The best, cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania

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Best car insurance company in Pennsylvania

Drivers in Pennsylvania pay an average of $1,872 a year, or $156 per month, which is the 26^th highest in the country, according to our research.

Actual car insurance rates vary by company, and Travelers, Erie Insurance, and others continue to offer some of the most competitive premiums in Pennsylvania.

When it comes to the best cheap car insurance in Pennsylvania, Travelers is our No. 1 choice followed by Erie Insurance and Nationwide.

Travelers scores well with third-party rating organizations and it has an average premium in Pennsylvania of $952 a year, or $79 a month, which is roughly $920 less than the Pennsylvania average.

The best car insurance companies in Pennsylvania

How we picked the top auto insurance companies

When choosing the top car insurance companies in the state, we not only looked at the average cost of coverage but also J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores, AM Best financial strength ratings and National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint rankings. National averages were used where state/regional data was not available.

For each of the four metrics, we gave companies in each state from 1 to 5 (5 being the best) based on how they performed in each category. Those components were then given the following weights to arrive at an overall star rating.

• Premiums: 25%
• JD Power: 30%
• AM Best: 25%
• NAIC: 20%

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Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania

Travelers has the lowest average rate in Pennsylvania at $952 a year or $79 a month.

Nationwide is the next most affordable at $1,196 annually and Erie Insurance at $1,550. While these insurers had the cheapest average premiums, there are plenty of other options for coverage in the state.

Insurers consider a wide variety of factors when setting a rate and use proprietary algorithms which can result in dramatic differences in premium quotes. Where you live also affects rates.

“States that have a higher rate of severe weather that damages cars or helps cause accidents will typically have higher rates,” says Chong Gao, director of product management R&D at Mercury Insurance. “Pennsylvania, for example, is prone to extreme weather like hurricanes and its car insurance costs are consequently much higher.”

The data shows how shopping around for coverage can result in savings. While Travelers had the lowest average rate at $952, Allstate was the most expensive at $2,503.

Below are the cheapest car insurance rates by state. To calculate these rates, we used data for a 40-year-old driver of a 2023 Honda Accord LX – one of the most commonly insured vehicles – to provide a consistent and realistic comparison across states.

Cheapest full-coverage insurance in Pennsylvania

Auto insurance premiums vary significantly from city to city, so drivers need to be sure they’re getting the best deal. Insure.com has done the research for you. Get more information on auto insurance rates by city below.

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Full coverage car insurance in Pennsylvania

As noted, the rates above are for full coverage car insurance. Full coverage car insurance adds collision and comprehensive to your liability insurance coverage, so your vehicle is repaired or replaced after an incident.

Full coverage insurance includes collision and comprehensive which will pay to repair your vehicle. Collision covers damage caused by a collision with another vehicle or object while comprehensive repairs damage done by perils such as fire, theft, flooding, vandalism, and more.

Learn more about liability, collision and comprehensive coverage.

Shopping for car insurance in Pennsylvania

Shopping around for coverage is a great way to make sure you are getting the best rates on your auto insurance. Experts often tell consumers to shop for insurance yearly. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should be looking to switch.

“I recommend that people stay with the same insurance company, as they tend to get a better rate when they have been with the same carrier for more than 12 months. The more tenure you have with a carrier, the more potential there is to earn benefits,” says Tim Bottini, a Country Financial insurance agent based in St. Louis. “The carrier can also review your claims history and provide information about applicable discounts.”

But make sure you are comparing like coverage levels and deductibles.

“It is extremely important to make sure you start off with an apples-to-apples comparison,” Bottini says. “However, if a person has low limits, say 25/50/25 – limit per person/per occurrence/limit for property damage – I am going to recommend and quote at least 50/100/100. Depending on their age, income and profession, I would quote higher limits to protect their net worth and earnings potential.”

Bottini also says people can save money on their car insurance by keeping their credit score up, following the speed limit and placing both home and auto insurance with the same carrier.

Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania by age

Insurance companies consider your age when setting a premium and teens and young adults pay more for coverage as statistics show that young drivers, because they are inexperienced, have more accidents and claims.

Regardless of your age, in Pennsylvania, Travelers is the most affordable coverage with an average rate of $952 a year.

As teens transition into young adults and get more experience under their belt rates start to drop. By their mid to late-20s – assuming they keep their record clean – driver rates should stabilize and then stay stable until the driver moves into their 70s when rates will start climbing again.

Cheapest car insurance for senior drivers in Pennsylvania

Seniors in the state pay more for coverage than all other driver groups, except for teens. Travelers is the most affordable option for seniors with a yearly premium of $902 or $75 a month. Nationwide was the second cheapest at $1,079 and Erie Insurance rounded out the top three at $1,600.

Seniors tend to pay more for coverage due to age. Many seniors suffer from vision and hearing issues as well as slowing reflexes. In addition, medications they may take can impact their driving. All of these factors combined lead to more accidents and claims which will result in a higher premium.

The chart below shows the average premium for senior drivers.

Average rates for seniors in Pennsylvania

Car insurance for young drivers in Pennsylvania

Young drivers (21-25) have seen their premiums drop from their teen years, but they still pay more than more experienced drivers. In Pennsylvania, Travelers is the cheapest option for young adults with a yearly premium of $1,398 or $117 a month.

Nationwide is the next most affordable with an average rate of $1,970 followed by Erie Insurance at $2,587.

Young drivers who maintain a clean driving record can expect their rates to drop even more as they reach their late 20s.

The table below shows the best insurers for young drivers in Pennsylvania:

Average rates for young drivers in Pennsylvania

Car insurance for teen drivers in Pennsylvania

Although teen drivers always pay much higher premiums than other driver groups, Travelers offers teens the cheapest rate at $2,658. Teen drivers are inexperienced and are big risk takers which results in more accidents and claims, pushing up the cost of coverage.

“Teenagers are more likely to be involved in accidents than older drivers because of their lack of experience. This increased risk results in higher insurance rates because insurance companies regard them as high-risk drivers,” says Goronga. “Teenagers are also more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors, such as distracted driving or speeding, increasing their chances of being involved in an accident.”

Westfield Insurance has the second most affordable premium at $4,156 a year followed by Erie Insurance at $4,327 annually.

Our data clearly shows how dramatic premium differences can be for teens and how important shopping your coverage is when trying to find the best rate for your specific risk factors. While Travelers was the most affordable at $2,658, State Farm was the most expensive with an annual premium of $7,791.

There are a few ways to save some money when insuring a teen. Ask your insurer for a good student discount if they are carrying a B average or better. Putting your teen in an older vehicle that you wouldn’t repair after an accident can help save some money by dropping collision and comprehensive. Just keep in mind that doing so means you’ll be on the hook for any damage if they’re in a crash.

The chart below shows average premiums for teens in Pennsylvania:

Average rates for teens in Pennsylvania

Average cost of car insurance in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, the average premium is $1,872, which makes Pennsylvania the 26^th most expensive state for coverage.

All states have large metropolitan areas, which will always push up the cost of insurance as more vehicles on the road lead to more accidents and claims. A high crime rate will also impact rates.

“If a state has a higher rate of car insurance claims associated with vandalism or car theft, prices are usually higher because car insurance companies view insuring these cars as a higher risk for them,” says Chong Gao, director of product management R&D at Mercury Insurance.

The chart below is the average rate in each state for a 40-year-old driver of a 2023 Honda Accord LX.

Average rates for a 40-year-old in Pennsylvania

Which Pennsylvania ZIP codes are the most expensive for car insurance?

Insurers consider the ZIP code where your car is parked when setting a premium. High crime rates or frequent severe weather will result in a higher premium.

According to our analysis, the following ZIP codes are the most expensive in Pennsylvania for car insurance. Philadelphia tops the charts at $2,782 a year.

Here are the most expensive ZIP codes in Pennsylvania for car insurance:

Most expensive ZIP codes in Pennsylvania

Which Pennsylvania ZIP codes are the cheapest for car insurance?

When it comes to cheap car insurance in Pennsylvania, these ZIP codes have the most affordable coverage. The area around Boiling Springs has the lowest premiums in Pennsylvania with an average premium of $1,488.

Least expensive ZIP codes in Pennsylvania

Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers in Pennsylvania

If you have an incident on your driving record, you may be considered a high-risk driver, and you will pay more for coverage. A speeding ticket, at-fault accident, or DUI can send your premium skyrocketing.

When we ran the numbers, we found that a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania will push the average rate to $1,609 and an at-fault accident will push it to $1,908.

An accident will stay on your record for at least three years so you will be paying a higher premium for quite a while after an accident.

A DUI will usually result in a massive increase and could push your premium into unaffordable territory. If you are convicted of a DUI, your rate on average will climb to $2,696 a year. A DUI will be reported to insurers for three years, and if you are a commercial driver, it stays on your record for 55 years.

The table below shows the average increase for drivers with various incidents on their record:

How much rates increase in Pennsylvania after a traffic incident

Minimum car insurance requirements in Pennsylvania

Most states require all drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage to drive legally. Pennsylvania requires drivers to carry 15/30/5 in liability coverage, which translates into:

• $15k for bodily injury and $50,000 for death for a person involved in an accident
• $30k for bodily injury and $100,000 for death for two or more people in an accident
• $5k for property damage for a single accident

These required minimums are fairly average when compared to other states. However, these minimums are rarely enough coverage if you are involved in a serious accident. Once your coverage levels are exceeded, you will be on the hook for any remaining damage.

Experts typically recommend carrying 100/300/50 as a minimum liability coverage level.

What our expert says

Q: How does a state’s population affect car insurance rates?

Chong GaoDirector of product management R&D at Mercury Insurance.

“States with a higher population density have more cars on the road and thus more accidents and claims, increasing insurance rates. A more rural state like Iowa will have significantly lower average yearly car insurance costs compared to a highly metropolitan state like Pennsylvania.”

Mark Vallet

Contributing Researcher

 

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Mark Vallet is a Denver-based insurance expert and journalist with 18 years of experience covering the car insurance industry. He specializes in breaking down complex insurance topics into clear, expert-backed insights that help drivers make smarter insurance coverage decisions.

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