When should you carry minimum coverage vs. full coverage?

We recommend a full coverage policy for most types of drivers. If you buy only the minimum car insurance in Pennsylvania, you likely won’t have enough coverage to pay for an expensive accident that you cause. You also won’t have any coverage for damage to your own vehicle (which is included in comprehensive and collision coverage).

Consider minimum coverage only if you have no assets to lose in a lawsuit and you can’t afford a better policy.

Recent Pennsylvania legislation that could affect car insurance rates

Pennsylvania recently passed new legislation around how auto insurers can raise rates after an at-fault accident: 

Increase in threshold for auto accident premium hikes (56 Pa.B. 156). Effective July 1, 2026, insurers must change their threshold to $2,350 (previously set at $2,250). 

This means that insurers cannot cancel, nonrenew or apply a surcharge to your policy if you cause an accident and the claim is under $2,350.

Pennsylvania car insurance discounts

Pennsylvania law mandates that auto insurance companies provide these car insurance discounts: 

• Antitheft devices. At least 10% off if your car has a passive antitheft device, such as an engine immobilizer. 
• Older adult. Adults age 55 and older can receive at least a 5% discount after completing a qualifying accident-prevention course. The discount is good for three years.
• Passive restraint. Insurers must offer minimum discounts for the following passive-restraint devices:
  • Passive seatbelts: 15%
  • Driver’s side air bag: 20%
  • Two air bags: 30%

How to get the cheapest auto insurance rate

There are several ways to get the best auto insurance in Pennsylvania at a competitive price. 

• Keep a clean driving record. Speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, DUI convictions and other driving-record issues lead to higher rates. Maintaining a clean driving record will keep your car insurance costs down and can lead to other financial perks, such as a diminishing deductible when you make no claims.
• Ask about additional discounts. You might qualify for additional discounts since you originally purchased your policy. For example, if your teen driver receives high grades, you could qualify for a good-student discount. 
• Increase your deductibles. Raising your collision and comprehensive deductibles will lead to lower rates, but it also means you’ll receive less if you file a claim. 
• Drop collision and comprehensive coverage. If your car isn’t worth much more than your collision or comprehensive deductible, it might make sense to drop those coverages since you won’t receive much in a claim payout.
• Try pay-per-mile insurance if you have low mileage. Some insurers offer programs that base your car insurance rates on your mileage. You might save with these programs if you don’t drive very far, like if you work from home. 
• Compare quotes. Comparing car insurance quotes is the only way to know if you’re getting a competitive price from your current insurer. If you haven’t compared quotes in a few years, you might find the differences to be substantial.
• Improve your credit. If you recently improved your credit, ask your insurer if it will run a credit check at renewal. You might see lower rates.
• Ask whether your rates can go up before you enroll in usage-based insurance. Usage-based insurance, which tracks your driving habits, might result in lower rates. Before signing up for usage-based insurance, find out if you could get higher rates if your driving does not score well.