Key Takeaways
- NYCM is the cheapest auto insurance company in Buffalo for all driver and coverage categories.
- Car insurance rates in Buffalo are cheaper than the state averages for minimum coverage ($108 a month vs. $177) and full coverage ($188 vs. $309).
- Buffalo drivers with a speeding ticket pay 12% more for car insurance than they would with a clean driving record. Drivers with DUI pay 46% more.
In this article
The cheapest car insurance companies in Buffalo, New York
New York Central Mutual (NYCM) is the cheapest car insurance company in Buffalo, according to our survey of the city’s top providers.
NYCM has the city’s cheapest average rates in all of these categories:
- Minimum-coverage car insurance for adults with clean driving records
- Full-coverage car insurance for the same adults
- Adult drivers with a speeding ticket, accident or DUI
- Senior drivers
- Young drivers
USAA, Progressive and GEICO also regularly offer affordable auto insurance rates to Buffalo drivers that are cheaper than the city averages.
To find the cheapest rates on any amount of coverage, compare auto insurance quotes from several companies.
New York car insurance minimums
New York requires drivers in Buffalo and elsewhere in the state to carry personal injury protection as well as liability and uninsured motorist car insurance coverages with the following minimum limits:
- Personal injury protection: At least $50,000 per person to cover medical expenses for injuries you or your passengers suffer in a car accident, regardless of who caused the crash.
- Bodily injury liability: At least $25,000 to cover medical expenses for any individual injured in a car accident you cause, with a limit of at least $50,000 per accident.
- Property damage liability: At least $10,000 to cover damage to vehicles or other property resulting from an accident you cause.
- Uninsured motorist coverage: At least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for medical expenses if you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver without insurance.
Cheapest minimum-coverage auto insurance rates in Buffalo: NYCM
NYCM has the cheapest car insurance in Buffalo, charging $42 a month, on average, for state-minimum coverage.
USAA’s average rate is cheap, too, at $68 a month, but only current and former members of the military, as well as certain family members, can buy coverage from this company.
The average cost of minimum-coverage auto insurance in Buffalo is $108 a month.
| Insurance company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| NYCM | $42 |
| Progressive | $97 |
| GEICO | $99 |
| City average | $108 |
| State Farm | $130 |
| Travelers | $141 |
| Allstate | $179 |
| USAA | $68 |
| Rates are for minimum-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with a good driving record. | |
Minimum-coverage car insurance meets the state’s requirements for bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. Liability coverage pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others. It doesn’t pay for your own medical bills or vehicle repairs.
Although minimum coverage usually gets you the lowest rates, it also offers the least amount of protection if you’re involved in an accident.
Get cheap car insurance in Buffalo
Cheapest full-coverage auto insurance rates in Buffalo: NYCM
NYCM is the cheapest car insurance company in Buffalo for full-coverage policies, too, charging $76 a month, on average.
The average cost of full-coverage auto insurance in Buffalo is $188 a month.
| Insurance company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| NYCM | $76 |
| Progressive | $171 |
| GEICO | $188 |
| City average | $188 |
| State Farm | $193 |
| Travelers | $254 |
| Allstate | $307 |
| USAA | $127 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with a good driving record. | |
Full-coverage car insurance includes collision, comprehensive and liability coverages. No state requires full coverage, but you may still need to buy it if you financed or leased your vehicle.
Also, you should consider getting full coverage even if it’s not required if your vehicle is new or expensive. Otherwise, you might need to pay high out-of-pocket costs if you file a claim for damage done to your vehicle.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a prior incident
NYCM offers the cheapest car insurance rates in Buffalo for drivers with a speeding ticket or accident on their records. It also has the cheapest average rates for drivers with a DUI.
Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket: NYCM
To get the cheapest car insurance in Buffalo with a speeding ticket on your record, go to NYCM. It charges an average rate of $76 a month to these drivers.
This is for a full-coverage policy; if you want less coverage, you should also pay a lower rate.
| Insurance company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| NYCM | $76 |
| Progressive | $177 |
| GEICO | $197 |
| USAA | $138 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one speeding ticket on his driving record. | |
Buffalo drivers with a speeding ticket on their records pay 12% more for car insurance than do drivers with clean records.
Cheapest for drivers with an at-fault accident: NYCM
NYCM has the cheapest auto insurance rates for drivers in Buffalo with an at-fault accident on their records, charging $76 a month, on average.
| Insurance company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| NYCM | $76 |
| Progressive | $171 |
| GEICO | $197 |
| USAA | $138 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one at-fault accident on his driving record. | |
Progressive charges nearly $100 a month more to these drivers, though its average rate is still lower than the city average rate of $203 a month.
Cheapest for drivers with a DUI: NYCM
Finding cheap car insurance with a DUI on your record isn’t always easy. If you’re in this situation and you live in Buffalo, though, get a quote from NYCM. NYCM has Buffalo’s cheapest average rate for drivers with a DUI at $121 a month.
| Insurance company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| NYCM | $121 |
| Progressive | $180 |
| State Farm | $214 |
| USAA | $183 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one DUI on his driving record. | |
Drivers in Buffalo with a DUI on their records pay 46% more for car insurance than do drivers with clean records.
Compare auto insurance quotes from top companies
Cheapest car insurance for senior drivers: NYCM
NYCM charges the cheapest auto insurance rates for senior drivers in Buffalo at $71 a month, on average.
Again, this is for a full-coverage policy. If you buy less coverage, your bill will be lower, too.
| Insurance company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| NYCM | $71 |
| Progressive | $148 |
| State Farm | $172 |
| City average | $183 |
| GEICO | $195 |
| Travelers | $252 |
| Allstate | $327 |
| USAA | $114 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 60-year-old male with a clean driving record. | |
The average cost of full-coverage car insurance for Buffalo seniors is $183 a month. Progressive, State Farm and USAA all charge average rates below this amount.
Cheapest car insurance for young drivers: NYCM
NYCM offers the cheapest auto insurance rates for young drivers in Buffalo at $70 a month for minimum coverage and $140 a month for full coverage.
NYCM’s average rate for minimum coverage is 78% lower than the city average. The company’s average rate for full coverage is 76% lower than the city average.
| Insurance company | Minimum coverage | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| NYCM | $70 | $140 |
| Progressive | $315 | $550 |
| City average | $324 | $589 |
| GEICO | $349 | $663 |
| Travelers | $396 | $754 |
| State Farm | $421 | $648 |
| Allstate | $427 | $852 |
| USAA | $288 | $514 |
| Rates are for an 18-year-old male with a clean driving record. | ||
Young drivers pay the highest car insurance premiums of any age group because they’re more likely to be involved in accidents than are older and more experienced drivers.
Car insurance laws in Buffalo, New York
No-fault car insurance
New York is a no-fault car insurance state, but its no-fault laws only apply to bodily-injury claims. This means your own insurance will cover the first $50,000 in medical expenses if you or any of your passengers are injured in a car accident, regardless of who caused the crash. At-fault drivers are still financially responsible for damage to other vehicles and property.
Buffalo car insurance FAQ
Who has the cheapest car insurance in Buffalo, New York?
NYCM has the cheapest car insurance in Buffalo. It charges the lowest rates in the city for both minimum coverage ($42 a month) and full coverage ($76 a month).
NYCM also offers the lowest rates to the city’s young ($140 a month) and senior drivers ($71 a month).
What is the average cost of car insurance in Buffalo?
The average cost of car insurance in Buffalo is $148 a month. If all you want is minimum-coverage car insurance, the average cost is $108 a month. The average rate for full-coverage car insurance is $188 a month.
Methodology
We obtained non-binding quotes from Quadrant Information Services for a typical driver in every Buffalo ZIP code to find the cheapest car insurance companies and rates. Unless otherwise noted, the driver is a 35-year-old male with a clean driving record. He owns a 2012 Honda Accord LX and drives an average 13,500 miles a year.
The teen driver in this article is 18 years old but otherwise fits the same profile as the 35-year-old driver above. The same is true of our senior driver, who is 60.
Minimum-coverage car insurance rates highlighted on this page are based on a policy that meets New York’s minimum liability requirements. Full-coverage rates are based on a policy with the following limits and deductibles:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability coverage per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability coverage per accident
- $100,000 property damage liability coverage
- $500 deductibles for both collision and comprehensive coverage
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