Find Your Perfect Policy: 866-843-5386
Only the best auto insurance policies for Brooklyn drivers
Urban areas have the highest densities of collisions and traffic violations, which can result in higher insurance premiums. State Farm is the largest insurer in the country, and it offers high-risk drivers excellent rates.
Your credit score is significant in determining your auto insurance rate. With good credit (and membership eligibility), USAA can provide you with the most affordable rates on auto insurance if you live in Brooklyn.
According to the Council for Community and Economic Research, Brooklyn is the fourth-most-expensive urban area in the Cost of Living Index (COLI). It’s also the most populous borough in New York City, home to about 2.6 million people. For the 44 percent of households in Brooklyn that own a car, insurance premiums are above the state and countrywide averages. Drivers in Brooklyn need to make choices about auto insurance to find a cost-effective provider with the right combination of coverage. Read on for our top picks.
Best Auto Insurance in Brooklyn for High-Risk Drivers: State Farm
Best Auto Insurance in Brooklyn for Drivers With Good Credit: USAA
Best for | Average annual premium in Brooklyn | Defensive driver course discount | Renters/homeowners insurance | Vehicle storage discount | Rideshare coverage | Review | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State Farm | High-risk drivers | $3,772 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | State Farm review |
USAA | Good credit | $2,865 | No | Yes | Yes | No | USAA review |
New York is a mandatory insurance state, which means you need car insurance to register your vehicle in New York.
State Farm insures more than 80 million people in the United States. It’s one of our picks for Brooklyn and our top pick for the best high-risk auto insurance for drivers who need nonstandard coverage. Brooklyn motor vehicle collisions numbered 2,813 in October 2023 and involved 5,413 motorists.1 If you’re worried about your driving history impacting your auto insurance premium, get a quote from State Farm.
Brooklyn’s cost of living is over 1.5 times the national average, which means you are probably looking to reduce costs where you can.2 Unfortunately for drivers with an at-fault accident, ticket, or DUI on their record, the algorithms insurance companies use to determine prices take into account aggressive acceleration, distracted driving, driving under the influence, drowsy driving, excessive speeding events, hard cornering, and even harsh braking. If you have a history of any of these activities, your auto insurance premium may go up.
State Farm offers consistently low affordable rates, even if you’re classified as a risky driver. We’ve found that State Farm generally charges high-risk drivers about 15 to 20 percent less than its competitors, as well as offering coverage options and discounts that you can apply regardless of your driving history.
State Farm has over 20 local agents in Brooklyn alone. It relies on exclusive agents who can sell its insurance products only, offering a depth of knowledge other companies don’t have. The benefit of working with a local agent is that they understand the intricacies of your neighborhood and the auto insurance laws that apply to your situation. Your State Farm agent will also assist you with claims handling and everyday customer service questions.
New York is one of the most competitive real estate markets in the country. In Brooklyn, only 30 percent of residents own their home.3 Luckily, State Farm’s bundling discount applies to homeowners, condo owners, and renters. You can earn up to 17 percent off your auto insurance premium when you bundle your auto and home insurance.
If you are in the majority of residents in Brooklyn who rent, renters insurance protects possessions like your television, bike, and furniture. We recommend it for everyone, especially if you can reduce the cost by bundling.
USAA offers auto insurance, banking, and investment products only to U.S. Armed Forces service members, families, and veterans. With strict membership criteria, it isn’t available to everyone; however, USAA customers rate it very highly in terms of customer service and affordability. We rated USAA the best auto insurance for military and veterans, but we also rate it highly for customers with a good credit score in Brooklyn.
Like driving history, most insurance companies check credit score as part of their price determination. Having a good credit score can decrease the cost of your premium, making auto insurance with USAA even more affordable. You can improve your credit score by paying bills on time, disputing any inaccurate information on your credit report, limiting new credit lines, making outstanding payments from oldest to newest, and paying your debt.
USAA offers a military storage discount if you’re stationed somewhere else in the U.S. or deployed in another country. As many New Yorkers garage their vehicles, this discount offers a huge benefit for active-duty military who live in Brooklyn. You can keep your car in storage and earn up to 60 percent off your car insurance policy. You can also get a 15 percent discount on your comprehensive coverage if you garage your vehicle on a military installation, like Fort Hamilton.
New York has 110,000 miles of state and local highways and is home to the longest toll road system in the U.S. If you’re driving a lot, roadside assistance is a huge benefit. USAA offers 24/7 roadside assistance that includes the following:
We chose the best auto insurance providers for Brooklyn residents using a three-pronged analysis of:
As of Jan. 1, 2023, New York law requires drivers to have $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 bodily injury coverage per accident, $10,000 property damage liability coverage, $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person, $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident, and $50,000 personal injury protection.
The average New Yorker spends $1,436 per year on auto insurance.
We found that the cheapest car insurance rates in New York come from Progressive, Allstate, GEICO, Main Street America, Preferred Mutual, State Farm, and USAA.
Brooklyn has the highest car insurance rates of all the boroughs in New York.
Motor Vehicle Collision Report Statistics Citywide. Police Department City of New York. (2023, Dec).
https://www.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/pdf/traffic_data/cityacc-en-us.pdf
Quarter 1, 2023 Cost of Living Index Released. The Council for Community and Economic Research. (2023).
https://www.coli.org/quarter-1-2023-cost-of-living-index-released/
Homeownership Rates in New York. Office of the New York State Comptroller. (2022, Oct).
https://www.osc.ny.gov/reports/homeownership-rates-new-york