Best Auto Insurance Rates in Schenectady, New York

Compare Auto Insurance in Schenectady

Friday, November 9 2018 By Shantae Young

Schenectady, New York, is home to the Historic Stockade District, which also is the state's very first National Register historic district. Not only that, but Schenectady is where Thomas Edison founded what would become General Electric Company.

As a city full of history and innovation, Schenectady has a lot to offer residents. Why can't cheap car insurance be one of them?

Average Schenectady Car Insurance Rates

How much is car insurance in Schenectady, NY? Residents shouldn't be surprised that car insurance in Schenectady costs more. Average insurance rates in New York are a bit higher than the national average. The average cost of auto insurance in New York is $1,234.84 per year. The national average price is $889.01.

Prices may vary depending on your driving record and the number of claims filed in your zip code, so your bill may be lower.

The graph below shows the change in average New York insurance rates from 2011 to 2015, the most recent year the data is available. According to the III, New York car insurance rates increased from $1,111 in 2011 to $1,234 in 2015, a jump of $123, or 11.12 percent.

QuoteWizard helps consumers compare quotes from national car insurance carriers and local independent agents. Comparing quotes can help you find cheap car insurance rates near Schenectady, New York and save up to 40 percent on your auto policy by working with us.

Last year, 1,821 residents used QuoteWizard to compare auto insurance quotes in Schenectady, NY from multiple companies to find the cheapest rates.

Best Car Insurance Companies in Schenectady, NY

This is our list of the 10 most common car insurance companies reported by QuoteWizard users living in Schenectady, New York last year. Of these 1,821 drivers, 61 were uninsured.

Other popular Schenectady, New York car insurance companies: AAA, USAA, Hartford, Safeco, Country Financial, Erie, The General, and Farm Bureau.

Top 10 Vehicles

These are the most common car makes and models owned by Schenectady, NY drivers requesting quotes through QuoteWizard last year.

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Schenectady, NY

Schenectady, New York has a minimum coverage requirement known as the 25/50/10 rule. This means each car insurance policy must include at least the following three components:

• Individual Bodily Injury Liability (BIL): $25,000.
  The maximum amount insurance companies will pay for an individual person injured in a car accident.
• Total Bodily Injury Liability: $50,000.
  The total your insurance company will pay in total for every person injured in a car accident.
• Property Damage Liability (PDL): $10,000.
  The most your insurer will pay for property damage caused by a car accident.

The policy must be in the name of person registered to own and drive the vehicle. In addition, the coverage must remain in effect as long as the registration is valid—even if you don't use the vehicle.

Driving Conditions

Driving conditions like weather and traffic congestion can influence Schenectady insurance rates.

Weather

Schenectady, NY has no real dry season as well as warm and surprisingly humid summers. Residents can expect to see as many as 177 days with at least partial sunshine annually. It rains equally as much—Schenectady sees around 125 days with any measurable precipitation. Snow is common, too, and tends to create dangerous driving conditions. Schenectady receives about 62 inches of snowfall each year.

Road Conditions

Due to Schenectady’s harsh winters, its roads tend to be filled with potholes. According to TRIP, poorly maintained roads costs drivers in the state of New York $2,798 annually. If you would like to report a pothole in Schenectady, just call the Bureau of Service—Street Department at 518-382-5120.

Traffic Congestion

According to Inrix, the Albany-Schenectady area is ranked 33rd for yearly delay per commuter—with each commuter being delayed 44 hours annually. Commuters also waste 20 extra gallons of gas because of these traffic delays and spend around $984 in congestion costs.

Moving Violations

Moving violations such as speeding tickets, red light infractions, accidents, and drunk driving will give you a bad driving record and could have a dramatic impact on your insurance rates.

Traffic Tickets

The State of New York DMV website allows you to pay non-criminal traffic citations. It also explains how to request a hearing to contest a ticket and provides helpful traffic court information.

DWI/DWAI Arrests

Schenectady County arrested 30 drivers for suspicion of DWI in 2014. This is a 27 percent decrease from the 41 drivers arrested for either DWI or DWAI in 2013.

SR-22 DWI Insurance

A DWI conviction may require you to obtain an SR-22 form. Get a quote, and we'll connect you with local agents from top companies that specialize in Schenectady DWI insurance.

Car Accident Statistics

Schenectady officials recorded 1,429 motor vehicle accidents in 2016 resulting in 607 injuries.

Traffic Fatalities

Schenectady experienced two traffic fatalities in 2016. This works out to a fatality rate of 3.08 per 100,000 residents. All traffic deaths are a tragic loss, and considering the estimated population of 64,913 Schenectady is a safe city in terms of traffic fatalities per capita.

Vehicle Theft

Schenectady reported 245 motor vehicle thefts in 2016. That’s a rate of 3.77 per 1,000 residents. This was much higher than the national average of 2.20 thefts per 1,000 people.

Car Insurance Discounts

Discounts are one of the best ways to lower your rates. These are some of the many auto insurance discounts available to Schenectady, NY drivers.

1. Drive less. Live close to work and get the low mileage discount
2. If you're 55 or older you could qualify for either the senior discount or the 55 and retired discount
3. Live in a safe zip code with low crime rates. If you live in a zip code where people file lots of insurance claims, you might be paying higher premiums
4. Students that maintain at least a B grade point average can qualify for the good student discount
5. Drivers 55 and older can qualify for the senior discount or the 55 and retired discountt
6. Take a defensive driving course from an accredited driving school

Sources:

• City of Schenectady, New York
• 4th JUDICIAL DISTRICT - Schenectady County Courts
• United States Census Bureau - Schenectady, NY
• Schenectady New York Crime Rtaes

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