Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Pennsylvania?
Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Pennsylvania?
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Pennsylvania
The average cost of minimum coverage car insurance in Pennsylvania is $308 for a 6-month policy and $615 for an annual policy. Based on our analysis of Pennsylvania auto insurance quotes, we identified Erie, State Farm and Nationwide as the cheapest insurers.
Cheapest for minimum liability
Cheapest for full coverage
Cheapest for drivers with an accident
Best for customer service
The most expensive Pennsylvania insurer offered annual rates more than 3.2 times the cost of the cheapest local car insurance company. Given the wide variation in quotes, consumers should always shop around to find the best rate.
Read more below or enter your ZIP code above to begin quote comparison shopping among Pennsylvania car insurance companies.
Cheapest auto insurance quotes in Pennsylvania
For a minimum coverage auto insurance policy, Erie, State Farm and Nationwide offered the cheapest annual rates. Together, they quoted our profiled drivers $498 per year on average for coverage. That's about 19% cheaper than Pennsylvania state average of $615.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Pennsylvania
The table below ranks insurance companies in Pennsylvania from the least to most expensive when offering a minimum coverage policy.
| Rank | Insurer | Annual auto insurance rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie | $328 |
| 2 | State Farm | $471 |
| 3 | Nationwide | $696 |
| 4 | GEICO | $708 |
| 5 | Progressive | $821 |
| 6 | Allstate | $1,056 |
| NA | USAA | $225 |
The difference between the average cost of a full coverage policy ($2,018) and a minimum coverage policy ($615) in Pennsylvania is $1,403.
A minimum coverage auto insurance policy only meets Pennsylvania law's minimum required coverage limits. Unlike a full coverage policy, minimum coverage policies do not include comprehensive and collision coverage. While you can buy minimum coverage at a lower cost, lower coverage levels may put you at risk of insufficient protection following a car accident.
Cheapest full coverage car insurance in Pennsylvania
The insurance companies with the cheapest auto insurance quotes for a full coverage policy are Erie, State Farm and Nationwide. Together, these three insurers had an average annual cost of car insurance of $1,569, or more than 22% less than the Pennsylvania state average of $2,018.
A full coverage car insurance policy includes bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, comprehensive and collision insurance and, sometimes, personal injury protection (PIP). Drivers seeking to protect themselves against damage to their own vehicles should consider buying a full coverage car insurance policy.
Below is the complete list of rates for the full coverage car insurance policy.
| Rank | Insurer | Annual car insurance rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie | $1,378 |
| 2 | State Farm | $1,450 |
| 3 | Nationwide | $1,878 |
| 4 | GEICO | $2,461 |
| 5 | Allstate | $2,824 |
| 6 | Progressive | $3,279 |
| NA | USAA | $855 |
Cheap full coverage car insurance rates with an accident history in Pennsylvania
State Farm, Erie and Nationwide offered the cheapest full coverage auto insurance quotes for drivers with a prior accident on their driving record. Together, the three insurers averaged $2,144, or 29% less than the state average of $3,001.
The most expensive insurer in our sample was Progressive at $5,158, or three times more costly than the cheapest insurer, State Farm. This large disparity further underlines the importance of always shopping around for car insurance.
| Rank | Insurer | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Farm | $1,716 |
| 2 | Erie | $1,723 |
| 3 | Nationwide | $2,994 |
| 4 | Allstate | $3,953 |
| 5 | GEICO | $4,300 |
| 6 | Progressive | $5,158 |
| NA | USAA | $1,184 |
Having just one accident on your driving record can lead to significantly more expensive auto insurance rates. In Pennsylvania, the difference in annual car insurance quotes between a full coverage policy with no prior accidents ($2,018) versus one with a single prior accident ($3,001) was nearly $983.
Best car insurance companies in Pennsylvania
Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm were three of the top rated insurance companies in Pennsylvania. These insurers receive the lowest share of complaints expected for a company of their size.
The worst rated car insurance company was GEICO, which had the highest complaint index at 1.21.
| Insurer | Complaint index |
|---|---|
| Nationwide | 0.36 |
| Progressive | 0.36 |
| State Farm | 0.57 |
| Allstate | 0.69 |
| Erie Insurance | 0.79 |
| USAA | 1.09 |
| GEICO | 1.21 |
To determine the top rated companies in Pennsylvania for auto insurance, we reviewed complaint index numbers. These numbers measure the share of complaints a company gets compared to its share of premiums in the market. A company with an index number of 1, such as Progressive, is right around the average for the state. Any company with a number below 1 is performing better than average compared to other insurers.
Pennsylvania car insurance requirements
Pennsylvania law requires that drivers have at least some degree of bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, along with some protection for their own personal injuries. If you have auto insurance, here are the minimum coverage limits you're required to have in Pennsylvania:
- $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident of bodily injury liability insurance
- $5,000 of property damage liability insurance
- $5,000 of medical payments coverage
Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania by city
How much is car insurance in Pennsylvania cities? We were able to parse our Pennsylvania data by city and town to identify the three cheapest insurers in each. In most cities, Erie, State Farm and Nationwide were the cheapest auto insurance companies.
Drivers living in any of these cities can still knock off hundreds of dollars from their annual car insurance costs by comparing quotes. Bear in mind that your car insurance quotes will differ, as rates can change drastically depending on your driver profile.
| City | Insurer | Average annual car insurance premium |
|---|---|---|
| Aliquippa | Erie | $1,165 |
| State Farm | $1,492 | |
| Nationwide | $1,673 | |
| Allentown | Erie | $1,338 |
| State Farm | $1,677 | |
| Nationwide | $1,906 | |
| Altoona | Erie | $1,216 |
| State Farm | $1,407 | |
| Nationwide | $1,764 | |
| Baldwin | Erie | $1,249 |
| State Farm | $1,353 | |
| Nationwide | $1,705 | |
| Berwick | State Farm | $1,174 |
| Erie | $1,217 | |
| Nationwide | $1,575 | |
| Bethel Park | Erie | $1,254 |
| State Farm | $1,282 | |
| Nationwide | $1,659 | |
| Bethlehem | Erie | $1,338 |
| State Farm | $1,470 | |
| Nationwide | $1,790 | |
| Bloomsburg | Erie | $1,217 |
| State Farm | $1,265 | |
| Nationwide | $1,563 | |
| Bristol | Erie | $1,763 |
| State Farm | $2,001 | |
| Nationwide | $2,138 | |
| Butler | Erie | $1,329 |
| State Farm | $1,415 | |
| Nationwide | $1,774 | |
| Carlisle | Erie | $1,055 |
| State Farm | $1,143 | |
| Nationwide | $1,608 | |
| Chambersburg | Erie | $1,103 |
| State Farm | $1,210 | |
| Nationwide | $1,678 | |
| Chester | State Farm | $2,147 |
| Erie | $2,292 | |
| Nationwide | $2,466 | |
| Columbia | Erie | $1,260 |
| State Farm | $1289 | |
| Nationwide | $1,687 | |
| Dunmore | Erie | $1,309 |
| State Farm | $1,561 | |
| Nationwide | $1,843 | |
| East Stroudsburg | Erie | $1,520 |
| State Farm | $1,868 | |
| Nationwide | $2,072 | |
| Easton | Erie | $1,237 |
| State Farm | $1,451 | |
| Nationwide | $1,788 | |
| Elizabethtown | Erie | $1,114 |
| State Farm | $1,269 | |
| Nationwide | $1,565 | |
| Emmaus | Erie | $1,338 |
| State Farm | $1,411 | |
| Nationwide | $1,809 | |
| Erie | Erie | $1,385 |
| State Farm | $1,608 | |
| Nationwide | $1,839 | |
| Franklin Park | Erie | $1,266 |
| State Farm | $1,442 | |
| Nationwide | $1,776 | |
| Hanover | Erie | $1,103 |
| State Farm | $1,275 | |
| Nationwide | $1,610 | |
| Harrisburg | Erie | $1,100 |
| State Farm | $1,512 | |
| Nationwide | $1,772 | |
| Hazleton | Erie | $1,311 |
| State Farm | $1,582 | |
| Nationwide | $1,883 | |
| Indiana | Erie | $1,344 |
| State Farm | $1,582 | |
| Nationwide | $1,883 | |
| Jeannette | Erie | $1,245 |
| State Farm | $1,375 | |
| Nationwide | $1,787 | |
| Johnstown | Erie | $1,048 |
| State Farm | $1,268 | |
| Nationwide | $1,808 | |
| Lancaster | Erie | $1,260 |
| State Farm | $1,293 | |
| Nationwide | $1,615 | |
| Lebanon | Erie | $1,167 |
| State Farm | $1,274 | |
| Nationwide | $1,597 | |
| McKeesport | Erie | $1,391 |
| State Farm | $1,415 | |
| Nationwide | $1,751 | |
| Mechanicsburg | Erie | $1,078 |
| State Farm | $1,235 | |
| Nationwide | $1,492 | |
| Middletown | Erie | $1,100 |
| State Farm | $1,162 | |
| Nationwide | $1,569 | |
| Monroeville | Erie | $1,358 |
| State Farm | $1,557 | |
| Nationwide | $1,641 | |
| Murrysville | Erie | $1,244 |
| State Farm | $1,413 | |
| Nationwide | $1,822 | |
| Nanticoke | Erie | $1,276 |
| State Farm | $1,526 | |
| Nationwide | $1,892 | |
| New Castle | Erie | $1,377 |
| State Farm | $1,405 | |
| Nationwide | $1,786 | |
| Norristown | Erie | $1,726 |
| State Farm | $1,916 | |
| Nationwide | $2,314 | |
| Northampton | Erie | $1,237 |
| State Farm | $1,391 | |
| Nationwide | $1,772 | |
| Philadelphia | State Farm | $2,658 |
| Erie | $2,928 | |
| Nationwide | $3,476 | |
| Pittsburgh | Erie | $1,419 |
| State Farm | $1,514 | |
| Nationwide | $1,821 | |
| Plum | State Farm | $1,363 |
| Erie | $1,391 | |
| Nationwide | $1,789 | |
| Reading | Erie | $1,296 |
| State Farm | $1,701 | |
| Nationwide | $1,969 | |
| Scranton | Erie | $1,309 |
| State Farm | $1,543 | |
| Nationwide | $1,772 | |
| Sharon | Erie | $1,255 |
| State Farm | $1,324 | |
| Nationwide | $1,835 | |
| St. Marys | State Farm | $1,263 |
| Erie | $1,380 | |
| Nationwide | $1,755 | |
| Sunbury | State Farm | $1,178 |
| Erie | $1,208 | |
| Nationwide | $1,653 | |
| West Chester | Erie | $1,534 |
| State Farm | $1,594 | |
| Nationwide | $2,020 | |
| West Mifflin | Erie | $1,244 |
| State Farm | $1,380 | |
| Nationwide | $1,745 | |
| Wilkes-Barre | Erie | $1,276 |
| State Farm | $1,498 | |
| Nationwide | $1,789 |
Below we identify the cheapest full coverage auto insurers in Pennsylvania's most populous cities:
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Allentown
- Erie
- Reading
Cheap car insurance in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Average annual full coverage auto insurance quote in Philadelphia = $3,738
- 1.9x more expensive than Pennsylvania average
If you're looking for cheap car insurance in Philadelphia, then be sure to include State Farm, Erie and Nationwide in your search, as these had the three lowest car insurance rates in our study. Average quotes for these three insurers were $3,021 a year, or 19% cheaper than the Philadelphia average cost of car insurance.
Best auto insurance quotes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Average annual full coverage auto insurance quote in Pittsburgh = $2,043
- 1% more expensive than Pennsylvania average
The three most affordable car insurance companies had a composite rate that was 22% lower versus the Pittsburgh average. That difference translates into an average of $458 back in drivers' wallets every year. We recommend that consumers include these three companies in their search for the cheapest car insurance rates.
Best car insurance rates in Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Average annual full coverage auto insurance quote in Allentown = $2,141
- 6% more costly than Pennsylvania average
If you're looking for the cheapest rates in Allentown, we recommend Erie, State Farm and Nationwide.The composite annual premium of these three providers was $1,640 a year, which was $501 or 23% less than what the typical insurer charged in Allentown.
Cheap auto insurance quotes in Erie, Pennsylvania
- Average annual full coverage auto insurance quote in Erie = $1,992
- 1% cheaper than Pennsylvania average
Erie, Pennsylvania, ranks below average for all the cities we surveyed. In fact, the cheapest insurance company in town, Erie Insurance, shares the same name and is headquartered within the city at 100 Erie Insurance Place.
Best car insurance companies in Reading, Pennsylvania
- Average annual full coverage auto insurance quote in Reading = $2,114
- 5% more expensive than Pennsylvania average
For low-cost auto insurance quotes in Reading, we recommend that drivers consider Erie, State Farm and Nationwide in their research for the cheapest rates. These insurance companies offered the best rates, and on average, cost $459 less a year - a discount of 22% - compared the average cost of car insurance in Reading.
Average cost of car insurance in Pennsylvania
The average cost of full coverage car insurance in Pennsylvania is $2,018. The most expensive cities for auto quotes in Pennsylvania were primarily concentrated in urban areas, including Philadelphia, Chester and Bristol, which have average annual quotes of $3,042, or 51% above the state average.
The cheapest cities for full coverage car insurance in Pennsylvania were Carlisle, Mechanicsburg and Middletown with average annual rates of $1,654, or 18% below the state average.
Residents of the 50 most populous cities and towns covered in our Pennsylvania study, where quotes were available, can look to the table below to see how their hometown compared to other locations based on our benchmark drivers' average rates. Cities are ranked from most expensive to most affordable.
| Rank | City | Average car insurance rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $3,738 |
| 2 | Chester | $2,816 |
| 3 | Bristol | $2,573 |
| 4 | East Stroudsburg | $2,534 |
| 5 | Norristown | $2,508 |
| 6 | West Chester | $2,194 |
| 7 | Allentown | $2,141 |
| 8 | Reading | $2,114 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh | $2,043 |
| 10 | Monroeville | $2,025 |
| 11 | Hazleton | $2,020 |
| 12 | Dunmore | $2,017 |
| 13 | Emmaus | $2,008 |
| 14 | Plum | $2,005 |
| 15 | McKeesport | $1,998 |
| 16 | Easton | $1,995 |
| 17 | Erie | $1,992 |
| 18 | Scranton | $1,989 |
| 19 | Bethlehem | $1,985 |
| 20 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,969 |
| 21 | Nanticoke | $1,967 |
| 22 | New Castle | $1,947 |
| 23 | Murrysville | $1,946 |
| 24 | Northampton | $1,940 |
| 25 | Jeannette | $1,933 |
| 26 | Johnstown | $1,931 |
| 27 | Indiana | $1,912 |
| 28 | Altoona | $1,904 |
| 29 | Franklin Park | $1,896 |
| 30 | Baldwin | $1,894 |
| 31 | Buttler | $1,887 |
| 32 | West Mifflin | $1,887 |
| 33 | Aliquippa | $1,874 |
| 34 | Bethel Park | $1,857 |
| 35 | Harrisburg | $1,853 |
| 36 | Sharon | $1,850 |
| 37 | Lock Haven | $1,840 |
| 38 | Lancaster | $1,798 |
| 39 | Sunbury | $1,796 |
| 40 | St. Marys | $1,792 |
| 41 | Columbia | $1,789 |
| 42 | Elizabethtown | $1,751 |
| 43 | Lebanon | $1,748 |
| 44 | Hanover | $1,734 |
| 45 | Berwick | $1,720 |
| 46 | Chambersburg | $1,719 |
| 47 | Bloomsburg | $1,716 |
| 48 | Middletown | $1,697 |
| 49 | Mechanicsburg | $1,636 |
| 50 | Carlisle | $1,629 |
Methodology
We analyzed quotes for insuring a 2015 Honda Civic EX owned by a single, 30-year-old male in Pennsylvania. The benchmark driver was profiled as having no credit history, making him equivalent to a driver with below-fair to poor credit, according to our data source, Quadrant Information Services. Rates were drawn from all available ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.
When our driver held a full coverage policy, coverage limits included were slightly above Pennsylvania's minimum state requirements.
Full coverage policy
| Coverage type | Study limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily liability | $50,000 per person/ $100,000 per accident |
| Property damage | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist BI | $50,000 per person/ $100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive & collision | $500 deductible |
Our minimum coverage rates represent the average cost of a car insurance policy that meets Pennsylvania's state's minimum requirements for auto insurance coverage.
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.