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Every state has minimum requirements for car insurance. Most states only require drivers to carry liability coverage, which pays for the other driver’s medical bills and property damage when you cause an accident.
While it may seem tempting to purchase the minimum requirement for car insurance and save some money in the moment, this can throw you into financial turmoil later when you cannot recover certain damages after a car accident.
Pennsylvania’s Car Insurance Requirements
Pennsylvania is unique in that it is one of a dozen or so states in the country that follows “no fault” insurance laws. This means that you will recover some compensation from your own insurer after an accident, even if you caused the crash.
Most other states follow “at fault” insurance laws, which means that you recover compensation from the insurance company of the driver who caused the crash (the “at fault” driver). If you sustained damages in a crash you caused, you could recover damages through certain elements of your own insurance policy, such as through the collision coverage portion.
Pennsylvania requires drivers to carry the following minimum car insurance:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
- Property damage liability coverage: $5,000
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
It’s important to note that you may choose to decline the uninsured and underinsured motorist policies in Pennsylvania.
There are, however, certain situations where you will wish you had purchased more than the minimum coverage. For example, if you get in a serious car accident and sustain significant damages in medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and more, the minimum coverages listed above may not provide enough funds to pay for everything.
Additionally, one optional coverage is comprehensive coverage, which pays for damages caused by unexpected events, such as weather damage or vandalism.
Therefore, going with only the state’s minimum car insurance requirements can throw you into a financial hole down the line. It’s smart to decide which policy is best for you now—and also in the future.
If you need help filing a car accident claim, our Pittsburgh personal injury attorneys can help you through the process and recover the compensation you deserve. Call Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C. at (844) 383-0565 to schedule a free consultation.