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Is Pennsylvania an at-fault state?

My family is planning on moving to Philadelphia from NYC and we’re going to need a car. I’m trying to get acquainted with Pennsylvania’s insurance laws, but I’m a little confused. Is Pennsylvania an at-fault state?

avatar
Shannon Fitzgerald · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Great question! Pennsylvania is NOT an at-fault state. In fact, it’s one of twelve
no-fault states
.
What this means is that you will be required to have $5,000 of
personal injury protection (PIP)
coverage or “first party medical benefits,” which will pay for your medical bills regardless of who is at fault.
While
Pennsylvania car insurance laws
mandate that you must have PIP coverage to pay for your own bodily injury expenses, you can bypass the no-fault system by choosing a Full Tort policy (as opposed to a Limited Tort policy). Full Tort insurance in Pennsylvania allows claimants to recover damages for pain and suffering if the other driver is at fault, whereas Limited Tort insurance does not allow this.
It’s important to note that while no-fault states limit your compensation from another driver in regards to
bodily injury liability
,
property damage liability
claims are still paid by the driver deemed most at-fault by your insurer. Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence system, which allows you to collect compensation for property damages in relation to your percentage of fault as long as you’re not more at fault than the other driver.
Like
New York car insurance
(another no-fault state),
Pennsylvania car insurance
will cost more than an at-fault state would because of the added PIP insurance costs. By downloading
Jerry
, though, you can be confident you aren’t overpaying your premiums.
A
trustworthy insurance broker app
, Jerry instantly cross-analyzes quotes from over 55 top insurers to determine the lowest rates available to you. Our expert brokers are just a text or call away if you have any questions about meeting your
state insurance minimums
. They can even handle the calls and paperwork for you once you decide on a plan.
The average Jerry user saves over $800 a year on car insurance, so it’s definitely worth the free look!
View full answer 
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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