The Top 5 Auto Insurance Companies for College Students in New York

Last Updated on January 31, 2023

Going to a college in New York, you are faced with many expenses. You need to have enough money for your tuition fees, textbooks, school supplies, rent, etc. If you do not live with your parents, you’d also need to pay for rent. So getting an affordable car insurance premium is important for virtually all college students that drive.

How College Students Can Get Cheaper Auto Insurance

Although it’s difficult to find cheap car insurance rates for young drivers, several insurance providers offer special discounts for college students that meet certain requirements. These discounts can save as much as 25% on auto insurance.

However, providers don’t simply give out discounts to college students just for enrolling in a college in New York. Students usually need to pass certain requirements to qualify for discount rates:

• Get good marks. Some companies offer discounts to students that do well in school and maintain a high GPA. The minimum grades required for this discount differ between insurers.

• Drive less. Many companies have low-mileage discounts available. One company charges a flexible premium that depends on the number of miles driven that month.

• Complete a defensive driving course. Insurers consider young drivers that have a defensive driving certificate to be safer on the roads.

• Become a volunteer. Some auto insurance providers grant additional discounts to students that hold a volunteer position.

New York students can also use savings tips that apply to all drivers. For example, having higher deductibles lowers your premiums. If your vehicle is old and has a low market value, you should consider not getting collision and comprehensive coverage. In this case, third-party liability coverage can often be sufficient.

Best Car Insurers for New York College Students

Don’t have any idea which insurance providers provide the best rates for college students? Don’t fret. In this quick article, we will be going over the five best auto insurance companies for college students in New York. Each insurance provider we will mention below can offer auto insurance discounts of up to 25%. And each has a different set of requirements for college students to obtain auto insurance discounts.

No matter how old you are or what grades you get, you will surely find an insurance provider below that will fit you. So without further ado, let’s go over the top 5 insurance companies for college students in New York.

1. GEICO

GEICO offers arguably the cheapest auto insurance premium for students in New York. GEICO’s annual premium for students can cost as little as $651 per year. However, to get a low auto insurance rate, GEICO will need to examine several factors. Some things that can affect GEICO’s auto insurance rates are your age, where you live, and your group affiliations.

What’s great about GEICO is that they also offer discounts to members of college-centered organizations. This means if you’re a member of an alumni association, sorority, fraternity, or other college organization, you’d be able to get a student discount from GEICO.

2. State Farm

State Farm offers one of the easiest ways for college students to get as much as 15% off their auto insurance premiums. One of State Farm’s discount programs would have students finish their Steer Clear Safe Driver Program. This program consists of an online course students can take at home or in their dorms using a computer or a mobile phone. After finishing the program, students will receive a 15% discount on State Farm’s auto insurance premium.

What’s great about the Steer Clear Safe Driver Program is that it teaches young drivers how to drive responsibly in a very engaging way.

State Farm also has another discount program called the Good Student Discount. For this discount program, students can get up to 25% off their auto insurance rate by meeting specific minimum grade requirements while they’re in college. The grade requirements can differ depending on what college you are enrolled in.

By combining these two discount programs, any college student can get as much as 40% off their auto insurance. They’d just have to maintain the minimum grade requirements.

3. Allstate

Allstate is the second-largest auto insurance provider in New York. Just like other top insurance providers, Allstate offers various student discount programs. They have a resident student discount which is applicable for students who are studying at least 100 miles away from home and a good grade discount.

The good grade discount would require students to be enrolled full-time in college. It’s also only applicable to students below 25 years old.

Aside from student discounts, Allstate also offers mobile applications that students can find very useful. Allstate mobile for one helps students gain a better understanding of their auto insurance policy. It can also help students manage their claims and connect with agents.

Moreover, Allstate has a QuickTrip mobile app that helps students find optimal routes to several locations. It basically allows students to save mileage and time whenever they’re driving.

4. Amica Mutual

One of the lesser-known auto insurance providers that can offer great discounts for college students is Amica Mutual. Though Amica Mutual hasn’t made a lot of waves in the auto insurance industry yet, it’s becoming one of the most highly recommended auto insurance providers regarding student discounts.

Just like other auto insurance providers, Amica Mutual offers discount programs for college students. Amica Mutual offers student discounts for students taking a defensive driver class, an accident prevention class, and a new driver’s training class. They also offer discounts to students who are living away from their homes.

What’s more, Amica Mutual offers useful perks like free roadside assistance and key loss insurance.

5. USAA

Last but not least is USAA. USAA has discount programs that benefit students with families who are in the military, veterans, or employees of the Department of Defense.

If you meet USAA’s requirements, you can gain discounts from their good grade program, safe driving program, and resident student program. You can even increase your discount rate by becoming a USAA member.

6. Progressive

Progressive is the third largest auto insurance company in the United States, trailing only State Farm and GEICO for the crown. Progressive is also one of the best car insurance options overall for college students.

Progressive offers all of the amenities of a larger car insurance company combined with competitive prices in most states. Many college students enjoy perks like good student discounts and safe driving discounts, dropping Progressive’s prices lower than the competition.

Other perks of Progressive include strong J.D. Power scores. The company has strong marks from customers for claims satisfaction and overall customer service, indicating most customers – including college students to retirees – are happy with their Progressive auto insurance policy and overall coverage.

7. American Family

American Family is one of the top 10 largest car insurance companies in the United States, typically ranked around ninth or tenth by market size. Popular in the Midwest, American Family now offers competitively-priced car insurance in nearly every state. The company is also particularly popular in Minnesota, Kansas, and Wisconsin, where it may be the best local choice for car insurance for college students.

Like other top-ranked auto insurance companies for college students, American Family offers a range of discounts to offset the high car insurance premiums many students pay. By taking advantage of these discounts, in fact, American Family could be the cheapest car insurance company on this list.

8. Farmers

Farmers is another large and well-known insurance company available across the United States. The company has recently invested in a mobile app, making it easier than ever for college students to access their policy documentation and manage their accounts on the go. Farmers also has 50,000 agents across the country, and the company emphasizes a personal approach to car insurance more than competing providers on this list.

Farmers may not be the rock-bottom cheapest auto insurance company for college students. However, the company offers strong customer service and a wide range of insurance products. Depending on where you’re going to school (or your official state of residence), Farmers could be the best auto insurance company for you as a college student.

9. Nationwide

Nationwide offers all of the amenities of a large, stable, and well-known insurance company. The company is available throughout almost every state: they don’t write policies in Alaska, Louisiana, Hawaii, or Massachusetts. In states where Nationwide is available, the company could be the right choice for those who like a simple claims process and don’t mind the experience of dealing with a faceless nationwide firm.

Nationwide is also considered a stable insurance company, with strong financial strength ratings backing all policies. As a policyholder, financial strength is important for peace of mind.

10. Liberty Mutual

As you may have heard from the barrage of TV advertisements, Liberty Mutual lets you customize your car insurance, so you only pay for what you need.

As a college student, customizing your car insurance can help you save thousands per year. Although all insurers let you customize car insurance, Liberty Mutual makes it particularly easy to mix and match coverages.

Liberty Mutual lags behind its competitors in claims satisfaction and customer service, and the company has average to poor ratings from J.D. Power. However, Liberty Mutual could be the most affordable insurance company for college students in some states.

In Closing

The most important tip is to compare quotes from multiple providers. Use our comparison tool at the top of this page to find the cheapest auto insurance rates for college students in New York.