State guide
Car Insurance in Pennsylvania
Updated August 2026
Pennsylvania runs a choice no-fault system: every driver picks between limited tort and full tort when buying a policy, and that choice — not just the coverage limits — shapes what happens after a crash. The minimum limits themselves are 15/30/5: $15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 property damage, plus a required $5,000 in first-party medical benefits that pays your own medical bills regardless of fault.
Those liability minimums are among the lowest in the country. A $5,000 property damage limit doesn't go far against a modern vehicle, which is why the more useful comparison is usually what higher limits cost across carriers — not the price of the bare legal floor.
| Coverage | Required minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability (per person) | $15,000 |
| Bodily injury liability (per accident) | $30,000 |
| Property damage liability | $5,000 |
| PIP / medical | First-party medical benefits: $5,000 (required) |
| No-fault state | Yes |
| SR-22 used | No — this state doesn't use SR-22 filings |
Source: 75 Pa.C.S. §1702, §1711 (Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law); Pennsylvania Insurance Department
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in Pennsylvania was $1,018 in 2022. (NAIC average expenditure data, via the Insurance Information Institute)
Limited tort vs. full tort
Full tort preserves your unrestricted right to sue an at-fault driver for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages. Limited tort trades most of that right away in exchange for a lower premium — you can still recover medical bills and lost wages, but non-economic damages are off the table unless the injury meets the law's serious-injury exceptions (such as death or permanent serious disfigurement).
The premium gap between the two options isn't fixed: each carrier prices the tort election differently. Getting the same policy quoted both ways, from more than one carrier, is the only way to see what the choice actually costs in your case.
The $5,000 medical benefit — Pennsylvania's no-fault layer
Every Pennsylvania policy includes at least $5,000 of first-party medical benefits: your own insurer pays your medical bills after a crash, regardless of who caused it. Higher medical benefit limits are available, and $5,000 is a modest cushion against today's treatment costs.
The no-fault part of Pennsylvania's system stops there. Vehicle damage and injury claims beyond the first-party benefits still run through the liability system — the at-fault driver's coverage — filtered by each injured person's tort election.
No SR-22 in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is one of eight states that don't use SR-22 certificates. After a suspension, PennDOT runs its own restoration process and its own proof-of-financial-responsibility requirements — your insurer certifies coverage to PennDOT directly rather than filing the SR-22 form used elsewhere.
If you move to a state that does use SR-22s while carrying a qualifying Pennsylvania violation, you may still need a filing there. Either way, a serious violation reprices your policy — and because carriers surcharge the same record very differently, that's exactly when comparing quotes pays off most.
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Frequently asked questions
What car insurance is required in Pennsylvania?+
Liability coverage of at least $15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 property damage (15/30/5), plus $5,000 in first-party medical benefits, per the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (75 Pa.C.S. §1702, §1711). Some carriers also offer a $35,000 combined single limit that satisfies the liability minimums.
Is Pennsylvania a no-fault state?+
Pennsylvania is a choice no-fault state. Your own policy's medical benefits pay your bills regardless of fault, and you choose between limited tort (lower premium, restricted right to sue for pain and suffering) and full tort (unrestricted right to sue) when you buy the policy.
What does limited tort mean in Pennsylvania?+
Limited tort reduces your premium in exchange for giving up the right to sue an at-fault driver for non-economic damages like pain and suffering, unless the injury qualifies as serious under the law's exceptions. Economic damages — medical bills, lost wages — can still be recovered.
Does Pennsylvania use SR-22s?+
No. Pennsylvania is one of eight states without SR-22 filings. PennDOT handles proof of financial responsibility and license restoration through its own process instead.
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