You’ve seen the catchy commercials from companies like Allstate and Progressive promising enormous savings. So drivers just need to select the one with the best jingle, right?
It’s not quite that easy, unfortunately, as there are a whole slew of unknowns like the type of vehicle you drive, what coverage limits you want, and your financial stability, that all impact the cost of your policy. In this article, we will cover some of these things and will give you a good start in finding the cheapest insurance in Pennsylvania.
For student drivers, one of the big components that aid in calculating auto insurance rates is where you keep your vehicle in Philadelphia. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims are more likely to pay higher prices, whereas areas with less people or fewer weather incidents tend to receive slightly lower rates.
The illustration below rates the most expensive cities in Pennsylvania for good students to buy car insurance in. Philadelphia ranks #1 with the yearly price of $2,057 for car insurance, which is about $171 each month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $2,057 |
| 2 | Drexel Hill | $1,534 |
| 3 | Chester | $1,421 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,421 |
| 5 | Norristown | $1,307 |
| 6 | Reading | $1,110 |
| 7 | Allentown | $1,108 |
| 8 | Erie | $1,104 |
| 9 | Municipality of Monr | $1,081 |
| 10 | Hazleton | $1,078 |
| 11 | Easton | $1,058 |
| 12 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,057 |
| 13 | Plum | $1,057 |
| 14 | Pittsburgh | $1,053 |
| 15 | New Castle | $1,046 |
| 16 | Bethlehem | $1,045 |
| 17 | Scranton | $1,039 |
| 18 | Altoona | $1,012 |
| 19 | Lancaster | $995 |
| 20 | Harrisburg | $995 |
| 21 | Williamsport | $986 |
| 22 | Bethel Park | $979 |
| 23 | Lebanon | $932 |
| 24 | York | $926 |
| 25 | State College | $896 |
| Get a Custom Quote Go | ||
Prices are approximated as the specific geographic location can increase or decrease premiums substantially.
The make and model of vehicle driven is a significant factor when quoting low-cost auto insurance for good students. Vehicles with high performance engines, poor passenger safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than more modest models. The data below illustrates auto insurance rates for a selection of the most affordable vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $18,020 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $18,193 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $18,988 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $19,293 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $19,302 |
| Toyota Prius | $19,465 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Super Cab 4WD | $20,438 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $21,193 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $21,366 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD | $21,372 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $21,366 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $21,538 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4WD | $21,543 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $21,538 |
| Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $22,297 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L W/Rear Entertainment | $22,470 |
| Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $22,479 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $22,470 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Extended Cab 4WD | $22,643 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD | $22,653 |
| Honda Civic Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $22,643 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T 4-Dr Sedan | $22,653 |
| Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab ST 2WD | $22,984 |
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Table data represents single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in specific Philadelphia, PA garaging location which can raise or lower coverage rates significantly.
Looking at the data, you can figure that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Jeep Wrangler are some of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for student drivers.
Locating cost effective insurance is difficult, and deciding which company quotes the cheapest auto insurance rates for good students involves additional perseverance.
Each auto insurer has a different formula to set policy rates, so first we will examine the auto insurance companies with the most affordable rates in Philadelphia.
Best Auto Insurance Prices for Students
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Casualty | $740 |
| 2 | USAA | $809 |
| 3 | Travelers | $811 |
| 4 | Penn National | $816 |
| 5 | Erie | $824 |
| 6 | Amica | $982 |
| 7 | Auto-Owners | $1,003 |
| 8 | Atlantic States | $1,047 |
| 9 | Donegal Mutual | $1,091 |
| 10 | GEICO | $1,123 |
| 11 | Allied | $1,155 |
| 12 | State Farm | $1,174 |
| 13 | California Casualty | $1,234 |
| 14 | State Auto | $1,267 |
| 15 | Encompass | $1,398 |
| 16 | Mutual Benefit Group | $1,411 |
| 17 | Harleysville | $1,438 |
| 18 | Progressive | $1,472 |
| 19 | Nationwide | $1,477 |
| 20 | Chubb | $1,583 |
| Get a Custom Quote Go | ||
General Casualty may offer some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Philadelphia at around $740 each year. This is $917 less than the average price paid by Pennsylvania drivers of $1,657. USAA, Travelers, Penn National, and Erie also are some of the cheapest Philadelphia, PA insurance companies.
As shown in the table above, if you currently have a policy with Penn National and switched to USAA, you might see a yearly savings of roughly $7. Pennsylvania drivers with Erie might save as much as $15 a year, and Amica policyholders might reduce rates by $173 a year.
It’s important to note that these prices are averages across all drivers and vehicles in Pennsylvania and and are not figured with an exact zip code location for good students. So the company that fits you best may not even be in the top 30 companies shown above. That points out the importance of why you need to compare prices as often as possible using your own individual information.
Get discounts on Philadelphia insurance
Car insurance companies that sell policies for good students may provide policy discounts that could reduce prices by 40% or more if you qualify. A few popular companies and the discounts they provide are included below.
- GEICO may have discounts that include driver training, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, and defensive driver.
- SAFECO may offer discounts for teen safety rewards, multi-car, bundle discounts, anti-theft, teen safe driver, and anti-lock brakes.
- State Farm has discounts for anti-theft, passive restraint, driver’s education, student away at school, multiple policy, and multiple autos.
- MetLife offers discounts including good student, claim-free, multi-policy, accident-free, and good driver.
- 21st Century policyholders can earn discounts including 55 and older, air bags, good student, defensive driver, student driver, and teen driver.
- Progressive discounts include multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, online signing, and good student.
The illustration below compares insurance rates with and without discounts applied. The premium estimates are based on a male driver, no claims or violations, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the average annual price with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with good student, continuous coverage, paperless filing, passive restraint, anti-theft, and vehicle safety discounts applied. In this example, the average savings per year on auto insurance for good students is 28% or $571.
Illustration showing the impact of accidents and violations
The obvious way to receive the most affordable auto insurance premiums for student drivers is to drive cautiously and not get tickets or have accidents. The information below illustrates how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions can increase insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The data is based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
In the example above, the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with no violations or accidents is $1,458. Get two speeding tickets and the average cost jumps to $2,075, an increase of $617 each year. Now add two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of auto insurance for good students increases to an average of $4,263. That’s an increase of $2,804, or $234 per month, just for being a less-than-perfect driver!
The importance of shopping around
Philadelphia auto insurance rates are influenced by many factors that will increase or decrease the cost of coverage. Simply turning a year older, having a teen driver, or getting a reckless driving citation can trigger rate changes resulting in some rates now being cheaper than others. Also, car insurance companies change prices at least once a year as an adjustment for underwriting gains or losses. Higher than normal claim frequency or severity can result in higher rates, while lower claim levels may cause more affordable Philadelphia car insurance rates.
As an example, the chart below shows which companies have the cheapest car insurance in Philadelphia, PA for a 40-year-old male driver with no accidents or violations, and good financial standing. Based on his current rating profile, General Casualty may offer the lowest car insurance rates in Philadelphia at $1,633 annually. This is $24 less than the average rate paid by Pennsylvania drivers of $1,657. Travelers, USAA, Erie, and Penn National also make the list of the best Philadelphia, PA auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver from the first example a claim or two, bad credit, and a few blemishes on his driving record. Due to the fact that every auto insurer uses their own formula to determining premium rates, comparing rates may now result in a different ranking of the cheapest car insurance companies in Philadelphia as shown below.
Amica now has the best price in Philadelphia, PA with Atlantic States, Donegal Mutual, Allied, and Travelers completing the list. This example shows why Pennsylvania drivers need to compare rates to find cheap auto insurance rates for good students. Auto insurance prices are made up of many risk factors and change frequently, so the lowest-price company the last time you shopped around may now not even be in the top five.
How to find more affordable insurance for good students
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are some of the recommended money-saving ideas that can help you get cheap coverage.
- Avoid filing small claims
- Increase your physical damage deductibles
- Serious violations like DUI or careless driving can make car insurance unaffordable
- Save money by insuring older vehicles for liability only
- Accident-free drivers may qualify for discounts
- Check for cheaper rates once a year
The last suggestion is extremely crucial, as we stressed in the article above. Rates in Philadelphia can be changed at any time, so don’t be hesitant to buy a different policy if you can find a cheaper rate. Having a favorite company is great, but it’s not recommended if that inflexibility results in costing you a lot of money every month. Now is a great time to compare prices to find cheaper car insurance for good students.