Best Auto Insurance Rates in Pennsylvania

Compare Auto Insurance in Pennsylvania

Tuesday, April 24 2018 By Steve Bowen

Average Pennsylvania Car Insurance Rates

How much is car insurance in Pennsylvania? If you’re a driver in the state of Pennsylvania, you know how much at insurance can cost. But did you know that Pennsylvania car insurance premiums are the same as the national average. The average cost of auto insurance in Pennsylvania is $878.18 per year. The national annual average cost is $889.01.

Prices may vary depending on your zip code and driving history.

Pennsylvania Average Annual Car Insurance Rates

Coverage	Rates
Liability	$499.06
Collision	$327.24
Comprehensive	$144.21
Total Cost Per Year	$878.18
Price Per Month	$73.18

The graph below shows the change in average Pennsylvania insurance rates from 2011 to 2015, the most recent year the data is available. According to the III, Pennsylvania car insurance rates increased from $812 in 2011 to $878 in 2015, a jump of $65, or 8.05 percent.

If you’re like most Pennsylvania drivers, you think it's important to have the right kinds of car insurance coverage, not to mention the right amounts. That doesn’t mean you should go with the first policy that comes your way.

You want car insurance that’s reliable and fits your needs while also being affordable. To get that, you have to compare auto insurance quotes.

That can take some time if you do it yourself. With QuoteWizard, you can do it in seconds. Fill out our form and we’ll connect you to multiple top car insurance companies so you can compare rates and get the best coverage.

Last year, 98,196 people used QuoteWizard to compare auto insurance quotes in Pennsylvania from top companies, and find the cheapest rates.

Top 10 Vehicles in Pennsylvania

These are the most common vehicles owned by Pennsylvania drivers requesting car insurance quotes through QuoteWizard in the past year.

Best Car Insurance Companies in Pennsylvania

This is our list of the most common car insurance companies reported by QuoteWizard users living in the state of Pennsylvania last year. Out of the 98,196 Pennsylvania drivers that used QuoteWizard to request insurance quotes last year, 9,688 had no car insurance.

Pennsylvania State Auto Insurance Laws

Car Insurance Minimum Coverage

If you drive a vehicle registered in Pennsylvania, you must maintain a minimum level of insurance coverage of 15/30/5. This means that you must have a policy with at least the following:

• $15,000 of coverage for bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 of coverage for bodily injury liability per incident
• $5,000 of coverage for property damage liability per incident
• $5,000 of coverage for medical benefits

Pennsylvania is one of the 12 US states that have a no-fault insurance system. In no-fault states, accident victims can collect benefits from their own insurance companies, regardless of whether the other party is insured.  Liability coverage helps pay for other peoples’ medical and repair bills if you cause an accident. Medical benefits coverage pays for your medical expenses after an accident, regardless of who was at fault.

Required Proof of Auto Insurance

Any time you drive in Pennsylvania, you must be prepared to show your car insurance identification card to law enforcement upon request. You'll get this identification card from your car insurance company when you buy a policy. The card must include all of the following:

• Name of the insurance company
• Policy number
• Effective date of the policy
• Expiration date of the policy
• Description of the year, make, or model of the insured vehicles, or the name of the insured driver. If you own more than five vehicles, use word fleet

Penalties

Driving without insurance in Pennsylvania is punishable by a minimum fine of $300. You could also have your driver’s license suspended for up to three months.

SR-22 Requirements

Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states that doesn't require drivers to file an SR-22 to prove that they have at least the legal minimum car insurance.

State of Pennsylvania Traffic Safety Laws

Distracted Driving Laws

Unlike many states, Pennsylvania doesn’t prohibit drivers from using hand-held cell phones to make or receive calls while driving. However, drivers cannot send or receive text messages.

DUI Law and Penalties

Pennsylvania has taken a unique approach to driving under the influence (DUI) laws by creating a three-tiered system of enforcement, penalties, and treatment. The purpose of the tiered system is to focus on treatment instead of harsh punishment for first-time offenders. The tiers have the following levels of DUI and Blood Alcohol Content (BAC):

• General Impairment: (0.08% to 0.99% BAC)
• High BAC: (0.10% to 0.159% BAC)
• Highest BAC: (0.16% BAC and above)

General Impairment Penalties

No Prior DUI violations

• Ungraded misdemeanor
• Up to 6 months in jail
• $300 fine
• Alcohol highways safety school
• Treatment if required by the court

One Prior DUI violation

• Ungraded misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 12 months
• Between 5 days and 6 months in jail
• $300 to $2,500 fine
• Treatment if required by the court
• 1-year ignition interlock device

Two or more Prior DUI violations

• 2nd degree misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 12 months
• Between 10 days and 2 years in jail
• $500 to $5,000 fine
• Treatment if required by the court
• 1-year ignition interlock device

High BAC Penalties

No Prior DUI violations

• Ungraded misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 12 months
• 48 hours to 6 months in jail
• $500 to $5,000 fine
• Alcohol highways safety school
• Treatment if required by the court

One Prior DUI violation

• Ungraded misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 12 months
• Between 30 days and 6 months in jail
• $750 to $5,000 fine
• Alcohol highways safety school
• Treatment if required by the court
• 1-year ignition interlock device

Two or more Prior DUI violations

• 1st degree misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 18 months
• Between 90 days and 5 years in jail
• $1,500 to $10,000 fine
• Treatment if required by the court
• 1-year ignition interlock device

Three or more Prior DUI violations

• 1st degree misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 18 months
• Between 1 and 5 years in jail
• $1,500 to $10,000 fine
• Treatment if required by the court
• 1-year ignition interlock device

Highest BAC Penalties

No Prior DUI violations

• Ungraded misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 12 months
• 72 hours to 6 months in jail
• $1,000 to $5,000 fine
• Alcohol highways safety school
• Treatment if required by the court

One Prior DUI violation

• 1st degree misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 18 months
• Between 90 days and 6 months in jail
• $1,500 to $10,000 fine
• Alcohol highways safety school
• Treatment if required by the court
• 1-year ignition interlock device

Two or more Prior DUI violations

• 1st degree misdemeanor
• Driver's license suspended for 18 months
• Between 1 and 5 years in jail
• $2,500 to $10,000 fine
• Treatment if required by the court
• 1-year ignition interlock device

Pennsylvania reported 10,550 alcohol-related car crashes in 2014. 333 people lost their lives because someone was driving under the influence. These deaths represent 28% of the total traffic fatalities.

Child Restraint Law

In Pennsylvania, children under four years old must bride in an approved child safety seat. Children between the ages of four and eight must ride in an appropriate booster seat. Children between the ages eight and age 18 are required to use a vehicle's seat belts.

Graduated Driver’s License

To see the details regarding the different stages that new drivers must pass through in order to obtain full driving privileges, click here:

Young Driver - Pennsylvania Traffic Safety Information Center

Senior Drivers in Pennsylvania

All Pennsylvania drivers are required to renew their driver’s license every 4 years. There are no special provisions for senior drivers.

Seat Belt Laws

Pennsylvania requires that all drivers and passengers in a moving vehicle, between the ages of 8 and 17, wear seat belts. It also requires that any drivers or passengers who are age 18 and up, and are in the front seats of a vehicle wear a seat belt. Children are required to use approved child seats as described above. The maximum fine for a first offense is $10.

In 2014, 78.7% of all people involved in car crashes were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident. Of all people that died on Pennsylvania roads in 2014, 48% were not wearing seat belts.

Vehicles Registered in Another State

When you drive a vehicle in Pennsylvania that must be registered in another state, you must have the type of insurance required by that state. You must be able to provide proof of this insurance to law enforcement if requested.

The Cost of Driving in Pennsylvania

Average Pennsylvania Car Insurance Rates

The average cost of car insurance in Pennsylvania in 2015 was $878.18 compared to a national average of $889.01. Pennsylvania is the 16th most expensive state for car insurance.

Fuel Taxes

The state of Pennsylvania taxes gasoline at 50.40 cents per gallon. Diesel fuel is taxed at 65.10 cents per gallon. This is in addition to the Federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline, and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel. The total tax on gasoline in Pennsylvania works out to 68.80 cents per gallon; for diesel fuel the total tax works out to 89.50 cents per gallon.

Car Insurance Risk in Pennsylvania

Traffic Fatalities

Pennsylvania reported 1,195 traffic fatalities in 2014. This is a 1.2% decrease from the state’s 1,210 traffic fatalities in 2013.

Vehicle Thefts

Pennsylvania reported 13,040 vehicle thefts in 2014, a 5.3% decrease compared to 2013. In 2014, the vehicle theft rate was 102 per 100,000, a decrease of 5.3% from the 2013 rate of 107.7 per 100,000.

The vehicle theft rate in Pennsylvania is significantly lower than the overall US vehicle theft rate, which was 216.2 per 100,000 in 2014.

Top 10 Most Stolen Cars in Pennsylvania

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau - Hot Wheels Report 2014

1. 1997 Honda Accord
2. 1998 Honda Civic
3. 1999 Ford Pick-Up (Full Size)
4. 2014 Toyota Camry
5. 2014 Chevrolet Impala
6. 2014 Nissan Altima
7. 2010 Toyota Corolla
8. 2003 Chevrolet Pick-Up (Full Size)
9. 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
10. 2002 Ford Explorer

Uninsured Drivers

The percentage of Pennsylvania residents estimated to be driving without insurance is 6.5%. That ranks Pennsylvania as #46 among US states and the District of Columbia, far better than the national average of 12.6%.

Crash Statistics

Pennsylvania reported 121,317 car crashes in 2014.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation archives crash statistics on this website: Pennsylvania Historical Crash Facts and Statistics Books

Top 10 Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Companies - Market Share

Source: Insurance Information Institute

Rank	Market Share	Company
1	13.4%	Erie
2	12%	Allstate (Insurance)
3	10.3%	Nationwide (Mutual)
4	8.6%	Progressive
5	6.6%	Geico
6	5.8%	Liberty Mutual
7	3.7%	Travelers
8	3.1%	USAA
9	1.9%	Farmers

Pennsylvania Insurance Department

http://www.insurance.pa.gov/

Insurance Commissioner:

Teresa D. Miller

Insurance Hotline:

1-877-881-6388

Monday – Friday:

8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

File a Consumer Complaint

Complaint Page

Sources:

• FBI Uniform Crime Report
• NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System
• Insurance Information Institute – Minimum Coverage Levels by State
• American Petroleum Institute
• National Insurance Crime Bureau
• Governors Highway Safety Association
• Insurance Information Institute – Insurance Expenditures by State
• Pennsylvania DOT - Driver & Vehicle Services
• Proof of Financial Responsibility
• Pennsylvania Insurance Company Market Share

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