Cheapest Auto Insurance in Utica, New York (2025)

Utica is centrally located in New York, but its auto insurance rates fall well below the state average. Average rates for car insurance in New York are $266 for full coverage and $207 for liability only. But Utica drivers pay $207 for full coverage and $135 for liability only, on average. 

Utica’s small population could contribute, in part, to its lower car insurance rates.

Here’s what you should know about getting cheap car insurance in Utica.

3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in Utica

As you begin your search for car insurance, the quotes you receive will depend on factors such as your driving record, age, gender, marital status, and even your credit history. Comparing quotes from several companies can help you identify the best insurer for you, and the three companies listed below make an excellent starting point.

Best insurer for low rates: CSAA

Best insurer for policy customization: Safeco

Best insurer for accident forgiveness: Liberty Mutual

How to get the cheapest car insurance in Utica

The rate you’ll pay for car insurance in Utica depends on many factors, some of which are out of your control. Comparing prices is an effective way to judge one insurer against another. But it isn’t the only thing you can do to lower your rates.

Here are some strategies you’ll want to keep in mind as you look for cheap car insurance:

• Determine how much coverage you need. Liability-only coverage is less expensive than full coverage, but don’t entirely dismiss the latter option. For example, if you’ve just purchased a new, expensive car or truck, liability insurance won’t cover repairs or replacement of the vehicle in many instances. Find the most affordable coverage that meets your needs instead of shopping solely based on price.

• Consider your deductible. You may be tempted to choose a high deductible to lower your premiums, but keep in mind that you must pay your deductible before your insurer will pay on your claim. If paying a high deductible would be tricky, you may want to pay higher monthly premiums and keep your deductible lower.

• Find discounts. Ask your insurer or insurance agent if you qualify for any discounts that’ll bring your rates down. You can also ask your employer or other associations you’re affiliated with if they have any discount agreements with particular insurers.

Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Utica: CSAA

Liability-only car insurance protects you after an accident you cause by covering the repair and medical bills of the other party. But if your car is damaged, or you’re injured in an accident you cause, liability insurance won’t pay for those expenses.

Because liability insurance doesn’t offer as much coverage, rates are often cheaper. Below, you can see the average monthly rates for liability-only coverage from different insurers in Utica.

Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Utica: CSAA

Full-coverage car insurance provides you the same protection as liability coverage, but it also covers injuries you sustain or damage to your vehicle in an accident you cause. This makes full coverage more expensive because it’s essentially covering all parties in an accident you cause. But it could be a good option if you have a new car or a vehicle you’d struggle to replace if necessary.

Here’s a list of full-coverage quotes from insurers in Utica.

Car insurance requirements in New York

If you live in Utica you’ll need to have liability coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, and no-fault or personal injury protection insurance. Most states don’t require drivers to carry no-fault medical insurance, but New York does. If you were in a car accident, no matter whose fault it is, your car insurance would pay for the hospital bills and also replace your lost earnings and other expenses, such as medical care in the home.

But there are exceptions. If you were in a wreck due to drinking and driving, your no-fault insurance likely wouldn’t pay for your expenses.

The table below spells out the minimum car insurance requirements you’ll need to meet in Utica.

But these requirements are just the minimum. They’ll prevent you from getting in trouble with the law, but there are plenty of situations that minimum coverage won’t protect you from, such as your car getting stolen or a tree landing on your parked car during a storm. 

For those cases, you may want to also purchase:

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident

Not everyone has a perfect driving record, and if you have a speeding ticket, at-fault accident, or DUI on yours, your insurance premiums will probably go up. As a general rule, insurance companies believe that one incident could mean there will be more incidents to follow and hedge their bets by raising premiums. The good news is that, in most cases, if you can go a few years without an incident, those rates should come back down.

In the sections that follow, you’ll see how different incidents affect your rates in Utica.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: CSAA

Utica takes speeding seriously. In recent years, the city has placed solar-powered smart speed-tracking devices in the city to get a sense of where the most speeding occurs.5 If you get a speeding ticket in New York, your insurer may raise your rates. And if you have a ticket on your record already, you’ll pay higher rates than someone with a clean driving record, as you can see in the table below.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: CSAA

If you have an at-fault accident on your record, your insurance rates will increase. Fortunately, your rates should decrease once the accident is off your record.

Here’s a look at monthly liability rates for Utica drivers with an accident on their record.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: CSAA

Insurers view a DUI as the most serious of incidents, and if you have a DUI on your record, your rates will almost certainly go up. In some cases, your insurer may drop you altogether. The table below shows how much insurers charge Utica drivers with a DUI on their record.

Cheapest car insurance for seniors: CSAA

Auto insurers calculate premiums by looking at many different factors, and age is a particularly important one. If you’re 70 or older, your premiums will usually be higher than those of middle-aged people. This is because seniors are generally involved in more accidents and suffer more severe injuries when in a crash.

The table below shows what you may pay, on average, for your insurance premiums as a senior driver in Utica.

Cheapest car insurance for teens: CSAA

Many young drivers are skilled, but insurers still charge this group higher premiums than older, more experienced motorists. Fortunately, teen drivers have ways to reduce high insurance premiums, like staying on their parents’ policy. Driving a car that your insurer considers a safe model may lower premiums as well, and your insurer may give a student discount for good grades.

If you’re a teenager, or you have a teenager driving in Utica, check out the most affordable companies for teens in the table below.

Utica car insurance quotes by credit tier

Most states, including New York, allow insurers to consider a driver’s credit history when pricing insurance premiums. Auto insurers have concluded that a person’s credit score is a sign of how likely they are to file a claim. As such, drivers with excellent or good credit pay lower insurance premiums than drivers with poor credit.

The chart below shows how Utica drivers’ credit tiers can affect their insurance premiums.

Is car insurance more expensive in Utica?

Car insurance in Utica is more expensive than in many other parts of the country. The U.S. national car insurance average is $104 per month for liability-only coverage and $184 per month for full coverage.

Utica drivers pay $135 per month for liability-only coverage and $207 for full coverage, on average.

Other New York cities with larger populations have average car insurance rates much higher than Utica’s. For example, Yonkers drivers pay $297 per month for full coverage, and Staten Island drivers pay $231.

More cities in New York

The table below shows how car insurance in Utica compares to other cities across the Empire State.