For New York drivers, one of the things that is looked at to help calculate the price you pay for insurance is where you call home in New York. Areas that are densely populated or have higher claim frequency like New York, Hempstead, and Yonkers tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with less people or fewer weather incidents tend to receive slightly lower rates.
The table below shows the most expensive cities in New York for drivers with a bad driving record in which to purchase auto insurance.
Rank | City | Annual Premium |
---|---|---|
1 | New York | $2,654 |
2 | Freeport | $2,281 |
3 | Hempstead | $2,233 |
4 | Levittown | $1,981 |
5 | Yonkers | $1,958 |
6 | Mount Vernon | $1,919 |
7 | Brentwood | $1,910 |
8 | Hicksville | $1,900 |
9 | West Babylon | $1,875 |
10 | Coram | $1,732 |
11 | White Plains | $1,678 |
12 | New Rochelle | $1,659 |
13 | Buffalo | $1,488 |
14 | West Seneca | $1,237 |
15 | Cheektowaga | $1,216 |
16 | Niagara Falls | $1,189 |
17 | Tonawanda | $1,165 |
18 | Utica | $1,103 |
19 | Syracuse | $1,097 |
20 | Troy | $1,085 |
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Annual rates are comparative as zip code location can raise or lower price quotes significantly.
The car, truck, or SUV that needs insurance is one of the primary factors that determines whether or not you can buy the lowest-priced coverage for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, poor safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than safer models. The next table estimates car insurance premiums for a selection of the most budget-friendly automobiles to insure.
Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
---|---|
Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,758 |
Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,812 |
Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,821 |
Chevrolet Traverse LS AWD | $1,880 |
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,950 |
Toyota Prius | $1,955 |
Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,988 |
Subaru Forester XT Limited Edition W/Navigation AWD | $2,009 |
Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $2,104 |
Kia Forte SX 4-Dr Sedan | $2,110 |
Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,145 |
Chevrolet Equinox LT 2WD | $2,148 |
GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $2,155 |
Volkswagen Jetta S 4-Dr Sedan | $2,148 |
Honda Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $2,159 |
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $2,168 |
Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $2,178 |
Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $2,168 |
Hyundai Tucson Limited 4WD | $2,175 |
Ford Edge Sport 2WD | $2,178 |
Honda Odyssey EX-L | $2,186 |
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Super Cab 4WD | $2,192 |
Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited | $2,219 |
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Data based on single male driver age 30, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can increase or decrease auto insurance rates significantly.
Looking at the numbers, we can assume that vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Ford Escape, and Chevrolet Traverse are going to be a few of the most affordable vehicles to insure for bad drivers. Auto insurance rates will tend to be more expensive anyway because of the fact that there is more liability exposure for drivers with a bad driving record, but overall those particular vehicles will most likely have the best insurance prices that you are likely to find.
Determining which companies have the lowest-priced insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record will require a bit more effort in order to find a policy that fits your budget. Each insurer has a different process to set policy rates, so let’s examine the insurance companies that tend to be cheaper in New York.
Best Car Insurance Prices for Imperfect Drivers
Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | USAA | $1,199 |
2 | Erie | $1,218 |
3 | Progressive | $1,496 |
4 | Travelers | $1,513 |
5 | Utica National | $1,534 |
6 | Allstate | $1,556 |
7 | Amica | $1,580 |
8 | MetLife | $1,588 |
9 | Preferred Mutual | $1,754 |
10 | New York Central Mutual | $1,836 |
11 | GEICO | $1,850 |
12 | State Farm | $1,962 |
13 | Safeco | $1,966 |
14 | Central Mutual | $2,008 |
15 | Liberty Mutual | $2,087 |
16 | Hanover | $2,299 |
17 | Encompass | $2,583 |
18 | Nationwide | $3,178 |
19 | Mercury | $3,848 |
20 | 21st Century | $4,412 |
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USAA generally has some of the best car insurance rates in New York at around $1,199 annually. Erie, Progressive, Travelers, and Utica National also qualify as some of the cheapest New York insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you have coverage with Erie and switched to USAA, you may see a yearly savings of approxmiately $19. Drivers with Progressive might save as much as $297 a year, and Travelers policyholders might realize rate reductions of up to $314 a year.
To see how much you can save, click here to get quotes or visit any of the companies below.
Be aware that those premium estimates are averages across all types of insureds and vehicles and do not factor in a price surcharge for drivers with a bad driving record. So the car insurance company that can offer you the best rate may not even be shown in the list of companies shown earlier. That point stresses why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The illustration below illustrates how your deductible choice can impact insurance costs when researching cheap insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. The data assumes a married female driver, full coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
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A 50-year-old driver could lower rates by $180 a year by switching from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $272 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could possibly save up to $450 annually by using higher deductibles when buying full coverage.
If you do make the decision to raise your deductibles, it’s a good idea to have spare funds to offset the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one shortcoming of high deductibles.
When shopping around for auto insurance for bad drivers, some of the largest companies to start with are Geico, Allstate, Progressive, and State Farm. When added together, they insure about half of all car insurance policies in America. Each one has a distict selection of optional coverages and features that shoppers can choose from. The data below breaks down price, claims, and customer service ratings, as well as some optional coverages that are available for policyholders.
Geico | Allstate | Progressive | State Farm | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall Satisfaction | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
Price Rank | 1st | 4th | 3rd | 2nd |
Discounts Offered | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 3rd |
Claims Handling | 3rd | 1st | 4th | 2nd |
Customers who recommend | 87% | 86% | 88% | 88% |
Coverage for Uber and Lyft drivers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Accident forgiveness | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Rating based on usage | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Emergency roadside service | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
New car replacement | No | Yes | No | No |
Breakdown insurance | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Types of agents used | Both online and from Geico agents | Allstate-only agents | Indpendent agents or online | Only from State Farm agents |
Number of agents | 150+ | 11,000+ | 30,000+ | 18,000+ |
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The list below summarizes some of the better money-saving suggestions that can help you get lower-cost auto insurance.
That final tip is notably crucial, as was affirmed in this write-up. Insurance rates in New York can change significantly in a year, so don’t hesitate to switch carriers if a cheaper price is available.
Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but it’s not a great idea if that stubbornness costs you several hundred dollars every year. It only take a few minutes to compare prices to find cheaper auto insurance for drivers with a bad driving record.
There are many different ways to find lower-cost insurance in New York, but the most prevalent are from a non-exclusive or independent agent, an exclusive insurance agency such as Allstate or Liberty Mutual, or direct from companies such as Progressive or Geico. They all follow the same basic process, but shoppers should understand the differences in how they function.
Independent insurance agents can place your business with multiple companies and can compare coverage rates with each one. These agents do not write with just one company and can provide you with more rates, which may provide you with improved odds of finding cheaper coverage. If they find a cheaper price, it’s easy for the agent to move the policy and you don’t have to find a new agent.
A captive or exclusive agent is usually just provide rates from one company, two examples are Allstate or State Farm agents. Exclusive agents normally do not have the ability to quote prices from more than a single company, which requires you to shop around.
If you want to buy insurance direct, you bypass a local agent and instead shop from a direct company like Geico or Esurance. Shopping for insurance direct may be a decent choice families who have lower risk management needs and know what limits they need.
So which one of the three ways works best to find cheap insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in New York? Our initial answer would be buying direct results in the cheapest price because there is no agent taking a commission, but that turns out to not be true. A good argument could also be made that buying insurance from an independent agent results in the cheapest rates due to increased selection, but that assumption is also not necessarily accurate. In many cases, the exclusive agents have extremely competitive rates that are the cheapest.
Due to that fact that insurance uses so many rating variables, really the only way to ensure the lowest rates is to get quotes and compare the rates. Be sure to get price quotes all three ways in order to have the best selection to choose from. For a list of companies with online discounts, click here to view.