Auto Insurance in Buffalo, NY

In this review, we'll focus on what determines how much you pay for car insurance in Buffalo, NY.

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Jeff Root

Licensed Insurance Agent

Jeff is a well-known speaker and expert in insurance and financial planning. He has spoken at top insurance conferences around the U.S., including the InsuranceNewsNet Super Conference, the 8% Nation Insurance Wealth Conference, and the Digital Life Insurance Agent Mastermind. He has been featured and quoted in Nerdwallet, Bloomberg, Forbes, U.S. News & Money, USA Today, and other leading fina...

Licensed Insurance Agent

Daniel Walker

Licensed Insurance Agent

Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...

Licensed Insurance Agent

UPDATED: Nov 27, 2023

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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.

Buffalo, located on the eastern side of Lake Erie, is the second biggest city in all of New York and also the biggest inland port. Buffalo was awarded the “All-American City” title by the National Civic League in 2002 but has since faced problems from negative public perception and an unfortunate decline in population. However, it still maintains notoriety for its beautiful parkland and stunning local architecture.

Fun fact: What was that strange noise? Because Buffalo is #5 on the list of “Top 100 cities with oldest houses (pop. 50,000+)”

In this review, we’ll cover the factors that go into determining your auto insurance rates if you live in Buffalo, NY.

Are you in need of cheap auto insurance in Buffalo, NY? With AutoInsuranceEZ.com, you will find the most affordable insurance rates in your city. To get free car insurance rates from the top providers now, provide your local ZIP code into the quote box in this posting.

What are the auto insurance coverage requirements in New York?

Driving legally in Buffalo requires:

Coverage Requirements Most Common
Bodily Injury Liability 25,000/50,000 100,000/300,000
Property Damage Liability 10,000 50,000
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury 25,000/50,000 25,000/50,000
Medical Payments Not required 100,000
Collision Not required 500 deductible
Comprehensive Not required 500 deductible

Keep in mind that whether you decide to go with the state minimum coverage, or to purchase more, will depend on the vehicle you are insuring. Older, less expensive cars can get away with a bare minimum policy. Newer vehicles, especially those that are still being financed, will need more coverage. Average insurance rates will vary between drivers, but the average cost is around $98 per month. However, if you live in Buffalo, there are some deals available now in your area which could lower your monthly premiums to $70/month or less. We’ll show you how.

Average Monthly Auto Insurance Premiums Legend: Buffalo Amica Allstate Central Mutual State Farm Nationwide 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 $59 $64 $70 $136 $134

Nationwide, Amica, Allstate, and Central Mutual are all trying to offer the lowest premiums in Buffalo right now. But keep in mind, however, that these are for the average driver. Certain companies specialize in certain groups of drivers, and their monthly rates may fluctuate wildly if your personal circumstances fall into one of these “outlier” groups. New York auto insurance carriers consider many variables when determining insurance rates, such as driving experience, driving violations, occupation, driving distance to work, and business use of the vehicle. Also, premiums might vary from one insurance company to another. To discover if you are still paying a reasonably affordable price for your insurance policy, assess cheap Buffalo auto insurance costs on the internet.

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What are the major car insurance factors in Buffalo?

There is a variety of various things that could factor into the rate quotes you are offered. Although many specific issues that affect insurance prices aren’t actually anything you can do something about, a few of them are elements that you can change for the better to get a more affordable car insurance quote. Here are some components which may change your automobile insurance premium:

Buffalo, NY Auto Insurance and Your ZIP Code

Your auto insurance rates may vary depending on where you live. Generally, large cities feature greater auto insurance rates as the additional amount of drivers on the highway raises the chance of an accident! The total population of Buffalo amounts to 258,959 and the general household earnings are $32,392.

Auto Insurance by ZIP Code Legend: Buffalo New York Rochester Syracuse Yonkers Amica Allstate Central Mutual State Farm Nationwide 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 $59 $125 $37 $42 $67 $64 $102 $56 $50 $57 $70 $135 $39 $41 $70 $136 $186 $64 $62 $85 $134 $281 $84 $100 $170

Are there many accidents in Buffalo and do those affect your insurance rates?

For nearly having a quarter of a million residents, some might expect to see more serious accidents in the Buffalo area than what is present in the chart above. The low number of accidents should be automatically lowering rates in your area – but if you are unsure, it would be best to get in touch with your local insurance agent.

Fatal Accidents in Buffalo, NY Legend: Buffalo Fatal accident count Vehicles involved in fatal crashes Fatal crashes involving drunk persons Fatalities Persons involved in fatal crashes Pedestrians involved in fatal accidents 2 4 6 8 10 12 7 10 7 12 3

Auto Thefts in Buffalo, NY

The size of your city and its crime rate statistics, especially in relation to auto theft, will have a significant effect on how your insurer calculates your auto insurance rate. Larger cities and/or cities with higher rates of car theft will raise your premiums, generally. But if you install a passive anti-theft system, this will usually result in cheaper car insurance. Within Buffalo, they had 957 auto thefts in the year 2013. Theft numbers are dropping, but they are still a little high. Protect yourself from theft with Comprehensive insurance coverage on your policy.

Basic vs. Comprehensive Auto Policy Legend: Basic Coverage Comprehensive Coverage Amica Allstate Central Mutual State Farm Nationwide 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 $59 $165 $64 $109 $70 $199 $136 $216 $134 $255

Your Credit Score and Car Insurance in Buffalo, NY

Suffering from a poor credit score? Well, unfortunately, your insurance premiums will only complicate the issue. Many insurers in New York charge exceptionally high rates for poor credit scores – although it appears as though Nationwide is giving some drivers a break.

Auto Insurance by Credit Score Legend: Excellent Credit Poor Credit Amica Allstate Central Mutual State Farm Nationwide 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 $59 $91 $55 $146 $66 $126 $110 $263 $120 $138

Your Age and Cheap Car Insurance in Buffalo, NY

Older drivers, because of their age and experience with driving, are much less likely to get into an accident. That is why, conversely, their young adult counterparts are charged much more for insurance. Be sure to ask about insurance discounts for teen drivers and students if you are one, or are trying to find insurance for one in your family.

Auto Policy Age Comparison Legend: 34 Year Old 17 Year Old Amica Allstate Central Mutual State Farm Nationwide 45 90 135 180 225 270 315 360 405 $59 $400 $64 $240 $70 $214 $136 $446 $134 $422

Your Driving Record and Finding The Cheapest Car Insurance in Buffalo, NY

Most drivers on the road today don’t have a perfect record. For minor violations, such as a low-level accident, you might be able to get that factored out with an Accident Forgiveness policy, lowering your monthly premium. But more serious charges, like a DUI, could eliminate your coverage completely. Safe driving habits can help you get a more affordable rate for your auto insurance premium.

Driving Violations Legend: Perfect Record Minor speeding ticket DUI/Reckless Driving Major At-Fault Accident Amica Allstate Central Mutual State Farm Nationwide 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180 $59 $82 $180 $59 $64 $75 $83 $64 $70 $70 Do Not Sell $70 $136 $151 $151 $136 $134 $153 $174 $134

Does your vehicle affect what you pay for auto insurance?

The age and overall value of your vehicle will greatly determine how much coverage you need to purchase in order to protect it adequately – and this, in turn, determines how much you will pay your insurance company for coverage each month.

Car Insurance by Make/Model Legend: 2015 Honda Accord 2012 Porcshe Boxster Spyder Amica Allstate Central Mutual State Farm Nationwide 35 70 105 140 175 210 245 280 315 350 $59 $178 $64 $130 $70 $210 $136 $237 $134 $350

Minor Car Insurance Factors in Buffalo

The factors below can be a little harder to control, but they can also raise or lower your monthly premium:

Does your marital status affect what you pay for car insurance in Buffalo, NY?

In general, there is very little difference between what married people and single people are charged for premiums. However, being bundled together on the same auto policy with your spouse can net you some exceptional discounts on insurance coverage!

Your Gender and Car Insurance in Buffalo, NY

Most insurance companies can’t seem to decide what to charge male and female drivers. The vast majority of companies have stopped charging different rates based on gender altogether. However, those who still do rarely charge more than a 2-4% difference.

Your Driving Distance to Work

Commute times for motorists in Buffalo usually last between 17-24 full minutes, give or take about 5 minutes each trip. Around 65% of drivers will choose to take their own vehicle alone, while 2-8% will likely carpool. 10% typically take the bus. Did you know that insuring a business vehicle will up your premiums by over 10% each month? So try to avoid it if you can. Otherwise, your driving habits – such as yearly mileage, reasons for driving, etc. – will rarely fluctuate more than 3-5%, no matter how you change your behavior.

Your Coverage and Deductibles

Want to know about a quick and easy trick for lowering your monthly auto insurance premium? Raise your deductible. But save a little money just in case. Because if you don’t pay that deductible first, your insurance company won’t pay out on any claims.

Education in Buffalo, NY

29% of residents in Syracuse have achieved their high school diploma or a similar equivalent. Meanwhile, 24% have yet to complete all four years of high school. And speaking of education, there’s something all Syracuse motorists should know: the further you take your education, the more money you can save on your auto insurance policy! It’s even better than what you might get for having a prestigious job, or a high salary.

Nearly 50 different educational institutions service the Syracuse area, educating over 215,000 students each year. Syracuse University offers bachelors and graduate degrees from 13 different colleges, and LeMoyne College is a private university affiliated with the Catholic Church. SUNY also operates a medical school in Syracuse.

For those who would prefer to spend less time in school, there is the Onondaga Community College, or Cayuga Community College. Ascertaining your own personal financial risk can be very challenging or inconceivable for the common insurance shopper. Insurers have got an advantage over shoppers due to their research and experiential expertise. Discover the things that insurance providers don’t really want anyone to learn.

How We Conducted Our Car Insurance Analysis

We calculated our average rate based on the following metrics: a married, 34-year-old male with good credit, a 12-month history of maintaining auto insurance, a clean driving record, who owns his own home. Miles driven annually were based on the national average. The average rate was also calculated based on a financed 2015 Honda Accord with a pre-installed anti-theft device.

Want to compare auto insurance companies to find the best rates and receive car insurance quotes in Buffalo, NY? Just enter your ZIP code into our free comparison tool to get started.

Free Auto Insurance Comparison

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