Pennsylvania motor travelers have unique challenges to deal with that make PA commercial auto insurance necessary to keep up with your business costs and face liabilities regarding auto accidents. According to Pennsylvania crash statistics, there are approximately 355 vehicle crashes every day in the state. That amounts to about 15 crashes every hour.
In a multi-year analysis by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, it was revealed that there was a decrease in traffic accidents in recent years, but Pennsylvania still remains one of the highest-ranked states for road collisions. It also ranks among the deadliest places for animal collisions. With so many challenges for PA businesses, it is important that they look into getting the best commercial auto insurance.
You don’t want to drive a toy hauler or any other RV in Pennsylvania without commercial auto insurance. The same is true if you’re a semi-truck owner-operator or logistics company in the state. It’s not even careless to say that you need auto coverage if you’re someone who owns a tractor or any other type of mobile farm equipment. This guide will cover essential Pennsylvania commercial auto insurance topics, including:
How does car insurance work in Pennsylvania?
What type of auto insurance is required in Pennsylvania?
Who regulates commercial auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania?
Which insurers are required to participate in the Pennsylvania automobile insurance plan?
Are collision and comprehensive insurance required in PA?
How much does commercial auto insurance cost in Pennsylvania?
These topics cover insurance needs across the state of Pennsylvania. For instance, if you need commercial auto insurance in Philadelphia, the insurance companies in this guide feature competitive prices and great offers.
Pennsylvania car insurance laws require all motor vehicle owners to have auto liability coverage on all of their registered vehicles. This ensures that you and your insurance company can ensure that they can pay for automobile incidents on the road that result in events like:
Bodily injury
Property damage
Vehicle damage
Medical bills
Legal fees
Car insurance coverage falls into a few categories broken down below.
| Coverage | What it covers | Required in PA? |
|---|---|---|
| Auto liability coverage | Helps pay for bodily injury liability and property damage liability | Yes |
| Underinsured motorist coverage | Covers expenses when an underinsured driver doesn’t have good liability limits | Yes, but purchase is optional |
| Comprehensive coverage | Any event not from colliding with an object or vehicle | Optional, but usually required by lenders |
| Collision coverage | Events where you collide with another vehicle or object on the road | Optional, but sometimes required by lenders |
| Medical payments coverage | Hospital visits, surgeries, and medical tests | Yes |
| Personal injury protection | Covers expenses due to injuries like lost income and childcare expense | Yes |
Auto liability insurance is the type of auto insurance required in Pennsylvania. The DMV of PA requires that all PA motor vehicle owners maintain a vehicle liability insurance policy on their vehicles in the event of bodily injury or property damage.
Note that auto liability coverage is both found in personal auto and commercial auto insurance. Commercial auto insurance differs from personal auto insurance in a few different ways.
| Personal auto insurance | Commercial auto insurance |
|---|---|
| Lower overall cost | Higher overall cost |
| Excludes business use besides commuting | Covers business use |
| Lower claims | Higher claims |
| Personal vehicle | Different variety of vehicles |
Pennsylvania commercial auto insurance gives your business's vehicles more nuanced protection in auto incidents and offers greater overall coverage. Because of Pennsylvania’s high collision rate on the roads, it is especially advisable to consider getting a commercial auto insurance quote.
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Pennsylvania commercial auto insurance requirements demand that you have a comprehensive auto liability policy to cover the following:
Minimum liability of $15,000 per person
$30,000 for each accident with bodily damage
Property damage liability of $5,000 for each accident
$5,000 liability for medical benefits
Your policy may exceed these limits based on the commercial vehicles you insure and what they are used for.
Commercial auto insurance in Pennsylvania is regulated by the Office of Market of Regulation. This government entity has three branches, which include:
The Bureau of Consumer Services–Responsible for investigating customer complaints from policyholders. They can overturn decisions by insurance companies and force them to pay restitution to consumers
The Bureau of Market Actions–This group audits commercial auto insurance companies to ensure they follow PA laws and statutes. They also check to make sure insurance companies are following non-discriminatory practices
The Bureau of Licensing and Enforcement–Grants licenses to insurance agents and is granted the authority to impose fines and revoke licenses for agents found to be in violation of their requirements
All insurance companies that offer automobile insurance are required to participate in Pennsylvania’s Assigned Risk Plan. This plan was implemented to offer automobile insurance to people who typically have trouble getting an insurance plan. These groups include:
High-risk drivers
People unable to afford insurance
Those who own older automobiles where policies are hard to obtain
These drivers are put into a pool and then randomly assigned to all automobile insurance companies with a quota system. Insurance companies are required to meet a quota of these drivers that they provide coverage to every year.
Despite these protections, some drivers can fail to qualify if they fail to make payments, don’t have a driver’s license, or previously failed a safety inspection.
Collision and Comprehensive Insurance coverage are not required by law in PA. However, many loan institutions, vendors, businesses, and clients require this coverage from the businesses they work with.
Commercial auto insurance in Pennsylvania is $150 per month or $1,800 per year for a commercial auto policy offering a $1 million auto liability coverage. The figure can vary depending on your business's coverage needs. Prices will also change because of your driving record, your deductible, and the coverage limit of the policy. Below is a breakdown of the rates and coverage of the top Pennsylvania insurance companies:
| Company | Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $12 | $144 | Best overall; Fastest commercial auto insurance |
| Tivly | $19 | $228 | Comparing commercial auto insurance quotes over the phone |
| CoverWallet | $29 | $348 | Comparing commercial auto insurance quotes online |
| Hiscox | $30 | $360 | Small businesses |
| State Farm | $52 | $624 | Human touch |
| The Hartford | $55 | $660 | Specialized options |
| Thimble | $60 | $720 | Getting covered quickly |
| USAA | $66 | $792 | Military members |
| Allstate | $154 | $1,848 | Ease of service |
| Progressive | $165 | $1,980 | Vehicle coverage range |
| GEICO | $167 | $2,004 | Tracking claims |
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Many PA insurance companies offer additional benefits because of the increased collision rates and state requirements compared to other states. Below is a breakdown of the best PA commercial auto insurance companies. Read some of the reviews below to know their pros, cons, and average cost for a commercial auto insurance.
Handles its own claims
Easy online application
Certificate sharing
The digital claim process can be complicated
NEXT is a standout insurance company for PA residents that offers the best overall price. They were founded in 2016 and are entirely online. It offers less specialized coverage for your area but has competitive policy options.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest commercial auto insurance
Average cost: $12 per month
Our rating: 10/10
File online
Adding options is easy
Plethora of extra options
Purchase requires an agent
The Hartford makes it easy to get a specialized quote and offers a competitive price to go with it. Customers benefit from the personal touch of an agent that can help direct their customers to a simplified purchasing process.
Best for: Specialized options
Average cost: $55 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Easy-to-use online dashboard
Get multiple quotes quickly
Great for small businesses
The quote process requires a phone call
CoverWallet boasts a high policy renewal rate boosted by its wide range of coverage options. Their dashboard makes shopping for policies easy and makes purchasing commercial auto insurance a seamless experience.
Best for: Comparing commercial auto insurance quotes online
Average cost: $29 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Company profile system
Extensive knowledge of policy options
Instant coverage
Not a provider
PA insurance customers should try Tivly if they have trouble getting a policy that fits all their names. The company matches your profile with its partners to match you to the best coverage options. Call a representative now to compare quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing commercial auto insurance quotes over the phone
Average cost: $19 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Get a quote and make a purchase in the same process
Quick coverage
Online service
No phone customer support
Thimble has instant and flexible subscription coverage plans that can help you get your commercial auto insurance coverage quickly.
Best for: Getting covered quickly
Average cost: $60 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Century of experience
Discounts for multiple Hiscox policies
Small business-focused
No Alaska coverage
Hiscox has nearly a century of experience in the insurance industry, and it applies this experience to help shape small business coverage that is tailored to each business’s individual needs.
Best for: Small businesses
Average cost: $30 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Discounts for bundling business and personal auto insurance
Wide range of commercial policy options
Largest seller of commercial auto insurance
Third-party policies make policy navigation more complicated
Progressive is the largest provider of commercial auto insurance and brings many policy options for PA business owners. A wide variety of vehicle types is covered, making it an attractive option.
Best for: Vehicle coverage range
Average cost: $165 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Claim tracking
Excellent customer service
Adding extra options is easy
No semi-truck coverage
GEICO has a stellar claim-tracking process that makes resolving claims stress-free. They also boast an excellent customer service track record for setting up policies.
Best for: Tracking claims
Average cost: $167 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Guided agent experience
Retirement savings vehicle option
Agents available in PA
No online quotes
State Farm has a great track record for commercial auto insurance. Unfortunately, their online experience is more limited than the competition.
Best for: Human touch
Average cost: $52 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Solid range of industry vehicles
Easy-to-navigate mobile app
Bundling commercial auto insurance with other products can get you a discount
Claim filing is only available on the phone
Allstate is a solid choice for a PA business owner with a range of vehicles who values ease of service over speedy coverage. If you have the time to invest, you can get lots of coverage with a bundled deal.
Best for: Ease of service
Average cost: $154 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Great fleet coverage
Simple policies
Online access for quotes and policy purchase
Have to be approved for membership
USAA offers selective service to military members and their families. It is an excellent option for fleet vehicle owners or truckers. It might not be the right option if you have complex insurance coverage.
Best for: Military members
Average cost: $66 per month
Our rating: 8/10
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
It really can't get any better than this... wow
Not all those who wander are lost.
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