Philadelphia is often known as a city of neighborhoods. An old, diverse, historic East Coast city, Philadelphia has a neighborhood for everyone to feel at home, no matter the race, class or religion of its inhabitants. Known as the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia is filled with passionate people who don’t take any nonsense from anyone. Driving in the city has its own logic – you are more likely to get in an accident if you are overly cautious and slow to move than if you go with the flow of traffic, even if everyone seems like they’re in a rush. Either way, make sure you are covered with car insurance! Use our ZIP code search and compare car insurance for FREE!
The streets of Philadelphia were originally designed for horse and buggy transportation, and cars often find them difficult to traverse. Furthermore, traffic and parking violations are handled by a private agency notorious for tough fees and efficient service. City bureaucracy ensures that moving laws are rigorously enforced. Finally, the recent rise in Philadelphia’s crime rate has caused the police to patrol the streets and enforce laws more forcefully. Be covered from all of the above possibilities by comparing car insurance quotes! Compare car insurance quotes for FREE with our ZIP code search!
Philadelphia is a one-of-a-kind city with its own quirks and challenges. Due to its class diversity, crime rates, historic streets and unique character, it is important to be aware of the city’s insurance laws, driving statistics and average rates before you choose your car insurance provider.
Requirements for Philadelphia Car Insurance
The minimum car insurance requirements for Philadelphia drivers are:
- $15,000/$30,000 Bodily Injury Liability Coverage
- $5,000 Property Damage Liability Coverage
- $5,000 PIP Medical Coverage
Your car insurance provider will know these requirements and will always offer you a policy that fulfills at least these. However, there are possibilities for additional coverage if you are concerned about damages to your car in Philadelphia. These include uninsured motorist coverage, collision coverage and comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured motorist coverage ensures that you will be adequately compensated if you sign up for a Tort policy and someone hits you, is at fault and doesn’t have insurance. This is also a good way to get around the difficulty of sharing the road with No Fault policy holders in Philadelphia. Your rates won’t go up if you have to pay for repairs or bills that aren’t your fault.
Collision coverage will pay for your bills minus a small deductible if you have a car accident in which you are the only person involved. If you collide with a parked car, telephone pole, building or other inanimate object, you will be compensated. This may be a prudent add-on to your car insurance policy due to the narrow streets of the city. It is disturbingly easy to collide with something while trying to manage a tight parallel park with half your car up on the curb.
Comprehensive coverage covers damage to your car as a result of everything that might happen when you’re not actively driving it. This includes theft, vandalism, harsh weather or other “acts of God.” As with collision coverage, you may be required to pay a small deductible in some cases. Depending on where you live and what you drive, you may want to add comprehensive coverage to your car insurance policy.
Average Car Insurance Rates in Philadelphia
Car insurance rates in Philadelphia are much higher than the national or state average. This is perhaps due to the city’s population density, increased levels of crime and more difficult driving conditions. The national average is $1,414 per year, the Pennsylvania car insurance average is $1,306 per year and the Philadelphia average is $2,313 per year. It is important to point out that this statistic includes people who opt in to more expensive levels of coverage or who live in more crime-ridden areas. You are encouraged to get your own quotes from the insurance companies and agencies in Philadelphia for more accurate prices. Your prices may differ significantly from this average.
Laws and Regulations for Philadelphia Insurance
All drivers in the city of Philadelphia are required by law to hold at least the minimum amount of required state car insurance. Failure to do so is a civil infraction that may lead to a 90-day suspension of your driver’s license and vehicle registration. Following this suspension, you are required to present proof of insurance to get your license and registration back.
You should keep a copy of your proof of insurance in the car with you at all times. If you get into an accident or if a police officer pulls you over, you will be required to show it along with your license and registration.
Philadelphia is located in Pennsylvania, which is a Choice No Fault state. This means that you can decide whether you want to sign up for a No Fault insurance policy or a Tort insurance policy. If you do not make this choice when you sign up for your insurance, a Tort policy is the default.
How to Decide Between Tort and No Fault Insurance
In order to make an informed decision, you need to know why you might choose Tort or No Fault. The main difference between the two lies in how they establish blame for accidents and subsequent liability for damages.
When you sign up for a Tort policy, a court decides who is to blame for your accidents. The insurance company of the person at fault pays for everybody’s damages, court costs and medical bills.
With a No Fault car insurance policy, your insurance company pays for your damages and bills. You are never liable for anybody else’s damages except in severe circumstances. You also forfeit the opportunity to have someone else’s insurance company pay for your damages.
In the event that a No Fault driver is deemed responsible for an accident with a Tort insurance plan, the Tort driver’s insurance company will have to pay for the bills despite the lack of fault.
Pros and Cons of Tort and No Fault
Tort Pros
- Don’t pay for accidents that you don’t cause
- Legal incentives to be a good driver
Tort Cons
- Policies are often more expensive because they include the necessity for court costs
- Tort drivers are more likely to commit insurance fraud
- Legal system defaults to No Fault drivers
No Fault Pros
- Receive quick payments in the event of an accident without having to go to court
- Often cheaper
No Fault Cons
- If you get into an accident your premiums go up, even if it isn’t your fault
- Lack of punishment for at-fault drivers in an accident
Philadelphia drivers with No Fault insurance policies may be vulnerable to a tort lawsuit if their potential negligence is ruled to have caused sufficient personal injury. Liable injuries include but are not limited to death, permanent disability or disfigurement.
Statistics for Driving and Insuring a Car in Philadelphia
Driving and car insurance accident statistics play a huge role in how car insurance companies put a price on your premiums. For instance, about 53% of Philadelphia drivers are women, yet women only cause 28% of car accidents. Depending on the insurance company you use, this may lead to significantly higher insurance costs for men than for women.
Furthermore, depending on your county of residence around Philadelphia, you may need to pay more for your insurance coverage. The counties with the most crashes and the highest insurance rates are:
- Allegheny
- York
- Philadelphia
- Berks
- Montgomery
- Chester
- Bucks
- Lehigh
- Lancaster
- Delaware
Finally, according to the National Car Insurance Bureau, the ten most stolen cars in Philadelphia are:
- ’94 Honda Accord
- ’00 Honda Civic
- ’00 Dodge Caravan
- ’09 Toyota Camry
- ’97 Ford Explorer
- ’00 Ford Taurus
- ’94 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- ’95 Acura Integra
- ’04 Nissan Maxima
- ’92 Ford F150 Pickup
If you own one of these cars, your insurance premiums may be significantly higher.
Insurance Companies of Philadelphia
There are many different Philadelphia car insurance companies for you to choose from. These include:
- AAA Insurance
- Allstate Insurance
- eSurance
- GEICO
- Imperial Auto Tags and Insurance
- Progressive Insurance
- State Farm Insurance
Each insurance company uses different algorithms to determine your premium rates. You should always shop around and compare policies before settling on one car insurance company.
Compare Philadelphia Car Insurance Quotes Today
You are required to have car insurance by law, so you might as well choose the insurance company that provides you with everything you need for the cheapest price. Use our website to compare Philadelphia car insurance quotes today! Don’t wait any longer! Enter your ZIP code and find cheap car insurance for FREE!
