Cheap Auto Insurance in Buffalo, New York (2024)

Back in the early 1900s, Buffalo was a hub for auto manufacturing. Around that same time, the earliest car insurance policies were being sold in the U.S. — at a cost undoubtedly much lower than the average $166 per month modern-day Buffalo motorists face. Queen City drivers pay rates that are, on average, higher than New York state average auto insurance costs.

Buffalo had more than 8,000 traffic accidents in 2022, according to New York state data.^[1] Nearly 30% of those occurred on roads that were wet, slushy, snow-covered, or icy. Due to its location near Lake Erie, Buffalo is among the snowiest cities in the U.S. Bad weather can lead to more accidents in an area, which in turn helps increase auto insurance costs.

Buffalo drivers can find the most affordable coverage for their needs by comparing car insurance quotes from multiple insurers.

Best car insurance companies in Buffalo

The auto insurance company that best fits your needs depends on your situation. For instance, one insurer might offer better rates for someone with a bad driving record than another insurer does. Or you might find that a certain insurer provides attractive discounts that others don’t have.

Best insurer for low rates: CSAA

Best insurer for policy customization: Safeco

Best insurer for discounts: Liberty Mutual

How to get the cheapest car insurance in Buffalo

The rate you pay for car insurance depends on several factors, including your:

• Driving record: Bad drivers tend to pay more for coverage than good drivers.

• Age: Drivers younger than 25 and in their 60s and beyond usually pay more than other drivers do.

• Gender: Men generally pay more than women because they’re viewed as riskier drivers.

• Type of car: If you drive a car that’s expensive to repair, is prone to theft, or has a poor safety record, it’ll probably cost more to insure.

• Geographic location: Coverage for a motorist in a ZIP code known for car thefts, vehicle vandalism, and car accidents might cost more than coverage for someone in a safer area.

Here are four tips for finding cheap car insurance in Buffalo:

• Compare online quotes from several car insurance companies in the area.

• Consider raising your deductible. This will lower your premium because you’re taking on more of the up-front risk yourself. Just be sure you don’t set your deductible so high you can’t afford to pay it should you need to file a claim.

• Bundle your car insurance with another coverage (such as homeowners insurance) from the same company.

• Ask about discounts, including those for maintaining a good driving record or completing a defensive driving course.

Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Buffalo: CSAA

Liability-only car insurance covers injuries to another person and damage to another person’s car in an accident that you cause. This might include bodily injury, property damage, personal injury protection (PIP), uninsured/underinsured motorist, and medical payments coverage.

Below, you can see a list of the most affordable liability-only insurance company quotes in Buffalo.

Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Buffalo: CSAA

Full-coverage car insurance features liability, comprehensive, and collision coverages. In New York, and in most other states, motorists must carry some form of liability insurance. Comprehensive and collision are optional, but if you bought or leased your car, your lender might require both types of coverage.

Here’s a collection of the lowest average monthly quotes for full coverage in Buffalo.

Car insurance requirements in New York

New York requires motorists to carry two types of auto liability coverage — bodily injury liability and property damage liability — along with PIP and uninsured motorist coverage to meet the state’s minimum requirements.^[5]

Here’s a closer look at what those coverage levels include.

It’s also important to note that Loretta Worters, vice president of media relations for the Insurance Information Institute, says the state’s liability limits are “woefully inadequate” in today’s lawsuit-heavy environment. She says the institute recommends that motorists carry liability coverage with limits of $100,000 and $300,000 for bodily injury and $100,000 for property damage.

From there, you may want to think about optional coverages. Types of optional coverage available in New York include:

• 

  Comprehensive coverage

  No matter who’s at fault, this covers damage to your car from a crash with another vehicle/object or when your car overturns.

• 

  Collision coverage

  Regardless of who’s at fault, this coverage pays for losses not caused by a crash, such as theft, fire damage, and flood damage.

• 

  Additional PIP coverage

  This raises the dollar limit for no-fault benefits, which cover claims you file with your car insurance company regardless of fault.

• 

  Supplementary uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

  This covers liability for injuries suffered in an accident. It goes beyond mandatory coverage by expanding coverage for uninsured motorists and adding coverage for underinsured motorists.

• 

  Medical payments coverage

  No matter who’s at fault, this coverage pays for medical expenses and funeral expenses for you and your passengers when you’re in a crash.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident

Incidents that might drive up the cost of car insurance include at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, driving under the influence, and other traffic violations. In some cases, a driver with one of these incidents on their record might pay hundreds of dollars more each month for car insurance.

Why do drivers with incidents on their record generally pay more? Because insurers view them as riskier drivers who may be more likely to file costly claims in the future. In the sections that follow, you’ll see how individual incident types can affect your insurance rates in Buffalo.

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Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: CSAA

Being hit with a speeding ticket may cost you more than just the court fines and fees. Your car insurance company might bump up your premium as well. That’s because insurers believe a speeding ticket means you’re engaging in risky behavior, which could indicate you’re more likely to be in an accident and file a claim.

Buffalo drivers with speeding tickets see average car insurance rates of $226 per month for full coverage and $147 for liability only. Here, you can see how having a speeding ticket on your record affects the liability-only quotes you’ll receive from insurers.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: CSAA

Your car insurance rates can rise by 10% following an at-fault accident, according to Insurify data. In this case, an insurer might hike your rates to offset the expenses associated with your accident claim. Fortunately, your rates shouldn’t spike as much if you’ve been involved in an accident that someone else caused.

In Buffalo, an at-fault accident can increase monthly car insurance rates to $226 on average for full coverage and $147 for liability-only policies. Here’s a breakdown of monthly quotes for drivers with an at-fault accident in Buffalo.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: CSAA

Driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol can be dangerous and put a big dent in your budget. Aside from being stuck with potentially thousands of dollars in fines and legal expenses, a DUI conviction could double the amount you pay each month for car insurance. On top of that, a DUI in the state of New York stays on your driving record for 15 years after the date of your conviction.

Lastly, should you be convicted of a DUI, your insurance company may drop you, leaving you to look for a new insurer. Buffalo drivers convicted of driving under the influence can expect average car insurance rates of $266 per month for full coverage and $173 for liability-only coverage. Here’s a look at the quotes you can expect to see in Buffalo with a DUI on your record.

Cheapest car insurance for seniors: CSAA

Middle-aged drivers generally pay less for car insurance than younger drivers because they’re more experienced and statistically less likely to engage in risky behavior. However, while rates typically go down from age 25 into the 60s, they may rise again once drivers reach their 70s or 80s. This is because drivers in this age group tend to get into more accidents on a per-mile basis, due in part to delayed reaction speed. They also might suffer more devastating injuries in a crash.

Car insurance for Buffalo seniors averages $163 per month for full coverage and $106 for liability. Below is a collection of the most affordable insurance quotes for seniors in the Buffalo area.

Cheapest car insurance for teens: CSAA

Car insurance for teen drivers generally costs more than it does for drivers in other age groups. That’s because teen drivers are less experienced than other motorists, are inclined to be involved in more accidents, are easily distracted behind the wheel, and might be more reckless.

Parents trying to save money on their teen driver’s insurance should:

• Compare quotes from several insurance companies.

• Look into discounts for earning good grades in school and help their teen work to qualify for them.

• Bundle car insurance with other coverage from the same company, such as homeowners insurance.

• Keep the teen driver on their existing policy rather than putting the teen on a separate policy.

Buffalo teens can expect average car insurance rates of $362 per month for full coverage and $236 for liability. Here’s a look at the most affordable insurance quotes for teens in Buffalo.

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Buffalo car insurance quotes by credit tier

New York allows car insurers to use credit-based insurance scores as part of their rate-setting process. Insurers say these scores help predict whether a driver will file a claim.

Because of their credit-based insurance score, someone with a poor credit score might pay more for car insurance than someone with an excellent or good credit score. Insurify data shows a Buffalo driver with poor credit pays about 100% more per month for car insurance than one with excellent credit does.

Is car insurance more expensive in Buffalo?

Car insurance in Buffalo is more expensive than the average cost of car insurance for the state of New York, but still less than the national average. In Buffalo, the average monthly costs are $201 for full coverage and $131 for liability, which is higher than the New York averages of $169 and $145.

But Buffalo drivers still have lower average rates than costs at the national level. Nationally, full-coverage car insurance averages $213 per month and liability-only coverage averages $104.

More cities in New York

Location significantly affects the cost of car insurance among cities in the same state. Here are average monthly rates in some other New York cities.

Buffalo car insurance FAQs