Westchester County

Westchester County - Driving Statistics and Analysis

Westchester County’s roadways are home to around 584,879 business and private vehicles. This is equivalent to around 5% of all registered vehicles in New York state.

More than 57 percent of adults in Westchester County drive to and from their work alone, and over half of those travels last longer than 30 minutes each way.

Motor Vehicle Crashes in Westchester County

Between the years of 2018 and 2021, there were 79,467 accidents in Westchester County as stated by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV-NY) and the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR): with 127 of these collisions being fatal. Property damage occured in 74.77% of those crashes, while personal injury was sustained in 25.06% cases.

Motorcycles in Westchester County accounted for an average of 189 crashes annually: with personal injury as a result in 73.61% of cases and property damage in 22.97%.

Auto Insurance Analysis

1. Well over half a million motor vehicles registered in Westchester County need insurance coverage: No-Fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, and Property Damage and Bodily Injury Liability are required for all automobiles on the road. Depending on the type of vehicle and its use (commercial or private), the additional required insurance may be: Private Auto, Commercial Auto, Collision Coverage, Non-owners car insurance, Commercial Transportation, Inland Marine, Gap coverage, Ride-sharing, Short-term car insurance, and so on.

2. Since New York is a no-fault state, the bodily injuries you undergo in an accident are covered by your own insurance - regardless of fault. If the bills for the treatment are greater than your coverage limits, you can get the overage from the guilty party. Meanwhile, property damage is paid by the at-fault party.

3. The amount of vehicles on the roads of Westchester County keeps going up year after year, and even though the uninsured rate of drivers across the state of New York remains at under 5 percent, the fact that there is a high volume of automobiles on the road raises the need for Uninsured Motorist coverage. You simply never know how much coverage the car next to you will have.

To discuss your auto insurance needs and to find affordable car insurance in Westchester County, contact a knowledgeable Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of New York.

Westchester County - Housing Statistics and Analysis

In Westchester County’s estimated 382,971 residences, most of them are owner-occupied which is different from the majority of the entire New York state’s residential marketplace which is almost evenly divided between renters (46%) and homeowners (54%). In the area, Putnam County has the highest proportion of owner-occupied homes, while Bronx County has the highest in renters, not just in the region, but in the entire state as well.

Hamilton County has the highest percentage of owner-occupied homes in New York state, at around 87%.

Roughly 24 percent residences in Westchester County experience problems with housing, overcrowding, poor plumbing, issues with the kitchen. In 2 out of 10 homes, residents spend more than half of their earnings on housing.

Housing Insurance Analysis

1. Nearly 390 thousand residences in Westchester County need insurance coverage. At a minimum, all owners of these properties should have Homeowners, Condo insurance, and/or Business property insurance (for apartment complexes), to secure the underlying financial investment from possible loss or damage.

2. With over 140 thousand housing units in Westchester County for rent, landlords get Landlord Insurance, which covers the property itself and from the possible liability claims arising from the occupants and their guests.

3. Renters insurance Yonkers: Tenants buy Renters Insurance coverage to protect their belongings from possible damage or loss while living in a rented space. Average renters’ insurance is affordable and usually covers the tenant's property from theft and damages caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Most landlords in Westchester County will require Renters insurance as a condition of the lease.

4. Westchester County is located on the coast, not far from one of the main hurricane formation areas in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the latest increase in temperatures gives favorable conditions for the formation of strong storms. Up to 10 of the annually projected 20 storms in the Atlantic have a chance of turning into hurricanes, bringing in primarily wind and flood damage. The highest probability of a hurricane happening in Westchester County is between early June and the end of November. Every New York area resident should be aware of the procedures and safeguards set in place by the local city, county and State agencies. All homeowners, landlords, and renters in Westchester County need to maintain appropriate insurance coverage to secure their property against possible loss and damage from wind and water damage.

For consultation and advice about Homeowners, Renters, Condo, Flood, and other types of insurance in Westchester County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed by the state of New York.

A New York P&C insurance agent:

• analyzes your needs and restrictions,

• reviews your current policy, to make sure that the coverages are reflective of the current needs and housing market- helps to update, if needed,

• researches the locally available plans that fit your needs and is usually able to find a better deal than a consumer can find on their own,

• checks for available savings and bundling discounts,

• provides you with the available options of coverage,

• explains how the differences between the options affect you once you start using each insurance product,

• assists you with the application process.

Westchester County - Health Statistics and Analysis

The whole state of New York has an average of 8 percent uninsured adult rate, which is higher than Westchester County’s 7 percent uninsured adults. In the neighboring region, Bronx County has the highest percentage of uninsured adults, while the lowest is in Putnam County.

Queens County records the highest uninsured adult rate statewide, at 12%, while Saratoga County is observed to have the lowest rate, at under 5%.

Around 14 percent of adults in Westchester County encounter health problems. More than 19 percent of the Westchester County population do not engage in physical exercises or activities. Approximately 22 percent of the adults residing in Westchester County are obese (with a BMI of 30 or more), which is lower than the New York state average of 26 percent. In the area, all counties are also below the state average, with the exceptions of Bronx County and Orange County, where both have around 29 percent of their adults considered obese.

In 2022, 181,204 Westchester County residents were recorded in Medicare, with the following utilization:

In 2022, there were 12 health insurers in Westchester County, providing affordable and often subsidized ACA health insurance on the New York State of Health marketplace.

Health Insurance Analysis

1. Health insurance is the most essential insurance coverage, and nearly 41,000 adults living in Westchester County lack this necessity.

2. Even though New York is among the states that do not allow the sale of an extensive array of alternative health insurance options, Westchester County residents can shop for the choice of their plans on a state-run health care exchange. While Group or Individual Marketplace ACA health insurance are the staples of coverage for Yonkers residents, supplementary options can also be acquired. For example, Hospital Indemnity insurance and Accident & Health insurance can help cover the out-of-pocket expenses such as deductibles, copay, and coinsurance, in case of emergency. Disability income insurance can provide extra money in case if the disability precludes you from working.

3. Low-income health insurance: If health insurance is not being procured due to unaffordability, low-income residents of Westchester County are generally advised to apply for government health insurance subsidies, which can substantially lessen and/or nearly remove the health insurance cost.

Discuss your health insurance needs with a knowledgeable state-licensed New York health insurance professional with access to a variety of health insurance plans available to Westchester County residents. Offerings of health insurance coverage and its pricing may vary between zip codes.

A New York health insurance agent: analyzes your health needs and restrictions, researches the locally available plans that are suitable for your needs, offers you the available options of coverage, and explains how the differences between the options affect you once you start using each insurance product. The agent researches the available discounts and bundling options, assists you with the application process, and at any time you need to make a change to the policy, or shop for replacement coverage.

Westchester County - End of Life Statistics and Analysis

Compared to the state average of New York (81.4 years), Westchester County shows higher average life expectancy at nearly 84 years old. In comparison with its neighbors, Westchester County also has the highest among the group, while the shortest life spans are observed in Orange County closely followed by Bronx County.

Statewide, Chemung County has the lowest average life expectancy, at under 77 years old, while the highest, at 85.2 years, is in New York County.

In 2022 there were an estimated 167,967 seniors (65 and older) residing in Westchester County.

Life Insurance Facts

1. In 2022, 47% of Americans did not have an active life insurance policy of any type.

2. Life insurance premiums are based on the age of the insured when the policy begins, among other factors. The younger you are when you get it, the more you save in premiums over the duration of the policy.

3. 13% of the adults in Westchester County smoke. When any of these 98,000+ adults decide to get a life insurance policy, their costs can be up to 4 times higher than non-smokers. This becomes much more of an issue at an older age, when the premium costs begin to grow faster. A smoker’s life expectancy is deemed shorter, making them more of a risk than people who do not smoke.

4. Besides the death benefit, Cash Value life insurance can be used for Living Benefits by the insured while they are still alive, to borrow against it, or even used as a source of tax-free retirement income.

Westchester County - Funeral Expenses Statistics and Analysis

Westchester County has an average funeral price of around $7,300, which is above the state average of New York ($6,500). Among the neighboring counties, Nassau County has the highest average cost for a funeral ($8,500), while the least expensive is in Orange County, averaging $6,000. Statewide, Suffolk County has the highest average price for a funeral, at $10,500, while the lowest is in Erie County, with an average of $5,000.

Life Insurance Analysis

1. With 46% of Americans dying with savings of less than $10,000, over 77,000 seniors living in Westchester County could be placing the unnecessary and frequently unmanageable financial burden on family and friends.

(Note: If using life insurance as payment for the funeral services, most funeral homes require the policy to be “assignable”)

2. Besides the burial costs, the deceased frequently leave taxes and other payables behind for the family to take care of. Discuss your senior life insurance options with a licensed New York life insurance professional.

3. The most frequently used life insurance policies to cover “final expenses” up to $50,000 are: Term Life Insurance and Final Expense (also known as Burial insurance).

4. The most commonly used life insurance policies to leave money to the family are the variations of: Term Life Insurance and Cash Value insurance, such as Whole Life insurance, Final Expense (FE), and multiple Universal Life insurance policies.

5. The most commonly used life insurance for tax-free retirement funding is Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance.

To find out more about life insurance options and to get life insurance quotes in Westchester County, speak with a knowledgeable state-licensed and experienced life insurance professional who has access to numerous insurers and plan types for comparison.

Westchester County - Business

Commercial insurance needs differ between each of the over 31 thousand business establishments in Westchester County. The largest job-creating sectors are:

• Health Care & Social Assistance

• Educational services

• Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.

Commercial Insurance Analysis

1. Every business in Westchester County needs some type of insurance, based on what it does and the amount of people it employs. The coverage mostly falls into: Commercial Property, Business Liability, and Employee Protection and Benefits:

   • Health insurance,

   • Life insurance,

   • Disability insurance,

   • Workers’ Compensation insurance, and

   • Unemployment insurance.

2. Health care professionals can benefit from Medical malpractice coverage, which protects both the patients and the insured medical professionals.

3. With more than 50,000 residents in professional and consulting services professions in Westchester County, they can benefit from professional liability insurance, also known as Errors and Omissions insurance (E&O insurance), that protects them and their clients in case the professional advice they give causes damages or losses.

To evaluate your business insurance needs in Westchester County and to get a commercial insurance quote, speak with a knowledgeable New York-licensed commercial insurance agent with access to multiple insurers and premium finance options. Always try to compare at least 2 or 3 options before deciding on the coverage.