Pennsylvania Car Insurance Guide (Cheap Rates + Best Companies)

Pennsylvania is home to a rich history. Philadelphia, a major city in Pennsylvania, has witnessed major revolutionary events like the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. So if you live in Pennsylvania, you may just find yourself humming Hamilton songs when you visit historical sights.

A less-interesting past time when living in this historically rich state, though, is purchasing car insurance.

We understand that researching car insurance can be hard, as there are tons of resources to slog through. To help you avoid wasting valuable time, we’ve done all the hard work for you.

Our guide will cover everything you need to know about car insurance in Pennsylvania, from car insurance rates to must-know driving laws. Keep reading for the only guide you need to learn about Pennsylvania’s car insurance.

And if you’re ready to compare quotes today, use our FREE tool above.

What Should You Know about Car Insurance Coverage and Rates in Pennsylvania?

Every state has different rates. Some states simply have more expensive for car insurance because of several factors, such as what coverages the states require.

In all states, you can expect to pay a significant amount each month on car insurance. The good news is that with careful planning, you can bring your costs down to a manageable level while still getting great coverage. We understand it’s a balancing act. But you don’t want to get caught with no insurance for legal and liability reasons.

To see how much car insurance in Pennsylvania will cost, we will go through the required auto insurance coverages and the factors that influence rates in Pennsylvania.

Let’s begin!

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What’s Pennsylvania’s Car Culture like?

Before we get into coverage and rates, let’s see what vehicles most Pennsylvania residents own.

According to The Hartford, Pennsylvania drivers stick with “practical vehicles,” such as SUVs and minivans.

This doesn’t mean the car culture in Pennsylvania is limited to minivans. The Hartford says there are numerous racetracks in Pennsylvania, such as the NASCAR race track.

So if you move to Pennsylvania, don’t be surprised if your minivan-driving neighbors are enthusiastic.

What’s Pennsylvania Minimum Coverage?

Pennsylvania requires every driver to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage to protect others in an at-fault accident. This is true whether you have a DUI or a clean driving record for the past 20 years.

Unless you want heavy fines, you’ll need to have Pennsylvania’s minimum coverage on your vehicle. NOLO lists the required minimum coverages as follows:

In Pennsylvania, an all-purpose policy (of at least $35,000 total coverage) can also suffice to meet Pennsylvania’s minimum requirements. Bear in mind that these are just the minimum car insurance requirements.

It’s always better to have more than the state minimum, as better coverage will help prevent the possibility of you paying out of pocket in an accident. The minimums are also only meant to cover other parties you may injure in some way while behind the wheel. If you want coverage for your auto damage and injuries, you’ll need collision coverage, comprehensive, and PIP. All this can be worked into insurance quotes.

What does the Form of Financial Responsibility mean?

Pennsylvania state laws requires all drivers to maintain proof of financial responsibility. You’ll need to produce this any time you get pulled over by a police officer. Your insurance company may also file proof with the state. Acceptable forms of financial responsibility include:

• Insurance ID card
• Declaration page of an issued insurance policy
• Valid insurance binder (temporary proof of insurance valid for 30 or 60 days)
• Copy of application for Pennsylvania Assigned Risk Plan
• Letter from your insurance carrier that verifies financial responsibility

Pennsylvania also allows drivers to provide electronic proof of insurance. This means that you can download the electronic version of your ID card onto your phone and show it to officers.

Of course, we also recommend that you carry a paper version in case of technical difficulties.

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What Percentage of Income are Premiums?

A percentage of your annual income is eaten up every year by car insurance payments. To see what percentage of Pennsylvania residents’ income goes toward car insurance, let’s take a look at three years of data that we brought you by partnering with Quadrant.

You may be wondering what disposable income is. Disposable income is the amount you have left to spend after paying taxes.

The percentage of income going to car insurance has remained steady over the years, which is good news. While the cost of car insurance did increase slightly, the average income also increased, meaning the percentage didn’t change drastically.

The percentage of income going to car insurance in Pennsylvania in 2014 is just under the 2014 countrywide average of 2.4 percent.

Pennsylvania’s percentage of income going to car insurance is solidly in the middle out of all states, neither the cheapest nor the most expensive (the most expensive state is 3.5 percent, while the cheapest is 1.42 percent).

So rest assured that Pennsylvania is average — you won’t be paying exorbitant amounts of income on car insurance.

What are the Average Monthly Car Insurance Rates in PA (Liability, Collision, Comprehensive)?

Let’s break down the average premium in Pennsylvania by looking at the cost of different core coverages from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

NAIC’s data is based on the state minimum, so you may find car insurance costs to be a little higher.

Pennsylvania’s average is $20 less than the countrywide average, so insurance costs in Pennsylvania are average. While they won’t be the cheapest, they also won’t cost you a month’s paycheck.

Is There an Additional Coverage?

To see if the additional coverages in Pennsylvania are worth the added cost, we are going to take a look at their loss ratios. Why do we care about loss ratios?

Because loss ratios show us whether or not companies are profitable and stable.

• A High Loss Ratio (over 75 percent) indicates that the companies underestimated the frequency and severity of losses and how much premium would be needed to cover them. A high loss ratio is a good indicator of future rate increases.
• A Low Loss Ratio (under 35 percent) could indicate that companies overestimated the frequency and severity of claims or overpriced their policies.

Broken down further, this means that if a company has a loss ratio of 50, it is paying out $50 in claims for every $100 earned in premiums.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at loss ratios for additional liability coverages in Pennsylvania.

While PIP’s loss ratios have remained steady at a fantastic percentage, MedPay’s loss ratios were extremely high in 2013 before plummeting to less than 10 percent in 2015.

As for uninsured and underinsured’s loss ratios, the percentages look decent, as they’ve stayed steadily around 60 percent. What is uninsured and underinsured additional coverage?

If you are in an accident with uninsured or underinsured drivers, they will likely be unable to pay your accident costs if they are at fault. If you don’t have additional uninsured motorist coverage protecting you from uninsured/underinsured drivers, you’ll be forced to pay out of pocket.

The good news is Pennsylvania is ranked as 43rd in the U.S. for its number of uninsured drivers. This means that only 7.6 percent of drivers on the road in Pennsylvania are uninsured.

Still, to eliminate your chance of having to pay out pocket, consider getting additional coverage.

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Are There any Add-Ons, Endorsements, and Riders?

Thought we were done talking about your options for car insurance coverages? Not quite. While these coverages aren’t required in Pennsylvania, insurers offer them in case drivers want to add extra protection.

• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Modified Car Insurance Coverage
• Classic Car Insurance
• Usage-Based Insurance

These additional add-ons can be useful if you want a specific service, such as emergency roadside assistance. Some of the options can also save you money, such as classic car insurance (classic car policies are cheaper than regular car policies) or usage-based insurance.

What are the Average Monthly Car Insurance Rates by Age & Gender in PA?

Now that we’ve covered car insurance coverages, let’s start diving into rates with data from Quadrant.

In Pennsylvania, insurers are not allowed to base rates based on drivers’ gender. Pennsylvania is one of the first states to outlaw gender discrimination in car insurance, with states like Calfornia recently passing similar laws.

In fact, Pennsylvania will soon offer a gender-neutral driver’s license.

Let’s take a look at male versus female rates to see the rates for gender and age.

We should note that this Quadrant data is based on purchased coverages by Pennsylvania’s residents. Because of this, it includes rates for high-risk drivers, drivers who purchase more than the state minimum, and drivers who purchase additional coverages.

This means that depending on what you purchase, your rates could be higher or lower than the average rates shown above.

So now you know that providers in Pennsylvania do not base rates on gender. Age, however, does not get this same treatment; the younger you are in Pennsylvania, the more you pay.

This makes sense when you consider the driving experience of a teenager compared to that of a 60-year-old.

What are the Rates in Pennsylvania’s 10 Largest Cities?

Some of Pennsylvania’s largest cities are infamous in pop culture — think Rocky running up the stairs in Philadephia or Micheal Scott working in Scranton.

So let’s take a look at the costs of car insurance in the 10-most-populated cities in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia is the most populated city in Pennsylvania, and it also has the most expensive rates. The cheapest of the largest cities in Pennsylvania in Lancaster, also known to locals as Amish Country.

If you drive in Lancaster, you are likely to see multiple horse-drawn buggies, so be careful and keep an eye on the side of the road.

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What are the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates by ZIP Code?

If you are looking to save on car insurance, then take a look at the complete list of ZIP codes below to see what the cheapest and what the most-expensive ZIP codes are in Pennsylvania. We’ve also included providers’ prices for each ZIP code, so you can see who the cheapest provider is in your area.

The variance in cost between the most and least expensive ZIP codes is over $5,300. If you live in a more expensive ZIP code, make sure you are picking a cheaper provider.

What are the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates by City?

While we’ve covered ZIP codes, we want to broaden our information a bit by looking at the most and least expensive cities in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia is the most populated city in Pennsylvania and also the most expensive city for car insurance. Bellefonte, a small town with a population of less than 6,500, is the cheapest area for car insurance.

Between these two cities, there is a difference of over $4,000.

As the ZIP code data showed, even within a city the rates can vary, but the costs for cities should give you a good idea of what you’ll be paying on your vehicle.

Who are the Best Pennsylvania Car Insurance Companies?

With so many drivers on the roads these days, there’s an equally large number of car insurance companies. It can be difficult to find the right car insurance company for your needs, which is why we are going to break down Pennsylvania companies.

This way, you can pick a car insurance company that has the right services and rates for you.

So stick with us as we go through everything from companies’ financial ratings to costs.

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What’s the Financial Rating of the Largest Companies?

A company’s financial rating will give you a good idea of a company’s stability. To see what Pennsylvania’s companies’ financial ratings are, we are going to look at AM Best ratings.

All of the companies earned an A or higher (A++ is the highest possible), which means all the companies have a financial stability. Looking at the loss ratios confirms AM Best’s ratings, as all the loss ratios are great.

Which Companies have the Best Ratings?

While a stable financial future is great, another important part of a company’s success is customer satisfaction. JD Power’s recent study rates companies based on customer satisfaction surveys, which means JD Power is a good source to look at to see how well a company serves its customers.

Erie Insurance earned the highest customer satisfaction rating in Pennsylvania, with Geico close behind. Allstate had the lowest number of points, earning only 816 points out of 1,000.

We should note that USAA earned the highest rating, but wasn’t included with the other companies because USAA is only available for military personnel and their families.

Which Companies have the Most Complaints in Pennsylvania?

Since complaints go along with customer satisfaction, we want to take a look at the NAIC’s data on complaint ratios for the top largest companies in Pennsylvania.

A high number of complaints doesn’t necessarily mean a company will have a high complaint ratio. While State Farm Group has a high number of complaints, the complainants only make up a small percentage of State Farm Group’s customers.

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Who are the Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Pennsylvania?

Shopping around for rates can save you a significant amount each year, which is why we are going to go through Quadrant Information Services data on everything that impacts rates. Let’s start by seeing which Pennsylvania companies have the cheapest car insurance rates.

USAA and Geico have the cheapest rates in Pennsylvania, as they are significantly less than the state average.

Progressive is the most expensive out of the cheapest companies, costing almost 10 percent more than the state average in Pennsylvania.

What’s the Commute Rate by Companies?

Did you know that how far you drive can change your car insurance rates? Drivers with long commutes may find their insurers charge them a few hundred more.

Let’s see what Pennsylvania insurers charge based on commute distance.

Travelers, Nationwide, and Progressive are the only companies who don’t increase rates based on commute distance, although Travelers has the highest rates, which means that a company that charges for commute distance will still be cheaper than Travelers.

As for companies that do increase costs, Liberty Mutual has the highest price increase — about $300.

Of course, don’t just go off of price increases. Instead, look at how much the final amount is when picking a provider. A company may have a high increase but still cost less than another company.

What are the Coverage Level Rates by Companies?

High coverage levels are always the best option in case of an accident, but the higher price tag most providers put on this coverage can make most consumers think twice.

To help you find a high coverage level at a reasonable cost, let’s take a look at companies’ prices.

Progressive has the highest rate increase between low and high coverage, coming in at around $750. This isn’t terrible, but other companies have rate increases under a few hundred.

At Nationwide, for example, the price increase from low to high coverage is less than $100. This is a fantastic rate increase and makes Nationwide’s high coverage affordable for everyone.

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What are the Credit History Rates by Companies?

A credit score is vital in today’s world, as it is used for everything from bank loans to car insurance.

The average credit score in Pennsylvania is 687, which is higher than the national average of 675. This means most Pennsylvania residents have good credit scores.

A good credit score will save you hundreds a year, as insurers increase rates for poor and fair credit scores.

Below you can see rate increases for credit scores at Pennsylvania companies.

If you have a poor credit history, picking a company with the least amount of penalty is important. For example, Nationwide’s and USAA’s price increases from poor to bad credit are less than $1,000.

This may seem like a lot, but other companies in Pennsylvania add on thousands to drivers’ insurance premiums, such as Allstate’s almost $2,000-price increase from good to bad credit.

So make sure to shop around if you don’t have good credit.

What are the Driving Record Rates by Companies?

Just like your credit score, your driving record plays a significant part in how much you’ll pay for car insurance. Any DUIs, accidents, or speeding tickets on your record will increase your insurance premiums.

Below you can see just how much Pennsylvania companies increase their prices based on driving records.

Companies in Pennsylvania vary in what they deem the worst offense to be. For example, Geico charges more for a speeding violation than a DUI, while other companies charge more for a DUI or accident than a speeding violation.

Whatever companies charge for individual offenses, a bad driving record will cost drivers hundreds or thousands at insurance providers.

Keep in mind, too, that the table shows the average price increases for the first offense. Subsequent offenses will cost more.

Who are the Largest Car Insurance Companies in State?

While we’ve gone through companies’ rates and customer satisfaction ratings, we want to take a look at the largest companies in Pennsylvania.

State Farm has the largest market share in Pennsylvania, followed by Erie Insurance. Farmers Insurance has the smallest market share, but don’t let this turn you away.

A company’s loss ratio is important, and Farmers Insurance has a great loss ratio. All of the largest companies earned their spots on the list, as they all have good loss ratios that show a solid financial future.

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What’s the Number of Insurers in Pennsylvania?

While we’ve looked at the largest insurers in Pennsylvania, there are quite a few more insurers than we’ve previously shown you.

With over a thousand insurers to choose from, it’s important to narrow down your choices. If it helps, the difference between domestic and foreign is the following:

Domestic insurers are in-state (local to your area), while foreign insurers are out-of-state but still insure in your area.

So if you want a local provider, a domestic insurer may be for you. Pennsylvania has a large number of domestic insurers — some states have less than 10.

What are the Pennsylvania State Laws?

Every state has different driving laws, which can be confusing when you move to a new state. Unfortunately, cops won’t take ignorance as an excuse if you break a state driving law.

To help you avoid a ticket, we are going to go through the state laws in Pennsylvania that you need to know. So keep reading to learn about everything from Pennsylvania’s car insurance laws to driver safety laws.

What are the Car Insurance Laws?

As we mentioned before, every state has different requirements on what amounts of insurance you need to have on your vehicle. Not having the proper auto insurance coverage is breaking the law, which is why we are going to go into what Pennsylvania requires.

From how state laws are determined to who’s eligible for low-cost insurance, it’s all covered here. Let’s begin.

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How State Laws for Insurance are Determined

According to the NAIC, the current rate filing law in Pennsylvania is that rates must have prior approval. This means that insurers must submit rates to a Pennsylvania state authority.

Before insurers can use rates, they must get approval from state authority. Because insurers take care of the legal side of rate approval, all you have to worry about is picking a provider with good rates.

How to Get Windshield Coverage

In Pennsylvania, the law doesn’t require insurers to replace windshields. However, comprehensive coverage will usually cover windshield repairs and replacements.

You also don’t have to use a specific repair shop of the insurer’s choosing, as you have the right to use whichever repair shop you want. It’s a good idea to get that windshield repaired promptly, as you could receive a ticket if a crack obscures your view of the road.

How to Get High-Risk Insurance

High-risk insurance is for drivers who have severe violations on their records, such as DUIs. However, high-risk insurance is not required in Pennsylvania (some states make high-risk drivers purchase a high-risk plan).

Because insurers have the right to refuse high-risk drivers, though, drivers may have to turn to the Pennsylvania Assigned Risk Plan for car insurance.

Insurers must accept drivers who apply through the Pennsylvania Assigned Risk Plan, regardless of what’s on the drivers’ records. If you are a high-risk driver, make sure to shop around for rates at different providers, because high-risk insurance is expensive.

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How to Get Low-Cost Insurance

Pennsylvania may have high-risk insurance, but it lacks a low-cost insurance program for low-income families.

Only three states have low-income car insurance programs: California, Hawaii, and New Jersey.

While Pennsylvania doesn’t offer a program for low-cost insurance, finding a provider with low rates will help make car insurance affordable.

Is There an Automobile Insurance Fraud in Pennsylvania?

Automobile insurance fraud is illegal in Pennsylvania. According to the Insurance Information Institute (iii), property and casualty insurance fraud equals about 30 billion a year.

The main ways people commit fraud are filing claims for accidents that never happened, adding fake costs onto an existing claim, or staging an accident.

Because insurance fraud is prevalent, Pennsylvania has four established fraud bureaus to catch fraudulent claims. If you want to learn more about insurance fraud, you can contact the Pennsylvania Insurance Department through their online contact form.

Although we can tell you that the best way to avoid committing an insurance fraud crime is to be honest about your claim.

What’s the Statute of Limitations?

After an accident happens, you only have a certain amount of time to file a claim (a statute of limitations). If you wait too long, your claim will be rejected. Why?

Because insurers and courts don’t want claims to drag on for years past the accident. Plus, details grow blurrier the longer the wait is between the accident and the claim.

So how long do you have to file a claim in Pennsylvania?

• Personal Injury: Two years
• Property Damage Liability coverage: Two years

Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations is fairly long, as you are allowed two years to file a claim. Of course, it’s always better to file a claim right away so you get the needed funds sooner.

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What does the Pennsylvania Unfair Claims Settlement Practices mean?

Pennsylvania has a law called the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices. What does this mean?

Insurers are held to fair business practices. This means they are required to reply promptly to claims, as well as disclose all information to customers.

The complete disclosure of all information is important, as insurers may “forget” benefits that you are eligible for in a claim. The Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act ensures insurers are held to ethical business standards.

What are the Vehicle Licensing Laws?

Just like coverage laws, states have different laws and procedures for vehicle licensing. If you aren’t familiar with a state’s laws, you may find yourself with an expired license.

To help you navigate vehicle licensing, we are going to go through everything from REAL ID to how often you need to renew your license. So let’s jump right in.

Is Real ID Required in Pennsylvania?

If you’ve recently been to an airport, you may have noticed signs advertising REAL ID. In Pennsylvania, REAL IDs will be required on October 1, 2020, if you want to do the following:

• Board a domestic commercial flight
• Enter a federal building
• Enter a military installation

If you don’t have a REAL ID, you won’t be able to fly out of Pennsylvania. Luckily, you may already have a REAL ID waiting for you if you got a driver’s license after September 1, 2003.

This is because PennDot will already have your required documents on file. If you got a driver’s license before 2003, you’ll need the following to apply for a REAL ID:

• Birth certificate or valid U.S. passport
• Social Security Card
• Two proofs of current Pennsylvania address
• Proof of legal name changes (if applicable)

A REAL ID is optional, but if you fly or enter federal/military buildings, you will need to get one. You don’t need a REAL ID to drive, vote, or any of the other things you use your driver’s license for.

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What are the Penalties for Driving Without Insurance?

Since car insurance is a legal requirement in Pennsylvania, officials will check for proof of insurance if you are pulled over or are in an accident. As a reminder, the following are acceptable proofs of insurance in Pennsylvania:

• Insurance ID card
• Declaration page of an issued insurance policy
• Valid insurance binder (temporary proof of insurance valid for 30 or 60 days)
• Copy of application for Pennsylvania Assigned Risk Plan
• Letter from your insurance carrier that verifies financial responsibility

If you don’t have insurance, there are penalties enforced by the state.

We should also note that insurers’ rates go up if they see insurance lapses on your record, so driving without insurance will cost you more than the fines shown above.

How do you know when PennDot is suspending your registration? PennDot should send you an intent to suspend registration letter if you have done any of the following:

• You didn’t respond to proof of insurance request.
• You didn’t provide proof of insurance within 30 days of the cancellation date of previous insurance.
• You didn’t submit a Statement of Non-Operation of Vehicle.
• You didn’t provide proof of insurance at the time of a traffic offense.
• You didn’t provide proof of insurance at the time of an accident.

Make sure to have proof of insurance on you at all times or you’ll have to fill out additional paperwork to prove you did have insurance after incidents.

What are the Teen Driver Laws?

Because teen drivers are inexperienced, there are laws in place to restrict their driving until they are prepared to drive alone. In Pennsylvania, teens must be at least 16-years-old to apply for a learner’s permit.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) lists restrictions for learner permit holders as the following:

Once learner permit holders complete the required time requirements and pass a driver’s test, they will have an intermediate driver’s license that has further restrictions.

Pennsylvania intermediate drivers aren’t allowed to drive after 11 p.m., and they are only allowed to have a certain amount of passengers. These rules are intended to protect teen drivers by limiting dangerous driving conditions and distractions.

What are the License Renewal Procedures for Older Drivers?

Just like teen drivers, older drivers may have special licensing requirements. Let’s take a look at the licensing procedures for drivers older than 65.

Older drivers have the same renewal options as the general population, although they have the option to renew their license every two years instead of four.

Older drivers can also renew their licenses online or through the mail, which means they can skip on visits to the DMV.

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What’s the Procedure for New Residents?

If you are new to Pennsylvania, you’ll have to go to a local DMV and get a Pennsylvania driver’s license. You’ll also need to contact your insurance provider with your change of address because your provider will need to change your rates and coverages to match Pennsylvania’s requirements.

So you can expect your rates to change if you move to Pennsylvania.

What is the License Renewal Procedure?

For those past their teen years and under the age of 65, the following license renewal procedures are in place:

Drivers only have to renew their licenses every four years, and since it can be done through mail or online, you won’t have to go in-person.

What does the Negligent Operator Treatment System mean?

If you drive recklessly or carelessly and are caught, you will face penalties. Below are the penalties for driving recklessly in Pennsylvania.

However, if you cause serious bodily injuries to another person by driving recklessly, the offenses are much stricter than the ones shown above. You will be charged with assault by vehicle, face up to seven years in prison, have a one-year license suspension, and pay up to $15,000 in fines.

Pennsylvania takes reckless driving seriously, as reckless driving endangers everyone on the road. Careless driving is also serious, though it carries lesser penalties than reckless driving.

Please, be a careful driver. Not just to avoid fines but also to avoid injuring someone else or yourself.

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What are the Rules of the Road?

We want to help you be the safest driver possible, which is why we are going to cover must-know rules of the road in Pennsylvania. Not only will following the rules of the road help you avoid a driving ticket, but it will keep you and others safe.

So let’s jump into everything from seat belt laws to automation laws.

Is Pennsylvania at Fault or No-Fault State?

Before we get into laws, we want to clarify that Pennsylvania is a combination of no-fault and at-fault. No-fault means the insurers will cover you regardless of who caused the accident.

However, Pennsylvania is tricky because it also allows drivers to file at-fault claims.

You can choose to have no-fault insurance or at-fault insurance, so make sure to choose one that fits your needs best. If you want your insurer to cover you each time, pick no-fault.

If you want the driver who caused the accident to pay, then at-fault insurance may be a better option.

What are the Seat Belt and Car Seat Laws?

Buckling up is the law in Pennsylvania.

Let’s take a look at IIHS’s information on the seat belt and car seat laws.

While seat belt enforcement isn’t primary in Pennsylvania (meaning officers need a reason besides seat belt use to pull you over), enforcement is primary for drivers and passengers under 18.

This means that if officers see drivers or passengers under 18 not wearing seat belts, they can pull the vehicle over and ticket the driver.

Now that we’ve covered seat belts, let’s take a look at laws for younger passengers.

The fine for violating car seat laws is $75, significantly higher than the fine for seat belt violations. Seeing as these laws are made to keep children safe, the higher fine makes sense.

There are also restrictions in Pennsylvania on riding in the cargo areas of vehicles. The following types of passengers are exceptions to the prohibition on riding in cargo areas:

• People 18 and older (vehicle must be going less than 35 mph)
• People 17 and younger if the cargo area is enclosed
• Parade, hunting, and farm operations

Children are only allowed to ride in enclosed cargo areas because there is always a risk of being thrown from a vehicle (even when driving slow).

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What are the Keep Right and Move Over Laws?

The keep right law in Pennsylvania is simple. If you are traveling slower than the speed of traffic, keep to the right. Generally, the left lane should be for passing slower vehicles only.

The move over law is also simple, but it has the potential to save lives if all drivers follow it.

You must move over in the following circumstances (unless it’s not safe to do so, then you must slow down):

• When coming up on an emergency response area
• Tow trucks
• Utility vehicles

It’s also good practice to move over or slow down for any vehicle with flashing hazard lights, as someone may be walking around the vehicle.

If you ever pulled over with your hazard lights on and felt uncomfortable getting out of the vehicle with traffic speeding by, you can understand the importance of the move over law.

What’s the Speed Limit?

Speeding is one of the number-one cause of fatalities, which is why states have strictly enforced speed limits. Below are the speed limits for Pennsylvania.

These are the maximum speed limits, which means you won’t get out of a ticket if you ignore a posted speed limit and argue the maximum is 70 mph.

The maximum speed limit is simply the highest speed limit that can be posted, so follow posted speed limits to avoid tickets and increased premiums.

How does Ridesharing work?

All rideshare drivers must have ridesharing insurance on their vehicles. If you are driving your vehicle for a service like Uber or Lyft, then you need to buy ridesharing insurance.

The following providers offer rideshare insurance in Pennsylvania.

• Erie
• Geico
• Liberty Mutual
• Progressive

Beyond ridesharing insurance, you’ll also have to pass rideshare companies’ requirements. Generally, this means you have to have a clean record and at least a few years of driving experience.

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Is There an Automation on the Road?

Pennsylvania does have rules about the use of automated vehicles, although these regulations depend on the type of vehicle.

• Type of driving automation allowed on public roads: PennDot authorizes the testing of vehicles that are highly automated and deployment of work-zone vehicles that are highly automated. Effective since April 22, 2019.
• Operator license: Operators have to be licensed to test highly automated vehicles.
• Operators in vehicles: Operators do not have to be in work-zone vehicles that are highly automated.

Unless you have a highly automated vehicle, you won’t need to worry about Pennsylvania’s laws. Most vehicles today have some level of automation, such as lane departure warning, but these vehicles don’t count as automated vehicles.

What are the Safety Laws?

Safety laws are important, as they discourage drivers from driving drunk or distracted. A state that has strict safety laws will probably have fewer dangerous drivers on the road.

So let’s go through the major safety laws in Pennsylvania and the penalties for breaking them.

What are the DUI Laws?

When you’re drunk, you’re more likely to make poor decisions like cutting your hair or blowing through a stop sign. Drunk driving is extremely dangerous, but sometimes people are a poor judge of deciding if they’re sober or buzzed.

In 2017, there was a total of 314 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in Pennsylvania.

Below are the details of the DAI law in Pennsylvania.

A lookback period is how long a DAI remains on your record. Pennsylvania has also put the following penalties in place to discourage drunk driving:

Remember that a DAI will raise insurance rates, and will cost drivers more than just the fines shown above.

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What are the Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws?

Although medical marijuana has been legalized in the state, recreational marijuana is still illegal in Pennsylvania. Those with medical marijuana cards can drive as long as there is less than one nanogram of THC in their system.

THC is the active substance in marijuana that leads to inebriation and can make a person unsafe to drive.

This amount of THC is considered safe by the state, as any more will impair a driver’s ability to drive. The best rule of thumb is to not drive while even slightly high, as it’s impossible to determine the amount of THC in your system on your own.

Driving under the influence of marijuana will earn drivers the same penalties as drunk driving, such as fines, jail time, and license suspension.

What are the Distracted Driving Laws?

Distracted driving is another driving habit that is just as dangerous as impaired driving. Because of this, Pennsylvania has laws restricting drivers’ cellphone use in cars.

Primary enforcement means law enforcement can pull drivers over if officers notice drivers texting. While Pennsylvania doesn’t have a hand-held ban (meaning you can use it for GPS or changing the music), it’s still a good idea to put the phone down in the car.

Some insurers even have safe-driving apps that reward you for not being on your phone in the car.

What’s Driving in Pennsylvania like?

There are always risks when you drive, no matter how good a driver you are. Inattentive drivers, iced-over roads, or an abundance of wildlife can all contribute to a crash.

Since every state has slightly different risks, being prepared for Pennsylvania’s road dangers can help you stay alert and avoid an accident.

For example, Pennsylvania is considered the likeliest state for deer collisions. Staying alert for deer during dusk and dawn can help you avoid a collision.

So let’s jump into the troublesome factors on Pennsylvania’s roads, from vehicle theft to traffic.

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Is There a Vehicle Theft in Pennsylvania?

Any time you own something valuable, it is at risk of being stolen. If you own one of the following vehicles, be aware that it is one of the top 10 stolen vehicles in Pennsylvania:

The vehicle year simply means that’s the most popular model year stolen. For example, there were 544 Honda Accords stolen (covering a wide range of years), but the most-popular majority stolen was 1997 Honda Accords.

Let’s dig a little deeper by looking at the FBI’s 2013 report on the number of vehicles stolen by city.

Philadelphia had the highest number of vehicle thefts (5,483) in 2013, beating out other cities by over four thousand vehicles. If you live in Philadelphia, make sure you have comprehensive coverage to cover vandalism and vehicle theft.

What’s the Number of Road Fatalities in Pennsylvania?

Every state varies in how many fatalities occur on its roads. Generally, states with stricter enforcement of preventing impaired driving and other dangerous driving habits will have a lower fatality rate.

To see how well Pennsylvania works to get dangerous drivers off the road, we are going to go through fatalities and what causes them in Pennsylvania.

Let’s get started.

What’s the Most Fatal Highway in Pennsylvania?

The most dangerous highway in Pennsylvania is I-80.

I-80 has had 106 crashes and 115 fatalities.

The high number of crashes on I-80 has resulted in I-80 having a 0.5 fatal crash rate. If you frequently drive on I-80, be careful.

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What’s the Number of Fatal Crashes by Weather Condition and Light Condition?

Since some state’s inclement weather conditions can contribute to more crashes, we want to look at when fatal crashes occurred in Pennsylvania with 2017 data.

There are more crashes in rain in Pennsylvania than in snow or sleet. If you are unsure of how to avoid hydroplaning, taking a defensive driving course can prepare you for inclement weather conditions and unexpected maneuvers.

What’s the Number of Fatalities (All Crashes) by County?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recorded years’ worth of data on fatal crashes in Pennsylvania. Let’s start by looking at the total fatalities in different counties in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia County has had the largest number of fatalities in Pennsylvania, with a total of 475 fatalities over five years.

What’s the Number of Traffic Fatalities?

Rural roads can sometimes be more dangerous than urban roads. Why? Because drivers are more inclined to speed on rural roads and run the risk of animal collisions.

Urban roads hold their own risks, though, due to higher volumes of traffic and multiple intersections. The table below shows that rural roads have a slightly larger number of fatalities compared to urban roads.

Whatever road you’re on, drive carefully and be aware of your surroundings.

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What’s the Number of Fatalities by Person Type?

When we say person type, we don’t mean a driver’s personality. Rather, person type looks at what type of car was in the crash and if the fatality was a car occupant, pedestrian, or cyclist.

It’s important to remember that car occupants aren’t the only victims of car crashes.

Whenever you walk or cycle near a roadway, follow proper safety protocol, such as wearing bright clothing and staying on the shoulder of the road.

What’s the Number of Fatalities by Crash Type?

While we’ve covered all crashes in Pennsylvania, we want to break down what types of crashes contributed to these overall numbers.

Roadway departures, single-vehicle crashes, and speeding have the most fatalities in Pennsylvania.

Five-Year Trend for the Top 10 Counties

Let’s see which counties have the most fatal crashes in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia County has the highest number of traffic deaths, followed by Allegheny County. If you live in any of the counties on the list above, be extra alert on roadways.

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What’s the Number of Fatalities Involving Speeding by County?

Remember when we said speeding is one of the major causes of fatalities? Let’s see which Pennsylvania counties have the worst speeding problems.

In 2017, Berks County and Philadephia County had the highest number of speeding fatalities. Pike County and Cameron County are the only counties in 2017 that had zero speeding fatalities.

What’s the Number of Fatalities in Crashes Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver (BAC=.08) by County?

Everyone knows driving drunk is dangerous, but still, not all people drive sober. Below are the number of drunk driving crashes that occurred in Pennsylvania counties.

In 2017, Philadelphia County and Allegheny County had the highest number of drunk driving fatalities. Cameron County, Columbia County, and Sullivan County all earned the honor of having zero drunk driving deaths in 2017.

What’s the Ranking for Teen Drinking and Driving?

Adults aren’t the only ones who participate in risky behaviors when driving; teens also drink and drive.

In Pennsylvania, there are 0.8 underage alcohol-impaired driving fatalities per 100,000 people, which is lower than the national average of 1.2 underage alcohol-impaired driving fatalities per 100,000 people.

Since Pennsylvania’s underage drunk driving fatalities are less than the national average, let’s take a look at how many teenage arrests are made in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania ranks 12th in the U.S. for its number of underage drunk driving arrests. This is actually good, as each arrest means a teen was prevented from wrecking or hurting someone else.

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What’s the EMS Response Time?

We’ve covered a lot of grim statistics about fatalities in Pennsylvania, so we want to take things in a different direction by seeing how quickly help comes when an accident occurs.

In both rural and urban settings, you’ll be at the hospital in under an hour, which is good news if you’re injured in a crash.

What’s the Transportation like in Pennsylvania?

Before we conclude this guide, we want to take a look at transportation in Pennsylvania. Doing so will give you an idea of what driving around Pennsylvania is like.

So stick with us as we go through Data USA’s information on everything from car ownership to traffic congestion.

What is the Percentage of Car Ownership?

Most households today own more than one car. In Pennsylvania, 41.8 percent of households own two cars. The graphic below shows Pennsylvania’s averages (orange) compared to the U.S. averages.

A small percentage of households (3.37 percent) in Pennsylvania own more than five cars.

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What is the Average Commute Time?

The last thing anyone wants is spending hours commuting to work each day. Pennsylvania’s average commute time of 25.7 minutes (or 51.4 minutes a day) is just slightly higher than the national average of 25.1 minutes.

A small percentage (2.86 percent) of unlucky Pennsylvanians have a super commute of more than 90 minutes (or an hour and a half) a day.

What’s the Preferred Commuter Transportation?

How do you commute each day? The majority of people (76.2 percent) in Pennsylvania drive alone to work, though a small number also carpool or use public transit.

Is There a Traffic Congestion in Pennsylvania?

Sitting in traffic can be a nightmare, which is why we want to see how much traffic is present in Pennsylvania. Two of Pennsylvania’s cities made into Inrix, a major traffic scorecard.

Let’s take a look at congestion in these two cities.

If you live in Philadephia or Pittsburgh, make sure to leave earlier to allow time for traffic congestion.

We hope this guide answered all your questions about car insurance in Pennsylvania. Hopefully, you are now ready to drive on Pennsylvania’s roads.

 

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