New York, it pays to shop around. Rates for the same coverage can vary widely from company to company, meaning you may lose out on a great deal by settling for the first quote you get.

To make your shopping easier, NerdWallet researched rates from the seven largest auto insurers in New York to find the most affordable options for a variety of driver types.

Cheapest for good drivers in New York

For New Yorkers with good credit and clean driving histories, these are the cheapest auto insurers we found, and their average rates:

1. Geico: $1,602 per year.
2. Allstate: $1,752 per year.
3. New York Central Mutual: $1,869 per year.
4. Travelers: $1,928 per year.
5. Progressive: $2,247 per year.

Drivers with no recent accidents or violations can get cheaper car insurance rates for having good credit. For this calculation, NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-old men and women with a clean driving record and good credit. In terms of driving and credit history, a large portion of drivers are closest to this profile, which carries standard "full coverage" insurance, including comprehensive and collision, along with state-required coverage. Prices shown include a good driver discount, when available from the insurer.

Cheapest for minimum coverage in New York

For good drivers with good credit who want minimum required coverage, these are the cheapest auto insurers we found in New York, and their average rates:

1. Geico: $711 per year.
2. New York Central Mutual: $797 per year.
3. Allstate: $950 per year.
4. Travelers: $1,117 per year.
5. Progressive: $1,226 per year.

We calculated these numbers by averaging rates for 40-year-old good drivers (earning them a discount if the insurer offers one) who have only the minimum mandatory insurance in their state. Such light coverage isn't typically recommended, since it might not cover all the bills resulting from a car accident, but it's better than nothing — especially if you can't afford much more. If you're looking for the cheapest possible insurance you can get, though, you'll still want to get quotes from at least three auto insurers.

Cheapest for good drivers with poor credit

For good drivers with poor credit in New York, here are the cheapest insurance companies we found, and their average rates:

1. Geico: $1,990 per year.
2. Allstate: $3,241 per year.
3. New York Central Mutual: $3,641 per year.
4. Travelers: $4,023 per year.
5. State Farm: $5,194 per year.

If you have a spotty credit history, it's important to shop around to find the cheapest auto insurance rates you can. Poor credit can have a bigger effect on car insurance premiums than even a DUI conviction or a recent at-fault crash, but prices vary by insurer. To calculate these figures, NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-olds with a clean driving record and associated good driver discount, if the insurer offered one. They had poor credit as reported to their insurer, and standard "full coverage" car insurance.

Cheapest for drivers with one at-fault crash

New Yorkers who have caused an accident recently may want to check out these car insurance companies, ranked by their average rates for this group:

1. New York Central Mutual: $2,127 per year.
2. Geico: $2,265 per year.
3. Travelers: $2,300 per year.
4. Allstate: $2,357 per year.
5. Progressive: $2,963 per year.

After a relatively minor crash, some auto insurers will charge a lot more than others for coverage. To get these figures, we averaged rates for 40-year-olds with typical "full coverage" insurance and one recent at-fault crash costing $10,000 in property damage. Your rates will remain high for three to five years after you cause an accident or have a moving violation. If you fall into this category, be sure to shop for new insurance rates just after the three-year and five-year anniversaries of your infraction.

Cheapest insurance after a DUI in New York

For New York drivers with a recent DUI, here are the cheapest car insurance companies we found, alongside their average rates:

1. Allstate: $2,428 per year.
2. Progressive: $2,440 per year.
3. New York Central Mutual: $2,631 per year.
4. Travelers: $2,782 per year.
5. Geico: $3,480 per year.

A conviction for driving under the influence, or DUI, generally results in higher auto insurance premiums than before. NerdWallet analyzed rates for 40-year-old drivers and standard “full coverage” car insurance with a recent DUI conviction to see which companies were cheapest. Rates can vary by hundreds between carriers after a DUI, and some penalize for longer than others, so it’s important to shop around for the best price right after you see a price hike and each year after that.

Cheapest insurance after a ticket in New York

These are the cheapest auto insurers we found for drivers with a recent speeding ticket in New York, as well as their average rates:

1. Geico: $2,065 per year.
2. New York Central Mutual: $2,127 per year.
3. Allstate: $2,135 per year.
4. Travelers: $2,355 per year.
5. Progressive: $2,543 per year.

Getting a speeding ticket will result in higher car insurance rates from most companies for three to five years. To see who has the cheapest rates, we calculated average car insurance rates for 40-year-old drivers with “full coverage” insurance and a recent ticket for speeding 16 mph over the limit. Though these larger companies were the cheapest we found on average, others may be cheaper for you, so be sure to get at least three quotes before deciding on a carrier.

Cheapest for couples and families in New York

In addition to single drivers, NerdWallet also looked at rates for 50-year-old couples with and without a teen driver in New York. Insurers often have discounts for policies with multiple vehicles or drivers, but they factor it all differently into rates. So whenever a big change happens in life, such as a marriage, move or new teen driver on the policy, shop around for insurance quotes to ensure you’re getting the best rate.

Cheapest for a married couple in New York

For married couples in New York with two vehicles, these are the cheapest insurance companies we found, ranked by average rate.

1. Allstate: $2,527 per year.
2. Progressive: $2,907 per year.
3. Geico: $3,208 per year.
4. Travelers: $3,932 per year.
5. New York Central Mutual: $3,974 per year.

Couples who live together can save on auto insurance by combining policies, whether they are married or not, because they can earn multi-car and multi-driver discounts. Once they tie the knot, rates can dip further, but not because of discounts — insurers see married people as less risky and so charge them lower rates. Our hypothetical 50-year-old couple’s clean driving record also earns them both a good driver discount.

Cheapest for families with a teen in New York

For New York families with a teen driver, here are the cheapest car insurance companies we found and their average rates:

1. Geico: $4,633 per year.
2. New York Central Mutual: $4,896 per year.
3. Allstate: $5,059 per year.
4. Travelers: $6,376 per year.
5. Progressive: $6,899 per year.

Taking that same couple and adding a teen with two years’ driving experience is sure to cause a big jump in rates. Since different insurers tend to see a teen’s inexperience in different ways, we analyzed rates to see which companies had the cheapest car insurance for teens. These rates are averaged for 50-year-old couples with male and female 18-year-old drivers across the state.

Cheapest for young drivers in New York

Older singles and families aren’t the only people we found rates for — we know drivers in their 20s can face high insurance prices. NerdWallet also analyzed car insurance rates for 25-year-old male and female drivers in New York, and the cheapest companies varied for this group, too.

Cheapest full coverage for young good drivers

Here are the cheapest car insurance companies we found for young drivers with clean credit and driving histories in New York, ranked by lowest average price for full coverage:

1. Geico: $1,706 per year.
2. Allstate: $1,813 per year.
3. Travelers: $2,096 per year.
4. New York Central Mutual: $2,252 per year.
5. Progressive: $2,467 per year.

Drivers in their 20s can have a hard time finding cheap car insurance, and that's even truer when they need full coverage. The rates above are averages for 25-year-old male and female drivers all over the state with comprehensive and collision coverages, which are often required for drivers with active auto loans or leases. These rates reflect a good driver discount, but no others. Young drivers, like all drivers, should check several quotes to find the cheapest for the coverage levels they need.

Cheapest minimum coverage for young good drivers

For young drivers with bare-bones insurance coverage, here are the cheapest average insurance rates we found in New York and the companies providing them:

1. Geico: $757 per year.
2. New York Central Mutual: $866 per year.
3. Allstate: $922 per year.
4. Travelers: $1,075 per year.
5. Progressive: $1,253 per year.

Since young people often have fewer assets to protect with liability insurance, they can usually get away with lower coverage limits. For an age group with relatively high insurance rates on average, that's good news, keeping rates as low as possible. For this price set, we averaged rates for 25-year-old male and female drivers living across the state who have clean driving records, good credit and bare-bones insurance coverage.

Poor credit and minimum coverage

For young drivers with poor credit and minimum coverage policies, here are the cheapest insurers we found, ranked by average rate in New York:

1. Geico: $884 per year.
2. Allstate: $1,706 per year.
3. New York Central Mutual: $1,808 per year.
4. Travelers: $2,453 per year.
5. State Farm: $3,217 per year.

Poor credit is common for younger folks just starting out, who may still be building their credit files. That can increase rates further, so it's extra important to shop around and compare as many insurance quotes as possible to find the cheapest you can get. For these prices, we averaged rates across the state for 25-year-old male and female drivers with no recent accidents or violations (earning them a good driver discount), minimum coverage car insurance, and credit in the "poor" tier as reported to an insurer.

Cheapest for minimum coverage after a crash

For young New Yorkers with a recent at-fault accident, these are the cheapest auto insurance companies we found and their average rates:

1. New York Central Mutual: $1,047 per year.
2. Geico: $1,071 per year.
3. Allstate: $1,208 per year.
4. Travelers: $1,311 per year.
5. Progressive: $1,587 per year.

To get prices for this group, we averaged rates for 25-year-old male and female drivers across the state with good credit and a recent at-fault crash costing $10,000 in property damage. Since car insurance is often pricier after a crash, and especially so for young drivers, we assumed minimum required insurance in the state to contain costs for our hypothetical driver. If you've caused a crash, no matter your age, be sure to check auto insurance quotes just after the third and fifth anniversaries of your incident, when insurers often adjust rates downward.

Cheapest for minimum coverage after a DUI

For young drivers with a recent on-record DUI, these are the cheapest insurers we found, and their average rates in New York:

1. Allstate: $1,199 per year.
2. Progressive: $1,341 per year.
3. New York Central Mutual: $1,388 per year.
4. Travelers: $1,646 per year.
5. Geico: $1,708 per year.

Young drivers with a recent DUI on their records will need to be diligent to find the lowest car insurance rates they can get — it's likely that many companies' rates will be quite expensive. But spending the time to shop around for quotes can help you find the lowest. For this analysis, we averaged rates for male and female 25-year-old drivers with a recent on-record DUI. They had good credit and minimum required car insurance, which helps keep rates down.

Cheapest for minimum coverage and a ticket

Here are the cheapest insurers and average rates we found in New York for young drivers with a recent speeding ticket:

1. Geico: $989 per year.
2. New York Central Mutual: $1,047 per year.
3. Allstate: $1,079 per year.
4. Progressive: $1,383 per year.
5. Travelers: $1,390 per year.

Getting a speeding ticket is never fun, and neither is the higher car insurance bill you may receive months later. At that point it's time to shop around for better rates, and it wouldn't hurt to repeat on your third and fifth ticket anniversaries, when insurers may adjust rates downward. We analyzed rates for 25-year-old male and female drivers with a recent speeding violation for going 16 mph over the speed limit to see prices for this group.

Cheap for military families in New York

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 relatively low rates from USAA, an option not available to the general public. For that reason, we don’t rank it alongside other companies, but USAA was the cheapest option for 10 of 14 driver types listed above.

» MORE: Best car insurance for veterans and military

Recap: Cheapest car insurance in New York

• Good drivers: Geico.
• Minimum coverage: Geico.
• Poor credit: Geico.
• After an at-fault crash: New York Central Mutual.
• After a DUI: Allstate.
• After a speeding ticket: Geico.
• Married couples: Allstate.
• Families with a teen: Geico.
• Young good drivers: Geico.
• Minimum coverage for young good drivers: Geico.
• Minimum coverage for young drivers with poor credit: Geico.
• Minimum coverage for young drivers after a crash: New York Central Mutual.
• Minimum coverage for young drivers after a DUI: Allstate.
• Minimum coverage for young drivers after a ticket: Geico.

» MORE: Compare car insurance

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.
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident.
• $50,000 PIP.
• $25,000 UMBI per person.
• $50,000 UMBI per accident.

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).

NerdWallet’s comparison tool lets you view New York car insurance rates from top companies side by side and possibly trim hundreds off your premium.

Methodology

For our “good driver” profile, NerdWallet averaged rates from the largest insurers in the state for 40-year-old men and women in all ZIP codes with 12,000 annual miles driven. The policy includes:

• $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.

If required, minimum additional coverages were added. Our “young driver” had all the same characteristics, but average rates were for 25-year-old men and women. 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 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 costing $10,000 in property damage.
• For drivers with a ticket, we added a single speeding violation for driving 16 mph over the speed limit.
• For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken driving violation.

We used a 2016 Toyota Camry LE for all single drivers. Couples in our analyses were 50-year-old men and women with good credit and clean driving histories, averaged across all ZIP codes with the same policy outlined above. To see rates for families with a teen, we added an 18-year-old licensed two years ago, averaging rates for male and female teens. For couples and families we added a 2016 Nissan Rogue S to create a two-car household. These are rates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.