How a speeding ticket impacts your insurance in Pennsylvania
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A speeding ticket in Pennsylvania may seem like no big deal, but speeding is one of the top reasons the state is one of the worst in the country for traffic fatalities. According to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reports, 415 fatalities from accidents attributed to speeding occurred in the state.
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Save on auto insurance with quotes from trusted providers like:
Drivers switch & save an average of $750+/year
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Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
The high-risk habit should not be taken lightly. Besides the dangers that could result from driving too fast, a Pennsylvania speeding ticket increased the average cost of car insurance by 30%, according to Bankrate’s 2021 study of quoted annual premiums.
How much is a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania?
The speeding ticket cost in Pennsylvania depends on how fast a driver was going. The state has a fine scale for speeding based on the posted speed. Pennsylvania’s speed limit on highways may be 65 or 70. Driving six miles per hour faster or more could cost you between $44.50 and $102.50. The additional fees include $75 for a first time offense, $150 for a second, $300 for a third ticket or $450 for a fourth. There are also court costs of $10 and additional surcharges of $45 to $70, depending on how much over the speed limit you were cited.
Extra caution is necessary in school and work zones. Fines are double and there are no speed tolerances in work zones, meaning going over the limit just one mile can be enough to get pulled over for speeding. Driving 11 miles per hour over the 25 mph speed limit in a school zone comes with a fine of $35 and an extra $2 for each mile over the five mph allowance. Motorists could be ticketed and fined as much as $500 and receive three Pennsylvania insurance points as a penalty if the speed was more than 11 mph over the limit.
In addition to the costly fines, motorists will automatically lose their license:
- For 15 days if convicted of driving faster than 10 miles per hour (or more) than the posted speed limit
- For 15 days of they cause an accident in an active work zone and got cited for failing to drive at a safe speed
- For 60 days if they were cited a second time for speeding in a school zone 11 miles per hour or more
How much does your insurance go up after a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania?
Getting cited for speeding can affect your insurance premiums soon after the citation. You could receive Pennsylvania insurance points as a penalty, which your insurance carrier will see on your driving record.
A driver’s age and gender typically impacts a car insurance base rate due to statistics showing how much more likely a male vs. female driver or younger vs. older driver causes a serious crash. However, Pennsylvania is one of several states that does not allow gender to be used when calculating car insurance premiums, so men and women will see comparable rates with all other factors being equal. Refer to the following chart to see how speeding can affect premiums:
Average annual full coverage premium
| Age | Rate before speeding ticket | Rate after speeding ticket | % increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40-year-old male | $1,472 | $1,926 | 31% |
| 40-year-old female | $1,480 | $1,926 | 30% |
| Total average | $1,476 | $1,926 | 30% |
As you can see, a speeding ticket could cost you more than the cost of the fine. Your premiums will likely increase significantly as well. Safe, defensive driving is the best way to avoid the financial hit.
How to lower your car insurance after a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania
You may not be able to turn back the clock if you were already cited. However, you could find ways to save on car insurance after a speeding ticket. Consider the following ideas to keep your rates at bay.
Get quotes from other car insurance companies
Some carriers are more “speeding-ticket friendly” than others. If your premiums are going up, shop around for alternative coverage and be prepared to switch once your policy expires if you can save significantly on car insurance.
Average annual full coverage premium by car insurance company in Pennsylvania
| Car insurance company | Rate before speeding ticket | Rate after speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $1,338 | $2,680 |
| American Independent | $3,268 | $3,491 |
| AmTrust Financial | $2,157 | $2,293 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,098 | $1,128 |
| Donegal | $1,279 | $1,744 |
| Erie | $1,079 | $1,175 |
| Geico | $916 | $1,211 |
| MetLife | $2,413 | $3,024 |
| Motorists | $3,069 | $3,359 |
| Nationwide | $1,058 | $1,352 |
| Penn National | $971 | $1,310 |
| Progressive | $1,278 | $1,312 |
| USAA | $1,126 | $1,790 |
*Premiums are average annual full coverage premiums for 40-year-olds
When collecting quotes to find the cheapest carrier, be sure to look into customer service reviews from other policyholders as well as coverage options available before you make the switch.
Sign up for a defensive driving course
Many car insurance companies offer a discount for completing a defensive driving course. Approved courses can typically be completed online over a day or two. You will learn some skills and techniques to drive safer — and may see a reduction in your premiums.
Enroll in telematics
A growing number of insurance companies offer driving tracking programs that monitor your driving habits. If you experienced a spike in cost in your car insurance after a speeding ticket, enrolling in the program, downloading the tracking app and being more cautious about speeding could help lower your premiums back to a more affordable rate.
Other speeding ticket considerations
Getting more than one speeding ticket or moving violation in a short period of time in Pennsylvania can create more trouble than costly fines and an increase in vehicle insurance.
Penalty points for speeding can range between two and five, depending on how fast you were driving. Once you have six points or more on your record or were fined with excessive speeding well over the limit, your license may be suspended until you take a special driving test. You may also have to attend a hearing before a judge to review your record.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best car insurance company for drivers with speeding tickets?
The best car insurance companies for drivers with speeding tickets depend on your own personal factors. Bankrate’s study found that Amtrust, Auto-Owners, Erie and Progressive had the smallest increase after a ticket in Pennsylvania.
How much car insurance do I need in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania car insurance laws require all drivers to have a minimum of liability coverage of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident in bodily injury/death and $5,000 for property damage, as well as PIP coverage, which requires a minimum of $5,000 in medical benefits.
Will I get Pennsylvania car insurance points if I get a speeding ticket in another state?
The state does not penalize you with points if the moving violation happened in another state. However, you will still have to pay the ticket and may see an increase in your car insurance rates.
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2021 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quoted rates are based on 18-year-old and 40-year-old male and female drivers with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverages that meet each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2019 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
Incident: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket, single DUI conviction and lapse in coverage.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 18-60 (base: 40 years) applied.
Gender: the following states do not use gender as a determining factor in calculating premiums: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania.
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