Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in New York?

We reviewed auto insurance rates in New York to provide local drivers with more information about insuring their vehicle in the state. Our research showed that rates differ significantly depending on which companies drivers get their quotes from, and where they live in New York. For example, in the town of Hempstead, the best auto insurance rates at the cheapest company were $5,370 lower than the most expensive provider's quotes. That's why to get the lowest rates, drivers should compare quotes from at least three companies. Type your zip code into the box above to start shopping among the top providers near you, or read more below:

Cheapest Auto Insurance in New York

We averaged quotes for a sample single man in his 30s with safe driving records across 100+ cities to calculate the annual rates for each company in the following table. Below are the five companies with the lowest car insurance quotes for our male driver:

The table ranks companies from those with the cheapest car insurance rates to the most expensive. The quotes you get after submitting your own profile and different coverage limits will be quite different because of the individual nature of auto insurance.

Cheapest Car Insurance in New York: by City

Our research reviewed quotes for our two sample drivers from 16 companies in 105 cities, and revealed the cheapest car insurance companies in each city. Even drivers in New York City, Hempstead, or a nearby suburb in Nassau County, have options for affordable rates if they know where to look. This table starts with the ten most populous locations in New York, and resumes with the remaining in alphabetical order.

New York, NY

Drivers looking for the cheapest car insurance rates in New York City should start with GEICO, Nationwide and Erie. These three providers have the lowest rates for civilian drivers. Progressive and State Farm are also attractive options. On average, these three companies charge an annual rate of $2,063 for our sample driver, which is 44% cheaper compared to what the typical insurer charges in NYC.

In total, auto insurance costs here run up to $2,973 a year on average - 50% more than the Empire State average. While the city has some of the highest public transportation utilization rates, roughly a third of residents commute by car. The BQE and the Long Island Expressway, FDR Drive, and the West Side Highway / Hudson Parkway are four of the city’s main highways, while the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Queensboro Bridges help connect the boroughs. Here is a breakdown of the boroughs:

The Bronx

We found the cheapest auto insurance rates in the Bronx at GEICO, Nationwide and State Farm. Among these three companies, the average rate is a low $2,174 - or about 41% cheaper compared to the borough average. Home of the Yankees and a sprawling zoo, the Bronx ranks as the #3 most expensive borough with a mean of $3,084. 37% of the Bronx’s 1.4MM residents get to work by car, perhaps via US Route 1 or the Cross Bronx Expressway.

Brooklyn

For the best car insurance quotes in Brooklyn, we suggest starting with GEICO, Nationwide and State Farm. Annual rates across these three insurers are a low $2,511, better than the borough average by 45%. At $3,644, costs here are already 23% higher than the citywide average. Brooklyn has the greatest range in costs between the cheapest and most expensive insurers in our survey of about $5,000, which makes it critical for consumers to shop and compare quotes. The city’s most populous – and some would say, the most happening and exciting – borough is our most expensive. From the coast of the Brooklyn Promenade through Williamsburg to the tip of Coney Island, the BK is home to 2.6MM residents. Almost a third commute to work by car.

Manhattan

Drivers looking for low car insurance rates in Manhattan should start with quotes from GEICO, State Farm and Nationwide. In aggregate, these insurers had the most affordable rates in Manhattan of $, $1,734 lower versus the citywide mean. The average cost in this borough is $2,754 – perhaps the only time Manhattan has been identified as the cheapest of all five boroughs. Manhattan has been called many names, from the original Manhattan, to the fictionalized Gotham. To its residents, the borough is simply known as the City. Most get to work utilizing the plethora of public transportation and cabs, but 12% commute by car. With its easy street grid, Manhattan’s roads are easy to navigate – if you avoid the crush of traffic and tourists around Broadway and Times Square, that is.

Queens

To find cheap auto insurance quotes in Queens, we suggest beginning with GEICO, Nationwide and State Farm. That's because these companies cost $2,221 on average for our benchmark local drivers, much lower compared to $3,144 from the typical Queens insurer. Home of the Mets, the Unisphere, and 2.3MM people, Queens is the second most populous borough in New York City. It’s also the largest by land mass, measuring 283 square miles from the developing Long Island City to Flushing. Nearly 45% of the borough drives their car to work.

Staten Island

Drivers in neighborhoods such as Great Kills, Huguenot, and Tottenville, can find low-cost insurance for their vehicles at GEICO, Nationwide and State Farm. Their average rate of $2,024 saves motorists in Staten Island 31% compared to the borough mean. One of the world’s longest boardwalks, the best view of the Statue of Liberty, and Snug Harbor can be found in Staten Island. New York City’s smallest borough has the greatest percentage of drivers, with 67% commuting to work by car. The cost of auto insurance here for our sample drivers is $2,652 a year, 11% lower than the citywide average.

Hempstead, NY

If you're looking for cheap car insurance near you in Hempstead, start with GEICO, Erie and Nationwide. These companies had the lowest rates for auto insurance in Hempstead at $2,204 per year. At this level, drivers would pay 30% less compared to insuring with the average company. That's a sizeable chunk given that the cost of insuring a vehicle in Hempstead is the second most expensive in New York.

Rates here can run about $2,860 a year, which is 49% costlier than the state average - partly due to its close proximity just 30 miles away from the Big Apple. If Hempstead were a city, it would actually qualify as the 2nd most populous city in the state of New York. As it is, the town is home to 760,000 residents, and perhaps more in the summer months, when millions of visitors descend on the sands of Jones Beach.

Buffalo, NY

For the best car insurance rates in Buffalo, we recommend getting quotes from GEICO, Erie and Nationwide. These three companies have the cheapest local quotes for our sample drivers averaging about $1,147 a year - that's 43% less than the city mean of $1,644. Located at the junction of the Buffalo River, Lake Erie, and the Niagara River, the city of Buffalo is New York's second most populated city and the birthplace of Buffalo Wings. The first electric street lights in America were lit here on Ganson Street.

Babylon, NY

With rates about $1,000 cheaper than the city mean, GEICO, and Erie as the companies with the lowest auto insurance rates in Babylon. Even though costs here are already 34% higher than the rest of the state, a quote from these providers would bring drivers back to the New York average. Jones Beach, Captree Island, and Fire Island are a short road trip under 20 miles away. With the beachfront less than half an hour's drive away, Babylon's 214,000 residents are some of the luckiest in the state.

Rochester, NY

Who has the best car insurance rates in Rochester? Our research data points to West Bend Mutual, Farm Bureau Mutual, and Western National as having the lowest policy costs for locals in Rochester. This handful of companies quoted our sample drivers a rate of $927 on average, which is a 28% savings compared to what the typical insurer charges. Generally speaking, it costs our driver $1,310 a year to insure a vehicle in Rochester (23% cheaper vs. Empire State mean). Rochester is home to about 211,000 residents, including at one point two leaders of the suffragette and abolitionist movements: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, and the student population of the Univeresity of Rochester.

Huntington, NY

The cheapest companies to insure a car in Huntington with are GEICO, Erie, State Farm. Annual policies with one of these companies cost our profiled motorists on average $1,644 a year, which is 32% lower than the $2,176 that the general insurer charges in Huntington. Huntington has a number of ties to the entertainment industry. For starters, it is where the sitcom Growing Pains place. Mariah Carey, Marlene Dietrict, and Edie Falco all at one point walked or drove the streets of Huntington.

Binghamton, NY

The three companies with the lowest auto insurance rates in Binghamton are GEICO, Erie and State Farm. On average, our drivers see annual rates of $883 from these providers, which is a 26% reduction compared to the citywide mean. With an average annual premium of $1,112 per year, Binghamton ranks as the city with the fifth cheapest auto insurance rates in the state. Located at the junction of the Susquehanna and the Chenango Rivers, Binghamton was a manufacturing center powered by both local residents and immigrants, which gave rise to the city’s nickname of “Valley of Opportunity”. Today, the city’s economy is primarily driven by education and health care, including SUNY Binghamton and United Health Services.

Elmira, NY

The most affordable rates for car insurance in Elmira can be found at GEICO, Erie Nationwide, which together average $828 a year for premiums. Elmira actually ranks as the second cheapest city in our New York study, but drivers can save even more by about 23% with quotes from this subset of companies. Elmira is known as the birthplace of soaring. It’s from Harris Hill that the sport of gliding was launched, and commemorated with the National Soaring Museum. The city has hosted some notable residents in the past including: author Mark Twain, aviation pioneer Glenn Hammond Curtis, and Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. Today, it’s home to 29,000 people, who can see car insurance premiums of $1,024 per year, which is on average 42% lower than what other drivers in the state pay.

Garden City, NY

Our sample drivers found the cheapest car insurance rates in Garden City, NY, at GEICO, Erie, State Farm. In total, annual rates from this group of companies are $1,920for a Toyota Camry - 27% lower than the overall cost in Garden City. It takes the fourth most expensive spot on our list of cities in NY with an average annual cost of car insurance of $2,445 – 41% higher than everywhere else. Garden City is a village on Long Island about 24 miles outside of Manhattan. At five square miles, it is home to more than 22,000 citizens and Adelphi University.

Mineola, NY

GEICO, Progressive and Erie have the lowest auto insurance costs in Mineola for our sample drivers. In aggregate, the three companies quote an average of $1,761 for full coverage insurance, which is about 35% lower than other providers in Mineola. Mineola, a village of 19,000 people in Nassau County, rounds out our top five most expensive cities for auto insurance in New York. Mineola has hosted some of the most famous pioneer pilots in history, including Glenn Curtiss and the Wright Brothers, as well as one of the first aviation units in the National Guard. It costs $2,388 a year to protect a car from auto insurance liability.

Geneva, NY

If you're looking for cheap auto insurance quotes in Geneva, we direct your attention to GEICO, Erie and Progressive. These companies quote the best rates in Geneva for car insurance; their composite rate of $875 for our driver profiles is a 24% reduction from the citywide mean of $1,083. At this level, this city in the Finger Lakes region takes the fourth cheapest spot in New York. Geneva is located on the northwest bank of Seneca Lake, and is known as the Lake Trout Capital of the World. Among its notable residents have been Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female licensed as a medical doctor in the U.S., and Seth Reed, a colonel and pioneer who helped to shape U.S. coinage.

Farmington, NY

We found the most affordable car insurance quotes in Farmington at GEICO, Erie and Nationwide. $866 is the mean annual cost from these three companies for the sample driver we obtained quotes for. This composite premium is a 26% discount to the going rate in Farmington of $1,094 which already places the city with the third cheapest auto insurance costs in New York Farmington started as a Quaker settlement when it was established in 1789. The town occupies 39 square miles in Ontario County and is home to 12,000 denizens. Farmington Quaker Crossroads Historic District in the town has been designated a National Register of Historic Places property, and played a significant role in the civil and women’s rights movements

Corning, NY

For the cheapest car insurance quotes in Corning, start with GEICO, Erie and Progressive. With a composite rate of $821 a year, this handful of companies charges 21% less compared to the typical insurer in Corning. And that's saying something, because Corning actually ranks in all of New York state with the lowest costs for car insurance. This community of 11,000 residents has access to the largest repository of glass artifacts at the Corning Museum of Glass. Thomas Edison’s company’s first light bulbs were manufactured here, and the fiber optic cable was invented here as well. The average cost of auto insurance in Corning is $994 a year, which places it 46% cheaper than the typical Empire State city.

Lawrence, NY

Drivers looking for low car insurance costs in Lawrence should consider getting quotes from GEICO, Erie, and Progressive. Our sample drivers' average rate of $2,048 from this group of companies is 32% more affordable than what they get from all of the other companies here. Its critical that drivers in Lawrence compare and shop for quotes from at least three companies, given that Lawrence has the third most expensive costs in the Empire State for car insurance. The village measures just five square miles in size, but is home to about 6,000 residents, including at one point fashion designers Donna Karen and Steve Madden. Costs for auto insurance are 82% more expensive than the typical city in the state at $2,692 a year.

Best Car Insurance Companies in New York

Now that you know the cheapest car insurance companies in New York, you should know which are the "best". It happens that New Yorkers are fortunate in that some of its cheapest providers are also quite good for customer satisfaction and service.

While GEICO may not be esteemed for customer service across the country, in New York it's considered the best. The 2016 J.D. Power study on customer satisfaction of auto insurance companies gave GEICO 5/5 stars for factors such as how the company billed customers, the flexibility of policies and how they processed claims. On top of that, we found GEICO to also be the most affordable auto insurer in New York.

In our nationwide survey, we found Progressive insurance increased rates after an accident the least of any other company. Overall, Progressive increased rates only 29% after an at-fault accident compared to the average 57%. If getting into an accident and your rates skyrocketing worries you, going with Progressive may be a good move.

For those in the military, were in the military or have family members who were in the military, you the best car insurance is at USAA. In New York, J.D. Power gives USAA highest marks with scores almost the same as GEICO. USAA is also known for giving competitive and inexpensive rates to its customers. If you are eligible, strongly consider USAA.

Best Rated Auto Insurance Companies in New York

Another way to determine what the best car insurance companies in New York are was to look at the number of complaints each company underwriting in the Empire State had relative to the amount of business they conducted. Specifically, we calculated each group's share of upheld complaints to their share of car insurance business in New York to determine their complaint index number. The lower the index number for a company, the better they perform relative to their competitors.

Average Cost of Car Insurance in New York: by City

Across 100+ places beginning alphabetically with Albany and ending with Yorktown, annual premiums ranged from just above $1,000 to a little more than $4,000. The rank refers to how cheap each city is relative to the 100+ cities in our New York analysis. Here are the costs by city:

Auto Insurance in New York: Minimum Coverage Requirements

To be properly insured in New York, the state requires that any policy you have meets or exceeds the liability and personal injury protection levels below:

Even though these are the lowest coverage limits you can get, we'd recommend increasing the limits to meet how much you have in assets. That's because if you have an expensive accident - say a multiple car pile-up with pedestrian injuries on the crowded streets of Manhattan - your car insurance will only cover up to the stated amounts. You'd probably be sued for the rest of the damages, which would come out of your own pocket.

How We Conducted the Study

We based our study on the auto insurance rates for a single 30 year old male driver in the state of New York. He owns and operates a 2011 Toyota Camry primarily to commute to work and drives it about 12,000 miles a year. His credit history is in good condition, and he hasn't had an accident or traffic violation in the past five years that he was licensed.

The coverage contemplated in our study provides about twice the protection required in the state. Included in our study are national insurers such as GEICO, Allstate, and State Farm, as well as regional underwriters such as New York Central Mutual and Erie.