You have probably seen the catchy advertisements from auto insurance companies like Allstate, The General, and Progressive that make promises of the cheapest price, so you should just pick the company with the cutest commercial, right?
It’s not that simple, unfortunately, as there are a ton of unknowns such as the deductible level you need, whether you are female or male, if you have any tickets or accidents, and your credit history, that all impact the cost of your policy. We are going to cover the best ways to find cheap car insurance and should give you some help in finding cheaper rates.
The car, truck, or SUV requiring insurance is probably the most important factor that determines whether or not you can buy the best coverage for welfare recipients. Vehicles with economical engines, modern passenger safety features, or a track record of few liability claims will cost less to insure than fast, unsafe models.
The table below shows auto insurance prices for the most budget-friendly automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $2,274 |
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $2,294 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $2,349 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $2,369 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $2,480 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $2,487 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,480 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $2,487 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,552 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $2,666 |
| Honda Odyssey EX | $2,671 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $2,721 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 2WD 4-Dr | $2,725 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $2,731 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $2,774 |
| Nissan Rogue SL AWD | $2,793 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 S 2-Dr Coupe | $2,839 |
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Above prices assume single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-policy. Rate information does not factor in vehicle location which can change rates noticeably.
Looking at the data, you can conclude that cars like the Honda Accord, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota RAV4 will definitely be some of the more affordable vehicles to insure for drivers on welfare.
Establishing which companies quote the best auto insurance rates for welfare recipients may require more time in order to find the most economical policy. Every car insurance company has a unique formula to set policy rates, so we’ll take a look at the most affordable auto insurance companies in Buffalo, NY.
Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance in New York
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,163 |
| 2 | Erie | $1,205 |
| 3 | Utica National | $1,504 |
| 4 | Progressive | $1,512 |
| 5 | Allstate | $1,556 |
| 6 | Travelers | $1,575 |
| 7 | MetLife | $1,588 |
| 8 | Amica | $1,644 |
| 9 | Preferred Mutual | $1,737 |
| 10 | New York Central Mutual | $1,874 |
| 11 | Safeco | $1,888 |
| 12 | State Farm | $1,904 |
| 13 | GEICO | $1,907 |
| 14 | Central Mutual | $1,968 |
| 15 | Liberty Mutual | $2,026 |
| 16 | Hanover | $2,369 |
| 17 | Encompass | $2,689 |
| 18 | Nationwide | $3,147 |
| 19 | Mercury | $3,965 |
| 20 | 21st Century | $4,324 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||
USAA quotes some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Buffalo at around $1,163 a year. This is $912 less than the average price paid by New York drivers of $2,075. Erie, Utica National, Progressive, and Allstate would also be considered some of the most economical Buffalo, NY insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you have coverage with Progressive and switched to USAA, you might achieve yearly savings of upwards of $349. Customers with Allstate may save as much as $393 a year, and Travelers policyholders might lower prices by $412 a year.
To discover how much you can save, click here to get quotes or click several companies below for low rates.
Remember that these prices are averaged across all insureds and vehicles and are not factoring in a vehicle location for welfare recipients. So the company that is best suited for you may not even be in the list above. That’s why you need to get auto insurance quotes using your own individual information.
For drivers on welfare, one of the more important factors that determine car insurance rates is where your car is garaged in Buffalo. Cities with larger populations tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims benefit from lower rates.
The information below rates the highest-priced areas in New York for welfare recipients to purchase car insurance in. Buffalo makes the list at #13 with a yearly premium of $1,533 on average, which is about $128 monthly.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $2,654 |
| 2 | Freeport | $2,235 |
| 3 | Hempstead | $2,233 |
| 4 | Levittown | $2,061 |
| 5 | Mount Vernon | $1,997 |
| 6 | Yonkers | $1,978 |
| 7 | Brentwood | $1,872 |
| 8 | Hicksville | $1,862 |
| 9 | West Babylon | $1,856 |
| 10 | Coram | $1,732 |
| 11 | White Plains | $1,612 |
| 12 | New Rochelle | $1,610 |
| 13 | Buffalo | $1,533 |
| 14 | Cheektowaga | $1,240 |
| 15 | West Seneca | $1,225 |
| 16 | Niagara Falls | $1,225 |
| 17 | Tonawanda | $1,165 |
| 18 | Utica | $1,103 |
| 19 | Syracuse | $1,097 |
| 20 | Albany | $1,067 |
| Find the Best Rates Go | ||
Premium amounts are estimated as specific location information can change insurance rates greatly.
How to get discounts on Buffalo insurance rates
Insurance companies that offer quotes for welfare recipients may also offer premium discounts that may potentially lower prices by as much as 25% or more if you qualify. Large auto insurance companies and their offered discounts can be found below.
- GEICO includes discounts for driver training, multi-policy, good student, seat belt use, five-year accident-free, and membership and employees.
- MetLife offers discounts including accident-free, good student, defensive driver, good driver, claim-free, and multi-policy.
- State Farm discounts include multiple policy, good student, defensive driving training, driver’s education, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Progressive offers discounts for continuous coverage, online signing, online quote discount, multi-policy, homeowner, good student, and multi-vehicle.
- Mercury Insurance has savings for ease of repair, professional/association, multi-car, accident-free, and age of vehicle.
- 21st Century has discounts for driver training, air bags, defensive driver, teen driver, good student, student driver, and theft prevention.
- Allstate offers premium reductions for farm vehicle, utility vehicle, auto/life discount, senior citizen, passive restraint, and defensive driver.
The information below compares yearly insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The premiums are based on a female driver, no violations or claims, New York state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with accident-free, claim-free, anti-theft, safe-driver, marriage, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When taking advantage of discounts, the average savings per year on auto insurance for welfare recipients is 28% or $297.
Cost of full coverage in Buffalo
Saving on auto insurance is important to the majority of people, and one of the fastest ways to save on the cost of insurance for welfare recipients is to buy liability only. The illustration below illustrates the comparison of insurance premiums with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The rate quotes are based on no accidents, no driving violations, $100 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
If the expense is averaged for all age categories, full coverage on your policy costs an additional $1,523 per year over and above liability coverage. A very common question is if full coverage is worth the money. There is no clear-cut rule to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of coverage is about 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s replacement value is $11,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $10,000 after paying your deductible. If premium cost is more than $1,000 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some situations where buying only liability insurance is not in your best interest. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
The example below illustrates how your deductible choice can impact annual premium costs when quoting cheap insurance for welfare recipients. The prices are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
A 30-year-old driver could lower their car insurance rates by $326 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $490 by using a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the 20-year-old, could lower their rates up to $730 each year by choosing a higher deductible.
When using a larger deductible, it is necessary to have plenty of money set aside to be able to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense that deters many people from opting for higher deductibles.
If you would rather get some professional input when comparing insurance rates for drivers on welfare, the agencies below can probably answer your questions and help you decide which policy fits your needs best.
To find an auto insurance agency near you, click the link after the list or click here to compare prices now.
- Lawley
361 Delaware Ave – Buffalo, NY 14202 – (716) 849-8618 - Cannizzaro Insurance Agency, Inc
432 Amherst St – Buffalo, NY 14207 – (716) 235-8882 - Bob White Insurance Agency
602 Grover Cleveland Hwy – Amherst, NY 14226 – (716) 836-2222 - GEICO Insurance Agent
3835 McKinley Pkwy #2 – Buffalo, NY 14219 – (716) 604-0345
More Buffalo, NY insurance agents
How to find cheaper auto insurance for welfare recipients
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are some of the better thrifty ideas that can help you get low-cost coverage.
- Save money by obeying traffic laws and keeping a clean driving record
- Drivers with good credit often pay less
- Raise your deductibles
- Vehicles with good safety ratings have lower liability rates
- At-fault accidents can raise rates significantly
- Compare rates often to find the best deal
The final tip is notably critical, as we emphasized in this write-up. Car insurance prices change constantly, so don’t be unwilling to change to a new company if a lower-cost policy is available. Many drivers tend to have loyalty to a certain company, but it’s not recommended if that loyalty ends up costing hundreds of dollars a year. It takes less than five minutes to shop around to find cheaper auto insurance for welfare recipients in Buffalo.