Pennsylvania Car Insurance: Minimum Coverage, Limited vs Full Tort and Average Cost
Enter the ZIP code where your car is parked overnight to compare Pennsylvania auto insurance quotes with the same limits and deductibles.
By the AutoQuotesByZip editorial team. Last reviewed: October 14, 2026. Data: NAIC, IRC, IIHS, NICB and official state sources listed below.
Pennsylvania is one of the less expensive large states for auto insurance. NAIC puts average spending at $1,267 per insured vehicle in 2024 — about 11% below the national average and 24th of 51. Its legal minimums are also among the lowest: 15/30/5 liability plus $5,000 of first-party medical benefits.
The choice that defines a Pennsylvania policy is the tort option. Unlike New Jersey, Pennsylvania assumes you want full tort — the unrestricted right to sue — unless you specifically choose limited tort for a lower premium. Fewer than half of Pennsylvania policyholders take the limited option, according to the Insurance Information Institute, and the share is highest in Philadelphia, where rates are highest.
Enter the ZIP code where your car is parked overnight to compare Pennsylvania auto insurance quotes with the same limits and deductibles.
Pennsylvania car insurance at a glance
| Fact | Pennsylvania | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum liability limits | $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident bodily injury; $5,000 property damage (15/30/5) | Pennsylvania Insurance Department |
| First-party medical benefits | $5,000 required | Pennsylvania Insurance Department |
| Tort options | Limited tort (lower premium, restricted right to sue for pain and suffering) or full tort | Pennsylvania Insurance Department |
| Average annual spending on auto insurance (2024) | $1,267.10 — 24th highest of 51 (US: $1,431.63) | NAIC |
| Change in average spending | +9.8% vs 2023; +29.9% vs 2020 (US: +11.7% and +36.6%) | NAIC |
| Average liability / collision / comprehensive premium | $617 / $494 / $285 | NAIC |
| Estimated uninsured drivers (2023) | 11.0% — 36th highest (US: 15.4%) | IRC via III |
| Traffic deaths (2024) | 1,127 — 8.6 per 100,000 people; 1.18 per 100 million miles (US: 11.5 and 1.19) | IIHS |
| Vehicle thefts (2025) | 20,568 — 7th-most of any state; the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metro recorded 19,117 | NICB |
| Share choosing limited tort | Fewer than 50% of policyholders; full tort applies unless you request limited tort | Insurance Information Institute |
Compare Pennsylvania quotes for your ZIP code — price both limited and full tort with identical limits.
What the 15/30/5 minimum leaves uncovered
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department sets minimum liability at $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident and $5,000 for property damage, plus $5,000 of first-party medical benefits for you and your household. The $5,000 property damage limit is very low compared with the cost of repairing or replacing a modern vehicle; anything above it can become your personal debt. Many shoppers compare quotes at 100/300/100 alongside the minimum to see how little the difference often costs. Our full coverage vs liability guide explains the trade-offs.
Limited tort vs full tort
Limited tort lowers your premium in exchange for giving up the right to sue for pain and suffering unless an injury meets the state’s “serious injury” definition; you can still recover out-of-pocket costs. Full tort keeps the unrestricted right to sue. The Insurance Information Institute notes that Pennsylvania presumes full tort unless you request otherwise, the opposite of New Jersey, and that Philadelphia drivers are the most likely to choose limited tort because rates there are highest. Price both options on every quote, then decide. See our no-fault and choice states guide.
What Pennsylvania drivers pay
NAIC’s breakdown shows Pennsylvania’s average liability premium at $617 (30th of 51), well below the U.S. average of $813. Collision ($494) is close to national levels and comprehensive ($285) is almost exactly average. Spending rose 9.8% from 2023, slightly less than the national increase of 11.7%.
| 2024 NAIC measure | Pennsylvania | United States | Rank (1 = most expensive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average expenditure (all coverages actually bought) | $1,267.10 | $1,431.63 | 24th of 51 |
| Liability premium | $617.07 | $813.27 | 30th |
| Collision premium | $494.27 | $516.39 | 18th |
| Comprehensive premium | $284.65 | $283.15 | 21st |
| Liability + collision + comprehensive combined | $1,395.99 | $1,612.81 | 27th |
Philadelphia vs the rest of the state
Pennsylvania quotes vary sharply by ZIP code. The Insurance Information Institute reports that in Philadelphia more than 55% of accidents with physical damage also produce a bodily injury claim, compared with about 17% elsewhere in the state — a major reason city rates are higher. Theft adds to it: the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metro recorded 19,117 vehicle thefts in 2025, according to NICB. Use your exact garaging ZIP when comparing; our ZIP comparison guide shows how.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum car insurance in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania requires 15/30/5 liability — $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for bodily injury and $5,000 for property damage — plus $5,000 of first-party medical benefits.
Should I choose limited tort or full tort in Pennsylvania?
Limited tort costs less but restricts lawsuits for pain and suffering unless an injury is serious. Full tort costs more and keeps the right to sue. Price both with identical limits before choosing.
Is Pennsylvania a no-fault state?
Pennsylvania is a choice no-fault state: first-party medical benefits pay regardless of fault, and each driver chooses limited or full tort.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Insurance Department — Auto insurance guide (PDF)
- NAIC, 2024 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement
- Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists (Insurance Research Council estimates for 2023)
- NICB, U.S. vehicle thefts experience historic decline (2025 data)
- IIHS-HLDI, Fatality facts 2024: State by state
- Insurance Information Institute, Background on: No-fault auto insurance
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