Best Car Insurance in Pennsylvania 2026

Erie earns the best car insurance in Pennsylvania at 4.9/5. Travelers leads for DUI and young drivers. Westfield has the cheapest rates for bad-credit drivers.

Written by Mark Fitzpatrick

Updated: April 22, 2026

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Key Takeaways

Erie earns Pennsylvania's top MoneyGeek score at 4.9/5, with a 5/5 customer experience score, and wins the best-scoring rate for adults ($28 per month), young drivers ($58 per month), speeding ($33 per month), accidents ($33 per month), bad credit ($57 per month) and low income ($39 per month).

Travelers earns a 4.8/5 with a 5/5 affordability score and wins DUI best and cheapest ($40 per month), newer cars best and cheapest ($20 per month) and young drivers cheapest ($64 per month).

Erie leads Pittsburgh and most Pennsylvania cities while Travelers leads Philadelphia and Upper Darby. Philadelphia averages $91 per month, compared to $45 per month in Harrisburg, a $46 gap driven by Philadelphia metro density.

HOW MONEYGEEK CHOSE THE BEST CAR INSURANCE IN PENNSYLVANIA

MoneyGeek analyzed quotes from six Pennsylvania insurers across every ZIP code in the state. Pennsylvania is a choice-no-fault state where drivers can select full tort (retaining all lawsuit rights) or limited tort (lower premiums but restricted injury claims). Philadelphia metro area rates run well above the statewide average due to traffic density and claim frequency. Credit scoring is permitted.

MoneyGeek's licensed insurance producers focused on Pennsylvania's tort choice system, the Philadelphia corridor's outsized effect on statewide rates and the near-tie between Erie and Travelers at the top of the market.

Affordability (60%): Rate is the main factor for most Pennsylvania drivers, especially given Philadelphia metro's above-average baseline.
Customer experience (30%): Based on J.D. Power scores, NAIC complaint ratios, AM Best ratings and independent agent Google Business ratings.
Coverage options (10%): Measures the range of optional coverages offered in Pennsylvania.

Best Car Insurance in Pennsylvania by Driver Profile

Erie is the right pick for most Pennsylvania drivers based on the overall score. Travelers wins for DUI-affected drivers, and anyone who prioritizes the lowest rate, and Westfield has the cheapest rates for bad-credit and low-income drivers.

Erie earns Pennsylvania's top MoneyGeek score at 4.9/5, with a 5/5 customer experience score. At $28 per month for a clean-record adult and $58 per month for young drivers, it wins the best score across most standard and at-risk profiles, staying within a few dollars of Travelers' lower rate for most of them.

Travelers earns a 4.8/5 with a 5/5 affordability score and wins the DUI best and cheapest at $40 per month, the clearest case for choosing it over Erie. It also wins best and cheapest for newer cars at $20 per month, among the lowest rates MoneyGeek has found for newer cars in any state.

Westfield is the cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania for bad credit at $44 per month and the cheapest for low income at $28 per month. Its optional lineup includes gap insurance and umbrella insurance, two extras most competitors don't pair together. Donegal and Nationwide aren't featured winners, but they offer the cheapest rates for older cars and seniors, respectively, for drivers focused purely on cost.

Driver Profile	Best Provider	Average Monthly Minimum Coverage	Average Monthly Full Coverage
Adult drivers (26–64), clean record	Erie	$28	$79
Young drivers (16–25)	Erie	$58	$162
Senior drivers (65+)	Erie	$38	$108
After an at-fault accident	Erie	$33	$93
After a speeding ticket	Erie	$33	$93
After a DUI	Travelers	$40	$97
Drivers with newer cars	Travelers	$20	$47
Drivers with older cars	Travelers	$22	$51
Bad credit	Erie	$57	$145
Low income	Erie	$39	$93

Best Overall and Best for Young Drivers or Those With a Violation

Erie

Erie earns the top score in MoneyGeek's Pennsylvania analysis at 4.9/5, with a 5/5 customer experience score and rates that stay competitive across nearly every profile tested. At $28 per month for minimum coverage for a clean-record adult, Erie is within $2 of Travelers' lowest rate for the same profile. It wins the best-score categories for speeding ($33 per month), accidents ($33 per month), bad credit ($57 per month), low income ($39 per month), young drivers ($58 per month) and seniors ($38 per month).

Erie holds the highest customer experience score among the Pennsylvania insurers analyzed. Its independent agent network averages above 4.5 stars across the Google Business profiles in MoneyGeek's scoring, its NAIC complaint index runs below industry baseline and it earns consistently strong marks for claims responsiveness. The Erie Auto Plus endorsement is the clearest coverage differentiator: it includes a no-deductible option on stipulated items, a $10,000 death benefit, emergency travel expenses and enhanced lockout limits, going well beyond a standard extras list.

Affordability (60%): 4.9/5
Customer Experience (30%): 5.0/5
Coverage Options (10%): 4.2/5

Don't pick Erie if you need gap insurance or accident forgiveness. Neither is available in Erie's Pennsylvania lineup. Travelers has both at $30 per month minimum for a clean-record adult, $2 per month more, and is a solid alternative for drivers financing newer vehicles or worried about first-accident surcharges.

Best Cheap for Young Drivers or Those with a DUI or Speeding Ticket

Travelers

Travelers earns the highest affordability score among the Pennsylvania insurers analyzed, a 5/5, and has the lowest rates in the state for clean-record adults ($30 per month minimum), DUI ($40 per month, also best-score), speeding cheapest ($36 per month), young driver cheapest ($64 per month) and newer cars best and cheapest ($20 per month minimum, among the lowest newer-car rates MoneyGeek has found in any state).

Travelers ranks second in MoneyGeek's Pennsylvania customer experience analysis, with a score of 4.8/5, behind Erie's 5/5. Its agent network and above-average J.D. Power standing support that score. Travelers offers six optional coverages, including accident forgiveness, gap insurance, new-car replacement and rideshare coverage. For a Pennsylvania driver who wants a low rate and access to meaningful extras, Travelers is the clearest alternative to Erie across most profiles.

Affordability (60%): 5/5
Customer Experience (30%): 4.8/5
Coverage Options (10%): 3.9/5

Don't pick Travelers if a top service reputation and the Erie Auto Plus endorsement matter most. Erie's rate is within $2 per month of Travelers for most clean-record profiles, and its 5/5 customer experience score leads the state.

Best Cheap for Drivers With Bad Credit or Low Income

Westfield Insurance

Westfield has the cheapest bad-credit rate($44 per month minimum) and the cheapest low-income rate ($28 per month minimum) in MoneyGeek's Pennsylvania analysis. Those are the lowest rates in the state for those profiles: Westfield's bad-credit minimum runs $13 per month below Erie's $57, and its low-income minimum runs $11 below Erie's $39. For a Pennsylvania driver managing bad credit or tight income who wants the lowest baseline rate, Westfield's pricing holds.

Westfield ranks ninth in MoneyGeek's Pennsylvania customer experience analysis with a 3.5/5 score, below Erie's 5/5 and Travelers' 4.8/5. Its service footprint is narrower, with fewer independent agent Google Business profiles and a NAIC complaint index closer to industry baseline. Westfield offers three optional coverages. The notable ones are gap insurance and umbrella insurance, two extras most competitors don't pair in the same lineup. For a bad-credit driver financing a vehicle, or a low-income driver seeking umbrella liability protection, those inclusions matter.

Affordability (60%): 4.9/5
Customer Experience (30%): 3.5/5
Coverage Options (10%): 1.9/5

Don't pick Westfield if claims-service quality matters or if you need accident forgiveness. Neither is a strength here. Erie's $57-per-month minimum for bad credit is $13 higher, but it comes with a 5/5 service score and the Auto Plus endorsement.

MONEYGEEK VERDICT

Erie is the top pick for most Pennsylvania drivers. It earned the highest composite score at 4.9/5, with a 5/5 customer experience score and rates that stay within a few dollars of Travelers across most profiles. Travelers is the stronger pick for DUI-affected drivers, young drivers who prioritize rate and anyone who needs gap insurance or accident forgiveness. Westfield is the cheapest option for bad-credit and low-income drivers, with gap and umbrella insurance at lower prices than those from Erie or Travelers.

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Best Car Insurance in Pennsylvania by City

Pennsylvania's city-level data shows a clear geographic split: Erie leads Pittsburgh and six other inland cities, while Travelers leads Philadelphia and Upper Darby in the Philadelphia metro. Philadelphia's density and claim frequency favor Travelers' rate advantage; Erie's service reputation and regional network drive its lead in western and central Pennsylvania. The rate gap is real: Philadelphia averages $91 per month while Harrisburg averages $45 per month, a $46 spread driven by metro density rather than insurer choice.

City	Best Provider	MoneyGeek Score	Average Monthly Premium
Philadelphia	Travelers	4.83	$91
Pittsburgh	Erie	4.87	$57
Allentown	Erie	4.87	$61
Reading	Erie	4.87	$52
Erie	Erie	4.87	$56
Upper Darby	Travelers	4.83	$73
Scranton	Erie	4.87	$51
Bethlehem	Erie	4.83	$56
Lancaster	Erie	4.87	$54
Harrisburg	Erie	4.87	$45

Rates vary by ZIP code within Philadelphia. Neighborhoods in Center City or high-traffic corridors can run well above the $91 city average.

Summary: Best Car Insurance Providers in Pennsylvania on Average

Erie leads Pennsylvania at 4.9/5 with a 5/5 customer experience score, followed by Travelers at 4.8/5 with a 5/5 affordability score. The 0.04-point gap between them comes down to weighting: the 60/30/10 methodology gives Erie's service strength the edge over Travelers' rate advantage. Affordability counts for 60%, customer experience for 30% and coverage for 10%.


Erie Insurance	4.87	$55	1	3
Travelers	4.83	$50	2	5
Chubb	4.45	$78	3	6
Nationwide	4.44	$56	7	5
Westfield Insurance	4.28	$56	9	7

How to Find the Best Car Insurance in Pennsylvania

The gap between Westfield's $19 per month minimum and Chubb's $36 per month for a clean-record adult is $204 per year, and Philadelphia ZIP codes can run more than double the state average.

1
Check Pennsylvania's minimum requirements
Pennsylvania requires 15/30/5 liability plus PIP under its choice no-fault system.
2
Understand your tort choice
Pennsylvania drivers select full tort or limited tort when purchasing a policy. Full tort preserves all lawsuit rights; limited tort lowers premiums but restricts injury claims. This selection affects your premium and your claim options after an accident.
3
Factor in any DUI on your record
Travelers wins the best and cheapest car insurance after a DUI in Pennsylvania at $40 per month.
4
Account for credit and income
Credit scoring is allowed in Pennsylvania. Westfield wins the cheapest bad credit ($44 per month) and the cheapest low-income car insurance in Pennsylvania($28 per month).
5
Consider Bundling Home and Auto
Bundling home and auto coverage in Pennsylvania reduces total premiums.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Insurance in Pennsylvania

Who has the cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania?

Erie earns the highest composite score (4.9/5) and the best-scoring adult rate at $28 per month for minimum coverage; Travelers is the cheapest overall at $30 per month for a clean-record adult. For DUI-affected drivers, Travelers wins the best and cheapest at $40 per month. For bad credit, Westfield is the cheapest at $44 per month, and Erie is the best-scoring option at $57 per month.

What is the average cost of car insurance in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania rates vary by location, with the Philadelphia metro driving the statewide average up. Philadelphia averages $91 per month, while Harrisburg averages $45 per month.

What car insurance is required in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania requires 15/30/5 liability plus PIP. Pennsylvania is a choice no-fault state, meaning drivers must select either full tort or limited tort coverage when purchasing a policy. Full tort preserves all lawsuit rights; limited tort lowers premiums but restricts injury claims.

Is Pennsylvania a no-fault state?

Pennsylvania is a choice no-fault state. Drivers select full tort or limited tort when purchasing a policy. Full tort retains all rights to sue for injuries; limited tort restricts injury claims in exchange for lower premiums. That selection affects how claims are handled after an accident.

Does credit score affect car insurance rates in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Pennsylvania allows insurers to use credit scoring as a rating factor. Erie wins the best-scoring bad-credit rate at $57 per month for minimum coverage. Westfield wins the cheapest bad-credit rate at $44 per month.

Which Pennsylvania car insurance company has the best customer service?

Erie ranks first in MoneyGeek's Pennsylvania customer experience analysis with a 5/5 score, based on J.D. Power ratings, NAIC complaint ratios, AM Best ratings and independent agent Google Business profiles. Travelers ranks second at 4.8/5.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers.

He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships.

His insights on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among others.

Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to the analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

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