Pennsylvania Car Insurance

This page provides information and advice about Pennsylvania car insurance. Pennsylvania drivers who read this can reduce their costs on car insurance premium rates within their zip codes.

In 2016, the population of the state of Pennsylvania was estimated at 12,802,503, making Pennsylvania the 5^th most populous state in the nation. Of the nearly 13 million people who live in Pennsylvania, about 1.5 million live in Philadelphia.

Roughly 13.2 percent of the population of Pennsylvania lives at or below the poverty level. This is right around the United States average poverty rate of 13.5 percent. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate is also close to the national average of 4.7 percent. The rate of uninsured drivers in Pennsylvania is an acceptable 6.5 percent. The resident median age in Pennsylvania is about 40 years.

Pennsylvania drivers often want to know the statewide average annual premium for Pennsylvania car insurance. However, statewide averages are not much use to Pennsylvania drivers. For one thing, there is just so much variability in premium rates between zip codes. For another thing, statewide averages are normally based on the demographics of an “average” driver, which has little to do with most drivers.

Statewide averages can only help you if you fit the description of the “average” driver invented by statistical researchers. The chances are slim at best that you are, for instance, a 30-year-old married male driver with a clean driving record, a full time job, decent credit, and a 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 LT with factory installed safety features, which you drive between 15,000 and 25,000 miles a year. Even if you fit this description, your premium rate will still depend largely on your zip code.

FYI, the statewide “average” premium on an auto insurance policy in the state of Pennsylvania was about $1,250 last year, according to insurance stats posted on insure.com. Like other Pennsylvania stats, this figure is not too far off from (and slightly below) the national “average” annual quote for car insurance at the time, which was about $1,325.

Pennsylvania drivers are encouraged to obtain a number of online quotes for Pennsylvania car insurance, by comparing zip codes within the state of Pennsylvania. Get some free online quotes from at least five or six insurance companies, and also for different zip codes in your area. This will provide Pennsylvania drivers with a more accurate assessment of the car insurance premium options available in their zip codes.

Scroll down for pertinent details on Pennsylvania car insurance. Peruse a list of both the cheapest and the priciest zip codes in Pennsylvania to buy car insurance, as well as a list of Pennsylvania’s most popular auto insurance carriers, a list of Pennsylvania’s largest auto insurance carriers, the types of car insurance and coverage amounts Pennsylvania drivers need, some quirky, outdated Pennsylvania state traffic laws, and other fascinating facts about Pennsylvania car insurance.

Best Car Insurance Companies in Pennsylvania

A recent research  determined the top ten car insurance companies in the United States in terms of revenue. They are Allstate Insurance, State Farm Insurance, Geico, Progressive Insurance, Nationwide Group, AAA, Liberty Mutual Insurance, 21^st Century Insurance, GMAC, and AIG, in that order. This study ranked auto insurance providers by the total annual dollar amount of written premiums, from which we can calculate their market share.

In another study, insured drivers from every state, including Pennsylvania, were asked to rank car insurance companies in terms of customer service, claims service, and premium rates. The results of the study showed that the most popular car insurance companies in Pennsylvania for customer service are USAA, State Farm Insurance, Allstate Insurance, Travelers Insurance, and Nationwide Group, in that order. For claims service, the Pennsylvania state favorites are USAA, Travelers Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Geico, and Progressive Insurance, in that order. In terms of value for the price, Pennsylvania drivers prefer USAA, Travelers Insurance, Progressive Insurance, State Farm Insurance, and Nationwide Group, in that order.

Here is a list of the largest car insurance companies in Pennsylvania, based on market share:

What Types Of Car Insurance Do Pennsylvania Drivers Need?

The legally required liability coverage in the state of Pennsylvania is no less than $15,000 in personal injury protection, $30,000 in bodily injury liability, and $5,000 in property damage liability for each vehicle owned. State minimums tend to be pathetically low when it comes to covering the cost of an actual traffic accident.

That’s why insurance experts recommend that drivers in Pennsylvania (not to mention every other U.S. state) purchase more than the minimum amount of auto insurance coverage required by state law. The suggested coverage amounts for all U.S. drivers are $100,000 for personal injury protection, $300,000 in liability for injury to others, and at least $50,000 insurance against property damage.

For even more thorough vehicle protection, Pennsylvania drivers should consider Comprehensive and Collision coverage. These coverages protect drivers from most things that can happen to a vehicle, including collisions, weather damage, falling objects, fire, vandalism, car theft, and others.

Outdated Pennsylvania Traffic Laws

• Motorized vehicles cannot be sold on Sundays, according to an archaic Pennsylvania state law.
• All motorists driving on a country road at night in Pennsylvania must stop every mile and send up a rocket signal, then wait ten minutes for the road to be cleared of livestock before continuing on their way.
• Any motorist who sees a team of horses coming toward him must pull off the road and cover his car with a blanket that blends with the countryside until the horses pass.
• In Pittsburgh, it is illegal to bring a donkey onto a trolley car. Who knew that was ever a problem?
• Drivers must pay $50 a year to park on a particular block in Carlisle. Beware of snooty neighbors who might diss your vehicle.

Best And Worst Zip Codes For Pennsylvania Car Insurance

Pennsylvania auto insurance premium rates are affected by factors such as population density, weather patterns, and crime rates in your zip code, among other things.

Here is a rundown of some of the most expensive zip codes in the state of Pennsylvania to buy car insurance. It is less than surprising that all of them are in Philly, a major American city located at the eastern end of the state, along the shores of the Delaware River.

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania. The overall population density of Philadelphia is about 11,635 people per square mile, while the population of the whole state of Pennsylvania is only 284 people per square mile. This is why Philadelphia zip codes feature some of the most expensive car insurance premium rates in the state. Some Philadelphia zip codes can have premium rates up to around $4,000 a year.

A research study at insure.com reveals that this urban zip code is the 3^rd most expensive zip code in the whole United States to buy car insurance. This zip code suffers from a congested population density, more than four times the state average unemployment rate, and a poverty rate well over three times the state average.

Unemployment in this zip code is almost as bad as the aforementioned zip code, and the poverty rate is even worse. The population density is also very high. These unfortunate demographics make for high premium rates on car insurance.

According to statistical reports, more than one out of four people living in this Philadelphia zip code are unemployed. Unemployment is more than five times the state average rate, the poverty rate is extremely high, and the population density is highest here.

In this urban zip code, population density is high, although not as high as some other Philadelphia zip codes. The unemployment and poverty rates are quite a bit above the state averages, but again not as bad as some other Philadelphia zip codes. In any case, insurance rates run high in lower income, densely populated neighborhoods.

In this urban zip code, population density is high, although not as high as some other Philadelphia zip codes. The unemployment and poverty rates are quite a bit above the state averages, but again not as bad as some other Philadelphia zip codes. In any case, insurance rates run high in lower income, densely populated neighborhoods.

State College is home to Penn State University. The median resident age in this zip code is a very young 23.9 years, as compared to the Pennsylvania state median age of about 40 years. Unemployment approaches the state average, although the poverty rate is well over twice the state average. A medium population density allows for relatively cheap rates on Pennsylvania car insurance in this college town.

Mifflinburg is a Pennsylvania town located about 50 miles northeast of State College. In this zip code, poverty falls refreshingly below the state average, and unemployment is near enough to the state average. The population density is very low here, as are the Pennsylvania car insurance premiums.

This tiny community is situated about 30 miles southwest of Harrisburg. It has a land area of about 1.3 square miles, and an estimated population count of about 500 people. Unemployment is exactly at the national average. Even better, the poverty rate is a mere fraction of the state average. We can see why car insurance premiums are low here.

Freeburg is a town in Snyder County, about 50 miles north of Harrisburg. This zip code covers a land area of almost 2 square miles. The estimated population of Freeburg is about 700. Population density and poverty rates are low here, and the unemployment rate is only slightly high, as compared to the state average.

Overall, Pennsylvania is home to 2,174 zip codes in 1,787 cities sprawled over 67 counties, from Allentown to York and every place in between. Annual rates on car insurance in Pennsylvania range from high to low, varying by as much as $1,400 or more between the cheapest zip code and the priciest zip code in the state of Pennsylvania.

This data is meant to provide Pennsylvania drivers with some idea of the cost of car insurance in their Pennsylvania zip codes. To learn more about your own personal Pennsylvania car insurance options, enter your demographic info as prompted and compare online quotes.

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