How to Find Cheap DUI Car Insurance in Pennsylvania

Giving a friend the keys or hopping in an Uber is always a better choice than trying to drive home after one too many drinks. The law says you're drunk driving if you have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher. What happens if you decide to risk it in the Keystone State? One scenario leaves you seeing flashing red and blue lights in the rear-view mirror. And far worse, just glance at the following stats : Pennsylvania had 9,380 alcohol-related crashes and 299 fatalities in 2019.

DUIs lead to headaches, financial pressure, and even jail time. Every story unfolds differently, but one commonality is hefty car insurance premiums. Because insurance companies see drivers with a DUI as a much greater risk, they offset the higher probability of paying a claim by charging much higher amounts. Pennsylvania insurance rates after a DUI sit near the middle of the pack, so a reasonable figure's not impossible.

When you get charged with a DUI, the one thing you can guarantee is change. Changes show up at work, school, or even with your closest family. What difference can you expect on your car insurance bill?

If you have a clean record in Pennsylvania, your average monthly payment is $190. But all it takes is to drink one too many and jump behind the wheel, and that amount goes up by 97 percent. At $373, a DUI could leave you paying nearly double. The cost ends up being $183 more per month, translating to over 2,000 reasons a year to find a safer way home.

Some companies charge so much it's hard for all but the most affluent people to afford insurance with a DUI. But Travelers offers a surprisingly competitive premium at $101 per month. Others like Safeco and Verti make it possible for you to find insurance even with a less-than-perfect record.

The lookback period is the time frame that the state will consider drivers to be repeat offenders for a second DUI. In Pennsylvania, the state sets the limit at 10 years before treating another DUI as a first offense. That said, most insurance companies only look at the past three years when setting premiums, while some go as far back as five.

What to do in the meantime? You'll want to make sure your record stays clean. And to keep your price competitive, track down new quotes every six months when your policy renews with a quote comparison tool like Insurify.