One of the more important considerations that help determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is the neighborhood you call home in Buffalo. More densely populated places will most likely pay more, whereas areas that tend to be more rural tend to receive slightly lower rates.
The next table rates the highest-priced areas in New York for inexperienced drivers to buy auto insurance in. Buffalo is listed at #13 with an annual rate of $1,488 for the average insured, which is about $124 per month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $2,654 |
| 2 | Freeport | $2,281 |
| 3 | Hempstead | $2,233 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,981 |
| 5 | Mount Vernon | $1,919 |
| 6 | Brentwood | $1,910 |
| 7 | Hicksville | $1,900 |
| 8 | Yonkers | $1,900 |
| 9 | West Babylon | $1,856 |
| 10 | Coram | $1,766 |
| 11 | White Plains | $1,661 |
| 12 | New Rochelle | $1,610 |
| 13 | Buffalo | $1,488 |
| 14 | Cheektowaga | $1,253 |
| 15 | Tonawanda | $1,213 |
| 16 | Niagara Falls | $1,201 |
| 17 | West Seneca | $1,201 |
| 18 | Syracuse | $1,119 |
| 19 | Utica | $1,103 |
| 20 | Rochester | $1,056 |
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Annual rates are comparative as specific location information can change price quotes greatly.
The vehicle to be insured is a large factor that determines the availability of low-cost auto insurance for inexperienced drivers. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, a lack of advanced safety features, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than safer models.
The table below shows coverage premiums for a handful of the most cost-effective automobiles to insure.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $2,343 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $2,369 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,391 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $2,437 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport Islander Package 4WD 4-Dr | $2,479 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $2,514 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,517 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $2,523 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $2,537 |
| Kia Optima LX | $2,563 |
| Nissan Rogue S AWD | $2,572 |
| Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab Hybrid 2WD | $2,688 |
| Ford F-150 STX Super Cab 2WD | $2,721 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $2,746 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,753 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Extended Cab 2WD | $2,859 |
| Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $2,868 |
| Compare Cheap Rates Go | |
Data rating is based on single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Premium costs do not factor in specific garaging location which can influence coverage prices greatly.
Based upon the table data, you can presume that makes and models like the Ford Edge, Ford Escape, Volkswagen Jetta, and Toyota Tacoma should be the cheaper vehicles to insure for new drivers.
Finding reliable, cost effective auto insurance is tough enough, and finding out which company quotes the cheapest insurance rates for inexperienced drivers takes even more perseverance. Each company uses different criteria for determining rates in each state, so to begin we’ll rank the insurance companies with the overall best prices in New York.
Best Cheap Insurance Rates for Newbies
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,163 |
| 2 | Erie | $1,205 |
| 3 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 4 | Travelers | $1,529 |
| 5 | Allstate | $1,541 |
| 6 | Utica National | $1,549 |
| 7 | Amica | $1,596 |
| 8 | MetLife | $1,620 |
| 9 | Preferred Mutual | $1,754 |
| 10 | New York Central Mutual | $1,818 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,850 |
| 12 | State Farm | $1,904 |
| 13 | Safeco | $1,946 |
| 14 | Central Mutual | $2,028 |
| 15 | Liberty Mutual | $2,087 |
| 16 | Hanover | $2,323 |
| 17 | Encompass | $2,689 |
| 18 | Nationwide | $3,054 |
| 19 | Mercury | $3,809 |
| 20 | 21st Century | $4,281 |
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USAA quotes some of the lowest car insurance rates in Buffalo at around $1,163 a year. This is $912 less than the average policy premium paid by New York drivers of $2,075. Erie, Progressive, Travelers, and Allstate also make the cut as some of the cheaper Buffalo, NY insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you buy coverage from Travelers and switched to Erie, you may realize an annual premium reduction of in the vicinity of $324. Insureds with Allstate might save as much as $336 a year, and Utica National policyholders might lower prices by up to $344 a year.
To see if your current coverage is too expensive, click here to get quotes or visit any of the companies below.
It’s important to note that these prices are averages across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and do not factor in a specific location for inexperienced drivers. So the auto insurance company that can offer you the best price may not even be in the list above. That emphasizes why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
Insuring your vehicle with the right car insurance provider can be difficult considering how many companies sell insurance in New York. The ranking information displayed below can help you analyze which auto insurers to look at comparing prices from.
The ratings below are for large, nationwide insurance companies, so companies that only write business in New York or surrounding areas are not factored into these rankings. If you’d like to compare prices and find the cheapest rates for inexperienced drivers, click here.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The General | 96 | 100 | 92 | 91% | A- | 95 |
| Mercury Insurance | 87 | 96 | 100 | 87% | A+ | 93.4 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 96 | 91 | 93% | A+ | 92.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 94 | 99 | 90% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Travelers | 84 | 93 | 100 | 87% | A++ | 92.3 |
| State Farm | 84 | 93 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 91 |
| Farmers Insurance | 87 | 92 | 90 | 85% | A | 90.6 |
| Erie Insurance | 92 | 90 | 82 | 88% | A+ | 88.5 |
| Safeco Insurance | 85 | 91 | 87 | 86% | A | 88.4 |
| USAA | 71 | 93 | 98 | 87% | A++ | 88 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Liability rates compared to full coverage
Lowering the price of insurance is probably important to most people, and one way to lower the cost of insurance for inexperienced drivers is to only buy liability insurance. The example below illustrates the comparison of car insurance costs with and without full coverage. The costs are based on no claims or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no policy discounts are applied.
Averaged out for all age groups, physical damage coverage on your policy costs an extra $1,210 per year over having just liability coverage. That raises the question if you should buy full coverage at all. There is no clear-cut formula to drop full coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some scenarios where only buying liability is not a good idea. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to carry full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Who has the cheapest Buffalo car insurance?
Buffalo, NY insurance rates are determined by lots of factors that control the cost of coverage. Getting older, buying another vehicle, or having a fender bender may prompt premium changes that can cause some rates to be more affordable than competitors.
Not only may your situation change, but insurance companies amend pricing as often as every quarter to adjust for heavy claims or excess profits. Higher than normal claim frequency or severity may result in a rate increase, while a lower level of claims may produce cheaper Buffalo car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the graph below demonstrates which company has the cheapest car insurance in Buffalo, NY for a 45-year-old male driver with a clean driving record, no accidents, and a decent credit rating. If we estimate prices based on his personal risk profile, USAA might quote the best car insurance rates in Buffalo at $1,877 a year. This is $198 less than the average rate paid by New York drivers of $2,075. Erie, Utica National, Travelers, and Allstate are the rest of the cheapest Buffalo, NY auto insurance companies.
The next chart shows rates after we give the driver from the first example a chargeable accident, a little lower credit rating, and a speeding ticket. Because every insurance company has a different formula for determining prices, comparing quotes could result in a new list of companies as shown below.
MetLife now has the best price in Buffalo, NY with Amica, Preferred Mutual, Erie, and New York Central Mutual also having competitive pricing. This example shows why it is crucial to perform an extensive rate comparison when trying to get the most affordable auto insurance quotes for inexperienced drivers.
Auto insurance prices can be determined by many factors and change substantially, so the lowest-price company six months ago may now be one of the more expensive options.
The professional agents shown below are a good start to help you decide which car insurance policy is best, as lots of people like to get some professional advice when comparing insurance rates for inexperienced drivers. It can be time-consuming to find coverage yourself, so a licensed agent can provide you satisfaction knowing you have enough coverage if you have a claim. To locate a Buffalo insurance agent close to you, click the link at the bottom.
La Penna Insur Agency Inc
3835 Harlem Rd – Buffalo, NY 14215 – (716) 838-1880
The Decker Agency, Inc.
37 Elmwood Ave – Buffalo, NY 14201 – (716) 883-1455
Gallego Agency
572 Amherst St – Buffalo, NY 14207 – (716) 854-2800
Buffalo Queen City Insurance Agency
26 French Lea Rd – Buffalo, NY 14224 – (716) 608-6047
Niagara County Insurance
1171 Delaware Ave – Buffalo, NY 14209 – (716) 881-6666
More insurance agents in Buffalo, NY
How to find economical auto insurance for inexperienced drivers
The list below details a few money-saving ideas that can help New York drivers find lower-cost car insurance.
- Drivers with good credit ratings often pay less
- At-fault accidents will increase rates
- Do not get traffic violations
- Buy a car with high safety ratings
- Increase your comprehensive and collision deductibles
- Remove physical damage coverage on older vehicles
- Shop around for cheaper rates regularly
The last tip is extraordinarily valuable, as we hit on in this write-up. Car insurance rates in Buffalo fluctuate constantly, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to switch carriers if a lower price can be found.
Sticking with a specific company is fine, but we do not recommend it if your bullheadedness ends up costing you a lot of money every month. Take a few minutes and shop around and find cheaper car insurance for inexperienced drivers.