Car insurance (California, Montgomery: good credit, buying, live)

[Morphous01]

Who has the cheapest car insurance in Pa?? In California I was paying 43 bucks a month...

[andreaspercheron]

Hmm... I don't know that any one car insurance has the cheapest. I have found that they are all pretty comparable and competitive with pricing but here in PA, what makes a BIG difference in what you pay is WHERE your car is registered. The closer you live to a big city, the more expensive it's going to be. If you have a car that's paid off and you are carrying the minimum coverage you might pay next to nothing way out somewhere away from city limits but the minute you move closer to a major hub the higher your prices will go.
It will also depend on your driving history and who you have on your insurance. Best thing to do here is to call around. I personally use State Farm and while some may say they are on the pricier side, you can't beat their coverage and customer service. I've been with them well over 10 years. Everyone in my family has them and we've all been very happy.

[orrmobl]

Call AAA and they can give you help you find the cheapest coverage...

[bryson662001]

Originally Posted by orrmobl

Call AAA and they can give you help you find the cheapest coverage...

I switched from AAA to Geiko when I bought a new car and AAA raised my premium from $2,000. up to $3,000. per year in Center City. Geico is charging $1,000 per year for slightly better coverage. Mostly it depends on you and your driving record, tickets, accidents etc. Geiko seems to favor people with a good credit score as well. I feel like AAA has been cheating me all these years since I never had a claim or incident of any kind.

[TracySam]

The cheapest insurance policy isn't gonna be the best one.

Not sure if they have the option in California, but in PA you can choose limited tort option or full tort. Full tort costs more, but you retain all rights to sue if you are hurt physically and/or financially from an accident. You can sue for lost work time, pain & suffering, etc. If you take limited tort, you save money on your premium, but you are severely restricted in what you might pursue if someone bashes into you. (I think it may just be medical costs of serious injuries, but not completely sure).

Like the others said, a lot will depend on your driving record, age, gender, and all those other actuarial/statistical things.

I have a sweet deal with State Farm: I pay a little over $500 every 6 months, and I have full tort, collision/comprehensive, and a higher than average amount for personal injury coverage. I also get a discount because I have my homeowner's insurance with them too. I have no tickets, points, or accidents, and my car is about 6 years old.


If you see auto insurance as just something you must buy because it's the law, and you want the cheapest plan possible, that's one thing. But if you see insurance as a way to protect yourself (and your family, finances and assets), then get a plan with as much protection as you can afford. Buying cheap insurance online may be great, but if you ever have to put in a claim, you might prefer to have a live person in a local office.

[IZthe411]

When I lived in Philly, I was paying close to $300/month for American Independent Insurance.

Then I moved to Montco, and currently with 2 cars I'm paying just over $600 every 6 months- for full coverage

In PA it's all about Location, and the poster who said the closer you live to a large city is right- people will move across Cheltenham Ave in West Oak Lane- Philly- to Montgomery County- Cheltenham Township for a reduction in car insurance. But it's better to go even further away from Philly for a deeper cut in price.