In a perfect world, we could simply tell you the single company that has the most affordable insurance in Pennsylvania. It’s just not that simple, as there are a whole bunch of unknown elements like the safety features built into your vehicle, your date of birth, any driving violations you may have, and whether you are a man or a woman, that all have an effect on the price of a policy. This article delves into the different ways you can keep rates low and will give you a good beginning to your search for cheaper coverage.
For using your car for business, one of the more important components that help determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is your zip code. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims tend to receive cheaper rates.
The table below rates the highest-priced places in Pennsylvania for business use to purchase a policy in. Pittsburgh is ranked at #15 with the annual price of $1,053 on average, which is approximately $88 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $2,057 |
| 2 | Drexel Hill | $1,549 |
| 3 | Chester | $1,421 |
| 4 | Levittown | $1,365 |
| 5 | Norristown | $1,307 |
| 6 | Allentown | $1,130 |
| 7 | Reading | $1,110 |
| 8 | Erie | $1,104 |
| 9 | Easton | $1,102 |
| 10 | Wilkes-Barre | $1,089 |
| 11 | Hazleton | $1,088 |
| 12 | Bethlehem | $1,087 |
| 13 | Municipality of Monr | $1,081 |
| 14 | Scranton | $1,071 |
| 15 | Pittsburgh | $1,053 |
| 16 | Plum | $1,047 |
| 17 | Harrisburg | $1,015 |
| 18 | New Castle | $1,015 |
| 19 | Altoona | $1,002 |
| 20 | Lancaster | $995 |
| 21 | Bethel Park | $979 |
| 22 | Williamsport | $966 |
| 23 | Lebanon | $950 |
| 24 | York | $944 |
| 25 | State College | $896 |
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Premium costs are approximated as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can affect coverage prices considerably.
The make and model of vehicle to be insured is probably the most important factor when comparison shopping for the cheapest insurance for business use. Vehicles with high performance, a lack of advanced safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The list below illustrates auto insurance premiums for a selection of the most affordable vehicles to insure in Pennsylvania.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $1,132 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $1,268 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $1,312 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $1,314 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,321 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $1,338 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $1,346 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $1,364 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,415 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Crew Cab Platinum 2WD | $1,436 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Crew Cab 4WD | $1,446 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $1,441 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,467 |
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Prices above based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Rates do not factor in specific Pittsburgh, PA garaging location which can impact price quotes substantially.
Looking at the numbers, you can figure that models like the Honda Accord, Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V are going to be the cheaper vehicles to insure for using your car for business. The price for car insurance will tend to be more expensive anyway just because there is more risk for business use, but overall those particular models will have the lowest insurance prices compared to other types of vehicles.
Finding decent, cost effective insurance is not the easiest thing to do, and determining which companies quote the best auto insurance rates for business use calls for a little more work. Every insurance provider uses a little different formula for determining rates, so let’s begin by taking a look at the auto insurance companies with the overall best prices in Pennsylvania.
It’s a good idea to know that Pittsburgh, PA auto insurance rates are impacted by many factors that will increase or decrease the policy premium. Things like getting older, buying another vehicle, or getting a reckless driving citation can produce rate changes resulting in some companies being more expensive than before.
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance for Business Use
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Casualty | $740 |
| 2 | Erie | $792 |
| 3 | Travelers | $803 |
| 4 | USAA | $809 |
| 5 | Penn National | $832 |
| 6 | Auto-Owners | $1,003 |
| 7 | Amica | $1,022 |
| 8 | Atlantic States | $1,047 |
| 9 | Donegal Mutual | $1,058 |
| 10 | Allied | $1,155 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,157 |
| 12 | State Farm | $1,174 |
| 13 | California Casualty | $1,186 |
| 14 | State Auto | $1,279 |
| 15 | Encompass | $1,344 |
| 16 | Harleysville | $1,410 |
| 17 | Mutual Benefit Group | $1,411 |
| 18 | Progressive | $1,414 |
| 19 | Nationwide | $1,491 |
| 20 | Chubb | $1,536 |
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General Casualty quotes some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Pittsburgh at around $740 per year. This is $917 less than the average premium paid by Pennsylvania drivers of $1,657. Erie, Travelers, USAA, and Penn National also qualify as some of the best Pittsburgh, PA auto insurance companies.
In the rate table above, if you currently buy coverage from Penn National and switched to Erie, you could earn yearly savings of in the vicinity of $40. Drivers with Auto-Owners may save as much as $211 a year, and Amica customers might cut rates by $230 a year.
To see if you’re overpaying, click here to begin a quote or visit any of the companies below.
It’s important to note that these rates are averaged across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and do not take into consideration a specific zip code for business use. So the insurer that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the top 30 companies in the list above. That point stresses why you need to get quotes using your own driver data and vehicle information.
Best auto insurance company in Pittsburgh
Picking a good quality auto insurance company can be difficult considering how many different insurance companies sell coverage in Pennsylvania. The ranking data in the lists below could help you decide which providers to look at when comparing rate quotes.
These rankings are for large nationwide companies, so companies that only write business in Pennsylvania or surrounding areas are not taken into consideration for the list. To check rates from the most competitive companies in Pennsylvania, click here.
Top 10 Major Auto Insurers in Pittsburgh Ranked by A.M. Best Rating
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Allstate – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Erie Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Top 10 Major Auto Insurers in Pittsburgh Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 93%
- The Hartford – 93%
- The General – 91%
- Progressive – 90%
- 21st Century – 89%
- USAA – 87%
- Erie Insurance – 87%
- State Farm – 87%
- Travelers – 87%
- Safeco Insurance – 86%
Cautious Pittsburgh drivers save money
In a perfect world, the best way to obtain the most affordable auto insurance prices for using your car for business is to drive safely and avoid at-fault accidents and violations. The chart below illustrates how violations and at-fault accidents can impact yearly insurance costs for each different age category. The costs are based on a married female driver, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
In the previous example, the average cost of car insurance per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,432. Get written up for two speeding tickets and the average cost hikes up to $2,025, an increase of $593 each year. Then throw in two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of auto insurance for business use increases to an average of $4,489. That’s an increase of $3,057, or $255 per month, just for not driving safely!
Discounts on Pittsburgh auto insurance
Insurers that provide coverage for business use may also offer premium discounts that can lower rates by 40% or more if you are eligible for them. The best auto insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are:
- Progressive may offer discounts for multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, online quote discount, online signing, homeowner, and good student.
- Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for good student, teen driver, alternative fuel, early shopping, pay in full, and multi-car.
- Farm Bureau has discounts for multi-policy, driver training, good student, renewal discount, multi-vehicle, youthful driver, and 55 and retired.
- State Farm offers discounts including Steer Clear safe driver discount, student away at school, multiple policy, passive restraint, and anti-theft.
- GEICO may have discounts that include multi-vehicle, driver training, seat belt use, anti-theft, five-year accident-free, and emergency military deployment.
- SAFECO policyholders can earn discounts including homeowner, safe driver, teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, and bundle discounts.
- Liberty Mutual has savings for safety features, multi-car, multi-policy, teen driver discount, good student, new vehicle discount, and new graduate.
The illustration below shows the comparison of insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The rate quotes are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average annual price with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, anti-theft, homeowner, passive restraint, multiple vehicle, and defensive driving course discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, theaverage amount saved on auto insurance for business use is 28% or $478.