Finding dependable, low-cost insurance is hard enough, and determining which companies have the lowest-priced insurance rates for used cars will involve more quotes for comparison.
Every insurance company uses their own calculation for establishing rates, so let’s take a look at the lowest cost insurance companies in Pittsburgh, PA. It’s important that readers know that Pittsburgh insurance rates are based on many factors that control the policy premium. This price variability is why consumers need to perform an extensive rate comparison to get cheap car insurance quotes for used cars. Car insurance prices can be determined by many factors and change frequently, so the lowest-price company the last time you checked may now be one of the higher cost companies.
Cheap Insurance Rates for Used Cars
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Casualty | $740 |
| 2 | USAA | $785 |
| 3 | Travelers | $811 |
| 4 | Penn National | $816 |
| 5 | Erie | $816 |
| 6 | Auto-Owners | $973 |
| 7 | Amica | $982 |
| 8 | Atlantic States | $1,047 |
| 9 | Donegal Mutual | $1,069 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,111 |
| 11 | Allied | $1,144 |
| 12 | State Farm | $1,210 |
| 13 | California Casualty | $1,222 |
| 14 | State Auto | $1,279 |
| 15 | Encompass | $1,357 |
| 16 | Mutual Benefit Group | $1,397 |
| 17 | Harleysville | $1,410 |
| 18 | Progressive | $1,429 |
| 19 | Nationwide | $1,447 |
| 20 | Chubb | $1,551 |
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General Casualty may offer some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Pittsburgh at around $740 annually. USAA, Travelers, Penn National, and Erie also are some of the best Pittsburgh, PA insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you currently have coverage with Penn National and switched to General Casualty, you might see an annual savings of about $76. Pennsylvania drivers with Erie might save as much as $76 a year, and Auto-Owners policyholders might reduce rates by $233 a year.
To see if your current coverage is too expensive, click here to start your free quote or click several companies below for low rates.
Be aware that those policy prices are averaged for all types of insureds and vehicles and do not take into consideration an exact zip code location for used cars. So the car insurance company that fits you best may not even be in the top 30 companies shown above. That emphasizes why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
One of the more important factors that are used to help calculate the cost of insurance is where your car is garaged. Cities with larger populations will most likely have higher rates, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates tend to receive slightly lower rates.
The following table ranks the highest-priced places in Pennsylvania for used cars to buy auto insurance in. Pittsburgh is ranked at #16 with an annual cost of $1,053 on average, which is approximately $88 per month.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $1,977 |
| 2 | Drexel Hill | $1,549 |
| 3 | Chester | $1,379 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,379 |
| 5 | Norristown | $1,307 |
| 6 | Erie | $1,104 |
| 7 | Reading | $1,099 |
| 8 | Allentown | $1,097 |
| 9 | Municipality of Monr | $1,091 |
| 10 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,089 |
| 11 | Plum | $1,089 |
| 12 | Hazleton | $1,078 |
| 13 | Easton | $1,058 |
| 14 | New Castle | $1,057 |
| 15 | Bethlehem | $1,055 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh | $1,053 |
| 17 | Scranton | $1,039 |
| 18 | Altoona | $1,012 |
| 19 | Bethel Park | $1,009 |
| 20 | Harrisburg | $995 |
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Annual rates are comparative as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can affect coverage prices considerably.
Difference between liability only and full coverage rates
Paying a lower price for insurance should be important to the majority of vehicle owners, and an easy way to buy cheap insurance for used cars is to not pay for full coverage. The information below illustrates the comparison of insurance premiums when comparing full coverage to liability only. The data is based on a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no other discounts are factored in.
If we average the cost for ages 20 through 70, comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy costs $2,070 per year more than insuring for liability only. That is a big expense that brings up the question when is the right time to remove full coverage. There isn’t a steadfast formula for phasing out full coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
Get discount Pittsburgh auto insurance
Insurers that sell policies for used cars may have policy discounts that can lower rates by 30% or more if you are eligible for them. A list of insurance companies and the discounts they provide are:
- GEICO offers premium reductions for multi-vehicle, seat belt use, federal employee, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, and military active duty.
- USAA policyholders can earn discounts including new vehicle, loyalty savings, defensive driver, annual mileage, and vehicle storage.
- Progressive offers discounts for online signing, good student, multi-policy, homeowner, and continuous coverage.
- American Family has discounts for defensive driver, good student, multi-vehicle, TimeAway discount, and bundled insurance.
- Esurance may include discounts for anti-lock brakes, homeowner, anti-theft, renters, good driver, and emergency road assistance.
- Farmers Insurance offers discounts including early shopping, alternative fuel, homeowner, multi-car, teen driver, distant student, and mature driver.
- State Farm has savings for safe vehicle, anti-theft, multiple policy, good driver, multiple autos, and passive restraint.
The chart below compares insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The prices are based on a female driver, no claims or violations, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with vehicle safety, homeowner, safe-driver, multiple vehicle, accident-free, and anti-theft discounts applied. When taking advantage of discounts, theamount saved on insurance for used cars is 28% or $548.
The illustration below shows how different deductible levels can raise or lower insurance costs when searching for cheap insurance for used cars. The costs are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
The data above shows that a 30-year-old driver could lower their car insurance rates by $260 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $394 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could roll back prices as much as $558 or more by using higher deductibles when buying full coverage.
When raising deductibles, it’s a good idea to have enough spare savings to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense that is associated with using high deductibles.
How to find more affordable car insurance for used cars
It is possible to find better rates, and here are some thrifty ideas that can help drivers find lower-cost auto insurance.
- Higher credit ratings may save you money
- Bundle home or renters insurance to earn a discount on car insurance
- Pay for smaller claims out-of-pocket
- Avoid accidents
- Higher physical damage deductibles lower rates
- Be a cautious driver
- Compare rates and switch if you can find a better deal
That final tip is especially vital, as we pointed out in this piece. Insurance prices change a lot, so don’t hesitate to buy a policy from a new company if a lower price can be found.
Staying with the same car insurance company is fine, but it isn’t a good idea if that faithfulness ends up costing you a lot of money. Take a couple minutes and compare prices and find cheaper car insurance for used cars in Pittsburgh.