120+ more*Quotes generated for Insurify users from Pennsylvania within the last 10 days. Last updated on August 3, 2026. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users from Pennsylvania within the last 10 days. Last updated on August 3, 2026. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
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8 years in insurance and personal finance writing
Former data scientist for U.S. Geological Survey
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
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Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
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Updated
Car insurance companies typically don’t offer policies for terms of less than six months.
You’re not alone if you’re searching for a short-term solution, though. Whether you’re just looking for a rental car for a weekend winter trip to the Poconos or are soon moving to Philly, where you won’t need your car anymore, plenty of workarounds are available.
The most important thing is to make sure you have the proper coverage when you need it. If you’re caught driving uninsured in Pennsylvania, you’ll face a minimum $300 fine, and your license and vehicle registration will be revoked for at least three months, with additional fees to get them back.[1]
Many companies, such as State Farm, Progressive, and GEICO, offer Pennsylvania car insurance policies that you can cancel at any time. Here are some of the cheapest car insurance companies in Pennsylvania.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $49 |
| National General | $55 |
| Erie | $57 |
| First Acceptance | $59 |
| Auto-Owners | $61 |
| The General | $67 |
| Progressive | $68 |
| Travelers | $74 |
| GEICO | $77 |
| Safeco | $80 |
| Direct Auto | $82 |
| Allstate | $87 |
| Bristol West | $89 |
| Root | $101 |
| USAA | $101 |
| Dairyland | $107 |
| Chubb | $117 |
| Liberty Mutual | $124 |
| GAINSCO | $125 |
| State Auto | $136 |
| CSAA | $163 |
Liability quotes start at $49/mo.
Temporary auto insurance in Pennsylvania generally splits into two main categories: either you own a vehicle or just need coverage for occasional use of another car. Your needs are very different depending on those scenarios, but for either option, you have plenty of ways to make sure you have the right coverage:
Situation | Best Option | How It Works | Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| You won’t be keeping your car for very long | Early cancellation | Buy a standard policy and cancel it later | Early cancellation fees |
| You own a car but don’t drive very often | Pay-per-mile insurance | Pay a monthly base rate plus a mileage charge | Reporting requirements |
| You drive other cars or want to avoid a lapse in coverage | Non-owner car insurance | Buy from a traditional car insurance company | No coverage for damage to the car |
| You’re renting a car temporarily | Rental car insurance | Buy from the rental car agency or from credit card issuer | Extra costs if rental car is damaged or stolen |
| You’re borrowing a family or household member’s car | Joining someone else’s policy | Ask the car’s owner to add you as a “named insured” on their policy | Rate increases |
| You want to maintain coverage while your car is in storage | Stored-vehicle coverage | Securely store your car and drop certain coverages to save money | Need to surrender plates and registration back to state |
Most insurance companies offer a six-month policy as the minimum. But as long as you’re not driving or have a loan condition, you don’t need to keep the policy that long. You can buy a policy and then cancel it later, when you no longer need coverage.
Best for: Drivers who plan to sell or give away their vehicle within a six-month period
How it works: Purchase a policy as usual. Then, contact the company to cancel the policy when the time comes. If you’ve already paid your premiums in full, you should receive a refund, minus any fees for canceling early.
Insurance companies already take your typical monthly mileage into account when setting your rates. But that applies to the entire policy period. Driving less won’t save you any money on car insurance unless you opt for a pay-per-mile policy that charges based on actual use, not theoretical use.
Best for: Drivers who want to maintain continuous coverage on their car but who don’t drive very often or who take long gaps between uses
How it works: You’ll pay a low base rate each month, plus a per-mile charge depending on how far you drive. Often, you’ll report mileage automatically through an app or on-board device, but you may need to send in a picture of your odometer, too.
If you borrow someone else’s car, their insurance generally still covers you, but only up to the coverage limits and types that they choose. Buying a non-owner policy gives you more freedom to choose your own coverage and helps you avoid coverage lapses that can cost you later.
Best for: Drivers currently between cars, who use car-sharing programs, or who want more freedom to control their own coverage level
How it works: Many traditional insurance companies offer non-owner coverage options, although they’re not as common as a standard policy. Make sure to check for exclusions. Often, coverage doesn’t extend to driving a family member’s car, for example.
Rental car companies already provide minimum-liability coverage, so you’re road-legal from the start. But because it’s operating as a business, the company may charge extra loss-of-use or admin fees if your rental is damaged or stolen, along with repair fees.
Best for: Renters who want additional liability coverage or vehicle protection
How it works: Rental car companies typically offer higher liability coverage limits or loss damage waivers (LDWs) for purchase. Many credit card companies also offer LDWs secondary to your other coverage, if you have it. Whatever you rely on, check the fine print so you know exactly what it covers and what it doesn’t.
If you drive someone else’s car only on occasion, you’ll usually have coverage under their “permissive use” clause. But if it becomes a more regular thing, you’ll generally need to be added to their policy as a named driver, per the terms of their insurance contract.
Best for: Borrowing someone else’s car on a regular basis
How it works: The car’s owner will need to contact their insurance company and add you as a “named insured” on their policy.
Technically speaking, you need liability coverage only if you register the car and take it on public roadways. If you don’t need those things for a while, like if you’re deploying or moving away, you can surrender your plates and registration to the state. Insurance isn’t required at that point, but maintaining stored-vehicle insurance can protect your car if it’s damaged in storage.
Best for: Storing a vehicle while you’re not using it
How it works: Ask your insurance company if they’d let you maintain comprehensive coverage to protect your car in storage, while dropping liability and collision coverage.
Full-coverage quotes in Pennsylvania start at $83/mo.
Car insurance rates in Pennsylvania are about average in comparison to the rest of the country, according to Insurify data, but insurers consider many factors when determining your rates.
Your age has a big influence on your insurance costs. Pennsylvania teens typically pay much higher rates. Pennsylvania seniors who complete certain driver safety courses are eligible, by law, for car insurance discounts of 5% off premiums, according to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Things like your driving record, vehicle type, and coverage options also have a big effect on your rates.
The type of coverage you want also matters, as usage-based insurance and non-owner policies are going to be cheaper than a standard six-month policy that you choose to cancel later. Pennsylvania drivers pay $125 per month for a six-month policy, on average.
If you’re looking for coverage, get a few car insurance quotes from different insurers to determine your personal rate.
What your short-term insurance covers largely depend on the type of policy you choose, since these policies address gaps and less-common coverage scenarios. In general, you can select from the same types of insurance as a standard policy.
For example, you can often choose from the same types of liability coverage as a standard auto policy. If the vehicle you’re driving is leased or financed, you may need to purchase full-coverage insurance, which adds comprehensive and collision coverage. Here’s what each type of policy typically includes:
Type | Liability Coverage? | Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist? | Medical Payments? | Full Coverage? | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early cancellation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-ons like roadside assistance |
| Pay-per-mile | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-ons like roadside assistance |
| Non-owner | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Rental car | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Loss-of-use charges |
| Joining someone else’s policy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-ons like roadside assistance |
| Stored-vehicle coverage | No | No | No | Comprehensive only | No |
It’s important to be aware of some of the limitations of short-term auto policy alternatives. These policies don’t always cover all scenarios that can end up costing you, so you’ll need to decide what risks you’re comfortable facing:
Early cancellation: Doesn’t cover damage to your vehicle unless you purchase a full-coverage policy.
Pay-per-mile insurance: Doesn’t cover damage to your vehicle unless you purchase a full-coverage policy.
Non-owner car insurance: Doesn’t cover damage to the car you’re driving.
Rental car insurance: Coverage from credit card loss damage waivers is usually secondary to your own insurance coverage, if any, and may not cover you if the damage results from certain traffic violations.
Joining someone else’s policy: Doesn’t cover damage to the vehicle unless you’re joining a full-coverage policy.
Stored vehicle coverage: No coverage for liability or collision if you drive the vehicle for any reason before adding these coverages back to your policy.
Drivers in Pennsylvania must meet minimum car insurance coverage limits in order to stay compliant with the law:[2]
Bodily injury liability: $15,000 per person, up to $30,000 per accident
Property damage liability: $5,000 per accident
Medical benefits: $5,000 per accident
Under Pennsylvania law, insurance companies must add underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage to your policy. The state doesn’t require you to carry it though, and if you don’t want it, you can decline the coverage.[3]
Check quotes from 120+ top insurance companies
It’s illegal to drive without insurance coverage in Pennsylvania for any length of time, and the state is serious about enforcing these rules. State authorities have several ways to check your insurance status, including reporting by your insurance company if you cancel your policy early.
If you’re caught driving without coverage, you’ll face a minimum $300 fine under Pennsylvania state law. Your vehicle registration and driver’s license will also face suspension for a minimum of three months. To reinstate them, you’ll need to pay a fee of $119 and $94, respectively, and provide proof of insurance.[4]
While you’re serving this suspension, you won’t be able to drive, and no one will be able to drive the vehicle, either. Alternatively, you can pay a $500 fine to reinstate your vehicle registration right away, allowing others to drive the car.[5]
You’ll need to provide proof of insurance at all times when you’re behind the wheel in Pennsylvania. Here are some quick facts to help you meet those requirements.
No. Insurance companies don’t sell standard one-day policies in Pennsylvania, but you’re free to cancel a regular policy at any time. You can also find alternatives for other scenarios, like if you only need coverage for a one-day rental car.
No. Pennsylvania insurance companies don’t sell one-month auto policies, unless for specific purposes like renting a car. You’re free to cancel a car insurance policy at any time, even if you’ve had coverage for only one month.
In Pennsylvania, you can buy a standard auto policy and cancel it early. If you don’t own a car but occasionally drive a friend or family member’s car, non-owner policies can be an affordable alternative. If you don’t drive often, you can check out a usage-based policy, which charges based on your mileage.
You can’t go without insurance for any length of time while maintaining an active car registration in Pennsylvania. The only exception is if, during a 31-day window, you provide proof that no one drove your vehicle before you purchased new insurance coverage.
The cheapest minimum car insurance in Pennsylvania is a 15/30/5 policy with an additional $5,000 in medical payments coverage. The cheapest insurance company is State Farm, with liability-only premiums averaging $49 per month.
No. The Pennsylvania state government doesn’t offer dollar-a-day insurance programs. Some insurance companies may offer low-cost policies that average out to this amount, depending on your details and coverage needs.
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 250 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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8 years in insurance and personal finance writing
Former data scientist for U.S. Geological Survey
Featured in
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Featured in
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 20461358
Featured in
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