It can be difficult to find Pennsylvania auto insurance which is affordable but still provides you with quality coverage. Fortunately the growth of the internet has made finding auto insurance much easier and by doing your online homework you can save yourself a lot of money through comparative shopping. Below you can find some helpful tips which will get you on your way to finding the best auto insurance in the Keystone State:
The Basics:
- Pennsylvania is a “choice no-fault” state which allows drivers to choose between “full tort” and “limited tort” coverage. “Full tort” comes at a higher premium and allows owners to sue for pain and suffering, no matter what the amount of the damages. In contrast, “limited tort” comes at a lower premium but you give up your rights to sue for pain and suffering unless you are seriously injured and your medical expenses exceed a specified limit.
- In Pennsylvania at a minimum your insurance must cover $15,000 for bodily injury to one person per accident, $30,000 for bodily injury to two or more people per accident and $5,000 for property/vehicle damage. You are also required to have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) for at least $5,000. PIP will pay for all of your “reasonable and necessary” medical expenses for you and your passengers up to the specified limit.
- The minimum required Pennsylvania auto insurance may not cover you if you are hit by an uninsured motorist or are the victim of a hit-and run. Uninsured insurance is an optional add-on which will cover you in these situations. In 2007 it was estimated that 7% of drivers were uninsured, significantly lower than in many other states.
- Collision coverage is an optional add-on which will pay for any damage which is done to your vehicle, regardless of fault. It usually comes with a deductible, meaning that you pay up to the amount of your deductible and then your insurance company will cover the remainder of the costs. If the accident was not your fault then your insurance company will usually try to claim the deductible from the responsible party.
- Comprehensive coverage is an optional add-on and will provide protection to you if your vehicle is stolen or damaged, even if it is not in a traffic accident or you are in a crash with an uninsured driver.
- The average cost of Pennsylvania auto insurance in 2010 was $1,420 in 2010 while the national average was $1,538.
How to find the best Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Online
Once upon a time locating the best auto insurance was both time-consuming and complicated. You had to phone around to different auto insurance companies and try to haggle for the best quote possible out of each agent. Fortunately the internet has made the process much easier by taking care of most of the grunt work for you. It is now extremely easy to compare Pennsylvania’s leading auto insurance companies quickly and accurately online. Because insurance rates can range as much as 300%, making sure that you perform meticulous online research is important to finding the best policy for you.
Pennsylvania auto insurance rates depend on a wide variety of factors so what each person should expect depends upon their individual circumstances. Here are a few valuable tips to help you find a policy which provides you with the coverage you want, at a price you can afford:
- Auto insurance providers will usually give substantial discounts to groups such as people with perfect driving records or students who they are trying attract as customers. Always check to see if you qualify for any of these discounts.
- Always give insurance companies as many relevant details as possible so that you don’t receive an inaccurate quote or miss out on a discount.
- Anti-theft devices will often lower your premium making them well worth the relatively small investment.
- Raising the amount of the deductible will lower your premiums however don’t increase them to a level which you cannot afford should an accident occur.
- Auto insurance rates fluctuate on a regular basis so try to have a look at online trend graphs in order to figure out when is the optimal time to buy.
- The gender of the primary driver of a particular vehicle as well as its make and model are an important consideration when auto insurance companies calculate the price of your policy. You can use this to your advantage by making the primary insured driver of each vehicle a specific member of the family. For example, females often pay much lower premiums as the primary insured driver of trucks and off-road vehicles than men whereas teenagers or new drivers will pay far less insurance driving a safer vehicle like a family mini-van than a sports car or motorcycle.
In order to locate the best Pennsylvania auto insurance rates in the Quaker State look on the internet to compare the different providers and locate the best deals. With careful research you can find an insurance policy which is will fit your budget and ensure that you and your family are covered in case of an accident.