If you’re a registered driver in the state of Pennsylvania, then you most certainly carry the required minimum amount of liability insurance.  It may be a good idea to review your insurance coverage and make some important decisions about purchasing optional auto insurance in Pennsylvania.  While some insurance purchasers are quite frugal when it comes to amounts over and above the required minimum, other drivers purchase insurance guided by thoughts of the worst-case traffic scenarios. 

So how much insurance should you buy beyond Pennsylvania’s required minimum?  According to insurance experts, if a person has a lot of assets they should be careful to purchase enough liability coverage to protect them. For example, if you buy $25,000 of bodily injury liability coverage, but have around $70,000 in personal assets, then you may be under-insured.  Pennsylvania’s auto insurance laws are based on a tort system, which means that an at-fault driver is financially responsible for a crash they caused.  That means you can be sued if financial property losses or injury expenses incurred in an accident exceed the amount of your insurance limits.  And in Pennsylvania, you can be sued for pain and suffering and future expenses that may occur as a result of the accident.

So even though the Pennsylvania required minimum liability insurance for injury or death is $15,000 for one person and $30,000 for more than one person, insurance experts recommend that you carry $50,000 and $100,000 respectively.  And with regard to property damage coverage, the Pennsylvania minimum is $5,000, but given that half the vehicles on the road today are worth more than $20,000, it is recommended that you carry at least $25,000 in property damage coverage.  But remember.  These are general recommendations and each person’s financial situation is different.  If you don’t have a lot of personal assets, then don’t buy a lot of coverage. 

Another important type of auto insurance coverage that is optional in Pennsylvania is uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.  The limits of any uninsured and/or underinsured motorist coverage that you decide to purchase cannot exceed the limits of your liability coverage. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage will cover any lost income if you find yourself out of work for a while as a result of a major accident.
One last point to consider if you are considering purchasing optional, additional insurance is your driving record and habits. If you have a propensity for speeding tickets, or if you seem to attract traffic accidents, then you should consider purchasing a policy with robust comprehensive coverage.   Keep in mind that you don’t have to buy collision and comprehensive coverage. However, if your vehicle is older and not worth a lot of money, collision insurance may not be worth the increase in premiums. 

So before you buy, review your coverage and your assets and make a smart auto insurance choice. Our advisors at the Williams Agency will be glad to help assist.

With the ubiquity of the Internet today, it’s hard to think of shopping for pa car insurance online as anything other than routine.  But if you’re old enough to remember a time without instant Internet everywhere, then you probably remember having to visit your insurance agent’s office for a quote.  You might also remember calling 1-800 numbers, filing out tons of paperwork, and having to mail them in and wait for the paperwork to come back before you were completely insured. 

If you’re shopping for auto insurance in Pennsylvania, then getting an auto insurance quote from an online quote engine is a great way to do one-stop shopping for all you car insurance needs.  Many quote engines will allow you to see detailed, multi-carrier car insurance quotes from top companies within minutes.   Shopping for your car insurance online is a great way to compare prices and save money.

One of the best aspects of shopping for Pennsylvania car insurance online is that all you are doing is shopping.  You won’t be locked in to a policy type and you won’t be signing up to buy anything.  You will simply be viewing what rates are available to you as a Pennsylvania driver with a registered vehicle. 

As you shop, you’ll enter basic vehicle information and driver information.  Then you’ll answer a few questions through an online application form.  As you complete the online questionnaire, pay very close attention to the coverage amounts you are selecting, as well as the sections that have to do with any possible discounts for which you may be eligible.  It’s at this step in the process where you’ll squeeze out the biggest savings for yourself.

If you find an auto insurance company and plan that suits you, then you can decide to purchase that plan.  Most sites will then connect you with the company of your choosing.  You can also find a site that will connect you directly with a local Pennsylvania car insurance agent who can explain different options available to you. 

Shopping online for an auto insurance quote is also a great way to see if you’re paying too much with your current plan.  It only takes a few minutes to compare your existing plan with a plan generated from an online quote engine.  Savings could be anywhere from a few dollars to potentially hundreds of dollars.  You also may find a plan that offers more coverage than you currently have for the same price you’re paying now.

So save yourself a lot of time and money by shopping online for your Pennsylvania auto insurance.  Using an online quote engine gives you the convenience of comparing rates and plans and having detailed information returned to you instantly or through the convenience of email.  Nothing could be easier! In fact, Williams Agency can get you rates from many of the best pa companies with a short six minute call or online request.