Pennsylvania Car Insurance
(Quotes, Cost & Coverage)
Get Pennsylvania car insurance quotes, cost & coverage fast. Find affordable PA auto insurance including liability, property damage, comprehensive, collision, medical, PIP, uninsured, underinsured, rental car, roadside assistance and more.
PA Car Insurance
If you are like any of the thousands of drivers on the road every day, then it is likely that you or someone in your household has obtained Pennsylvania car insurance to both satisfy the legal liability requirements of the Pennsylvania, as well as to protect your vehicle, the occupants, and other peoples autos and property.
While getting a PA auto insurance quote is a fairly easy process, especially with the convenience of online shopping, many people still do not understand exactly what types of car insurance are available and how the types differ. Here we'll discuss the main car insurance policy types and optional coverages and also go over examples of what the coverage options insure. This way, the next time you request a Pennsylvania car insurance quote, you will be better equipped to make an informed decision.
What Does Pennsylvania Car Insurance Cover?
Auto insurance covers three types of liabilities, or losses. They are:
- Property - damage to or theft of vehicles.
- Liability - the policyholders liability, or legal obligation for the property or bodily injury of others when the driver is at fault.
- Injury - the medical treatment, long term care, loss of wages, or even funeral expenses of anyone who is injured in an accident.
Pennsylvania requires that drivers have liability insurance. Pennsylvania car insurance policies generally are renewed on a biannual or annual basis.
Pennsylvania car insurance has many coverages - so it's important to research the options, see what PA requires and what coverages are optional, and how each can protect you in the vent of an accident or other loss. PA auto insurance policies contains at least one or more of the following specific types of coverage and each option is priced separately (this is not an exhaustive list):
Bodily Injury Liability: This type of car insurance coverage protects the policy holder as well as any other drivers listed on the policy by covering medical costs for injuries caused to other motorists. Oftentimes, people will increase the minimum coverage to protect their other assets in the event that an injured motorist sues for additional damages because your automobile insurance will pay up to the limits on the policy - you are out of pocket for expenses that exceed those limits.
Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection: Should injury to the policy holder or any other occupants of the insured vehicle occur in an accident, this portion of the auto insurance policy will cover the medical bills, lost wages and funeral costs. This option is also known as PIP (Personal Injury Protection).
Property Damage Liability: Property damage liability is the most common type of coverage option and one which is required by law. It covers damage caused by the policy holder (or anyone permitted to drive the insured vehicle) to another vehicle or other type of property such as signs, fences, telephone poles, buildings, etc.
Collision: This type of coverage offers protection for the policy holders vehicle if damage occurs as a result of an collision with another vehicle, object, or even if your vehicle ends up flipping over. Damages caused by potholes are also covered under collision coverage. Even if the policy holder is at fault, collision insurance will cover the repair for damages minus the deductible amount. If the policyholder is not at fault, the insurance company will attempt to recover the costs paid to its policyholder through the other motorists insurance company and if successful, will also reimburse its policyholders' paid deductible amount too.
Comprehensive: Comprehensive insurance covers the cost of theft of the vehicle or damages/repairs caused by anything other than another vehicle or object. Damages such as those caused by fires, natural disasters, bombs, vandalism, or collisions with animals such as deer. This option also covers shattered or cracked windshields. Both collision and comprehensive coverage are usually optional however if a car is leased, many times the lender will require this type of coverage in addition to liability.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage: If an accident occurs with an uninsured driver or if the other driver does not have sufficient coverage to pay for the full extent of damages, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage will cover the outstanding expenses. This option also protects the policyholder if involved in a hit and run accident or if hit while a pedestrian.
Gap Insurance: This protects you if your car is totaled and you owe more on the loan or lease than the insurance company pays out. It is usually taken on cars that are 3 years old or less.
Rental Reimbursement: This coverage pays for a rental car if your auto is in the repair shop following a covered comprehensive or collision claim.
Roadside Assistance (Towing & Labor): Much like AAA, this coverage offers a jump start, gas delivery, a flat tire change, even the services of a qualified locksmith of you break down.
What Pennsylvania Car Insurance Doesn't Cover
Also know as exclusions, which remove risk from the insurer, car insurance typically does not cover:
- Personal belongings inside your auto. Do if someone breaks into your car and steals your laptop - the window would be covered but the computer would not.
- People who live in the same home as you but are not listed on the policy. A basic car insurance policy generally covers you and other people who don't live with you and who have permission to occasionally use your vehicles. Members of your household must be listed on your policy to have coverage.
- The balance of your car loan is your vehicle is totaled. See gap insurance above.
What Are Pennsylvania's Financial Responsibility Requirements?
According to the PA Department Of Motor Vehicles:
Pennsylvania law requires all Pennsylvania motor vehicle owners to maintain vehicle liability insurance (financial responsibility) on a currently registered vehicle. Vehicle liability insurance covers the property damage or injuries you may cause others in a crash.
All motor vehicles subject to registration such as cars, vans, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, trucks and buses must have liability insurance. You are in compliance with the law if you have liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $15,000 for injury or death of one person in an accident
- $30,000 for injury or death of more than one person in an accident
- $5,000 for damage to property of another person
Your insurance company sends you an insurance identification (ID) card valid for only the period for which coverage has been paid. Always carry your insurance ID card in your vehicle. Failure to maintain liability insurance on a registered vehicle may result in a three-month suspension of your vehicle registration privilege.
How Much Does Pennsylvania Car Insurance Cost?
How much does Pennsylvania car insurance cost? The average price of auto insurance varied widely based on certain factors. The premiums vary depending on the company and their underwriting rules, and it depends on the coverages and deductible selected. Following are some of the main factors that go into the price of a policy:
- Geographical location - The more dangerous your PA location is the higher premiums you will pay as there is a higher probability for claims. If you live in a highly populated urban area (like Philly or Pittsburgh), accidents and insurance claims happen more often and rate are higher.
- Age - Typically drivers under 25 pay more because statistically shown to be inexperienced behind the wheel, easily distracted and to crash more often. They are on of the riskiest category of drivers to insure.
- Gender - Data shows males are more likely to crash, hence men's premiums are higher.
- Marital status - Married people have been found to be less of a risk to insurers than singles, including divorced or widowed drivers.
- Years of driving experience - Inexperienced drivers pose more risk. That is why under 25 have some of the highest rates.
- Driving record - Drivers with a clean driving record qualify for better rates and can be eligible for a safe driver discount.
- Claims history - More claims = more premium. Insurers actually count frequency (how many claims in a time frame) more than severity (how large the claim was).
- Credit history - The better credit you have, the lower your rates. Most insurers look at credit and weight it heavily.
- Previous insurance coverage - Continual auto insurance history (or at least for the last 6 months) can help get you a better rate.
- Vehicle type - Purchase price, theft rate, cost of repairs, accident rate and safety tests weigh heavily in car insurance cost.
- Vehicle use - A vehicle used to commute work poses more of a risk than the car you only take out of the garage on the weekends.
- Miles driven annually - The less you drive, the less risk you have of being in an accident.
- Coverages - The more coverage you choose with higher limits, the more it will cost you since the insurer is taking on additional risk.
- Deductibles - The deductible is your out of pocket cost before your policy kick in. Lower deductible = higher premium, and higher deductible = lower premium.
And Pennsylvania car insurance premiums after a DUI/DWI will always cost more.
PA Auto Insurance Quotes
Request a Pennsylvania Car Insurance quote in Allentown, Allison Park, Altoona, Baldwin, Bensalem, Bethel Park, Bethlehem, Bloomsburg, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Chester, Drexel Hill, Easton, Erie, Fullerton, Greensburg, Hanover, Harrisburg, Hazleton, Hermitage, Hershey, Horsham, Indiana, Johnstown, King of Prussia, Lancaster, Lansdale, Lebanon, Levittown, McKeesport, Monroeville, Murrysville, New Castle, Norristown, Philadelphia, Phoenixville, Pittsburgh, Pottstown, Pottsville, Reading, Scranton, State College, Upper Darby, West Chester, West Mifflin, Wilkes-Barre, Wilkinsburg, Williamsport, Willow Grove, York and all other cities in PA.
Pennsylvania Insurance Regulations
There are some regulations when it comes to Pennsylvania insurance that you should be aware of. We will be looking closely at both personal and commercial insurance within PA to find out what the regulations and limits are, so that whether you own a business or simply drive a car, you are able to get the insurance that is required by law. Understanding what the law requires the first step to making sure that you are compliant. Let's take a close look at these types of insurance.
PA Commercial Insurance
First, let's discuss business insurance. There are lots of different types of business insurance that you can get, but the most common one out there is what is called commercial liability or general liability insurance. This type of insurance protects you in case you are sued by someone who comes on your property and is injured or has their property damaged by something that happens on your premises. This may be something as simple as slipping on a wet floor or it might be a parking lot mishap the damages the vehicles there. However, this is not a mandatory type of insurance required by Pennsylvania law.
There are two types of insurance that are required in Pennsylvania however. These are pretty standard across most states. The first is Worker's Compensation insurance which is sort of like health insurance for anyone who is injured on the job. In addition, Pennsylvania requires that commercial vehicles that are actively being used in a business carry commercial auto insurance.
Pennsylvania Personal Insurance
You also need to know what the regulations are for personal insurance. The first type of insurance we will cover is auto insurance. In Pennsylvania, you are required to carry liability insurance for bodily injury of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident. In addition, property damage liability coverage is required at an amount of $5000. You are also required to carry uninsured motorist coverage at $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident as well as underinsurance motorist coverage at $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident. Finally, Pennsylvania requires first party benefits medical payments coverage of $5000. This is a great deal more than is required in most states.
There also some life insurance regulations that you will find under Title 40 of the state statutes. A free look period of 10 days is required for life insurance, there is a grace period on payments of 30 days and there is a guaranteed benefits and cash value law as well.
If you are looking for state specific car insurance quotes, costs and information: California Car Insurance, Colorado Car Insurance, Delaware Car Insurance, Florida Car Insurance, Illinois Car Insurance, Kentucky Car Insurance, New Jersey Car Insurance, New York Car Insurance, Oregon Car Insurance, Pennsylvania Car Insurance, Texas Car Insurance, Washington Car Insurance.