Car Insurance in New York State

Here is the minimum car insurance you’ll need as a New York driver:

• Bodily injury coverage per person: $25,000
• Bodily injury coverage per accident: $50,000
• Property damage coverage: $10,000
• Uninsured motorist coverage per person: $25,000
• Uninsured motorist coverage per accident: $50,000
• Personal injury protection (PIP): $50,000
• Death: $50,000 for the death of one person in an accident, or $100,000 for the death of two or more people in an accident¹

While New York’s car insurance requirements are extensive compared to other states, they’re not enough to protect you in the event of an at-fault car accident or another incident that causes damage. Ideally, you should have liability limits of up to $500,000, plus collision and comprehensive coverage to cover damages to your own car, not just the other party’s.

If you cause an accident, collision coverage pays for your car’s repairs up to its actual market value (AMV). Or, if forces other than collisions damage your car (such as theft, vandalism or hail), comprehensive coverage also pays up to the AMV. If you only carry the minimum coverage the state requires, you would cover any property damages out of pocket.

Car insurance costs in New York are the second-highest in the country, at an average of $1,436 a year. That’s 37 percent higher than the national average.² However, many factors affect the cost of insurance, such as your credit score and your driving history, so you could pay anywhere from $304 to $5,369.60 annually for car insurance in New York.

While you’re living in New York, consider these auto insurance companies:

• Allstate
• American Family
• Erie
• GEICO
• Nationwide
• NYCM
• Progressive
• State Farm
• USAA

Whether you live in the Hamptons or the heart of Manhattan, surely you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance in New York. While you can’t help your state’s higher-than-average costs, there are ways to lower your premiums and get the best price on auto insurance.

1. Bundle Your Policies.

No matter what type of home you live in, if you have homeowners, renters, condo, or any other type of insurance policy, bundle it with the same provider as your car insurance if you want to save money. Many companies offer discounts for insurance bundles.

2. Get Discounts.

Every provider offers different auto insurance discounts, so ask your insurance agent for ways to save. You probably have access to cost-saving options, whether they’re in the form of a defensive driving course or automatic billing.

3. Drop Coverages.

If all else fails, you can drop auto insurance coverages the state doesn’t require, like rental car coverage or collision insurance, to save money. Keep in mind that dropping coverage options could cost you more later if you get into an accident.

Since car insurance is a requirement in New York, you can get into legal trouble if you’re caught driving without insurance, specifically paper or electronic proof of insurance.

• Fine: The fine ranges from $150 to $1,500.
• Civil penalty: Upon your conviction, you’ll pay a civil penalty of $750.
• Imprisonment: This would be either in addition to the fine or instead of the fine, for a maximum of 15 days.
• License suspension: If you’re without insurance for 90 days, your license will be suspended for the same duration as your registration suspension.
• Registration suspension: This will be equal to your time without insurance. You’ll pay $8 a day for up to 30 days without insurance, $10 a day for days 31 to 60 without insurance, and $12 a day for days 61 to 90 without insurance.³

Have we convinced you to comply with New York’s car insurance requirements yet? If so, you’re almost ready to drive, but take stock of a few state driving laws first.

No-Fault Insurance System

New York’s no-fault insurance system is one of the reasons insurance is so expensive in the state, much like Florida’s no-fault insurance. In no-fault states, each person in an accident is responsible for their own medical expenses under PIP, regardless of who caused the accident. However, the at-fault party is still responsible for the other party’s property damages.

With the Empire State’s comparative negligence laws, victims can recover some money for their injuries, regardless of their level of negligence or fault. Even if they were responsible for more than 50 percent of the damage, they could still receive compensation, much like in California and Florida.

Uninsured Motorists in New York

As we noted previously, uninsured motorist coverage is a requirement in New York, but did you know it also includes car insurance coverage for hit-and-runs? That means that if someone hits your car and leaves the scene, uninsured motorist coverage can compensate you for any injuries or property damage.

Are you a new driver in New York who needs to register your car? Or do you want to contest a claim decision with the state’s insurance department? Find the contact information you need here.

State Registration Information

First of all, you’ll need insurance for car registration in New York. Once that’s sorted out, you can register with your county’s DMV, whose address you can find at https://dmv.ny.gov/registration/how-register-vehicle. The documents you’ll need depend on how you bought the car — from a dealership, a private sale, or elsewhere. Figure out what you need to bring before you make the trip by reviewing the information at https://on.ny.gov/35Eg2ve. See how much you’ll pay for the registration below.

You can renew your registration online, by mail, or in person.

• Online: Go to https://transact3.dmv.ny.gov/registrationrenew/?_ga=2.83170134.1352907158.1646677644-930311440.1646677644 to renew your registration online.
• Mail: Print and fill out the MV-82 form (https://dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv82.pdf). With the fee paid by check (made payable to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles), send the form to this address:
  • New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
    Utica Processing Center
    P.O. Box 359
    Utica, NY 13503
• In person: Once you’ve filled out the MV-82 form, bring it to your nearest DMV, which you can locate at https://dmv.ny.gov/offices/county-offices.

DMV Contact Information

You can contact the New York DMV in several ways:

• Give customer feedback online at ​​https://dmv.ny.gov/contact-us/submit-comment-or-suggestion-about-dmv-website.
• Get help online at https://nysdmv.custhelp.com/app/ask_home?_ga=2.6665330.1352907158.1646677644-930311440.1646677644.
• Call 518-486-9786 or 800-698-2931.
• Visit https://dmv.ny.gov/offices/county-offices.

Duplicate Car Title Instructions

Whether you lost your car title or want a copy for safekeeping, follow these steps to obtain a duplicate:

1. If you want to complete the process online, visit https://transact2.dmv.ny.gov/titleduplicate/?_ga=2.7150642.1296147171.1641911547-1146883261.1633979390.
2. If you’d rather use snail mail, print and fill out the form at https://dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv902.pdf.
3. If you aren’t the vehicle owner, get the form notarized.
4. Enclose a $20 payment for the fee.
5. Send the form and payment to this address:
   • Title Bureau
     NYS DMV
     P.O. Box 2750
     Albany, NY 12220-0750

Department of Financial Services Contact Information

You can contact the New York DFS online, over the phone, or by mail.

• Online: https://www.dfs.ny.gov
• Phone: 212-480-6400
• Mail:
  • New York Department of Financial Services
    25 Beaver St.
    New York, NY 10004

New York has the third-highest cost of living in the country, behind Hawaii and Washington, D.C.⁷ Surprisingly, though, car repairs in the state are actually 2 percent lower than the national average at only $376.08. Labor costs $138.60, and parts cost $237.48.⁸

On average, there is less car theft in New York than in the rest of the U.S. Unfortunately, New York’s traffic fatality rates are above the national average.

Car Theft

New York only had 102 car thefts per 100,000 inhabitants in 2019, according to the most recent FBI data. That’s 142 percent lower than the national average.

However, the state’s biggest cities had higher rates, which is the usual case; in most states, car theft is more common in cities than in suburban and rural areas.

Traffic Fatalities

The state of New York has 24 percent more traffic fatalities than the rest of the country — 931 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.¹⁰

New York has many different roads for you to travel down. But while you’re driving, make sure you follow all state and local guidelines. Maintaining a clean driving record will keep your car insurance rates as low as possible.