Pennsylvania car insurance

Pennsylvania drivers pay about $167 a month for a full-coverage policy and about $45 a month for state-minimum liability.

That’s relatively affordable compared to most states. In part, those low rates for the state minimum policy are due to the extremely low minimum property damage protection requirements, which, at $5,000, are only a fraction of what other states require, and only about 10 percent of what a new car would cost to replace, on average.

Find out more about Pennsylvania car insurance, what carriers may offer the best value, and how to shop for the policy that’s right for you.

Pennsylvania drivers pay about $167 a month for full coverage and about $45 a month for the state minimum. 

The term "full coverage" means liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage. Deductibles are set at $500, which is also Pennsylvania’s default collision deductible under state law.¹

Pennsylvania requires a minimum of $15,000 in bodily injury liability per person and $30,000 per accident, $5,000 in property damage coverage, and $5,000 in medical benefits.¹ Some companies meet the liability minimum with a single combined limit of $35,000.¹

Is Pennsylvania’s minimum coverage enough?

A state minimum policy may be adequate for very minor fender-benders. But they could leave you under-protected in the event of a crash, especially with Pennsylvania's low $5,000 property damage minimum.

According to Kelley Blue Book, the average price of a new car is almost $50,000.² A single accident involving a late model car can more than overwhelm your property damage coverage. And a single hospitalization can quickly exhaust the minimum personal injury coverage. In Pennsylvania, you could be sued for the difference.

That’s why most drivers choose to carry much more than the state minimum required liability coverage. 

Do I need uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in Pennsylvania?

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) pays for your damages if you are struck by a driver with no insurance or inadequate insurance, up to the limits of your coverage.

It’s optional in Pennsylvania, but it may be worth considering. Pennsylvania drivers carrying the state minimum liability policy only have $5,000 in property damage protection. If you incur more than trivial damage to your car without UM/UIM coverage, you may have a hard time collecting anything over that amount from the other driver.

Pennsylvania allows drivers to choose between a full tort and limited tort system for resolving traffic incident damages:³

Pain and suffering typically refer to non-economic damages, such as pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life, caused by a crash.

Under limited tort, you still have the unlimited right to sue, with these exceptions:³

• Uninsured at-fault drivers

• At-fault drivers of vehicles registered outside of Pennsylvania

• At-fault drivers who drove uninsured, are convicted of a DUI, or accept Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition for DUI

Nationwide is the low-price leader for Pennsylvania, with an estimated premium of about $119 a month for full coverage. Below are the estimated premiums from major Pennsylvania carriers:

Your premium depends on factors unique to you, such as your location, driving record, credit, age, vehicle, and more. Use Luva to gather estimates from leading Pennsylvania carriers and compare them. Have questions? Lu, your personal insurance guide, is there to help along the way.

In Pennsylvania, your premium depends on your:⁴

• Driving record

• Location

• Credit

• Age

• Vehicle

• Coverage

• Annual mileage

Note: While using credit scores to determine premiums is legal in Pennsylvania, state law bars insurers from using credit scores to increase your rate at renewal.¹

Rural vs. urban drivers

Rates are much lower for cars garaged in rural areas than they are for busy urban areas like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Traffic density, theft, and local claim costs can each contribute to the difference.⁴

Age

Pennsylvania has a unique benefit for senior drivers. Pennsylvania law mandates that carriers must discount premiums by 5 percent for each vehicle on a policy where every named insured is 55 or older and has finished a PennDOT-approved driver improvement course.¹

Below is the average premium in Pennsylvania for all age groups:

Driving Record

Across Pennsylvania carriers, premiums average about $167 a month. 

On average, adding a single speeding ticket increases the cost to about $196, an at-fault accident to about $247, and a DUI conviction to about $259 for full coverage. 

The best way to shop for car insurance in Pennsylvania is to get multiple personalized quotes from competing carriers and compare them. Here’s how to get the best results: 

• Compare quotes from several companies for the same coverage. Ask about every discount and revisit your policy when your situation changes.

• Compare at least three companies using identical limits and deductibles. This isolates the price variable, so you can make a valid comparison.¹

• Buy extra liability coverage. Adding 100/300 coverage usually costs little compared to the additional protection you get in the event of an accident.

• Ask about discounts for safe driving, low mileage, bundling, good students, and the mature-driver discount if you are 55 or older.¹

• If you’re a good driver, enroll in a telematics program for an additional discount.

• In Pennsylvania, review your tort election. Limited tort lowers your premium, but confirm you understand what you give up first.³