If you drive in Pennsylvania, you know how crazy it gets out there. Accidents
happen, fenders get bent, people get hurt. Or you're innocently parked in your
driveway and a tree limb crashes through your windshield. When disaster strikes,
auto insurance is there to protect you.
Why buy auto insurance in Pennsylvania?
1.) Auto insurance protects you against the financial risk
associated with personal injuries and property damage caused by auto accidents,
theft, vandalism, or natural disasters.
2.) Pennsylvania requires you to purchase at least a minimum
amount of liability coverage. Other types of auto insurance coverage may be
optional or required, depending on state regulations.
3.) If you have a car loan outstanding, you'll generally be
required by the lender to purchase at least a minimum amount of auto insurance.
Liability coverage
Pennsylvania law requires you to purchase a minimum amount of some or all of the
following types of liability coverage:
- Bodily injury liability: Protects your assets
if you are held liable for an auto accident in which other people are injured
or killed.
- Property damage liability: Covers repairing or
replacing the autos or other property of other people.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Unless
you live in a "no-fault" state (where your own insurance will cover
your losses), this coverage insures you against losses caused by other drivers
with little (underinsured) or no (uninsured) auto insurance.
To adequately protect yourself, you may want to purchase much more than the
minimum amount of coverage required for Pennsylvania.
Collision, other-than-collision, and medical payments coverages
Although these types of coverage are optional in most states, it often makes
sense to purchase them, unless you can afford to pay for damages yourself.
- Collision: Pays to repair or replace your car
if it's damaged in an accident.
- Comprehensive: Insures your car against damage
caused by something other than an auto accident (e.g., theft, fire, flood,
vandalism).
- Medical payments or personal injury protection:
Covers various medical expenses not covered by your health insurance or your
passengers'.
Driving a good bargain
Many factors affect your auto insurance premiums, including your age, the state
in which you live, the make and model of your car, where your car is garaged,
and your driving record. Although you can't do much about some of these factors,
here are some things you can do to help lower your premiums:
- Increase your insurance deductible.
- Eliminate optional coverages (e.g., towing and labor, rental insurance)
from your auto insurance.
- Eliminate collision and comprehensive coverage if you drive an older car
valued at less than $1,000 and could afford to pay for repairs if necessary.
- Ask about available discounts (e.g., low-mileage discounts, discounts for
safety or antitheft devices) for your auto insurance.
- Avoid buying a vehicle that is prone to theft or expensive to repair.
- Keep your car in a garage.
- Drive safely to establish a good driving record.
Please note that this description/explanation is intended only
as a guideline.