The best New York car insurance companies are those that pair strong customer service with solid coverage options, while also keeping annual premiums at reasonable prices. With these criteria as our guide, we found New York Central Mutual and State Farm offer the best car insurance in New York.
We evaluated 17 of the most popular car insurance providers in New York. In addition to customer satisfaction, coverage options, and affordability, we also considered financial strength and available discounts.
The 4 Best Car Insurance Companies in New York
- New York Central Mutual:Best for Discounts
- State Farm: Best for Customer Service
- GEICO: Best for Affordable Policies
- USAA: Best for Military Members
Compare the Best Car Insurance Companies in New York
| Company | Average Price for State Minimum* | Average Price for Full Coverage* | Reviews.com Score | AM Best Financial Strength | J.D. Power Overall Customer Satisfaction |
| New York Central Mutual | $2,142.11 | $3,167.55 | 3.75/5 | A | 837/1,000 |
| State Farm | $2,365.93 | $3,352.32 | 4.8/5 | A++ | 851/1,000 |
| Geico | $1,454.10 | $2,919.83 | 4.4/5 | A++ | 837/1,000 |
| USAA | $1,586.47 | $3,189.17 | 4.8/5 | A++ | 884/1,000 |
Information accurate as of: 10/20/2020 *Data provided by Coverage.com
Best for Discounts
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Top-rated customer satisfaction
- Affordable rates
- Wide array of discounts
- 24/7 claims service
Cons
- Available only in New York
- No online claims filing
Types of Coverage Offered
- Personal injury protection
- Optional basic economic loss
- Bodily injury liability
- Property damage liability
- Statutory uninsured motorist
- Medical payments
- Collision coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
Discounts Available
- Auto-pay discount
- Driver training discount
- Student away at school discount
- Accident prevention course
- Airbag/Automatic seat belt discount
- Anti-lock braking system discount
- Daytime running lamps
- Alarm system discount
- Coupler discount
- Homeownership discount
- New car discount
- Paid in full discount
- Senior discount
- Good student discount
- Injury protection discount program
- Claim free, at fault accident forgiveness and at fault accident forgiveness plus discount
- Multi-policy discount
* Data provided by Coverage.com, price based on the state minimum required policy.
** J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Auto Insurance Study rating for the New York region. Based on a 1,000-point scale.
Best for Customer Service
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Impressive financial strength
- High claims satisfaction ratings
- Great discounts
Cons
- Expensive policies
- Fewer add-on coverage options than competitors
Types of Coverage Offered
- Rental car and travel expenses coverage
- Roadside assistance coverage
- Rideshare driver coverage
Discounts Available
- Policy bundling
- Accident-free
- Defensive driving course
- Student away at school
- Good driver
- Driving training
- Good student
- Vehicle safety
- Passive restraint
- Anti-theft device
- Multi-vehicle
* Data provided by Coverage.com, price based on the state minimum required policy.
**J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Auto Insurance Study rating for the New York region. Based on a 1,000-point scale.
Further Reading on State Farm:
Best for Affordable Prices
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Affordable policies
- Plenty of discounts
- Strong financial ratings
- Fast and convenient auto repairs
Cons
- Below average customer service
- No discounts for hybrid/electric cars
Types of Coverage Offered
- Personal injury protection
- Roadside assistance
- Rental car reimbursement
- Mechanical breakdown coverage
- Medical coverage
- Uninsured motorist coverage
- Collision coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
Discounts Available
- Vehicle safety features (airbags, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft system and daytime lights)
- New vehicle
- Good driver
- Seat belt use
- Defensive driving course
- Driver education course
- Good student
- Emergency deployment
- Federal employee
- Employee membership
- Military
- Multi-vehicle
- Multi-policy
* Data provided by Coverage.com, price based on the state minimum required policy.
** J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Auto Insurance Study rating for the New York region. Based on a 1,000-point scale.
Further Reading on Geico:
Best for Military Members
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Personalized customer service
- Affordable policies
- Many discounts
Cons
- Only available for active and retired military members
- Very few branch locations
Types of Coverage Offered
- Personal injury protection
- Extended benefits coverage
- Roadside assistance
- Rental car reimbursement
- Accident forgiveness
Discounts Available
- Safe driver
- Defensive driving course
- Driver training course
- Good student
- New vehicle
- Multi-vehicle
- Annual mileage
- Vehicle storage
- Family discount
- Length of membership
- Military installation
- Policy bundling
* Data provided by Coverage.com, price based on the state minimum required policy.
** J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Auto Insurance Study rating for the New York region. Based on a 1,000-point scale.
Further Reading on USAA:
The average cost of car insurance in New York
New York is the second most expensive state for car insurance, the state’s minimum liability premium is $1,295 on average. While the national average is $1,555 for full coverage insurance, the cost for full coverage in New York is around $2,498. With the natural hazards and risks for drivers in this state, the minimum coverage required by the law may not be enough to protect you against financial losses in the event of a severe accident. To find the best auto insurance in New York, we recommend comparing quotes from different providers to make sure that you have the right coverage for the right price. Otherwise, any expenses over your coverage are going to come out of your pocket.
Top 3 Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in New York
| Company | Average Annual Premium |
| Geico | $1,454.10 |
| USAA | $1,586.47 |
| Allstate | $1,771.68 |
* Data provided by Coverage.com, price based on the state minimum required policy.
Top 3 Most Expensive Car Insurance Companies in New York
| Company | Average Annual Premium |
| State Farm | $2,365.93 |
| Travelers | $2,306.14 |
| New York Central Mutual | $2,142.11 |
* Data provided by Coverage.com, price based on the state minimum required policy.
Top 3 Cheapest Cities for Car Insurance in New York
| City | Average Annual Premium* |
| Corning | $879.08 |
| Gang Mills | $892.03 |
| Plattsburgh | $915.72 |
* Data provided by Coverage.com, price based on the state minimum required policy.
Top 3 Most Expensive Cities for Car Insurance in New York
| City | Average Annual Premium* |
| Saint Albans | $3,040.99 |
| South Ozone Park | $2,943.56 |
| Cambria Heights | $2,917.22 |
* Data provided by Coverage.com, price based on the state minimum required policy.
Guide to New York Car Insurance
New York car insurance is expensive as the state has frequent weather events like severe storms, winter storms, tropical storms and floods. These criteria make insurers increase their rates, as policyholders’ belongings are more at risk. Other factors for the increased rates in the state include the high number of drivers, which means more risk for crashes, and the rise of property vandalism and theft. Just this year, car thefts in New York City have risen by 60%. Drivers should be aware of the risks of owning a car in this state, and for that reason, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) created an article on driving tips.
Key things to know about car insurance in New York
- To register your car in New York, you need automobile liability insurance.
- If you don’t have liability insurance, your car registration and license could be suspended.
- It is best to keep your New York State insurance card along with your registration slip while you are driving or you could be fined.
- If you are involved in an accident, your insurance rates can increase substantially.
Car Insurance Add-Ons That Will Further Protect You
To have more protection than the New York minimum, you can purchase as much insurance coverage as you can reasonably afford. It might surprise you how much more coverage you can get for a slightly higher annual premium. Here is a list of additional coverage based on common risks in the Empire State.
- Optional basic economic loss (OBEL): This coverage enhances the basic no-fault coverage, providing an extra amount of top of your insurance limit.
- Supplementary uninsured motorist: Having this protection will pay for injuries caused to you or your passengers by an uninsured motorist in an accident.
- Medical payments: This coverage reimburses you and your passengers for medical or funeral expenses from an accident. This add-on works regardless of which party was responsible for the accident.
- Collision: If there are any damages to your vehicle that result from impacting another car or object, this coverage will reimburse you for it.
- Comprehensive: If the damages on your car are caused by something other than a crash, such as hail, vandalism or hitting an animal, you will be covered. This add-on also includes theft.
New York Minimum Insurance Requirements
The state of New York requires all drivers to have a minimum amount of car insurance coverage. Drivers must have coverage for property damages and bodily injuries and death in case of an accident.
Minimum liability required in the state of New York is divided as follows:
- $10,000 for property damage for a single accident
- $25,000 for bodily injury and $50,000 for the death of a person involved in an accident
- $50,000 for bodily injury and $100,000 for the death of two or more people in an accident
New York’s No-Fault Law
New York is one of the 12 states that have no-fault law. The law states that if you are injured in a crash, your insurance company will pay for the damages, no matter who was responsible for causing the accident. That includes reimbursement for medical costs and other losses after the accident.
New York Car Insurance FAQ
Methodology
Reviews.com scores products, services and companies using five quantifiable criteria to help readers choose the best one for them. For the best car insurance in New York, our editorial team compared affordability, customer support, coverage options, customer satisfaction scores and online resources from each company and averaged the scores to produce our very own Reviews.com rating. These scores were created with our readers in mind and are meant to be a helpful tool to simplify the process of choosing which car insurance company is best for you.
As for average pricing, we used Coverage.com’s data, based on the profiles of 30-year male and female. For full coverage, the details used were the following:
- $100k bodily injury liability per person
- $300k bodily injury liability coverage per crash
- $100k property damage liability coverage per crash
- $500 collision coverage deductible
- $500 comprehensive coverage deductible
Minimum coverages were applied to match state requirements. Both drivers used a new, financed 2018 Toyota Camry, commuting five days a week and driving 12,000 miles per year. Since auto insurance rates vary widely among different profiles, we encourage you to compare options that fit your specific needs.
About the Authors
Nina Rodríguez-Quirós is a feature writer for Reviews.com. Over the last year, she has covered insurance providers, claims handling, coverage and more. She has been featured in Allconnect.com and holds a Master’s Degree in Theory and Research of Communications from the University of Puerto Rico. Her favorite review is Millennials and Auto Insurance.
