During college, Jacqueline DeMarco interned at a retirement plan advisory firm and was tasked with creating a presentation on the importance of financial wellness. During her research into how money can affect our health, relationships and career, Jacqueline realized just how important financial education is. Jacqueline is a contributor for Insurify and has worked with more than a dozen financial brands, including LendingTree, Capital One, Credit Karma, Fundera, Chime, Bankrate, Student Loan Hero, ValuePenguin, SoFi, and Northwestern Mutual, providing thoughtful content to give readers insight into complex topics that they likely didn’t learn in school.
Katie Powers is an insurance writer at Insurify with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in Massachusetts and expertise in personal finance and auto insurance topics. She strives to help consumers make better financial decisions. Prior to joining Insurify, she completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Emerson College. Her work has been published in St. Louis Magazine, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. Connect with Katie on LinkedIn.
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If you qualify as a high-risk driver in Pennsylvania, you may face some challenges when obtaining car insurance. Even if it’s difficult to find, you need car insurance if you want to drive legally — especially if you demonstrate a higher risk of having accidents or other driving-related incidents.
High-risk drivers may struggle to find insurance because of a driving record with collisions, traffic violations, or DUI/DWI convictions. Some standard auto insurers won’t cover certain high-risk drivers or will charge extremely high premiums as a way to lessen financial risk.[1]
Still, you can find affordable coverage as a high-risk driver in Pennsylvania. Here’s what you need to know.
Quick Facts
State Farm currently offers the lowest average monthly rates for Pennsylvania drivers with driving violations.
High-risk drivers typically pay more for their car insurance premiums.
You can improve your driving record and insurance rates with time.
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Factors that determine high-risk status in Pennsylvania
A handful of different factors can affect whether a Pennsylvania driver qualifies as high-risk:
Traffic violations and tickets: Speeding, running red lights, and driving under the influence can lead to a high-risk status. Drivers with multiple tickets or a history of risky driving behavior have a greater likelihood of having accidents.
History of accidents and claims: Auto insurance companies viewdrivers involved in one or more accidents, or who have filed multiple claims, as more likely to incur costs for the insurer.
Credit score and financial history: Many insurance companies use your credit information to determine your level of risk, as drivers with poor credit tend to file more claims. If you have a history of financial problems or have declared bankruptcy, you could qualify as a high-risk driver. The practice of using credit-based insurance scores to determine pricing is legal in Pennsylvania.[2]
Age and driving experience: Auro insurers generally view teenagers as higher risk because they have less experience behind the wheel and engage in risky behavior more frequently than others.
Vehicle type and usage: The type of vehicle you drive, as well as how often you use it, can also help determine high-risk status. High-performance or specialized vehicles, for example, may require more expensive insurance coverage.
Best Pennsylvania auto insurance companies for high-risk drivers by violation
The type of traffic violations you’ve committed in the past can influence your auto insurance costs, especially if you have frequent or serious violations on your driving record.
Best car insurance for Pennsylvania high-risk drivers with an at-fault accident
Drivers who have at-fault accidents on their record can expect to spend more, on average, for car insurance than drivers with a clean record. For example, Travelers offers full-coverage car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident for $112 per month, on average, but the company only charges $66 per month for drivers with a clean record.
The following table outlines the average monthly costs for liability-only and full-coverage for drivers with at-fault accidents, with State Farm offering the lowest full-coverage rate, at $101 per month.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Insurify uses an in-house, proprietary method to rate and review the best car insurance companies. The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 crucial criteria, including average premiums, customer satisfaction, discounts, third-party ratings, and more, to calculate a final score for a company.
Criteria are weighted by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings. With the IQ Score, Insurify is able to provide quantitative ratings for drivers to better compare car insurance companies and make informed decisions to meet their coverage needs.
Best car insurance rates for high-risk drivers in Pennsylvania with a DUI
A DUI or DWI charge is a serious traffic violation to have on your driving record. As a result, you can expect to see much higher insurance car costs on average than drivers with a clean records.
For example, drivers with a DUI pay $134 per month on average for liability-only car insurance through State Farm, but drivers with a clean record pay just $67 a month for the same type of coverage. State Farm, Erie, and Auto-Owners offer the cheapest rates for Pennsylvania drivers with a DUI.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Best auto insurance for Pennsylvania high-risk drivers with speeding tickets
Speeding tickets can also lead to increased insurance costs, especially if you receive them frequently. But speeding tickets aren’t as major as DUIs, so they don’t increase insurance rates nearly as much.
For example, Direct Auto charges an average of $186 per month for full-coverage insurance for drivers with a clean record. This average increases to $370 if a driver has a DUI but only increases to $218 for drivers with speeding tickets.
State Farm, Erie, and Auto-Owners offer the lowest average rates for drivers with speeding tickets.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Cheapest Pennsylvania car insurance companies for high-risk drivers with poor credit
If you have a low credit score, you may face higher costs for car insurance premiums. Many insurance companies view a bad credit score as an indicator that you’re more likely to file an insurance claim. As a result, companies offset risk with higher insurance rates. Average monthly costs for liability-only coverage for Pennsylvania drivers with poor credit start at $104 per month from Auto-Owners. USAA, National General, and State Farm also have affordable rates.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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How to find affordable car insurance as a high-risk driver in Pennsylvania
You can find affordable car insurance costs as a high-risk driver in Pennsylvania.[3] Here are some tips that can help you save money:
Ask for quotes. Spend some time requesting quotes from multiple insurance companies. You can compare rates and coverage options with a few different insurers to find the best deal for your needs. You can use an online insurance-shopping tool to help you speed up your research.
Look for a company that specializes in high-risk drivers. “If you are considered a high-risk driver, the best thing you can do for yourself is to check other insurance companies to make sure you are getting the best price possible,” says Lauren McKenzie, a senior agent at A Plus Insurance. “Some insurance companies rate drivers higher with violations than another insurer may.”
Go for the higher deductible. Consider increasing your deductible in exchange for a lower premium. A higher deductible means you pay more out of pocket in the event of an accident, but your monthly payments will decrease.
How to improve your driving record and lower your car insurance rates in Pennsylvania
You can improve your driving record and reduce the cost of your car insurance as a high-risk driver. Consider taking these steps to improve your driving record:
Take a defensive driving course. Doing so can help you improve your driving skills and show your insurance company that you’re taking steps to be a safer driver. Some insurers even offer a discount for completing a course.
Improve your credit score. A good credit score indicates strong financial responsibility and can help improve your standing with an insurance company. Making an effort to improve your credit score can pay off in more areas of your financial life than just better car insurance rates.
Practice safe driving habits. One of the best ways to make steady progress on improving your driving record over time is to drive safely and avoid accidents, tickets, and driving violations.
To help you better understand your car insurance options as a high-risk driver in Pennsylvania, the information below addresses some need-to-know topics on the subject.
What type of driver is considered high risk in Pennsylvania?
A high-risk driver in Pennsylvania is someone with a history of accidents, traffic violations, or DUI convictions, making them more likely to get into accidents in the future. Insurance companies determine and classify high-risk drivers based on various factors, such as age, driving experience, car type, and location.
High-risk drivers can often face higher premiums or even refusal of coverage from some insurance companies.
How do Pennsylvania auto insurance companies calculate risk?
Auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania typically calculate risk by reviewing a variety of factors, such as the age and driving history of the policyholder, the make and model of the vehicle, the location of the policyholder ’s residence, and the person’s credit history.
What is the cheapest insurance company for Pennsylvania high-risk drivers?
State Farm offers the lowest monthly premiums on average for a full-coverage policy in Pennsylvania for drivers with an accident ($101), DUI ($168), or speeding ticket ($73) on their driving record.
How much does high-risk auto insurance cost in Pennsylvania?
The average cost of high-risk auto insurance depends on what type of driving violation you committed.
For example, Pennsylvania drivers with an at-fault accident on their record pay $225 per month for full-coverage insurance, on average, whereas drivers who committed a DUI pay $380.
How long does reckless driving affect insurance in Pennsylvania?
Reckless driving can have a significant effect on car insurance rates in Pennsylvania. How long points stay on your record after reckless driving depends on what you do next. If you haven’t committed any further violations or had your driving privileges revoked or suspended for 12 consecutive months, you can remove three points from your driving record.
During college, Jacqueline DeMarco interned at a retirement plan advisory firm and was tasked with creating a presentation on the importance of financial wellness. During her research into how money can affect our health, relationships and career, Jacqueline realized just how important financial education is. Jacqueline is a contributor for Insurify and has worked with more than a dozen financial brands, including LendingTree, Capital One, Credit Karma, Fundera, Chime, Bankrate, Student Loan Hero, ValuePenguin, SoFi, and Northwestern Mutual, providing thoughtful content to give readers insight into complex topics that they likely didn’t learn in school.
Katie Powers is an insurance writer at Insurify with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in Massachusetts and expertise in personal finance and auto insurance topics. She strives to help consumers make better financial decisions. Prior to joining Insurify, she completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Emerson College. Her work has been published in St. Louis Magazine, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. Connect with Katie on LinkedIn.
