Unless you absolutely have to, it’s a wise idea to avoid driving in New York City. This bustling metropolis never sleeps, meaning roads are always busy and traffic is the norm. Between clogged roads, jaywalking pedestrians, and tolls on major thoroughfares, it’s enough to make you want to stay home. Those who prefer to drive in New York City should ensure their car insurance policy is robust enough to protect them against anyone who might sue them after an accident.
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| Insurance Provider in New York City | |
|---|---|
GEICO | $91/mo |
 State Farm | $111/mo |
Progressive | $231/mo |
 Liberty Mutual | $290/mo |
| Best Companies | ||
|---|---|---|
 American Family | $303/mo | |
Liberty Mutual | $401/mo | |
 Travelers | $214/mo |
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| Brooklyn | $204/mo |
| Bronx | $366/mo |
| Staten Island | $186/mo |
| Buffalo | $151/mo |
| New York City | $181/mo |
| New York | $218/mo |
The state of New York requires all motor vehicle operators to have proof of insurance available in the car at all times. The minimum bodily injury liability insurance requirements in New York are:
Bodily injury liability coverage protects you by paying for the injuries of anyone you harm in an accident. The minimum coverage limits New York state law requires are $25,000 for the injury or death of a single person involved in a car accident and $50,000 for the injury or death of multiple persons. Insurance providers list this coverage at 25/50, stating the limitations of each minimum. In an accident, liability coverage protects you up to the policy limit. Damages above the policy limit of $50,000 are your responsibility.
The minimum property damage liablilty insurance requirements in New York are:
Property damage liability coverage pays for any property that you damage in an accident. The state of New York requires $10,000 for the minimum. You’ll see the collective state minimum listed at 25/50/10. The second 10 refers to the property damage liability. Once again, any damages above the $10,000 are your responsibility.
New York is a no-fault state, so Personal Injury Protection (also called no-fault insurance) is a mandatory coverage for all drivers. New York PIP covers you, your immediate family, and your passengers for economic losses, medical costs, and death benefits regardless of fault. The state requires $50,000 for the minimum.
What happens if a driver hits you without insurance or enough insurance to pay for your damages? The state requires uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage:
Uninsured motorists bodily injury pays your medical expenses if you’re injured by a hit-and-run driver or one who has no insurance.
Underinsured motorist bodily injury pays your medical expenses if you’re hit by someone who does not have high enough policy limits to cover your costs.
All but the most affluent teenagers will have a tough time even imagining paying for car insurance at $1,367 per month. It’s possible to rent an apartment for less in parts of the city. Experience pays big dividends in New York City; that’s why twentysomethings see a dramatic $800 price cut over their younger counterparts. The rates continue to mostly go down, and those in their 60s get the best prices of all at $214 per month, an amount well below the state average of $349. As dexterity and general driving ability decrease for those in their 70s and 80s, the prices come back up to match the risk.
| Driver's Age | |
|---|---|
| teens | $0 |
| 20s | $480 |
| 30s | $294 |
| 40s | $313 |
| 50s | $282 |
| 60s | $214 |
| 70s | $258 |
| 80s | $395 |
| Driving History | |
|---|---|
| No Violation | $298 |
| Speeding Ticket | $285 |
| At-Fault Accident | $399 |
| Failure to Stop for Red Light / Stop Sign | $263 |
How can people with a clean driving history pay more than those who have a speeding or a failure-to-stop ticket? People with violations on their record tend to shop for the most bare-bones policies they can afford. That may mean skipping comprehensive and collision coverage and settling on liability-only. New Yorkers should especially avoid at-fault accidents because they bump up the rates over $100 per month, a yearly cost of $1,200.
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Drivers in the Empire State are still trying to figure out how credit influences their driving. But New York, like all but a handful of states, makes it perfectly legal for insurance companies to rate drivers based on their credit. Generally, people with better credit pay far less. The difference between having excellent credit and poor credit amounts to over $240 per month, or $2,880 per year. That’s enough money to motivate most drivers to pay off debt and improve their credit scores.
| Credit Tie | |
|---|---|
| Excellent | $243 |
| Good | $345 |
| Average | $356 |
| Poor | $487 |
See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance New York
Five DMV offices serve the city, offering a relatively convenient location no matter where you live. Most locations are open Monday through Friday and don’t close until 8 p.m., allowing those with busy work schedules to still access their services. Despite these multiple locations, over eight million people live in New York City, so it’s likely that the DMV is always busy.
Individuals who prefer not to drive in the city will find that they can get from A to B with ease. Both the bus and subway systems travel the length of the metropolitan area, and there’s no shortage of taxicabs on any given block. Uber and Lyft are also popular in New York City; however, many people love to travel the old-fashioned way—on foot.
Drawing from their database of over 4 million car insurance shopper applications, the data scientists at Insurify have published various reports on driver behavior and car ownership — including how New York City drivers measure up to their fellow New York motorists in the rankings above.
From driver performance across different geographical locations and demographics to patterns in motor vehicle ownership and auto insurance coverage, Insurify Insights publishes data-driven articles, trend analyses, and national and local rankings each week on all factors related to cars and those who drive them.
While car accidents are a sadly unavoidable feature of time spent on the road, rates of accidents do vary from city to city and from state to state. New York City drivers rank 34 in the number of car accidents per driver across all cities in New York.
Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and leave a permanent stain on your driving record. When compared to other cities in New York, New York City drivers rank 28 in the number of speeding infractions per driver.
While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. New York City drivers rank 3 in the number of DUI’s per driver across all cities in New York.
The Insurify team classifies rude drivers as those who commit the following driving offenses: failure to yield or failure to stop, improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing, or hit-and-runs. Among all cities in New York, New York City drivers rank 10 in rude driving infractions.
Having a squeaky-clean driving record is an accomplishment to be proud of. Some cities have safer drivers than others; New York City drivers rank 3 in clean driving records across all cities in New York.
Failing to yield the right of way isn’t just frustrating for other drivers; it’s dangerous, too. New York City drivers rank 10 in failure to yield violations per driver across all cities in New York.
Reckless driving refers to a specific traffic violation: when drivers willfully act dangerously in spite of the risks they’re imposing on both themselves and others. Among all cities in New York, New York City drivers rank 9 in the number of reckless driving offenses per driver.
Some car models are just more popular than others and trends can vary from place to place. The most popular vehicle in New York City is the Honda Civic.
Only those who are incredibly brave will venture onto New York City streets behind the wheel, as it’s one of the most dangerous places to drive in the nation. Alternative methods of transportation are so easily accessible that it’s not necessary to own a vehicle unless you take frequent trips outside of the city. In that case, it’s crucial that you have a solid auto insurance policy.
Whether you’re price shopping for a better rate or are new to New York City, it’s never a bad idea to save time and money. Drivers who visit Insurify are able to compare quotes from multiple companies at once and often find a policy that’s far better than their current coverage.
The car insurance quotes displayed are based on an analysis of Insurify’s database of over 40 million quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. To obtain representative rates, Insurify’s data science team performs frequent comprehensive analyses of the factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more.
Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating that weighs multiple factors reflecting the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
With the above insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offer car insurance shoppers insight into how various insurance providers compare to one another in terms of both cost and quality. Note, actual quotes will vary based on unique attributes including the policyholder’s driver history and their garaging address.
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