Ever wondered which used vehicles are the cheapest to insure in Pennsylvania? Well, you are in luck!
We’ve done the heavy lifting and put together a list of the 35 most affordable used vehicles to insure, comparing different brands, makes, and models. We even priced out full coverage versus liability-only insurance costs.
So, keep reading, and you’ll have all the information you need to make an informed decision in no time!
Pennsylvania’s Cheapest Used Cars to Insure
Through independent research (which we detail later in the methodology section), we’ve ranked the most affordable used vehicles to insure in Pennsylvania.
1. Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is a compact all-wheel drive SUV. It’s the cheapest used vehicle to insure in Pennsylvania. The average liability-only insurance cost for the Forester came in at $37 per month, and full-coverage insurance costs $67 per month.
Subaru’s Forester is 25% more affordable than the average full-coverage insurance in Pennsylvania.
Not only is the Forester a fantastic value when considering insurance costs, but it also offers plenty of practicality, style, and safety features. Consistently featured as a Top Safety Pick+ with the IIHS, the Forester is a fantastic option for those shopping for a used vehicle in Pennsylvania.
2. Subaru Legacy
Subaru’s Legacy, originally marketed under the name ‘Liberty,’ is Pennsylvania’s second most affordable used vehicle to insure. The monthly price for full coverage is only a few dollars more than its first-place counterpart at $72 per month and $37 per month for liability-only coverage.
If you are in the market for a dependable mid-size car, the Legacy provides an affordable solution. Its full-coverage insurance is 19% more affordable than the state average.
3. Mazda CX-5
Mazda’s CX-5 is a compact SUV with an incredible reputation. The CX-5’s third-place ranking in our list is no wonder when considering its safety features and dependability. Like Subaru’s Legacy model, the CX-5 has a full coverage insurance cost of $72, while its liability-only pricing is a bit high at $43 per month.
The CX-5 won the Car and Driver’s 2021 Editors Choice award. The editorial team was excited about the Mazda CX-5’s ability to have a “luxury aura without luxury pricing.”
For those considering a used compact SUV in Pennsylvania, the CX-5 seems like a great choice!
35 Cheapest Used Vehicles to Insure in Pennsylvania
When gathering data, we used vehicles awarded the Top Safety Pick+ ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Top Safety Pick+ rating is the highest award given by IIHS, an independent organization dedicated to educating consumers. These awards recognize the safest vehicles in a particular size category during a given calendar year.
We then gathered insurance quotes from online quoting portals with a basic driver profile: 35-year-old male, Pennsylvania resident, no tickets/accidents.
Focusing on Pennsylvania insurance rates allows us to gather more accurate data than nationally-averaged ones. National averages are largely inaccurate because they don’t consider the state-to-state variance in premiums. Our complete research methodology is detailed further down in this article.
The following chart ranks the 35 most affordable used vehicles to insure in Pennsylvania.
| Year | Make | Model | Full Coverage (Monthly) | Liability Only (Monthly) |
| 2021 | Subaru | Forester | $67.00 | $37.00 |
| 2021 | Subaru | Legacy | $72.00 | $37.00 |
| 2021 | Mazda | CX-5 | $72.00 | $43.00 |
| 2021 | Subaru | Crosstrek | $73.00 | $40.00 |
| 2021 | Toyota | Camry | $74.00 | $36.00 |
| 2021 | Hyundai | Santa Fe | $74.00 | $44.00 |
| 2021 | Subaru | Ascent | $75.00 | $40.00 |
| 2021 | Honda | Accord | $76.00 | $40.00 |
| 2021 | Subaru | Outback | $76.00 | $45.00 |
| 2021 | Mazda | 3 | $79.00 | $41.00 |
| 2021 | Volvo | V60 | $79.00 | $43.00 |
| 2021 | Chevrolet | Trailblazer | $79.00 | $47.00 |
| 2021 | Nissan | Rogue | $79.00 | $43.00 |
| 2021 | Mazda | 6 | $80.00 | $42.00 |
| 2021 | Honda | Insight | $83.00 | $42.00 |
| 2021 | Ford | Bronco | $83.00 | $52.00 |
| 2021 | Volvo | S60 Recharge | $84.00 | $42.00 |
| 2021 | Toyota | Sienna | $84.00 | $40.00 |
| 2021 | Volvo | S60 | $85.00 | $42.00 |
| 2021 | Nissan | Altima | $88.00 | $46.00 |
| 2021 | Ford | Explorer | $88.00 | $47.00 |
| 2021 | Kia | K5 | $89.00 | $47.00 |
| 2021 | Acura | TLX | $89.00 | $44.00 |
| 2021 | Genesis | G70 | $92.00 | $39.00 |
| 2021 | Volvo | S90 | $93.00 | $39.00 |
| 2021 | Kia | Stinger | $95.00 | $48.00 |
| 2021 | Lexus | ES 350 | $96.00 | $40.00 |
| 2021 | Nissan | Maxima | $98.00 | $44.00 |
| 2021 | Mitsubishi | Outlander | $98.00 | $52.00 |
| 2021 | Mercedes Benz | C-Class | $100.00 | $41.00 |
| 2021 | Lexus | IS | $104.00 | $44.00 |
| 2021 | Audi | A6 | $112.00 | $42.00 |
| 2021 | Audi | A7 | $123.00 | $40.00 |
| 2021 | Honda | Civic | $134.00 | $76.00 |
| 2021 | Tesla | Model 3 | $150.00 | $55.00 |
Full Coverage vs Liability Insurance Costs
Full coverage and liability insurance coverages vary significantly in cost. Below we’ve listed Pennsylvania’s average pricing for insurance on used vehicles.
- Average Full-Coverage Price: $89
- Average Liability Price: $44
So, why is full-coverage so expensive? Full coverage combines comprehensive and collision coverages that protect the vehicle against damages, whether at-fault or not.
Suppose the vehicle is damaged in a covered claim. In that case, the insurance company pays for the repairs (less the deductible), which is why the coverage is considerably more expensive than liability.
5 Best Pennsylvania Insurance Car Insurance Companies
We’ve compiled a list of Pennsylvania’s top five most competitive car insurance companies using data drawn from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners recent market share report.
| Rank | Company Name | Loss Ratio | Market Share |
| 1 | State Farm Group | 84.75% | 18.83% |
| 2 | Erie Insurance Group | 71.95% | 15.07% |
| 3 | All State Insurance Group | 55.84% | 11.60% |
| 4 | Progressive Group | 96.53% | 10.69% |
| 5 | Geico | 92.24% | 8.73% |
State Farm insures a considerable portion of the Pennsylvania population. But unlike most states, Pennsylvania has a small regional insurance carrier taking up a large part of the market share: Erie Insurance.
Erie Insurance is a small regional carrier worth quoting if you are interested in cheap car insurance. They offer insurance coverage in a few states, with Pennsylvania being its primary. Currently, they represent 15% of all car insurance policies in Pennsylvania.
PRO TIP: Tracking each company’s loss ratio helps to determine which carriers will increase their rates soon. The loss ratio measures whether a company is profitable for the current year and determines how much it pays in claims. Take this into consideration when choosing which insurance company to work with!
Tips to Lower Insurance Premiums in Pennsylvania
Who doesn’t want to lower their insurance premiums? The Insurance Information Institute ranked Pennsylvania as the 20th most affordable state for car insurance, but how can you get it even lower?
Here are a few tips to help reduce car insurance costs in Pennsylvania.
1. Regional Insurance Carriers
Pennsylvania is unique because many reputable regional insurance companies are based in the state. Two notable carriers are Mutual Benefit Group and Erie Insurance Group.
Often, regional carriers can provide discounts that national companies cannot, which helps lower your insurance costs.
2. Hidden Discounts
Did you know that some insurance companies in Pennsylvania have hidden discounts? These hidden discounts, often called Affinity Discounts, are when insurance companies offer discounts to members of a pre-approved organization.
Here’s an example of typical types of organizations that qualify for affinity discounts:
- Alumni Associations
- Credit Unions/Banks
- Nonprofit/Religious Groups
- Sports/Fitness Groups
Make sure to ask about these hidden discounts next time you call for a quote because they can amount to a 5-15% reduction in price.
Research Methodology
We used vehicles listed in the IIHS 2021 Top Safety Pick+. The IIHS is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers understand which vehicles have the most reliable safety features.
We then ran quotes through online quoting tools using a basic profile with the following attributes:
- 35-year-old male
- Pennsylvania residence
- Continuously insured for 5+ years with the same carrier
- Bachelor’s degree
- No accidents/tickets/violations
- Homeowner
- No bundling of other insurance products
We also used a basic structure for coverages, including comprehensive and collision on each vehicle at a $1,000 deductible.
When running quotes at liability-only coverage, we took off the collision, comprehensive, roadside assistance, and rental reimbursement but kept the other coverages the same.
Here’s a full breakdown of our coverage choices for the quotes compiled:
| Coverage | Insurance Amount |
| Bodily Injury Liability | $100,00/$300,00 |
| Property Damage Liability | $100,000 |
| Uninsured Motorist Bodily | $100,00/$300,00 |
| Uninsured Motorist Property | Not covered |
| Personal Injury Protection (PIP) | $10,000 |
| Collision (Deductible) | $1,000 |
| Comprehensive (Deductible) | $1,000 |
| Roadside Assistance | $75 |
| Rental Reimbursement | $40/$1,200 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Insurance Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance in Pennsylvania?
The companies that provide the cheapest car insurance in Pennsylvania are State Farm and Erie Insurance. Both represent over 30% of Pennsylvania’s car insurance market and provide consistently low car insurance rates.
How Expensive is Car Insurance in Pennsylvania?
Car insurance in Pennsylvania is not expensive relative to other states. The average cost for full coverage car insurance is $89 per month and $44 per month for just liability coverage.
References
- 2021 Subaru Forester 4-door SUV. (n.d.). IIHS-HLDI Crash Testing and Highway Safety. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/subaru/forester-4-door-suv/2021
- Car and Driver. (2021, August 16). 2021 Editors’ Choice: The Best New Cars, Trucks, SUVs, and Minivans. Car and Driver. https://www.caranddriver.com/shopping-advice/a35536605/2021-editors-choice/
- 2021 IIHS Top Safety Picks. (n.d.). IIHS-HLDI Crash Testing and Highway Safety. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.iihs.org/ratings/top-safety-picks/2021
- State, & Countrywide. (2022). Market Share Reports for Property/Casualty Groups and Companies. https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/publication-msr-pb-property-casualty.pdf
- Facts + Statistics: Auto insurance | III. (n.d.). Www.iii.org. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-auto-insurance#:~:text=View%20Archived%20Tables-
- Mutual Insurance Company in PA & MD. (n.d.). Mutual Benefit Group. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.mutualbenefitgroup.com/
- Erie Insurance Group. (2010). Auto, Home, Life and Business Insurance | Erie Insurance. Erieinsurance.com; Erie Insurance. https://www.erieinsurance.com/
Jesse Cunningham V is a professional writer and licensed insurance agent. He has worked in the insurance industry in different capacities, starting as a customer service representative and working his way up to an independent agency owner. He is licensed in the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania for Property, Casualty, Life, and Health products. Jesse has worked with many national carriers, including Nationwide, State Farm, Travelers, and Liberty Mutual, and specializes in car and home insurance and health, life, accidental death, and disability insurance. He writes for multiple publications including FIXD and Bauple.com. All articles by Jesse are opinion-based. Speak with your licensed insurance agent about the particulars of your insurance before making any decisions.
