Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania for a bad driving record

Drivers with a poor record in Pennsylvania will find the lowest rates from Travelers, Erie Insurance and Nationwide. Among these, Travelers provides the lowest annual premiumThe payment required for an insurance policy to remain in force. Auto insurance premiums are quoted for either 6-month or annual policy periods. at $1,462 annually.

If you have accidents, DUIs or traffic tickets on your driving record, you'll likely pay higher insurance rates. Most traffic violations can impact your rates for three to five years, while a DUI can raise your rates for up to 10 years and may remain on your record for life.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for high-risk driver
Travelers$952$1,462
Erie Insurance$1,550$2,315
Nationwide$1,196$2,357
Progressive$2,193$3,188
GEICO$2,308$3,711
State Farm$2,473$3,948
Allstate$2,503$4,177
USAA$1,806$2,152

How much is high-risk car insurance in Pennsylvania?

A problematic driving record or poor credit score may mean higher insurance rates, but affordable options exist. In Pennsylvania, high-risk car insurance costs $3,036 per year. However, you can get rates as low as $1,462 annually from Travelers.

Many things can make you a high-risk driver, but some affect your rates more than others. For example, having multiple speeding tickets or a ticket for speeding in a school zone will increase your rates more than a single basic speeding ticket.

Read on as we explain high-risk car insurance factors and rates below.

Select your state and risk factor below to see the insurance company and its
average annual full coverage rates.

Average annual car insurance rate for At-fault bodily injury accident in Pennsylvania, PA is $3,205
Show Graph View
CompanyAnnual premium for clean recordAnnual premium after violation
Travelers$952$1,250
Nationwide$1,196$1,961
Erie Insurance$1,550$2,115
USAA$1,806$2,662
State Farm$2,473$2,865
Progressive$2,193$3,379
Allstate$2,503$3,513
GEICO$2,308$3,708
Average annual rate

PEOPLE ASK:

Who is considered high-risk for insurance in Pennsylvania?

Each insurance company has its own rules for deciding who is a high-risk driver. But usually, things like a DUI, several tickets or accidents, or serious violations like reckless driving will put you in the high-risk category.

Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania with a DUI

While many insurers offer coverage after a DUI, Travelers provides the average cheapest coverage for $1,347 annually.

A DUI is one of the most serious traffic violations to have on your record. Not only do you have to pay fines, but you'll also see vastly higher car insurance rates for up to 10 years. Multiple DUIs will cause your premiums to skyrocket.

The table below compares average car insurance rates with a clean driving record and rates after a DUI in Pennsylvania.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for a DUI
Travelers$952$1,347
Erie Insurance$1,550$2,498
Progressive$2,193$2,645
State Farm$2,473$2,646
Nationwide$1,196$3,010
GEICO$2,308$3,852
USAA$1,806$2,425

Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania with multiple tickets

The cheapest insurer for drivers with multiple tickets is Travelers, with rates averaging $1,160 annually or $97 monthly.

One ticket will affect car insurance rates, but multiple tickets will increase rates by a lot more. Repeated failure to obey speed limits and traffic laws means insurers are more likely to pay claims because of your risky driving.

This table shows Pennsylvania drivers how much multiple tickets increase premiums.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium with a speeding ticket
Travelers$952$1,160
Erie Insurance$1,550$1,733
Nationwide$1,196$2,160
State Farm$2,473$2,646
GEICO$2,308$3,541
USAA$1,806$2,022

Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania with a reckless driving conviction

Travelers has the cheapest rates for drivers with reckless driving convictions at $1,347 a year.

If you engage in hazardous driving behaviors that endanger others, you may be charged with reckless driving. A reckless driving conviction will increase your car insurance rates.

The table below shows car insurance rates for drivers with a clean record vs. drivers with a reckless driving conviction.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for reckless driving
Travelers$952$1,347
Erie Insurance$1,550$2,498
State Farm$2,473$2,646
Nationwide$1,196$3,010
Progressive$2,193$3,132
GEICO$2,308$3,596
USAA$1,806$2,271

Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania with bad credit

The cheapest Pennsylvania insurer for bad credit is Nationwide, with rates averaging $1,642 per year or $137 per month. The good news is that drivers with bad credit can still get affordable auto insurance.

Your credit score may not be related to your driving skills, but it can affect your car insurance rates and put you in a higher-risk category. From an insurer's perspective, higher risk means an increased chance of filing a claimAn insurance claim is a request you make to your insurance company for coverage after your car is damaged or you have an accident. You can file a claim online, by phone, or in writing., and statistics show that drivers with lower credit scores are in this category.

Check the table below to see how your credit score affects Pennsylvania car insurance.

CompanyAnnual premium for good creditAnnual premium for bad credit
Nationwide$1,196$1,642
Travelers$952$2,600
Erie Insurance$1,550$3,694
Progressive$2,193$3,788
Allstate$2,503$4,177
GEICO$2,308$4,194
State Farm$2,473$10,456

Cheapest car insurance after an accident in Pennsylvania

Travelers has the lowest average rates after an accident at $1,241 a year. Nationwide also offers affordable rates, averaging $1,961 per year.

Drivers with accidents on their driving records see higher rates than drivers who avoid crashes. While car insurance increases after one accident, multiple accidents significantly increase rates.

This table compares rates for drivers with a clean driving record, one at-fault accident, and multiple accidents.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for one at-fault accidentAnnual premium for multiple accident
Travelers$952$1,241$1,524
Nationwide$1,196$1,961$2,735
Erie Insurance$1,550$1,988$2,115
State Farm$2,473$2,792$2,865
Progressive$2,193$3,379$3,970
Allstate$2,503$3,513$4,813
GEICO$2,308$3,708$5,441
USAA$1,806$2,662$3,910

Cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania by city

York has the cheapest car insurance rates in Pennsylvania at $2,687 per year. But the most expensive city is Philadelphia with rates of $4,521 per year.

Your location in Pennsylvania also matters. For example, if you live in an area with heavy traffic or a high vehicle theft rate, rates will reflect the increased chance of claims.

CityAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for high-risk driver
York$1,647$2,687
Farrell$1,752$2,816
Nanticoke$1,745$2,821
Lancaster$1,763$2,875
West Mifflin$1,795$2,904
Easton$1,820$2,955
Derry$1,856$2,975
Pittsburgh$1,933$3,129
Brookhaven$2,238$3,662
Philadelphia$2,782$4,521

How to reduce car insurance rates in Pennsylvania for a bad driving record

Finding affordable car insurance in Pennsylvania is possible, even with a bad driving record. Ways to lower car insurance rates include:

Where you live in Pennsylvania also affects car insurance rates. For example, if you live in a high-traffic or high-theft area, rates will increase because your vehicle is more likely to be damaged or stolen.

  • Carefully consider filing claims. Paying for minor damage out of pocket may be cheaper than filing an insurance claim and increasing rates for years.
  • Avoid costly infractions. Drive carefully to avoid adding traffic infractions to your record. Tickets only affect insurance rates for a few years, which will decrease if more tickets aren't added.
  • Improve your credit score. Raising your credit score lowers car insurance rates. Make on-time payments and consider credit usage to improve your rating.
  • Take a defensive driving course. Many insurance companies offer a discount for doing so, and some states remove driver's license points for successfully completing the class.
  • Shop around for coverage. Every car insurance company weighs factors differently and offers different rates. Compare quotes to find the cheapest rates.

PEOPLE ASK:

How long are you considered a high-risk driver in Pennsylvania?

Three years is common, but how long you are considered a high-risk driver in California depends on the insurance company's guidelines. The state determines how long a violation stays on your record, but the insurance company determines how long you're charged for that violation.

Methodology

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170+

insurance companies analyzed

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34,000+

ZIP codes examined

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$53M

insurance quotes analyzed

National and state average rates are based on three coverage levels: state minimum, 50/100/50 liability-only, and full coverage with 100/300/100 liability and $500 deductibles.

All base rate averages are based on our full coverage data set. This data set is based on:

  • Bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per incident
  • Property damage liability of $100,000 per incident
  • Comprehensive and collision deductibles of $500
  • 40-year-old driver
  • Honda Accord LX
  • Good credit
  • A clean driving record
  • 12-mile commute, 10,000 annual mileage

Our data is then adjusted to reflect the rate increase from this base rate for the following infractions and issue:

  • DUI
  • Reckless driving
  • Multiple speeding tickets
  • Bad credit
  • One at-fault accident over $2,000

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