You’ve seen the commercials from auto insurance companies like Liberty Mutual and The General that promise big savings, so you should just choose any of them, right?
It’s just not that simple, as there are a ton of unknown elements like if you need full coverage or just liability, where you live in Pittsburgh, your financial responsibility, and if you own your own home, that all go into determining the rate you pay. The information below covers the best ways to save on auto insurance and will hopefully give you some help in finding cheaper rates.
One of the many factors that aid in calculating the annual cost of car insurance is where you keep your car in Pittsburgh. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims likely pay more, whereas areas with less congestion tend to receive slightly lower rates.
The next table rates the highest-priced places in Pennsylvania for retired military to purchase a policy in. Pittsburgh ranks #13 having an annual price of $1,053 for the average insurance policy, which is around $88 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $1,997 |
| 2 | Drexel Hill | $1,489 |
| 3 | Levittown | $1,407 |
| 4 | Chester | $1,393 |
| 5 | Norristown | $1,320 |
| 6 | Allentown | $1,141 |
| 7 | Reading | $1,099 |
| 8 | Municipality of Monr | $1,091 |
| 9 | Easton | $1,091 |
| 10 | Scranton | $1,081 |
| 11 | Hazleton | $1,078 |
| 12 | Erie | $1,071 |
| 13 | Pittsburgh | $1,053 |
| 14 | Plum | $1,047 |
| 15 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,047 |
| 16 | New Castle | $1,046 |
| 17 | Bethlehem | $1,045 |
| 18 | Altoona | $1,042 |
| 19 | Bethel Park | $989 |
| 20 | Harrisburg | $985 |
| 21 | Lancaster | $965 |
| 22 | Williamsport | $956 |
| 23 | York | $944 |
| 24 | Lebanon | $922 |
| 25 | State College | $869 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Annual rates are comparative as the specific zip code location can influence coverage prices greatly.
The make and model of vehicle driven is one of the primary factors when looking for low-priced auto insurance for retired military. Vehicles with high performance, poor crash test ratings, or a history of substantial liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than more modest models.
The table below estimates auto insurance premiums for a handful of the cheapest vehicles to insure in Pennsylvania.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,255 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,281 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $1,293 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,301 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,342 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,351 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 4WD | $1,368 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $1,377 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,376 |
| Honda Civic LX-S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,414 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $1,441 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $1,468 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,478 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $1,468 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,473 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Crew Cab 4WD | $1,526 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4WD 4-Dr | $1,535 |
| Compare Cheap Rates Go | |
Above prices assume single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and homeowner. Premium costs do not factor in specific Pittsburgh, PA garaging location which can change auto insurance rates substantially.
Looking at the numbers, you can infer that vehicles like the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius, Honda CR-V, and Honda Accord are going to be the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for veterans.
Get discount Pittsburgh car insurance
Insurance providers that offer coverage for retired military may also provide premium discounts that could reduce prices by as much as 25% or more if you qualify for them. Companies and their possible discounts are outlined below.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts including renewal discount, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, youthful driver, and safe driver.
- State Farm may offer discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, accident-free, and multiple autos.
- Progressive may have discounts that include online signing, multi-policy, homeowner, online quote discount, and continuous coverage.
- Allstate policyholders can earn discounts including good payer, senior citizen, premier discount, early signing, good student, defensive driver, and 55 and retired.
- Nationwide has savings for anti-theft, good student, Farm Bureau membership, easy pay, family plan, and accident-free.
- MetLife includes discounts for defensive driver, accident-free, good student, claim-free, multi-policy, and good driver.
The chart below illustrates the difference between insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The costs are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with claim-free, accident-free, multiple policy, multiple vehicle, defensive driving course, and marriage discounts applied. With discounts applied, theaverage yearly reduction on car insurance for retired military is 28% or $478.
Does full coverage make sense?
Saving money on car insurance should be important to the majority of drivers, and one good way to buy cheaper insurance for retired military is to not buy comprehensive and collision coverage. The diagram below illustrates the comparison of annual premium costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The prices are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no other discounts are factored in.
As an overall average, physical damage coverage on your policy costs an extra $1,731 per year over having just liability coverage. At some point, almost every driver questions if you should buy full coverage. There is no specific rule to exclude comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than about 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s claim settlement value is $9,500 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would receive is $8,500 after paying your policy deductible. If premiums are more than $850 a year for physical damage coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not a good plan. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should keep full coverage in place.
The Pittsburgh car insurance agencies listed below can help you make a decision which car insurance policy is best, since lots of drivers aren’t clear which coverage they need and would like to have a little guidance when shopping for cheaper insurance for retired military. It can be hard to find the best rates on your own, and insurance agents can provide comfort knowing your policy gives you adequate protection in the event of a claim.
To find a Pittsburgh insurance agent near you, click the button after the list or click here to compare price quotes.
Spodek Insurance Agency, Inc.
4349 Murray Ave – Pittsburgh, PA 15217 – (412) 521-8600
George O’Korn – State Farm Insurance Agent
4486 Steubenville Pike – Pittsburgh, PA 15205 – (412) 921-1182
Riley Insurance
2544 Library Rd # 205 – Pittsburgh, PA 15234 – (412) 563-2390
Dowd Insurance Agency Inc
998, Greensburg Pike – East Pittsburgh, PA 15112 – (412) 271-5477
More insurance agents in Pittsburgh, PA
How to find the cheapest auto insurance for retired military
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are many thrifty suggestions that can help drivers quote low-cost coverage.
- Bundle home and auto and save
- Higher credit ratings may save you money
- Get cheaper liability coverage by choosing a safer vehicle
- Do not get into accidents that are your fault
- Drop full coverage on older vehicles
- Ensure you have the best deal by shopping around regularly
The last item on the list is very critical, as was affirmed in the prior article. Coverage prices can be modified anytime, so don’t be afraid to buy from a different company if a more affordable price is available. Having a favorite company is fine, but we do not recommend it if that devotion results in you overpaying lots of hard earned cash every month. Take a couple minutes and shop around and find cheaper car insurance for retired military in Pittsburgh.