Cheapest Car Insurance in Pennsylvania (September 2024)

Auto-Owners is the cheapest car insurance company in Pennsylvania for minimum coverage. MoneyGeek also found that Nationwide and Travelers have the most affordable rates in Pennsylvania for certain types of drivers.

If you want a balance of cost and quality service, you can explore the best car insurance companies in Pennsylvania.

On average, MoneyGeek’s analysis found that the cheapest auto insurance companies for minimum coverage in Pennsylvania are:

• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: $305 per year
• Westfield: $310 per year

Dairyland is the most expensive provider if you need a minimum coverage policy in Pennsylvania, at an average of $944 per year.

A minimum coverage policy in Pennsylvania only covers bodily injury liability, property damage liability and medical benefits.

Minimum coverage car insurance only covers damage or injuries that you cause others or their property. This means that damage to your car will not be covered. To cover the cost of damages to your car, you need comprehensive and collision insurance, also known as a full coverage policy.

On average, MoneyGeek’s analysis found that these companies offer the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Pennsylvania:

• Travelers: $739 per year
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: $748 per year

Dairyland has the most expensive full coverage policy in Pennsylvania at an average of $3,016 per year.

Adding comprehensive and collision insurance to your policy will increase your premiums. For example, Travelers's full coverage policy costs $428 more than its minimum coverage policy.

A full coverage policy will protect you during on and off-road incidents.

The premium you pay for your policy will largely depend on how much car insurance you need. For this analysis, MoneyGeek used a full coverage policy with the following limits:

• $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
• $100,000 in property damage liability per accident

You can save on costs by opting for lower liability limits, dropping comprehensive and collision insurance or raising your deductible. However, this may leave you with insufficient coverage during an at-fault accident.

Most insurers offer car insurance quotes online, but the process can take up to 15 minutes and requires you to submit personal information. You also have to compare quotes across different websites if you are looking to find the cheapest rates, which takes even longer.

MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator allows you to get a quick car insurance estimate without requiring specific personal information. This gives you a good starting point for your research by helping you get estimates quickly by comparing rates from different insurers to find the cheapest rates for your profile.

Age is one of the most significant factors affecting car insurance rates in Pennsylvania. Nationwide and Travelers offer the cheapest options on average, depending on what age group you and your family belong to.

According to MoneyGeek’s analysis, the cheapest car insurance companies in Pennsylvania for teens on their parent’s policy are, on average:

• Nationwide: $1,183 per year for both male and female teens
• Travelers: $1,632 per year for both male and female teens

Progressive is the most expensive car insurance provider for teens in Pennsylvania, with an average annual cost of $4,040 for both male and female teens.

Car insurance rates become cheaper as teens grow older, making premiums for 19-year-olds the most affordable. Nationwide provides Pennsylvania's most affordable car insurance rate for 19-year-old male drivers ($978 per year).

These rates are for teens on their parent’s policy. Teens pay more if they get their own individual policy, and they cannot legally purchase a policy if they are under 18 without a parent or guardian as a co-signer. The average annual cost of car insurance for a male teen purchasing an individual policy in Pennsylvania is $4,415 vs. $2,393 if they are added to a parent’s policy. This means being included in a parent’s policy is cheaper by up to $2,022 yearly.

Families with teen drivers could be eligible for certain student discounts. Allstate, Auto-Owners, Progressive, State Farm and Travelers offer good student and distant student discounts. GEICO and Nationwide only offer good student discounts.

We analyzed the most affordable car insurance companies for young adults in Pennsylvania and found that the cheapest average providers are:

• Travelers: $789 per year
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: $877 per year

Dairyland has the most expensive full coverage for young adults, at around $3,747 annually.

As they are considered higher risk, car insurance costs for drivers in their 20s are typically higher than rates for middle-aged drivers. On average, a full coverage policy for drivers in their 20s costs up to $307 more than for middle-aged drivers.

On average, the cheapest car insurance companies in Pennsylvania for senior drivers are:

• Travelers: $668 per year
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: $711 per year

Dairyland is the most expensive company for seniors, costing an average of $2,646 per year.

Seniors pay $127 less per year for full coverage car insurance compared with the rates paid by middle-aged drivers. However, car insurance costs tend to increase once drivers reach their 70s and 80s as their risk factors for accidents rise.

Seniors can save on their car insurance premiums by taking advantage of seniors’ discounts that are available with some insurers. Allstate and GEICO offer senior driver discounts to help older drivers reduce their premiums.

Auto-Owners offers the cheapest auto insurance for drivers with a ticket. Travelers is the most affordable provider for those with an at-fault accident, a DUI record and a sports car. Auto-Owners is the cheapest provider for drivers with poor credit.

If you have a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania, the cheapest companies for car insurance are, on average:

• Auto-Owners: $787 per year
• Travelers: $884 per year

Dairyland has the most expensive rate for drivers with tickets, at approximately $3,788 per year.

On average, Pennsylvania drivers with tickets pay up to $292 more for car insurance than those with a clean record.

MoneyGeek’s analysis found that the cheapest car insurance companies after an at-fault accident are, on average:

• Travelers: $949 per year
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: $1,084 per year

Dairyland has the most expensive car insurance rate after an at-fault accident, at roughly $4,148 per year.

On average, car insurance rates in Pennsylvania increase by up to $552 per year after an at-fault accident.

On average, the most affordable auto insurance companies for drivers with a DUI in Pennsylvania are:

• Travelers: $1,031 per year
• Allstate: $1,178 per year

Westfield is the most expensive option for car insurance after a DUI, at approximately $4,151 per year.

Drivers with a DUI in Pennsylvania pay an average of $893 more per year for car insurance than those with a clean record.

MoneyGeek’s analysis found that the cheapest companies for drivers with poor credit (below 580) in Pennsylvania are, on average:

• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: $1,172 per year
• Nationwide: $1,217 per year

Dairyland is the most expensive option for drivers with poor credit at approximately $3,970 per year.

On average, Pennsylvania drivers with poor credit pay up to $936 more per year for car insurance than those with good credit (a credit score above 750).

A poor credit score raises car insurance rates because drivers with poor credit are more likely to file claims. Although using credit history to determine insurance pricing isn't legal in all states, it is in Pennsylvania.

Improving your credit score over time will help you get better rates. In the meantime, comparing quotes and taking advantage of common discounts can help you save.

On average, MoneyGeek’s analysis found that the cheapest car insurance companies in Pennsylvania for drivers with a sports car are:

• Travelers: $651 per year
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: $815 per year

Dairyland is the most expensive insurer if you have a sports car, with an average cost of $3,044 per year.

On average, it costs up to $265 more to insure a sports car in Pennsylvania. This is because sports cars tend to have higher replacement and repair costs, which increases the insurer's risk.

MoneyGeek used a Ford Mustang as its sample sports car in this study, but costs may differ depending on your particular car model. Sports, electric and luxury cars are generally more expensive to insure; otherwise, the model may not be a significant factor. However, this may not be true for all states.

Travelers is the cheapest auto insurance company in Pennsylvania for active-duty military members or veterans, with an average annual cost of $739.

USAA is also a solid option for military members. It costs an average of $1,069 per year and tailors its coverage to suit the military. It is available in all states.

The cost of car insurance can vary widely depending on where you live in Pennsylvania. In Pittsburgh, Travelers offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance rates at an average of $768 per year. Travelers is also the most affordable option in Philadelphia. However, rates are significantly higher at an average of $1,496 per year since insurers consider the area a much higher risk.

Rates for full coverage policies differ within a state because location-specific factors, such as incidences of car theft and car accidents, can vary from city to city. These statistics make some locations more expensive for car insurance.

You can check our table below to compare car insurance rates by city.

Most states require drivers to carry bodily injury liability and property damage liability. In Pennsylvania, you are also required to carry medical benefits coverage, which is not required in most states.

In Pennsylvania, drivers are only required to have minimum liability insurance with bodily injury liability, property damage liability and medical benefits coverage. A state minimum policy is cheaper but might not offer sufficient coverage.

MoneyGeek recommends getting additional liability coverage to protect yourself against high out-of-pocket costs in case of an accident.

MoneyGeek recommends getting $100,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per accident and $100,000 in property damage insurance per accident. This will pay for damages to others or their property if you cause an accident.

If you are financing your car purchase or leasing your vehicle, you might be required to purchase comprehensive and collision insurance. This coverage will protect you against damage to your car resulting from both off-road incidents and on-road accidents.

If you have a high-value car, MoneyGeek recommends buying comprehensive and collision coverage, even if it is not required.

In Pennsylvania, drivers can choose to self-insure as an alternative to traditional car insurance. If you go this route, you will be required to file a proposal of self-insurance for approval, which should include an application form for self-insurance and a master self-insurance and security agreement.

When you submit a proposal to self-insure, you will be required to provide financial statements like a balance sheet and income statement as proof of your financial status. A minimum security will be required starting from $50,000 for one vehicle and $10,000 for each additional vehicle.

Security can be provided in the form of escrow deposits, U.S. currency, treasury bills, bonds or any other security approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Drivers who don’t own a car can opt for non-owner car insurance.

When looking for car insurance, you might have questions about costs and quality. MoneyGeek answered some of the most common questions.