Determining which companies quote the most affordable auto insurance rates for inexperienced drivers may require a bit more work than just getting one or two price quotes. Every car insurance company uses a little different formula for determining prices, so let’s rank the overall cheapest auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Pittsburgh auto insurance rates are based on many factors which can substantially decrease or increase the price you have to pay. Improving your credit score, buying a different vehicle, or getting into an accident can trigger rate changes resulting in some companies being cheaper than competitors.
Best Car Insurance Prices for Newbies
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Casualty | $748 |
| 2 | USAA | $785 |
| 3 | Erie | $792 |
| 4 | Travelers | $803 |
| 5 | Penn National | $808 |
| 6 | Amica | $982 |
| 7 | Auto-Owners | $993 |
| 8 | Atlantic States | $1,047 |
| 9 | Donegal Mutual | $1,069 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,157 |
| 11 | State Farm | $1,174 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,190 |
| 13 | California Casualty | $1,234 |
| 14 | State Auto | $1,267 |
| 15 | Encompass | $1,344 |
| 16 | Mutual Benefit Group | $1,411 |
| 17 | Harleysville | $1,438 |
| 18 | Progressive | $1,457 |
| 19 | Nationwide | $1,477 |
| 20 | Chubb | $1,536 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
General Casualty generally has some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Pittsburgh at around $748 a year. This is $909 less than the average price paid by Pennsylvania drivers of $1,657. USAA, Erie, Travelers, and Penn National would also make the list of some of the more affordable Pittsburgh, PA auto insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you currently buy coverage from USAA and switched to General Casualty, you could see annual savings of around $37. Customers with Erie may save as much as $44 a year, and Travelers customers might realize rate reductions of up to $55 a year.
To see how much you can save, click here to start your custom quote or feel free to get quotes from the companies below.
It’s important to note that these prices are averaged across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and are not factoring in an exact vehicle garaging location for inexperienced drivers. So the insurer that has the cheapest rates for you may not even be in the top 30 companies in the list above. That illustrates why you need to compare rates from multiple companies using your own driver and vehicle profiles.
For new drivers, one of the largest considerations that are used to help calculate car insurance rates is where your residence is. Areas with high crime rates or more dense population tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates have the luxury of cheap car insurance rates.
The next table rates the most expensive areas in Pennsylvania for inexperienced drivers in which to buy car insurance. Pittsburgh makes the list at #13 with an annual cost of $1,053 for coverage, which is approximately $88 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $1,997 |
| 2 | Drexel Hill | $1,504 |
| 3 | Chester | $1,435 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,365 |
| 5 | Norristown | $1,307 |
| 6 | Allentown | $1,130 |
| 7 | Erie | $1,115 |
| 8 | Plum | $1,079 |
| 9 | Reading | $1,077 |
| 10 | Easton | $1,069 |
| 11 | New Castle | $1,057 |
| 12 | Hazleton | $1,056 |
| 13 | Pittsburgh | $1,053 |
| 14 | Municipality of Monr | $1,049 |
| 15 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,047 |
| 16 | Bethlehem | $1,045 |
| 17 | Scranton | $1,039 |
| 18 | Altoona | $1,002 |
| 19 | Harrisburg | $995 |
| 20 | Williamsport | $986 |
| 21 | Bethel Park | $979 |
| 22 | Lancaster | $975 |
| 23 | Lebanon | $950 |
| 24 | York | $944 |
| 25 | State College | $896 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||
Prices are approximated as the garaging address in Pittsburgh can change coverage prices noticeably.
The vehicle that is being insured is a significant factor in finding the best insurance for inexperienced drivers. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, a lack of safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more economical and safe models. The information below showcases auto insurance premiums for a selection of the most economical automobiles to insure.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $1,156 |
| Honda Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $1,265 |
| Ford F-150 XL Super Cab 2WD | $1,270 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,345 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 4WD | $1,372 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $1,382 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,377 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,383 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $1,389 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $1,398 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,406 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $1,471 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $1,500 |
| Get a Custom Quote Go | |
Data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Prices do not factor in zip code location which can revise coverage prices significantly.
Looking at the rates, you can see that cars like the Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, and Ford F-150 are the less-costly vehicles to insure for new drivers.
Liability-only versus full coverage
Finding cheaper auto insurance is important to the majority of vehicle owners, and one good way to buy cheaper insurance for inexperienced drivers is to only buy liability coverage. The example below visualizes the comparison of yearly insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The rates are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.
If averaged out across all ages, comp and collision coverage costs an extra $1,869 per year more than insuring for liability only. That may make you wonder when is it a good idea to stop buying full coverage. There is no definitive formula of when to eliminate comp and collision coverage, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s say your vehicle’s replacement cost is $5,500 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $4,500 after paying your policy deductible. If it’s costing you more than $450 annually for full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not in your best interest. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.
The illustration below shows how choosing a deductible can affect insurance rates when trying to find cheap insurance for inexperienced drivers. Data assumes a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
As shown above, a 30-year-old driver could lower rates by $402 a year by switching their comprehensive and collision coverages from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $606 by using a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could lower their rates up to $908 or more just by choosing higher deductibles when buying full coverage. When using a larger deductible, it is necessary to have plenty of discretionary funds to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one disadvantage of using larger deductibles.
Insurance rate increases from tickets or accidents
The easiest method to enjoy low auto insurance rates in Pennsylvania for new drivers is to be an attentive driver and maintain a clean driving record. The example below illustrates how violations and at-fault claims drive up premium costs for different insured age categories. The premiums assume a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
In the example above, the average cost of an auto insurance policy per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,775. Add in one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,067, an increase of $293 each year. Next add one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of auto insurance for inexperienced drivers goes up to an average of $2,900. That’s an increase of $1,125, or $94 per month, just for not paying attention while driving!
The benefits of price comparisons
Pennsylvania auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things that can increase the cost of your policy. Turning one year older, marrying your spouse, or getting a reckless driving citation may prompt premium changes that can cause some rates to be more affordable than the competition.
In addition, auto insurance companies amend premium rates multiple times each year to ensure their profitability. Higher than normal claim frequency or severity may result in increased rates, while less frequent claims may result in cheaper Pittsburgh car insurance rates.
As an example, the bar chart below shows the cheapest car insurance in Pittsburgh, PA for a 35-year-old female driver with no violations or accidents, and a good credit rating. If we estimate prices based on her personal profile, General Casualty offers the lowest car insurance rates in Pittsburgh at $870 each year. This is $787 less than the average price paid by Pennsylvania drivers of $1,657. Travelers, USAA, Erie, and Penn National are the remaining most affordable Pittsburgh, PA auto insurance companies.
The example below compares rates after we give the driver in the first example a chargeable accident, a lower credit score, and a traffic citation. Because every insurance company has a proprietary method to establish rates, comparing insurance quotes most likely will result in a significantly different list of affordable Pittsburgh car insurance companies as shown below.
Amica now has the cheapest insurance rate in Pittsburgh with Atlantic States, Donegal Mutual, GEICO, and Travelers also being competitive. This example illustrates why Pennsylvania drivers need to shop around with many companies when trying to find the cheapest insurance rates for inexperienced drivers.
Rates are determined by many factors and change dramatically, so the best company the last time you shopped around may now cost much more than other companies.