This would be a much shorter article if we could tell you the one company in Pittsburgh that has the rock bottom lowest rates in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple as there are a lot of unknown factors such as how much you actually drive in a year, if you are a homeowner, if you have a coverage lapse, and the safety ratings of your vehicle, that all go into determining the rate you pay. The information below will cover the best ways to avoid high prices and should give you a good start in finding the cheapest car insurance.
The car, truck, or SUV requiring coverage is probably the most important factor when comparing low-cost coverage for 17 year olds. Vehicles with high performance, a lack of advanced safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more modest models.
The next list features coverage premiums for a handful of the most affordable vehicles to insure.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $4,657 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $4,708 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $5,011 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $5,021 |
| Toyota Prius | $5,059 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Crew Cab 2WD | $5,224 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $5,476 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $5,527 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $5,534 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $5,527 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $5,537 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $5,575 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 2WD | $5,583 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $5,575 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4WD 4-Dr | $5,779 |
| Honda Civic LX 4-Dr Sedan | $5,781 |
| Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $5,832 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L | $5,839 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $5,832 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $5,842 |
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Above prices assume single male driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Price information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can affect prices significantly.
Based upon these rates, vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Honda Accord are most likely to be some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for teen drivers. The price for an auto insurance policy will tend to be higher because of the fact that there is more inherent risk for 17 year olds, but generally speaking those particular vehicles will probably have the lowest insurance rates possible.
Finding reliable, low-priced insurance is hard enough, and deciding which company quotes the most affordable auto insurance rates for 17 year olds requires even more perseverance.
Every insurance company uses a different method for setting rates, so first we will examine the lowest cost auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania.
Find the Best Cheap Insurance for Teens
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Casualty | $718 |
| 2 | Travelers | $787 |
| 3 | Erie | $800 |
| 4 | USAA | $817 |
| 5 | Penn National | $840 |
| 6 | Auto-Owners | $963 |
| 7 | Atlantic States | $1,005 |
| 8 | Amica | $1,012 |
| 9 | Donegal Mutual | $1,058 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,111 |
| 11 | State Farm | $1,162 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,179 |
| 13 | California Casualty | $1,198 |
| 14 | State Auto | $1,267 |
| 15 | Encompass | $1,344 |
| 16 | Mutual Benefit Group | $1,397 |
| 17 | Harleysville | $1,410 |
| 18 | Progressive | $1,472 |
| 19 | Nationwide | $1,491 |
| 20 | Chubb | $1,551 |
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General Casualty generally has some of the best car insurance rates in Pittsburgh at around $718 each year. Travelers, Erie, USAA, and Penn National would also be considered some of the cheapest Pittsburgh, PA auto insurance companies.
As shown above, if you currently buy coverage from Erie and switched to General Casualty, you might realize an annual savings of in the vicinity of $82. Drivers with USAA may save as much as $99 a year, and Penn National policyholders might realize rate reductions of up to $122 a year.
Be aware that those policy rates are averages across all drivers and vehicles and are not factoring in a specific zip code for 17 year olds. So the insurer that can offer the best rates for your situation may not even be in the top 30 companies in the list above. That illustrates why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
One of the many considerations that aid in calculating the amount you pay for auto insurance is where you keep your car. Areas with more people or more claims tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates have the luxury of cheap car insurance rates.
The next table shows the most expensive areas in Pennsylvania for 17 year olds to purchase car insurance in. Pittsburgh is ranked at #14 with an annual cost of $1,063 for the average insurance policy, which is about $89 monthly.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $2,037 |
| 2 | Drexel Hill | $1,534 |
| 3 | Chester | $1,421 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,379 |
| 5 | Norristown | $1,320 |
| 6 | Allentown | $1,141 |
| 7 | Easton | $1,091 |
| 8 | Bethlehem | $1,087 |
| 9 | Municipality of Monr | $1,081 |
| 10 | Plum | $1,079 |
| 11 | Reading | $1,077 |
| 12 | Scranton | $1,071 |
| 13 | Erie | $1,071 |
| 14 | Pittsburgh | $1,063 |
| 15 | Hazleton | $1,056 |
| 16 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,047 |
| 17 | Altoona | $1,042 |
| 18 | New Castle | $1,026 |
| 19 | Harrisburg | $995 |
| 20 | Williamsport | $986 |
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Rate information is approximated as vehicle location can lower or raise rates substantially.
The diagram below demonstrates how deductible levels can increase or decrease yearly insurance costs when researching cheap insurance for 17 year olds. The information is based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
A 30-year-old driver could cut expenses by $424 a year by switching their comprehensive and collision coverages from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $638 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, such as the 20-year-old chart data, have the ability to save $1,248 or even more by choosing a larger deductible amount.
If you do raise deductibles, it will be necessary to have enough savings set aside to allow you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense. That is the one disadvantage of using higher deductibles.
Cost difference between full coverage and liability
Saving money on auto insurance is important to most vehicle owners, and one way to pay lower rates for insurance for 17 year olds is to not insure for full coverage. The diagram below illustrates the comparison of insurance premiums when comparing full coverage to liability only. The costs are based on no claims or violations, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Averaged for all ages 20 through 70, physical damage coverage costs $1,889 per year more than carrying just liability coverage. Many drivers will wonder when is it a good idea to stop buying full coverage. There is no exact formula of when to phase out physical damage insurance, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than about 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are some conditions where buying only liability insurance is not advised. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.
How to find economical auto insurance for 17 year olds
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are many thrifty suggestions that can help you get lower-cost coverage.
- Higher physical damage deductibles lower rates
- Try paying for small claims out-of-pocket
- Serious violations like DUI or reckless driving can increase rates dramatically
- Staying accident-free helps keep rates low
- Save money by only buying liability coverage for older vehicles
- Compare rates regularly and switch companies to save money
That last idea is notably necessary, as was affirmed in this piece. Prices charged by companies can change considerably in a year, so don’t be hesitant to buy a policy from a new company if a better rate can be found.
Loyalty to a specific company is fine, but it isn’t a good idea if that faithfulness ends up costing you money that could be spent on other things. It takes less than five minutes to shop around and find cheaper auto insurance for 17 year olds in Pittsburgh.