Pennsylvania Car Insurance Cost: What Sets Rates
Why there's no single average premium
Published averages for Pennsylvania auto premiums differ depending on the data source and the year behind it, and almost no driver actually pays the average. We don't quote a statewide average here because it would tell you very little about your own price.
Underwriting is granular. Your ZIP code, vehicle, age, prior coverage history, claims and violations, the limits and deductibles you choose and, with some insurers, your credit history all affect the price. Two neighbors with similar cars can get very different quotes.
The vehicle is one of the biggest factors, so price the insurance before you sign for a car. Fall is when new-car policies pick up at our Devon office, and a quote takes far less time than finding out after the sale that the payment plus the premium doesn't fit your budget.
What moves rates up
- Recent at-fault accidents, which insurers typically surcharge for several years.
- Speeding tickets, especially high-speed and reckless-driving citations.
- DUI convictions. Surcharges vary widely by carrier. Pennsylvania doesn't use SR-22 filings, but another state can demand an SR-22 filing after an out-of-state DUI, and not every carrier will make one.
- A lapse in coverage. Insurers look at your prior-coverage history, and driving uninsured also brings PennDOT suspensions and fines under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1786 (see our minimum-requirements guide).
- Newer or higher-value vehicles, which cost more to repair or replace.
- Your garaging ZIP code, because insurers price local claim experience such as theft and vandalism.
- Young drivers added to the policy, particularly with a sport or performance vehicle.
- Higher limits and added coverages, including stacked uninsured-motorist coverage. These are often the right call for Pennsylvania drivers, but they raise the premium.
What moves rates down
- Continuous coverage with no lapses.
- Bundling home or umbrella with the same carrier, if that carrier offers a multi-policy discount.
- Higher deductibles on collision and comprehensive. Choose a deductible you could pay tomorrow without strain.
- Paying the annual premium in full instead of in installments, with carriers that discount it.
- Telematics programs, for drivers whose habits score well.
- A driver improvement course, if every named insured is 55 or older and has completed a PennDOT-approved course. Pennsylvania requires insurers to give at least 5% off all coverages for policy periods that start within three years of completion (75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2). The insurer can require a clean record during that time and can drop the required discount if it duplicates its own course discount.
- A passive anti-theft device. State law requires a discount of at least 10% on comprehensive coverage for vehicles with one (75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.1), unless the insurer shows it duplicates another discount it gives.
- Limited tort instead of full tort. This is a coverage trade-off, not just a discount, so read the section below before choosing it.
Tort options — full vs limited
Pennsylvania requires drivers to choose between two tort options (75 Pa.C.S. § 1705). Full tort keeps your right to sue for pain and suffering after a wreck. Limited tort waives that right unless the injury is serious or an exception applies, such as an at-fault driver convicted of DUI or driving an out-of-state vehicle.
Limited tort costs less. Under the Insurance Department's coverage-by-coverage rule (33 Pa.B. 4761), the savings apply to bodily injury, first-party benefits and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and the amount varies by insurer. The trade-off is real. If the other driver causes the wreck, a limited-tort policyholder generally cannot recover for pain and suffering. Medical bills and lost wages can still be recovered. Our full tort vs limited tort guide covers the exceptions that restore full rights.
The right call depends on your assets, your family and how much of that risk you can carry. We show both prices on every personal-auto quote so the choice is deliberate, not a side effect of pricing.
Stacked vs unstacked uninsured-motorist
Pennsylvania insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and you can only decline it by signing a written rejection form (75 Pa.C.S. § 1731). Uninsured-motorist coverage pays your bills when the at-fault driver has no insurance. Underinsured-motorist coverage pays when the at-fault driver has insurance but not enough.
Stacking adds up the limit across the vehicles on your policy (75 Pa.C.S. § 1738). Two cars with $100,000 of stacked uninsured-motorist coverage give an insured $200,000. Unstacked stays at $100,000 no matter how many vehicles you have. Waiving stacking takes a signed form and lowers the premium. In a hit-and-run with serious injuries, the extra limit can matter a great deal.
We quote stacked and unstacked side by side so you can see what the upgrade costs before you sign either form.
Reading your declarations page
The declarations page (the "dec page") summarizes your policy. It lists the named insured, the policy period, the vehicles, the coverages, the limits and the premium for each coverage. It is the most useful single document in your policy.
Five things to check: bodily-injury limits (15/30 is the legal floor and rarely enough), your tort option, stacked vs unstacked uninsured-motorist coverage, your collision and comprehensive deductibles, and any discounts you qualify for that aren't showing, including the anti-theft and 55-plus course discounts above.
Look closely at the total premium at every renewal. Rates change over time, so the carrier that was cheapest two years ago may not be the cheapest now.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania?
There’s no answer that holds for every driver. The cheapest carrier for a 35-year-old with a clean record in Lancaster is often not the cheapest for a 24-year-old in Philadelphia. Re-shopping at renewal, not assuming one carrier stays competitive, is what keeps your rate in line over time.
Does my credit affect my Pennsylvania car insurance rate?
It can. Some insurers use credit history when setting premiums, and how much weight it gets varies by carrier. Ask how a given carrier uses it when you compare quotes.
Are there discounts Pennsylvania law requires?
Yes. Insurers must give at least 10% off comprehensive coverage for a vehicle with a passive anti-theft device (75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.1). When every named insured is 55 or older and has completed a PennDOT-approved driver improvement course, they must give at least 5% off all coverages for three years (§ 1799.2). Either discount can be dropped if it duplicates one the insurer already gives.
How often should I shop my car insurance?
At renewal. Carrier rates change, and a carrier that was competitive last year may not be this year. We can re-shop your policy at each renewal.
Can I switch carriers mid-policy?
Yes. Start the new policy before you cancel the old one so there's no lapse, because a lapse can bring PennDOT penalties. You may be owed a refund of unused premium, and how it's calculated depends on the policy, so ask the old carrier before you cancel.
What does SR-22 mean and how do I get one?
Pennsylvania doesn't use SR-22 filings. If another state demands an SR-22 because of your record, a carrier that writes your PA policy and files with that state can send it. The violation behind it is what moves your premium, and carriers price it very differently.