It would sure make life easier if we could simply tell you the one company that has the most affordable insurance in Pennsylvania. That is not the case, however, as there are a whole bunch of unknowns like your date of birth, what physical damage coverage deductibles you want, and if you want full coverage, that all help calculate your car insurance rates. This article delves into the best ways to shop for cheaper coverage and educate you enough to have a good beginning to your search for cheaper coverage.
The car, truck, or SUV requiring coverage is a large consideration when shopping for low-cost car insurance for homeowners. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, good crash test ratings, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost less to insure than higher performance models. The next list ranks auto insurance prices for the cheaper vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,211 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $1,319 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Super Cab 2WD | $1,346 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,386 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $1,389 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $1,403 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,415 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,425 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,415 |
| Nissan Rogue S 2WD | $1,418 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $1,434 |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Regular Cab 2WD | $1,439 |
| Ford F-350 XL Crew Cab King Ranch 2WD | $1,449 |
| Honda Odyssey EX | $1,487 |
| Hyundai Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,493 |
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Data rating is based on single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-policy. Prices do not factor in specific garaging location which can modify premium rates considerably.
Looking at the data, you can conclude that makes and models like the Hyundai Elantra, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford F-150, Ford Escape, and Toyota Corolla will be some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for people who own their homes.
One of the more important things that determine the price you pay for insurance is where you call home. Areas with a lot of weather claims or more people will most likely pay more, whereas areas that tend to be more rural benefit from having to pay less for coverage.
The information below sorts the highest-priced areas in Pennsylvania for homeowners to purchase auto insurance in. Pittsburgh makes the list at #10 costing $1,085 for coverage, which is around $90 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $1,997 |
| 2 | Drexel Hill | $1,504 |
| 3 | Chester | $1,421 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,421 |
| 5 | Norristown | $1,268 |
| 6 | Allentown | $1,130 |
| 7 | Municipality of Monr | $1,091 |
| 8 | Easton | $1,091 |
| 9 | Bethlehem | $1,087 |
| 10 | Pittsburgh | $1,085 |
| 11 | Erie | $1,082 |
| 12 | Plum | $1,079 |
| 13 | Reading | $1,077 |
| 14 | New Castle | $1,057 |
| 15 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,047 |
| 16 | Hazleton | $1,046 |
| 17 | Scranton | $1,039 |
| 18 | Altoona | $1,002 |
| 19 | Harrisburg | $995 |
| 20 | Bethel Park | $989 |
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Annual rates are comparative as the vehicle garaging location can lower or raise insurance rates noticeably.
Does full coverage make sense?
Lowering the price of car insurance is important to most people, and one easy way to lower the cost of insurance for homeowners is to only pay for liability coverage. The example below compares annual premium costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in Pennsylvania. The rate quotes are based on no violations or claims, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.
If we average all the age groups together, full coverage costs $1,554 per year more than buying just liability insurance. That is a big expense that brings up the question if you should buy full coverage. There is no exact rule to drop full coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s replacement cost is $8,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $7,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying over $700 a year for your policy with full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
Discounts on Pittsburgh car insurance rates
Car insurance companies that provide coverage for homeowners may also provide policy discounts that could lower prices by as much as 25% or more if you meet specific eligibility requirements. Popular car insurance companies and their offered discounts are included below.
- GEICO may include discounts for emergency military deployment, military active duty, defensive driver, federal employee, and daytime running lights.
- Auto-Owners Insurance has discounts for paperless, multiple vehicles, anti-lock brakes, air bags, safe driver, group or association, and company car.
- American Family offers discounts for good student, defensive driver, good driver, multi-vehicle, early bird, and accident-free.
- Esurance offers premium reductions for safety device, online quote, good driver, online shopper, multi-policy, and emergency road assistance.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including multi-vehicle, good student, multi-policy, homeowner, and online quote discount.
- State Farm discounts include driver’s education, student away at school, good driver, multiple autos, and accident-free.
- AAA includes discounts for AAA membership discount, multi-policy, anti-theft, good driver, good student, pay-in-full, and education and occupation.
The diagram below shows the difference between insurance premiums with and without discounts applied to the premium. The prices are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the average annual price with no discounts. The second shows the rates with vehicle safety, multiple vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, marriage, and homeowner discounts applied. When these discounts are applied to the policy premium, the average savings per year on car insurance for homeowners is 28% or $431.
What aren’t you shopping around?
Pittsburgh car insurance rates are calculated based on many things that control your annual premium. Simply having another birthday, becoming a homeowner, or having an accident can cause premium changes resulting in some rates now being cheaper than before. Not only may your risk profile change, but companies amend pricing as needed to adjust for heavy claims or excess profits. Heavier than normal losses may cause a rate increase, while lower claim levels can result in cheaper Pittsburgh car insurance rates.
To help illustrate this point, the graph below shows the cheapest car insurance in Pittsburgh, PA for a 45-year-old male driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and a good credit rating. When quoting prices based on his current risk factors, General Casualty offers the most affordable car insurance rates in Pittsburgh at $870 annually. This is $787 less than the average rate paid by Pennsylvania drivers of $1,657. Erie, USAA, Travelers, and Penn National are also included in the most affordable Pittsburgh, PA auto insurance companies.
In the next rate comparison, we’ll give the driver from the first example a chargeable accident, a lower credit score, and a few traffic violations. Because each insurer uses their own formula for determining rates in each state, comparing quotes could now result in a completely different list of companies as shown below.
Auto-Owners now has the best price on car insurance in Pittsburgh, PA with Atlantic States, Erie, Donegal Mutual, and USAA now rounding out the top five. This example proves why drivers need to take the time to shop around when trying to get the most economical insurance rates for homeowners. Auto insurance prices are influenced by many different factors and change frequently, so the most economical option when you bought your policy may now be wasting a lot of money.
How to find low-cost auto insurance for homeowners
It is possible to find better rates, and here are many thrifty solutions that can help drivers buy cheap auto insurance.
- Safer vehicles generally have cheaper insurance rates
- Raise deductibles
- You will pay more if you get tickets or have at-fault accidents
- Increase your credit rating
- Maintain a safe distance and avoid accidents
- Full coverage may not be needed on older vehicles
- Compare rates once a year for cheaper prices
The last tip is highly critical, as was stressed in this piece. Auto insurance prices can change significantly in a year, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to switch companies if a better rate can be found. Having a favorite company is fine, but it isn’t a good idea if that dedication is costing a lot of money. Take a few minutes and compare rates to find cheaper auto insurance for homeowners in Pittsburgh.