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Auto or car insurance is required by the state of Pennsylvania but most people don’t think about what it actually is until they need it. According to the car insurance industry, the average driver will have three to four accidents in their lifetime. While most will not be life-threatening, an accident without proper auto insurance could leave you exposed to thousands of dollars of repairs if you are not properly insured.
Not all car insurance is the same. Some car insurance policies only cover you for the state minimum requirements, but here at Susquehanna, we will work with you to find the best options. The lowest premium isn’t always the best option for our customers. Our team will help you balance how different coverage options and premium costs will effect benefit you the most.
The minimum auto insurance requirements in the state of Pennsylvania are 15/30/5. Although that is all that is required, we can almost guarantee that it is not enough.
These requirements do not cover your damages but are in place to protect individuals who you have either injured or damaged their personal items.
In the state of Pennsylvania, you need $15,000 of individual liability. This coverage pays if you caused physical injury to another person. $30,000 of coverage per occurrence or the most that will be paid to individuals involved in one accident.
The last and maybe most important element is the $5,000 of property damage. This pays for damage you cause to another car, mailbox, etc.. As you can imagine $5,000 does not go very far these days of backup cameras, lane assist sensors, and high-end vehicles.
By not having adequate coverage you are opening yourself up to serious financial risk. We will help you walk through what limits are most appropriate for you to make sure you are protected but not paying too much.
Having insurance to protect other people is required (what we talked about above), but having coverage for your own car is not. Depending on the age and type of car some people choose to not have comprehensive or collision insurance for their cars. This means that if they were in an at-fault accident the person you hit would be covered but the damage to your car would not. This only applies to a few people, so for everyone else how do you make sure you are protected from theft, accidents, deer, or trees falling on your car?
The two coverages that protect your vehicle are Collision and Comprehensive:
Other optional but important elements of your auto insurance are:
New research suggests that 1 in 8 drivers in the US are uninsured. What happens if you were in an accident and injured by someone who doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough? This is where UM/UIM coverage steps in and covers your medical expenses if you are injured. There are different amounts and options of UM/UIM coverage and its important to talk with your agent about which might be best for you.
Many folks think “I have health insurance, why do I need this coverage?”. This coverage will pay reasonable expenses for injuries to you, or your passengers in an accident regardless of who is at fault. This coverage will help pick up where health insurance falls short, and it can even help with co-pays.
Full and limited tort refers to your ability to sue the responsible party for pain and suffering damages after an accident. Full tort is more expensive but gives you “full” access to sue the responsible party for injuries you sustained regardless of severity. Limited tort will pay for actual monetary losses such as out-of-pocket medical costs, property damage, etc, but limits your ability to sue for pain and suffering.
There are additional add-on converges to consider when looking at your auto insurance. Make sure you talk to your agent about each and if they fit your lifestyle and budget:
Subrogation protects you and your insurance company from paying for not-at-fault damages. It allows the not-at-fault insurance company to pursue the at-fault drivers insurance company to recover the money paid out.
Each state is different but in Pennsylvania you must carry liability limits of at least $15,000 per person, $30,000 per occurrence, and $5,000 property damage. We highly recommend considering higher liability limits! the insurance industry standard is $100,000 per person, $300,000 per occurrence, and $100,000 property damage.
Auto insurance policies have 3 elements of coverage. They cover damages to others that you are responsible for, medical expenses for you in an accident, and physical damage to your car.
You pay a premium and the insurance company provides coverage for damages you are liable for and will pay to fix your car less your deductibles
It means you have liability coverage of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 of property damage.
Work with an independent agent to shop multiple insurance companies. Ask about additional discounts you may be eligible for. Increase your deductibles. Have a clean driving record and increase your credit score.
Car insurance can be more expensive if you have multiple accidents or tickets, have an expensive vehicle, have a poor credit score, or have young drivers on your policy.
Find a local independent agent that will provide FREE quotes and advice on what company and coverages will be best for you.
As soon as you purchase a car, whether it is new or used, you need insurance to drive it. Driving uninsured is illegal in the state of Pennsylvania.
