This morning, 25 “Grinches” swarmed the City Hall Subway Station to hand out flyers highlighting how New York’s sky-high car insurance rates are eating into everyday families’ holiday budgets. The flyers, emblazoned with the message “HO HO – NO,” reminded commuters that the $333 per month New York drivers are paying for car insurance could instead cover medicine, groceries, or holiday gifts.
Following the subway action, the Grinches will march to Governor Kathy Hochul’s Manhattan office, where they will continue distributing flyers and calling on the Governor to take action to rein in soaring insurance premiums.
New Yorkers now pay an average of $4,031 per year for full coverage – far above the national average of $2,400, according to data handled by the Citizens for Affordable Rates coalition. Even minimum coverage runs $1,700–$2,700 annually, more than double the national average. This year alone, premiums are rising 13.5% on average, among the steepest hikes in the country, while the national average increase is 7 percent.
(Poster courtesy: Citizens for Affordable Rates)
"The Grinch may have had a heart two sizes too small, but New Yorkers are facing monthly car insurance premiums that are way too big. $333 a month is money that could instead go toward gifts under the tree or a holiday meal for an entire family,” said David Alexis of New York Communities for Change. “We’re here to tell the State we cannot let these skyrocketing insurance rates steal another Christmas from working families."
For working families, that means $333 per month – roughly the cost of a week’s groceries for a family of four, 100 school lunches, or a full year of school supplies – is being spent on auto insurance payments instead of supporting holiday celebrations or other necessities.
The action was designed to call attention to Albany’s role in keeping rates high, and to encourage New Yorkers to speak out. The flyers included a direct line for residents to contact Governor Hochul, urging state leaders to take action to bring relief for drivers before the next holiday season.
“I had to give up being a rideshare driver because of the rising costs of car insurance. It was just impossible for me to keep up. New Yorkers like me shouldn’t have to work 2 or 3 jobs for over 60 hours a week to make ends meet. We need a true solution to the affordability crisis in New York from Governor Hochul,” said Alexis.
About Citizens for Affordable Rates (CAR)
Citizens for Affordable Rates (CAR) is a coalition of citizens, advocates, and organizations dedicated to tackling the root causes of high insurance premiums in New York. Through advocacy, education, and policy reform, CAR is committed to building an affordable and dependable insurance system for all. To learn more, please visit: www.citizensforaffordablerates.org.
