The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, in particular when you are shopping around for the lowest insurance prices for a school permit. Because it’s not cheap, let’s open your eyes to some things that have an impact on auto insurance prices, and see if we can help you lower the price of your next policy.
For a learners permit, one of the more important factors that help determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where your residence is. Cities with larger populations or higher claim trends will most likely pay more, whereas areas that tend to be more rural have the luxury of cheap car insurance rates.
The information below sorts the most expensive places in New York for a school permit to buy auto insurance in. Buffalo is ranked #13 with an annual rate of $1,548 for the average insured, which is about $129 per month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $2,654 |
| 2 | Hempstead | $2,233 |
| 3 | Freeport | $2,213 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,981 |
| 5 | West Babylon | $1,932 |
| 6 | Mount Vernon | $1,919 |
| 7 | Yonkers | $1,900 |
| 8 | Hicksville | $1,862 |
| 9 | Brentwood | $1,853 |
| 10 | Coram | $1,766 |
| 11 | White Plains | $1,678 |
| 12 | New Rochelle | $1,627 |
| 13 | Buffalo | $1,548 |
| 14 | Cheektowaga | $1,240 |
| 15 | Niagara Falls | $1,225 |
| 16 | Tonawanda | $1,201 |
| 17 | West Seneca | $1,189 |
| 18 | Utica | $1,136 |
| 19 | Syracuse | $1,119 |
| 20 | Troy | $1,095 |
| 21 | Rochester | $1,067 |
| 22 | Albany | $1,025 |
| 23 | Schenectady | $1,020 |
| 24 | Irondequoit | $991 |
| 25 | Binghamton | $922 |
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Annual rates are estimated as the specific geographic location can modify price quotes noticeably.
The vehicle model requiring coverage is probably the biggest factor when comparison shopping for the most economical coverage for a school permit. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, an excellent safety record, or low incidents of liability claims will cost less to insure than high performance models. The next table illustrates car insurance prices for the cheaper automobiles to buy insurance for.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $9,086 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $9,173 |
| Toyota Prius | $9,816 |
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $10,219 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $10,225 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon | $10,374 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $10,687 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $10,693 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $10,774 |
| Toyota RAV4 4WD | $10,779 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $10,774 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $10,861 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $10,869 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 2WD 4-Dr | $11,320 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L | $11,333 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $11,341 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE 4-Dr Sedan | $11,333 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ 2WD | $11,420 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Crew Cab 4WD | $11,425 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Regular Cab 4WD | $11,420 |
| Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $11,430 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $11,420 |
| Ford Fusion Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $11,426 |
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Data based on single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Information does not factor in specific location which can increase or decrease premiums considerably.
Based on these rates, we can assume that models like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Toyota Prius will definitely be the most economical vehicles to insure for a learners permit. The price for an auto insurance policy will tend to be higher just due to the fact that there is more claim risk for a school permit, but in general those models will most likely have the lowest prices that you are likely to find.
The chart below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles can affect insurance costs when researching cheap insurance for a school permit. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
The chart above illustrates that a 40-year-old driver could save $218 a year by changing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $328 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the 20-year-old, could reduce their rates up to $714 or more just by using higher deductibles. If you do raise deductibles, it will be required to have plenty of money set aside to enable you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some people from using high deductibles.
Discount Buffalo insurance rates
Car insurance companies that sell policies for a school permit could also offer discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 30% if you are eligible. A list of auto insurance companies and their possible discounts are detailed below.
- Mercury Insurance offers discounts for annual mileage, location of vehicle, ease of repair, multi-car, and type of vehicle.
- Farmers Insurance may offer discounts for teen driver, bundle discounts, multi-car, business and professional, and early shopping.
- Farm Bureau policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, good student, youthful driver, safe driver, and 55 and retired.
- State Farm has discounts for defensive driving training, anti-theft, Steer Clear safe driver discount, accident-free, and multiple policy.
- Allstate offers discounts including premier plus, utility vehicle, resident student, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, senior citizen, and passive restraint.
- GEICO may have discounts that include military active duty, daytime running lights, multi-vehicle, seat belt use, emergency military deployment, driver training, and multi-policy.
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The data assumes a male driver, no violations or accidents, New York state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average annual price with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with anti-theft, vehicle safety, good student, passive restraint, continuous coverage, and paid-in-full discounts applied. With discounts applied, theaverage yearly reduction on auto insurance for a school permit is 28% or $506.
Don’t stick with an overpriced policy
Buffalo, NY auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can significantly increase or decrease the cost of your policy. Simply improving your credit, getting divorced, or getting a few speeding tickets can trigger changes in premium that can now make some companies affordable when they were higher priced. Additionally, insurance companies amend pricing every year or even multiple times each year in order to remain profitable. An extended period of higher than normal claims can cause increased rates, while lower claims may result in cheaper Buffalo car insurance rates.
To illustrate this example, the bar chart below shows the company with the cheapest car insurance in Buffalo, NY for a 30-year-old female driver with a good driving record, no prior claims, and a high credit rating. When comparing rates based on her personal profile, USAA may have the cheapest car insurance rates in Buffalo at $1,877 a year. This is $198 less than the average price paid by New York drivers of $2,075. Erie, Progressive, Travelers, and Utica National are the remaining most affordable Buffalo, NY auto insurance companies.
In this next rate comparison, we will give the driver from the first rate comparison a claim, a lower credit score, and a speeding citation. Since each insurance company has their own unique process for determining prices, getting updated rate quotes could now result in a different ranking of the cheapest companies as shown below.
MetLife now has the lowest price in Buffalo with Erie, Amica, Preferred Mutual, and New York Central Mutual now being in the top five. This illustrates why it is important to perform a complete rate comparison when trying to find the most affordable car insurance quotes for a school permit. Rates are made up of many different factors and can decrease or increase without notice, so the cheapest company the last time you checked may now be wasting a lot of money.