If you’re researching auto insurance quotes in Philadelphia or trying to find cheap auto insurance in Philadelphia while shopping for a policy, you’ll find all the information you need here. We provide average car insurance rates for Philadelphia listed by ZIP code and company. That way you can get a reference point for how much you can expect to pay. We’ll also explain how coverage works, and how much car insurance you need.
Philadelphians pay some of the highest Pennsylvania car insurance rates in the United States, and tops for Pennsylvania. Right now a policy in the City of Brotherly Love costs triple what the same coverage does in other parts of the state.
Though drivers in Philadelphia pay the most for car insurance in the state, regardless of where you live, you can save a considerable amount if you compare rates. This is why:
CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to provide a report of average auto insurance rates for a 2016 Honda Accord for nearly every ZIP code in the United States. We calculated rates using data for up to six large carriers (Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm).
Averages for the default result are based on insurance for a married 40-year-old male who commutes 12 miles to work each day, with policy limits of 100/300/100 ($100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and $100,000 for property damage in an accident) and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage. The rate includes uninsured motorist coverage.
Averages for customized rates are based on drivers ages 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 for the following coverage levels: state minimum liability, liability of 50/100/50 and 100/300/100 with $500 deductible on comprehensive and collision. These hypothetical drivers have clean records and good credit. Average rates are for comparative purposes.
Your own rate will depend on your personal factors and vehicle.
State Minimum:
Required liability coverage to drive legally in your state; some states mandate additional coverage, such as personal injury protection, uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist.
Liability Only 50/100/50:
$50,000 per person/$100,000 maximum per accident for bodily injury; $50,000 for property damage. Liability pays for injuries/damage you cause others.
Full Coverage 100/300/100:
$100,000 per person/$300,000 maximum per accident for bodily injury; $100,000 for property damage; comprehensive and collision coverage with $500 deductible. Liability pays for injuries/damage you cause others. Comprehensive and collision pay for damage to your car.
Here's how Philadelphia’s highest average rate ($3,819) compares to others, for a full coverage policy:
Here are the 10 most and least expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in Philadelphia. You'll see in the chart below that you can save $3,000 to $4,000 just by doing a car insurance comparison, no matter which address you call home.
ZIP code | Average annual rate | Higest rate | Lowest rate |
---|---|---|---|
19132 | $3,189 | $6,451 | $1,373 |
19139 | $3,169 | $6,507 | $1,343 |
19140 | $3,127 | $6,292 | $1,373 |
19133 | $3,123 | $6,338 | $1,373 |
19126 | $3,110 | $6,496 | $1,373 |
19121 | $3,109 | $6,160 | $1,373 |
19120 | $3,087 | $6,206 | $1,239 |
19124 | $3,074 | $6,108 | $1,239 |
19143 | $3,041 | $6,016 | $1,343 |
19141 | $3,040 | $6,068 | $1,373 |
ZIP code | Average annual rate | Highest rate | Lowest rate |
19128 | $2,202 | $4,693 | $960 |
19118 | $2,208 | $4,539 | $960 |
19113 | $2,215 | $4,335 | $1,013 |
19092 | $2,311 | $3,873 | $726 |
19093 | $2,311 | $3,873 | $726 |
19129 | $2,372 | $4,750 | $1,000 |
19119 | $2,402 | $5,005 | $1,000 |
19106 | $2,433 | $4,778 | $897 |
19187 | $2,484 | $4,841 | $897 |
19188 | $2,484 | $4,841 | $897 |
*Methodology for rates by ZIP code:
CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to run auto insurance rates for a 2016 Honda Accord for more than 30,000 ZIP codes in the United States using six large carriers -- Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm. (In cases where an insurer’s rate wasn’t available, another major carrier's rate was substituted.) Averages are based on insurance for a single 40-year-old male who commutes 12 miles to work each day, with policy limits of 100/300/100 ($100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and $100,000 for property damage in an accident) and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage. This hypothetical driver has a clean record and good credit. The rate includes uninsured motorist coverage. Average rates are for comparative purposes. Your own rate will depend on your personal factors and vehicle.
Philadelphia car insurance requirements | |
---|---|
Pennsylvania state law requires the following minimum car insurance coverage: | |
Minimum bodily injury liability | $15,000/$30,000 |
Minimum property damage liability | $5,000 |
First party benefits (medical) | $5,000 |
The lowest liability car insurance limits your insurer offers is the cheapest policy you can buy. This will be the state minimum required to drive legally. In Pennsylvania, (written as 15/30/5) that means your liability car insurance would pay up to:
Pennsylvania also requires you to buy a minimum of $5,000 of first party benefits medical coverage. It pays medical expenses for you and anyone on your policy up to its limits, even if the accident was your fault.
Best car insurance in Philadelphia
Even a minor accident can put your savings and home in jeopardy if you have just the state required minimum of insurance. To protect your assets, you should buy liability insurance in the following amounts:
You should also consider buying these optional coverages:
Comprehensive insurance and collision coverage are advised unless you have a very old car that’s of little value. In Pennsylvania, comprehensive costs $132 and collision costs $301, on average per year, for drivers, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Unlike liability insurance, these optional coverages come with a deductible. That’s the amount you pay before your insurance company pays. Typical deductibles amounts are $1,000, $500 and $250 – you choose which one you want.The higher the deductible is, the lower your rate will be.
Based on an analysis outlined below of rate fielded from six major insurers for Philadelphia ZIP codes, increasing your insurance from the state minimum to full coverage with a $500 deductible costs, on average, $1,801 more, or $150 a month. But just hiking to higher liability costs just $108 yearly, or $9 a month.
Below you'll see average annual rates for Philadelphia, ranked cheapest to most expensive, for three coverage levels:
Company | State minimum |
---|---|
Geico | $420 |
Nationwide | $507 |
State Farm | $843 |
Allstate | $1,128 |
Progressive | $1,456 |
Company | 50/100/50 |
Geico | $466 |
Nationwide | $539 |
State Farm | $1,015 |
Allstate | $1,207 |
Progressive | $1,667 |
Company | 100/300/100 |
Geico | $1,064 |
Nationwide | $1,381 |
State Farm | $2,390 |
Allstate | $3,155 |
Progressive | $5,372 |
CarInsurance.com’s rate analysis shows that drivers in Philadelphia can expect to pay, on average, up to about $184 more a year for car insurance after minor violations such as speeding.More serious infractions, such as Reckless driving can hike rates as much as $1,641. Minor traffic violations typically stay on your record for about three years, and you can expect to see the rate increase upon your policy renewal date.
Violation | Average rate | Rate after violation | Dollar increase | Percentage increase |
---|---|---|---|---|
Reckless driving | $2,274 | 3,916 | $1,641 | 72% |
Operating a vehicle in a race (highway racing) | $2,274 | 3,869 | $1,594 | 70% |
DUI/DWI first offense | $2,274 | 3,464 | $1,189 | 52% |
Careless driving | $2,274 | 3,174 | $899 | 40% |
2 speeding tickets 11 mph or over | $2,274 | 3,076 | $802 | 35% |
Lapse of coverage for 60 days | $2,274 | 2,685 | $411 | 18% |
Lapse of coverage for 7 days | $2,274 | 2,594 | $319 | 14% |
Lapse of coverage for 15 days | $2,274 | 2,594 | $319 | 14% |
Lapse of coverage for 30 days | $2,274 | 2,594 | $319 | 14% |
Driving without a license or permit | $2,274 | 2,528 | $253 | 11% |
Failure to stop | $2,274 | 2,464 | $189 | 8% |
Failure to yield | $2,274 | 2,464 | $189 | 8% |
Following too closely | $2,274 | 2,464 | $189 | 8% |
Improper turn | $2,274 | 2,464 | $189 | 8% |
Improper/illegal pass | $2,274 | 2,464 | $189 | 8% |
Speeding 30+ over limit | $2,274 | 2,459 | $184 | 8% |
Speeding ticket 1-5 MPH over limit | $2,274 | 2,459 | $184 | 8% |
Speeding ticket 6-10 MPH over limit | $2,274 | 2,459 | $184 | 8% |
Speeding ticket 11-15 MPH over limit | $2,274 | 2,459 | $184 | 8% |
Speeding ticket 16-29 MPH over limit | $2,274 | 2,459 | $184 | 8% |
Driving without insurance | $2,274 | 2,320 | $46 | 2% |
Seatbelt infraction | $2,274 | 2,288 | $14 | 1% |
*Methodology: CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2019 to field rates from up to six major insurers for 10 ZIP codes in the city for the following driver profile: male, age 40, good credit, clean driver record, driving 2017 Honda accord. We compared the clean record driver rate to the rate for various tickets and accident claims to get the average percentage and dollar increase, for the coverage level of 100/300/50; with comprehensive and collision and $500 deductible. These are estimates; your actual rate will depend on your personal rating factors.
When you file a claim for an accident that's your fault, typically your car insurance rates will increase. The table below shows how much for drivers in Seattle can expect to pay for common car insurance claims.
Claim | Average rate | Rate after claim | Dollar increase | Percentage increase |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 At-fault property damage accident over $2k | $2,274 | $4,844 | $2,570 | 113% |
Hit and run - injury | $2,274 | $4,057 | $1,782 | 78% |
Hit and run � property damage | $2,274 | $3,894 | $1,619 | 71% |
1 At-fault property damage accident over $2K | $2,274 | $2,888 | $613 | 27% |
At-fault bodily injury accident | $2,274 | $2,888 | $613 | 27% |
1 At-fault property damage accident under $2K | $2,274 | $2,354 | $80 | 4% |
2 comprehensive claims for over $2k | $2,274 | $2,337 | $63 | 3% |
1 comprehensive claim for over $2k | $2,274 | $2,274 | $- | 0% |
1 comprehensive claim for under $2k | $2,274 | $2,274 | $- | 0% |
Teen drivers are inexperienced, and are involved in more accidents than older drivers, so they cost more to insure. In Philadelphia, adding a 16-year-old daughter to your policy will hike your rates by $2,123 annually, or 93 percent. It's more for boys. Insuring your 16-year-old son will increase your yearly rate by $2,115, or 93 percent, according to CarInsurance.com rate data. If you're insuring a teen driver of any age, you can get expert tips, more rate data by age and details from our "Parents guide to insuring a teen driver."
If you're convicted of a serious offense, such as DUI or reckless driving, you may be required to have your insurance company file an SR-22 form on your behalf. An SR-22 is a car insurance company’s guarantee to the state that you are carrying the legally mandated coverage. If you are required to have an SR-22 filed, your car insurance rates will increase. CarInsurance.com data show that for drivers in Philadelphia, your rate will go up by an average of $1,369, or 60 percent.
Traffic in Philadelphia: The city and nearby areas came in 11th (tied with Miami) for the worst traffic in the country in a recent report by USA Today, which noted that commuters spend about 39 hours a year stuck in traffic.
Car crashes: Major accidents have resulted in an average of 90 deaths a year in recent years (2012-2014).
Commuting: The average commute in Philadelphia lasts 31.8 minutes.
Public transportation: The U.S. Census Bureau says that the majority of riders in Philadelphia who commute to work by public transportation are white (about 31 percent), Hispanic (about 10 percent) and black (about 54 percent). The bureau notes that commuting is the main reason people turn to mass transit.
High Occupancy Vehicle rules: The HOV lane, also known as the carpool or diamond lane, is designed to reduce traffic congestion and promote ride-sharing on freeways. In Pennsylvania, only vehicles with at least two people, mass transit vehicles like buses, and motorcycles are allowed to use the lanes. Use may be restricted during specified hours.
Smog rules: In Philadelphia you must have a vehicle (model year 1975 or newer) tested for emissions before registering and annually after that. After moving to Philadelphia, the vehicle must be tested as part of the registration process.
Bad intersection: Where Fifth Street and Olney Avenue meet is considered one of the worst intersections in Philadelphia, with 19 serious crashes from 2009 to 2013.
The information was gathered from various sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, state transportation departments and city police departments.