Here you’ll learn everything you need to know to buy the best car insurance policy in New York City for your particular situation. You’ll see which carriers are rated as the best car insurance companies for customer satisfaction and what the average car insurance rates are for your neighborhood.
You’ll also discover how much you can save from knowing how to make smart choices about coverage. And, find out how rates for New York City drivers are affected by tickets, accidents and adding teen drivers.
- The average car insurance rate for New York City drivers for minimum coverage is $1,662 a year, according to Carinsurance.com analysis.
- The liability coverage in New York City, NY costs $1,872 per year.
- In New York City, full coverage car insurance policy costs $3,868 a year.
- As per Carinsurance.com research, in New York City, comparing quotes from companies can help you save an average $6,150 on your car insurance rates annually.
How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in New York City, NY?
We all know that the cost of car insurance varies depending on your individual needs. But how much does it actually costs? CarInsurance.com analysed major insurers including Geico, Progressive Insurance Company (Progressive), State Farm, Allstate Co. and others, to determine average New York City coverage costs for different levels and types.
The average rate for New York City drivers for a year of minimum coverage is $1,662 according to our rate analysis. If you increased your coverage to 50/100/50, you would pay just about $17.50 more a month, or $210 more a year.
You can get full coverage (100/300/100) by paying $183.83 more a month, or an additional $2,206 a year more than minimum-level coverage.
Average Auto Insurance Rates in New York City, NYThe following data shows, what you can expect to pay for car insurance in New York City, on average.
- State Minimum Policy: $1,662 per year
- Liability Coverage (50/100/50): $1,872 per year
- Full Coverage (100/300/100): $3,868 per year
Who Has Cheapest Car Insurance in New York City, New York?
Geico Gen Ins Co and Progressive Cas Ins Co have the cheapest car insurance rates in New York City, based on our rate analysis for three different coverage levels.
The driver profile is for age 40, with good credit and a clean driving record. You can see how major insurers rank for price in the chart below.
| Company | Liability Only – State Minimum BI/PD | Liability Only – 50/100/50 BI/PD | Full Coverage – 100/300/100 BI/PD – 500 Comp/Coll |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO General Ins Co | $587 | $700 | $1,641 |
| Progressive Casualty Ins Co | $628 | $695 | $1,148 |
| Main St Am Protection Ins Co | $649 | $732 | $1,245 |
| USAA Casualty Ins Co | $673 | $718 | $2,006 |
| State Farm Mutl Automobile Ins | $1,032 | $1,159 | $2,051 |
| Erie Ins Co | $1,221 | $1,340 | $3,108 |
| Allstate F&C Ins Co | $1,223 | $1,440 | $2,459 |
| Kemper Independence Ins Co | $1,853 | $2,330 | $5,343 |
| Standard Fire Ins Co | $1,939 | $2,079 | $3,455 |
| Mercury Casualty Co | $4,561 | $5,015 | $9,819 |
Who Has The Best Car Insurance in New York City, NY?
Deciding who has the best car insurance to suit your needs depends on what is most important to you. For some it may be price, while others may value customer service the most. Still others may be looking for the convenience of mobile apps, or a company that offers the most car insurance discounts.
Below we list car insurance companies in New York City, and who they are the best at serving, based on CarInsurance.com’s customer satisfaction survey of current policy holders and rate data analysis.
| Best for | Company |
|---|---|
| Claims | USAA |
| Value/Price | Hartford |
| Customer Service | Hartford |
| Websites/Apps | Hartford |
| Recommend | Hartford |
| Low Annual Mileage | State Farm Mutual Auto |
| Good Student | State Farm Mutual Auto |
| Bundle | State Farm Mutual Auto |
| Paid in Full | Progressive Casualty |
How Much Car Insurance do I Need in New York City, NY?
Below we’ll explain what coverage you need to drive legally, which is your state required minimum liability limits, and what types of car insurance you may need to be truly protected.
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in New York City, NY
New York car insurance laws require only that you insure yourself against bodily injury and property damage liability, so it’s your choice whether to add coverage for yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle.
If you have a newer model car, it makes sense to get comprehensive insurance and collision coverage. In New York, comprehensive costs $706 and collision costs $1,013 , on an average per year, according to a rate data analysis done by CarInsurance.com.
These optional coverages come with a deductible. That’s the amount you pay before your insurance company pays. Typical deductibles amounts are $1,000, $500 and $250 – you choose which one you want. The higher the deductible is, the lower your rate will be.
The best car insurance coverage usually isn’t the cheapest. You may be used if you’re in an accident and your insurance doesn’t cover all of the damages. That means your home or savings could be in jeopardy.
To protect your assets, you should buy liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $1,00,000 to pay for others’ medical bills
- $3,00,000 to pay for injuries to others in an accident you cause
- $1,00,000 to pay for damage to others’ property
You should also consider buying these optional coverages:
- Comprehensive, which replaces stolen cars and covers damage to your car from floods, fire, hail, vandalism.
- Collision, which pays for damage to your car from accidents.
Compare Car Insurance Quotes in New York City, NY & Save Money
You can save an average of $6,150 annually on a full coverage policy in New York City by comparing car insurance quotes, according to CarInsurance.com’s rate analysis. While savings will depend on your particular circumstances, this shows that there is a significant benefit to shopping your policy.
New York City, NY Car Insurance FAQ’s
How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket in New York City, NY?
A speeding ticket in New York City will hike your car insurance rates by an average of 12% , or about $209 yearly. CarInsurance.com’s rate analysis shows how much more drivers in New York City can expect to pay, on average, for speeding and other common violations.
Minor traffic violations, such as speeding, typically stay on your record for about three years, and you can expect to see the rate increase upon your policy renewal date. More severe infractions, such as DUI, typically stay on your record much longer.
How much does insurance go up for tickets in New York City, NY?
New York City drivers can expect to see a hike in their rates in the range of 7% for minor moving violations such as tailgating or blowing through a stop sign, 47% for more severe infractions such as DUI.
Below you’ll see how much rates increase, on average, for common traffic violations.
Remember, though, that because insurance companies assess risk differently, you can still save by comparison shopping, because one carrier may ding you a lot for a citation, while another may spike your rate by much less.
How much will an accident raise my insurance in New York City, NY?
An accident will increase car insurance rates by 3% to 11%, on average, for drivers in New York City. When you file a claim for an accident that’s your fault, typically your car insurance rates will increase.
However, claims under your comprehensive coverage, if you have it as it’s optional, typically won’t trigger an increase. That’s because comprehensive claims are for damage insurers consider to be beyond your control, for instance due to hail, fire, flooding, falling objects or collisions with an animal.
The table below shows how much for drivers in New York City can expect to pay for common car insurance claims.
How much does it cost to add a teen driver to your insurance in New York City, NY?
In New York City, adding a 16-year-old daughter to your policy will hike your rates by $2,207 annually, or 127% It’s more for boys. Insuring your 16-year-old son will increase your yearly rate by $2,949 , or 169% according to CarInsurance.com rate data.
Teen drivers are inexperienced, and are involved in more accidents than older drivers, according to federal research, and insurance companies categorize them as high-risk drivers, so they cost more to insure.
If you’re insuring a teen driver of any age, you can get expert tips, more rate data by age and details from our “Parents guide to insuring a teen driver.”
How much is SR-22 insurance in New York City, NY?
CarInsurance.com data show that for drivers in New York City, your rate will go up by an average of $906 or 52%. If you’re convicted of a serious offense, such as DUI or reckless driving, you may be required to have your insurance company file an SR-22 form on your behalf.
An SR-22 is a car insurance company’s guarantee to the state that you are carrying the legally mandated coverage. If you are required to have an SR-22 filed, your car insurance rates will increase.
New York City Traffic Deaths and Injuries
Traffic deaths in New York City have fallen by a third, overall, since 2013, according to the city. Here is a breakdown of traffic fatalities and injuries in NYC since 2017, according to data provided by Vision Zero NYC.
2017:
- Total fatalities: 224
- Total injuries: 59,211
- Vehicle fatalities: 92
- Vehicle injuries: 44,107
- Bicycle fatalities: 24
- Bicycle injuries: 4,411
- Pedestrian fatalities: 108
- Pedestrian injuries: 10,693
2018:
- Total fatalities: 204
- Total injuries: 60,816
- Vehicle fatalities: 79
- Vehicle injuries: 45,754
- Bicycle fatalities: 10
- Bicycle injuries: 4,306
- Pedestrian fatalities: 115
- Pedestrian injuries: 10,756
2019:
- Total fatalities: 221
- Total injuries: 60,510
- Vehicle fatalities: 69
- Vehicle injuries: 46,046
- Bicycle fatalities: 28
- Bicycle injuries: 4,223
- Pedestrian fatalities: 124
- Pedestrian injuries: 10,241
Hit and Run: Leaving the Scene
According to a report from the NYPD, in 2019, there were 492 reported hit and runs that year. Of those, 59 resulted in personal injury. A total of eight arrests were made in connection with these reported hit and runs.
Pedestrian Deaths in the Country’s “Most Walkable City”
New York is considered a “very walkable city” where “most errands can be done on foot.” Walk Score rates any address in the United States, giving it a “walkability score,” which determines how walkable a particular street, intersection or city may be.
With a population of 8.1 million, NYC, scores on top in the “walkability” category, coming in the second most walkable large city in the U.S., with a “walk score” of 88. It gets a very high transit score of 84 and a bike score of 70.
While it may be highly walkable, the city faces pedestrian-related crash fatalities and injuries. It doesn’t, however, rank as high as one might imagine the Big Apple would fare in pedestrian fatalities and injuries.
Between 2008 and 2017, drivers struck and killed 49,340 people who were walking on streets in the US. That’s more than 13 people per day, or one person every hour and 46 minutes.
There were 3,210 pedestrian deaths between 2008 and 2017 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro region. The metro region is ranked as the number 93 most-dangerous metro area in the country for pedestrians, according to a 2019 report called “Dangerous By Design” from Smart Growth America.
According to city data, there were 148 pedestrian deaths in New York City and 10,789 injuries in 2016, followed by 108 deaths and 10,693 injuries in 2017. In 2018, the city saw 115 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes and 10,756 injured.
There were 124 pedestrian deaths and 10,241 injured in traffic crashes in 2019. As of Feb. 27, 2020, New York had sustained 12 pedestrian traffic fatalities and 842 had been injured.
The city reports that pedestrian traffic deaths in New York have fallen, overall, since 2014 by 27%.
NYC Commuters
According to the U.S. Census, the average drive time for New York, workers 16 and older to their job is 41.2 minutes. That’s remarkably higher than the national average of 27.1 minutes (the 2018 average). The mean time calculated by the Census (based on figures from 2014-2018) includes time spent waiting for public transportation, picking up passengers in carpools, and on other activities related to getting to work.
Numbers compiled by Data USA showed that a whopping 7.95% of the workforce in New York City are “super commuters,” meaning they drive an excess of 90 minutes to their job. Data USA found that the average drive time for D.C. commuters in 2018 was 40.1 minutes, similar to Census findings.
Here’s how those New York commuters get to work:
- Public Transit: 55.9%
- Drive alone: 22.5%
- Walk: 9.6%
The percentage of commuters using public transit in New York is markedly higher than most other metropolitan areas, even out-riding public transportation-heavy areas, such as San Francisco, which is 35.5% of commuters. The percentage of Big Apple workers who walk to their jobs is significantly higher than other cities, too.
A City of Walkers and Riders: vehicle Ownership in NYC
Compared nationally, New York, households are under the national average range for car ownership, which is roughly two per household. The largest share of households in NYC has no car, followed by one car, according to recent statistics from Data USA. The 2018 results showed that about 15% of New York households has two cars, and less than 1% has five cars.
A Census survey in 2016 showed that there were estimated to be 1.8 vehicles available per household nationwide.
The study showed, in NYC:
- 2015 households without vehicles: 54.5%
- 2016 households without vehicles: 54.4%
- 2015 vehicles per household: 0.63
- 2016 vehicles per household: 0.63
On this list, NYC ranked as the city in which the largest percentage had no cars. Following it were Newark City, NJ, Newark, NJ and Washington, D.C. Temecula, CA, on the other hand, had only 1% of households without at least one car.
Most Dangerous Intersections in NYC
Analyzing collision data from 2013 to 2018 provided by the NYC Police Department, WRSH Attorneys at Law compiled lists of the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians and for drivers.
Worst intersections for pedestrians:
- Ludlow and Rivington Street, Manhattan: seven injured pedestrians, four injured bicyclists
- South Third and Havemeyer Street, Brooklyn: four injured pedestrians, seven injured bicyclists
- East 168th and College Avenue, The Bronx: five injured pedestrians, three injured bicyclists
- Field Place and Creston Avenue, The Bronx: seven injured pedestrians
- 37th & 101st Street, Queens: six injured pedestrians, one injured bicyclist
Worst intersections for drivers:
- Flatbush and Tillery, Brooklyn — annual collision rate: 181.6
- 2nd and 59th, Manhattan — annual collision rate: 146.5
- 42nd and 8th, Manhattan — annual collision rate: 141.2
- Pennsylvania Avenue and Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn — annual collision rate: 134.4
- Pennsylvania Avenue and Linden Avenue, Brooklyn — annual collision rate: 129.5
- Bowery and Kenmare Street, Manhattan — annual collision rate: 114.3
Unnecessary “Horn-Honking” is Illegal in NYC
The “don’t honk” signs around the city were removed in 2013. However, there still is an “unnecessary honking” law on the books for New York City.
The law states you could incur a $350 for laying on the horn too much. It’s the “Assembly Bill A479,” and it reads: “Authorizes N.Y. city to impose liability upon the registered owner of a motor vehicle engaged in excessive horn-honking.”
NYC Congestion
Most will tell you not to even bother trying to drive in NYC, as TripSavvy points out in its tips for driving in the city.
The bustling city came in fourth on the 2018 annual report compiled by INRIX on the “most congested urban areas in the U.S.“list and landed at number 40 in the “world’s most congested cities for the 2018” traffic scorecard. Topped only by Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
New York drivers lost approximately $1,859 each in 2018 due to congestion. That result is compared to Boston, which lost $2,291 on average. According to the study, NYC drivers spend 133 hours stuck in traffic per year, and crawl at an average 9 mph during that last inner-city mile of travel.
Also, GPS giant TomTom released an annual traffic index, which the most congested cities by country, continent and the world. With a 37% congestion level, New York earned the number four spot in North America (number three in the United States) in a 2019 list that was topped by Mexico City, Los Angeles and Vancouver. The city’s congestion level went up 1% from the previous year. NYC ranked as the number 52 most traffic-congested by world’s standards on the TomTom list.
Jan. 20 saw the least amount of traffic in 2019 in New York City, with 11 percent average daily congestion, and Oct. 3 had the most, at 59 percent.
DUIs in New York City
Using data compiled from 2013-2017, County Health Rankings found that of the 198 New York City driving deaths in that time period, 17 of those fatal crashes were alcohol-impaired.
That’s 9% of the fatal crashes in that time period.
Distracted Driver Law
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were a total of six fatalities in which distracted driving was a factor between 2014 and 2018 in New York City.
Under New York State law, you cannot use a hand-held mobile telephone or portable electronic device while you drive. Illegal activity includes holding a portable electronic device and
- Talking on a handheld mobile telephone
- Composing, sending, reading, accessing, browsing, transmitting, saving, or retrieving electronic data such as e-mail, text messages or webpages
- Viewing, taking, or transmitting images
- Playing games
If you use a portable electronic device while you drive (except to call 911 or to contact medical, fire or police personnel about an emergency), you can get a traffic ticket and be subject to a fine and a surcharge.
New York City Vision Zero Initiative
In 2014, a group of national organizations adapted an action plan called Vision Zero, which was originally developed in Sweden, to establish a national strategy on highway safety referred to as Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). It focuses on data-driven topics such as safer drivers, safer passengers, safer users, enhanced medical services, safer infrastructure and safer vehicles.
The Big Apple was on the forefront to jump on board the initiative, with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014 officially committing to the national Vision Zero movement with its mission to “eliminate by the year 2024 fatalities and serious injuries.”
“A life lost is a life lost,” wrote de Blasio in a commitment statement on Vision Zero. “And it is our collective responsibility to save every life we can, be it a life taken in a violent crime or in a crash with a motor vehicle. In the first days of our administration, we made a commitment to decisively confront the epidemic of traffic fatalities and injuries on our streets. The fundamental message of Vision Zero is that death and injury on city streets is not acceptable, and that we will no longer regard serious crashes as inevitable.”
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Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.
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John McCormick
Editorial Director
John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Managing Editor
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
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Nupur Gambhir
Managing Editor
Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.
Guide to car insurance (with rates) in cities of New York