The words “cheap” and “insurance” really don’t belong together, specifically when you are looking for the lowest insurance rates for drivers under 21. To help control this cost, let’s familiarize you with a few of the factors that have a considerable impact on auto insurance prices, and see if we can help you reduce the cost of the next policy you buy.
One of the many considerations that are used to help calculate the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where your residence is. Areas with a lot of weather claims or more people are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with less congestion have the benefit of cheaper auto insurance prices.
The illustration below lists the most expensive cities in Pennsylvania for drivers under 21 to purchase auto insurance in. Pittsburgh comes in at #7 with an annual premium of $1,095 for the average policyholder, which is around $91 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $2,057 |
| 2 | Drexel Hill | $1,549 |
| 3 | Chester | $1,379 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,379 |
| 5 | Norristown | $1,320 |
| 6 | Allentown | $1,130 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh | $1,095 |
| 8 | Municipality of Monr | $1,091 |
| 9 | Plum | $1,089 |
| 10 | Hazleton | $1,088 |
| 11 | Bethlehem | $1,087 |
| 12 | Erie | $1,082 |
| 13 | Scranton | $1,071 |
| 14 | Reading | $1,066 |
| 15 | Easton | $1,058 |
| 16 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,057 |
| 17 | New Castle | $1,057 |
| 18 | Harrisburg | $1,025 |
| 19 | Altoona | $1,002 |
| 20 | Lancaster | $995 |
| 21 | Bethel Park | $989 |
| 22 | Williamsport | $966 |
| 23 | York | $954 |
| 24 | Lebanon | $922 |
| 25 | State College | $878 |
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Information shown are comparative as zip code location can influence price quotes significantly.
The make and model of vehicle you are seeking coverage for is one of the largest considerations when quoting the best cheap insurance for drivers under 21. Vehicles with lots of speed or power, poor safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost much more to insure than more economical and safe models. The next list illustrates auto insurance costs for some of the cheapest vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $3,853 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $3,858 |
| Toyota Prius | $4,166 |
| Ford Edge SEL AWD | $4,464 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Regular Cab 2WD | $4,514 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $4,523 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $4,514 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $4,521 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $4,514 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $4,563 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $4,573 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $4,563 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $4,569 |
| Honda Civic LX 4-Dr Sedan | $4,730 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $4,739 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Crew Cab 4WD | $4,829 |
| Nissan Altima Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $4,838 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Regular Cab 4WD | $4,829 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $4,839 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $4,829 |
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Data rating is based on single male driver age 19, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in specific Pittsburgh, PA garaging location which can raise or lower coverage prices greatly.
Looking at the rates, we can assume that cars like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Toyota Prius, Ford Edge, and GMC Sierra are going to be the cheaper vehicles to insure for minors. The price for an auto insurance policy will tend to be higher just due to the fact that there is more liability risk for drivers under 21, but generally speaking those particular vehicles will have the lowest prices compared to other types of vehicles.
Finding out which companies have the cheapest auto insurance rates for drivers under 21 takes a bit more effort in order to find the most economical policy. Each insurer uses their own calculation to set premium rates, so let’s take a look at the overall cheapest auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania.
We do need to point out that Pittsburgh auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially change the price of your policy. Simply improving your credit, buying a different vehicle, or getting a ticket for careless driving can produce rate changes resulting in some rates now being affordable when they were higher priced.
Find Cheaper Car Insurance for Minors
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Casualty | $740 |
| 2 | Erie | $800 |
| 3 | USAA | $809 |
| 4 | Travelers | $811 |
| 5 | Penn National | $832 |
| 6 | Auto-Owners | $973 |
| 7 | Amica | $992 |
| 8 | Atlantic States | $1,047 |
| 9 | Donegal Mutual | $1,069 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,123 |
| 11 | Allied | $1,179 |
| 12 | State Farm | $1,210 |
| 13 | State Auto | $1,229 |
| 14 | California Casualty | $1,234 |
| 15 | Encompass | $1,385 |
| 16 | Mutual Benefit Group | $1,397 |
| 17 | Harleysville | $1,410 |
| 18 | Progressive | $1,429 |
| 19 | Nationwide | $1,447 |
| 20 | Chubb | $1,536 |
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General Casualty generally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in Pittsburgh at around $740 a year. This is $917 less than the average policy premium paid by Pennsylvania drivers of $1,657. Erie, USAA, Travelers, and Penn National also qualify as some of the cheaper Pittsburgh, PA insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you are a customer of USAA and switched to General Casualty, you might realize yearly savings of in the neighborhood of $69. Policyholders with Travelers could save as much as $71 a year, and Penn National policyholders might cut rates by $92 a year.
Remember that these estimates are averages across all insureds and vehicles and do not factor in a specific location for drivers under 21. So the auto insurance company that fits your needs best may not even be in the list above. That’s why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own individual information.
Get discount Pittsburgh car insurance
Car insurance companies that offer coverage for drivers under 21 could also offer special discounts that may potentially lower prices by 35% or more if you are eligible to receive them. Larger auto insurance companies and some of the discounts are included below.
- 21st Century has savings for 55 and older, anti-lock brakes, theft prevention, defensive driver, early bird, good student, and student driver.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for driver’s education, defensive driving training, passive restraint, safe vehicle, multiple autos, accident-free, and good student.
- AAA offers discounts for good student, AAA membership discount, multi-policy, pay-in-full, and multi-car.
- Liberty Mutual may offer discounts for teen driver discount, hybrid vehicle, newly married, multi-car, and new move discount.
- Progressive offers discounts including good student, multi-vehicle, homeowner, continuous coverage, online quote discount, online signing, and multi-policy.
The chart below visualizes the comparison of insurance prices with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The rates are based on a male driver, no accidents or driving violations, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with marriage, safe-driver, accident-free, anti-theft, defensive driving course, and multiple vehicle discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, theaverage yearly reduction on auto insurance for drivers under 21 is 28% or $628.
The example below shows how choosing a deductible can impact insurance costs when trying to find cheap insurance for drivers under 21. Data assumes a married male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
The chart above illustrates that a 30-year-old driver could lower their policy premium by $342 a year by switching from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $516 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, such as the 20-year-old chart data, could drop their prices up to $1,042 annually by using higher deductibles when buying full coverage.
If you do raise deductibles, it will be important to have spare funds to enable you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense. That is the one disadvantage of using higher deductibles.
The importance of comparing Pittsburgh car insurance rates
Pennsylvania auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially change the price you have to pay. Turning one year older, buying a different home, or getting a driving violation may prompt premium changes that can make some companies much cheaper than others. In addition to those changes, insurers file new rates as often as every quarter to reflect underwriting profits or losses. Heavy losses can result in price increases, while better underwriting can produce lower-cost Pittsburgh car insurance rates.
As an example, the chart below shows the cheapest car insurance in Pittsburgh, PA for a 45-year-old female driver with no prior accidents, a clean driving record, and a good credit rating. When quoting prices based on her current risk factors, General Casualty may offer the cheapest car insurance rates in Pittsburgh at $905 per year. This is $752 less than the average price paid by Pennsylvania drivers of $1,657. USAA, Travelers, Penn National, and Erie round out the rest of the cheapest Pittsburgh, PA auto insurance companies.
Let’s now give the driver in the first example an accident surcharge, poor credit, and a stop sign violation. Because each insurer has a proprietary formula to determining premium rates, analyzing rate quotes may now show a different ranking of affordable companies as shown below.
Atlantic States now has the lowest car insurance rate in Pittsburgh, PA with Amica, Donegal Mutual, USAA, and Penn National also being competitive. This example shows why it is so important to shop around with many companies when trying to get the most budget-friendly insurance quotes for drivers under 21. Prices are calculated by many different factors and change substantially, so the lowest-price company six months ago may now be quite expensive.
If you have coverage questions and would like to get help from a professional when shopping for the best coverage for drivers under 21, the agents below can help you determine which is the best policy.
To locate a Pittsburgh car insurance agency by location nearest to you, click the button at the bottom of the list or click here to compare price quotes now.
Hurley Insurance Brokers
3508 Fifth Ave – Pittsburgh, PA 15213 – (412) 682-6100
John Cosey – State Farm Insurance Agent
5869 Forbes Ave – Pittsburgh, PA 15217 – (412) 521-7070
David Masters – State Farm Insurance Agent
1900 Murray Ave – Pittsburgh, PA 15217 – (412) 422-1616
J.S. Smith Insurance Agency
101 Bellevue Rd Suite 02 – Pittsburgh, PA 15229 – (412) 931-6070
Nalley Insurance Agency LLC
3349 Babcock Blvd – Pittsburgh, PA 15237 – (412) 366-5223
View more Pittsburgh, PA insurance agents
Tips for buying budget-friendly car insurance for drivers under 21
It is possible to find better rates, and here are many money-saving ideas that can help drivers locate cheap car insurance.
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure
- Avoid having at-fault accidents
- Do not pay for comprehensive and collision coverage on older vehicles
- Save money by bundling your home and auto policies
- Improve your credit
- Keep rates low by comparing prices once a year
That last piece of advice is very vital, as we hit on in this piece. Coverage rates change constantly, so drivers shouldn’t hesitate to change to a new company if a more affordable price is available. Being loyal to a particular company is commendable, but it’s not a great idea if your bullheadedness ends up costing you lots of money. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to compare prices and find cheaper auto insurance for drivers under 21 in Pittsburgh.