Best Car Insurance in New York for 2025
Updated
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It's illegal to drive in the state of New York without auto insurance. However, that coverage does not come cheap. The relatively high cost of insurance in New York makes it doubly important to find the right policy -- coverage that will be there to protect your financial interests in the event of a claim.
We've looked into New York insurers to determine which provides the state's best car insurance. Here's what we found.
With one of the lowest rates in the state ($2,769) and the highest rating in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study for overall customer satisfaction, USAA is unbeatable. However, USAA is only available to active, retired, and honorably separated military members and their families.
Civilians might want to consider the second-place winner in the "best overall" category: New York Central Mutual (NYCM).
2025 Award Winner
In a state with particularly expensive rates, finding an insurance company that has kept its premiums low is important. In New York, that company is Unitrin Safeguard. With an average auto insurance rate of $2,254, a Unitrin Safeguard policy is 46% lower than the state average.
Choosing the best auto insurance policy for typical drivers was a tough call, with the final decision coming down to Geico and NYCM. Geico won out for a few reasons. The company received a healthy customer satisfaction score of 821 out of 1,000 on the J.D. Power customer satisfaction study. It also provides the best coverage for members of the military and drivers seeking minimum coverage. Finally, Geico won this category because it charges drivers with a speeding ticket far less than most of its competitors.
It's impossible to overstate the importance of the J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study. Policyholders do not hold back when rating companies, making the results all the more meaningful. For 2023, USAA came in at the top of the heap with an overall customer satisfaction rating of 879 out of 1000.
Again, civilians may want to take a closer look at NYCM. NYCM's average rates are nearly identical to USAA rates, and NYCM came in second place for customer satisfaction.
The average insurance rate statewide for minimum coverage comes in at $1,361. Geico blows that rate out of the water with a rate of $544. That's a full 60% lower than the state average. While minimum coverage will not repair the policyholder's vehicle if they cause an accident, it allows them to drive legally.
The natural assumption might be that USAA always offers vets the best service and lowest rates, but it's not always the case. For example, in New York, Geico's average policy rate is over $400 lower than USAA's, and Geico ranks No. 4 in the state for customer service, with a J.D. Power score of 821 out of 1,000.
Paying for a teenage driver's auto insurance is no joke. Statewide, the average teen premium is a whopping $8,593. That's solely due to a teen's lack of experience behind the wheel and the number of insurance claims resulting from young drivers. NYCM, one of the state's highest-rated insurers, provides one of the lowest rates. With an average annual premium of just over $4,600, it's certainly not cheap, but it's possible to reduce that price tag by bundling teen coverage with yours and taking advantage of price breaks, like a good student discount or credit for a driver's education course.
Unitrin Safeguard is not only the best budget insurer but also the most forgiving of drivers with one speeding ticket on their records. Given that a speeding ticket stays on a driver's record for up to four years in New York, carrying coverage through a company that keeps the lid on its rates makes financial sense.
The specific cost of auto insurance depends on several factors, including age, driving record, and vehicle type. The average cost to insure a vehicle in New York runs $4,200 annually, 28% higher than the average national rate of $3,017.
Here, we break down the average monthly and annual premiums for a variety of common driver personas in New York:
| Persona | Average Monthly Premium | Average Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | $350 | $4,200 |
| Drivers with Clean Records | $327 | $3,920 |
| Drivers with One Accident | $398 | $4,773 |
| Drivers with One Speeding Ticket | $355 | $4,261 |
| Drivers with One DUI | $437 | $5,246 |
| Teen Drivers | $708 | $8,499 |
| Senior Drivers | $258 | $3,094 |
| Military Veterans | $290 | $3,477 |
| Drivers Seeking Minimum Coverage | $113 | $1,361 |
Auto insurance is required to drive in New York. Further, drivers must provide proof of insurance to register a vehicle in the state. If drivers do not maintain the coverage, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) can suspend their vehicle registration and driver's license.
If the DMV receives information that a driver was involved in a traffic crash while driving without insurance, their driver's license and vehicle registration will be revoked for at least one year. Further, their license and registration will also be revoked for at least one year if someone else drives their uninsured vehicle, is involved in a crash, and is convicted of operating without insurance.
Court fines could run as much as $1,500 for driving without insurance or allowing someone else to drive. They will also have to pay the DMV a civil penalty of $750 to get their license back after revocation.
The minimum required car insurance required in New York is as follows:
Here are some basic facts to keep in mind while shopping for the cheapest auto insurance in New York:
Here are a few tips that can help you secure the highest level of coverage you can afford.
Do not assume all insurance companies are alike. For example, one may charge far more for a driver with a speeding ticket on their record than another insurer will. Taking the time to shop around can save you hundreds each year.
Often overlooked car insurance discounts can also save you big. Let's say you also own a home. Carrying more than one policy through the same company (called "bundling") is one of the easiest ways to save money.
Your deductible is the amount you must pay toward a claim before your insurance company pays the remainder. Generally, the higher the deductible you pay, the lower your premium. It's a good idea to build an emergency fund you can pull from in the event of a claim.
Anyone who gets behind the wheel to drive in New York is legally required to carry auto insurance. A driver must also be insured before they can register their car with the state.
Drivers caught driving without insurance in New York may get hit with a traffic court fine as high as $1,500 and revocation of their driver's license. They will then have to pay the DMV an additional fee of $750 to get their license reinstated.
The best car insurance for you is the one offering the highest level of coverage at the lowest possible rate.
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The data found on this page is a combination of publicly available quote data obtained directly from the carrier as well as insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from the top ten (10) to fifteen (15) carrier markets, within each state, based on annual written premium and should be used for comparative purposes only -- your own quotes may be different.
