If you want to save money, the best way to get low-cost auto insurance rates in Pittsburgh is to regularly compare quotes from insurance carriers in Pennsylvania.
First, get an understanding of auto insurance and the measures you can take to keep rates low. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases such as careless driving and your credit history can be rectified by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. Continue reading for instructions to help find cheaper rates and get additional discounts.
Second, quote rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes from multiple sources.
Third, compare the new rates to your existing rates to see if cheaper xB coverage is available in Pittsburgh. If you can save some money and switch companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
Fourth, give notification to your current company to cancel your current policy. Submit a signed application and payment to the new insurer. Don’t forget to safely store the certificate verifying proof of insurance along with your vehicle registration.
The key thing to remember is to compare similar coverage information on every quote and and to get price estimates from as many car insurance companies as possible. This ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and the best price quote selection.
Remarkably, a study showed that almost 70% of insureds have bought insurance from the same company for over three years, and just under half have never taken the time to shop around. Many consumers in Pittsburgh could save $686 each year just by shopping around, but they underestimate how much savings they would realize if they changed companies.
When quoting auto insurance, remember that more quotes provides better odds of finding a lower rate than you’re paying now.
The auto insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer free rate quotes in Pennsylvania. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you compare several of them to get the most affordable price.
Facts and figures for Scion xB insurance
The rate information shown next showcases a range of insurance coverage prices for Scion xB models. Understanding more about how insurance prices are formulated is important for you to make smart choices when purchasing an auto insurance policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XB 2WD | $154 | $254 | $398 | $24 | $120 | $950 | $79 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in zip code location which can increase or decrease premiums considerably.
The information below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can increase or decrease Scion xB premium costs for different age groups. The data is based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
Irresponsible driving raises your rates
The example below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions can drive up Scion xB insurance prices for different ages of insureds. The rates are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Car insurance rates based on gender
The information below visualizes the comparison of Scion xB yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. Data assumes a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Why do I need car insurance?
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Scion xB in Pittsburgh, insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
First, most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific minimum amount of liability in order to get the vehicle licensed. In Pennsylvania these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if you took out a loan on your vehicle, almost all lenders will make it mandatory that you buy insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank will be required to insure your Scion at a much higher rate and force you to pay the higher price.
Third, car insurance preserves not only your car but also your financial assets. Insurance will also pay for most medical and hospital costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability coverage also covers legal expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you have damage to your Scion as the result of the weather or an accident, your car insurance policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly for liability claims. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer overpays more than $820 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison every year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Determine discounts on Pittsburgh insurance
Not many people think insurance is cheap, but you may be missing some discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but some need to be specially asked for in order for you to get them.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Having worked for a branch of the government could qualify for a slight premium decrease with a few insurance companies.
- Early Switch Discount – Some larger companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current xB insurance policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military may lower your premium rates slightly.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Older drivers may qualify for lower premium rates.
- College Student – Kids who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Student Discount for Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education in high school.
- Home Ownership Discount – Just owning your own home can save a few bucks because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
- Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a lower insurance rate if you buy some life insurance too.
Don’t be surprised that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Even though it appears you could get a free insurance policy, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will definitely reduce your overall premium however.
The illustration below shows the comparison of Scion xB car insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the premium. The data is based on a male driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, marriage, multi-car, homeowner, multi-policy, and safe-driver discounts applied.
A few popular companies and the discounts they provide can be read below.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include homeowner, pay in full, business and professional, mature driver, good student, and alternative fuel.
- Esurance includes discounts for claim free, multi-car, emergency road assistance, defensive driver, paid-in-full, DriveSense, and anti-lock brakes.
- State Farm offers discounts including good driver, defensive driving training, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and good student.
- GEICO may offer discounts for multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, good student, multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, seat belt use, and anti-theft.
- Allstate offers premium reductions for EZ pay plan discount, senior citizen, early signing, eSmart discount, passive restraint, and 55 and retired.
Before buying, ask each insurance company which discounts you may be entitled to. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply in Pittsburgh.
Local Pittsburgh car insurance agents
Some consumers just prefer to buy from a licensed agent and we recommend doing that An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find cheap auto insurance rates but still work with a licensed agent.
By using this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents who want to provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact any agents since price quotes are sent to your email. You can find lower rates and work with a local agent. If for some reason you want to quote rates for a specific company, don’t hesitate to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Picking the best insurer is decision based upon more than just the price. Before buying a policy in Pittsburgh, get answers to these questions.
- What company do they have the most business with?
- Is the quote a firm price?
- What kind of financial rating does the company have?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- How many companies do they write for?
When searching for a reliable insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Agents can either be independent agents or exclusive agents.
Exclusive Agencies
These type of agents can only provide one company’s prices like Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. Exclusive agents are well schooled in insurance sales which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
The following are exclusive insurance agents in Pittsburgh that can give you rate quotes.
Darlene Shelton-Lamot – State Farm Insurance Agent
911 Western Ave – Pittsburgh, PA 15233 – (412) 322-1064 – View Map
Tad Paterra – State Farm Insurance Agent
984 Greentree Rd – Pittsburgh, PA 15220 – (412) 922-2622 – View Map
Steve Heller – State Farm Insurance Agent
146 Forest Hills Rd – Pittsburgh, PA 15221 – (412) 824-4800 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These type of agents are not restricted to one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, they can switch companies in-house and you can keep the same agent.
If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, you should always compare quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
The following are Pittsburgh independent insurance agents that can give you rate quotes.
McElhinny Insurance Agency LLC
5624 Brownsville Rd – Pittsburgh, PA 15236 – (412) 650-5700 – View Map
McGroarty and Bradburn Insurance
4175 Steubenville Pike – Pittsburgh, PA 15205 – (412) 444-4470 – View Map
Spodek Insurance Agency, Inc.
4349 Murray Ave – Pittsburgh, PA 15217 – (412) 521-8600 – View Map
If you get acceptable answers to any questions you may have and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found an insurance agent that can be trusted to adequately provide auto insurance.
Pittsburgh car insurance companies ranked
Finding a good quality auto insurance company is hard considering how many companies there are in Pittsburgh. The company ratings in the lists below can help you decide which insurers you want to consider when comparing rate quotes.
Top 10 Pittsburgh Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Allstate – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Erie Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Insurance coverage basics
Understanding the coverages of your policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the normal coverages found on the average insurance policy.
Liability
This can cover damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see policy limits of 15/30/5 that means you have a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability can pay for things like emergency aid, funeral expenses, pain and suffering and medical expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy as much as you can afford. Pennsylvania requires drivers to carry at least 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The illustration below shows why the minimum limit may not be adequate coverage.
Comprehensive coverages
This coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hitting a bird, falling objects, damage from getting keyed and theft. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Coverage for medical payments
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for short-term medical expenses such as chiropractic care, EMT expenses and ambulance fees. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Scion xB.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Collision coverage
This will pay to fix damage to your xB caused by collision with another car or object. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car, scraping a guard rail, hitting a mailbox and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible on your xB to save money on collision insurance.
Persistence will pay off
We covered a lot of ways to shop for Scion xB insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the most savings is with a small mutual company. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive and GEICO.
Lower-priced auto insurance in Pittsburgh can be found from both online companies in addition to many Pittsburgh insurance agents, so you need to shop Pittsburgh auto insurance with both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and these regional carriers only sell through independent insurance agents.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found in the articles below:
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes for Good Students in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for 19 Year Olds in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Pittsburgh Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Honda Civic in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- What are my Rights when Filing a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)