Chester County
Chester County - Driving Statistics and Analysis
There are around 456,000 Chester County-registered private and commercial vehicles that make up approximately 4% of all vehicles in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Roughly 3 in 4 adult drivers commute to their place of work by themselves, and due to either traffic or the distance being covered, almost 44% of these commuters are on the road for more than 30 minutes.
Motor Vehicle Crashes in Chester County
Motor vehicle deaths in Chester County take place at a rate of 6 for every 100,000 vehicles on the road: roughly 27 fatal incidents per year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, (PennDOT), in 2021 there were 4,065 crashes in Chester County: with 34 of them fatal. Almost 1 in 3 traffic-incident fatalities in Chester County are caused by drunk drivers.
Auto Insurance Analysis
Close to half a million vehicles registered in Chester County need insurance coverage: Property Damage and Bodily Injury Liability are required for all vehicles on the road. Depending on the type of vehicle and its use (commercial or private), the additional required insurance may be: Private Auto, Gap, Commercial Auto, Non-owners car insurance, Commercial Transportation, Ride-sharing, Temporary car insurance, and so on.
Even though Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, where bodily injury is paid by each insured’s own coverage, the Commonwealth allows drivers to opt out of the “no-fault” coverage under the “choice no-fault” stipulation. Additionally, due to Pennsylvania’s use of the modified comparative negligence laws, the amount of fault of each party in an accident determines the amount of damage that the insurer will cover.
The total number of vehicles on the roads of Chester County keeps increasing annually, and despite the uninsured rate of drivers across Pennsylvania remaining at around 7 percent, you simply never know how much coverage the car next to you will have. Hence, the need for Uninsured Motorist coverage.
To discuss your auto insurance needs and to find affordable car insurance in Chester County, contact a knowledgeable Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Pennsylvania.
Chester County - Housing Statistics and Analysis
Approximately 75% of Chester County’s projected 207,963 housing units are inhabited by the family or the individuals that own them. This means that 1 in 4 homes in Chester County is a rental unit. In its region, Chester County has the highest owner-occupied rate, while Delaware County and Lancaster County both have the lowest rates which are equal to the Pennsylvania state average.
| COUNTY | Homeowners | Renters |
| Chester County | 75% | 25% |
| Berks County | 71% | 29% |
| Delaware County | 69% | 31% |
| Lancaster County | 69% | 31% |
| Montgomery County | 72% | 28% |
Statewide, Pike County has the highest homeownership rate, with just 16% of homes for rent, while Philadelphia County is the leader in Pennsylvania with the highest percentage of its real estate for rent (49%).
About 13% of residential properties in Chester County experience housing issues, overcrowding, poor plumbing, or substandard kitchen conditions. In 1 out of 10 homes, residents spend more than 50% of their income on housing expenses.
Housing Insurance Analysis
Over 207 thousand housing units in Chester County need insurance coverage. At a minimum, all owners of these properties should have Homeowners, Condo insurance, and/or Business property insurance (for multi-housing units), to protect the underlying financial investment from possible loss or damage.
With roughly 52 thousand housing units in Chester County as rentals, landlords obtain Landlord Insurance, which covers the property itself and from the possible liability claims arising from the tenants and their guests.
Renters insurance West Chester: Tenants buy Renters Insurance coverage to protect their belongings from possible damage or loss while residing in a rented space. Average renters’ insurance is inexpensive and usually covers the tenant's property from theft and damages caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Some landlords in Chester County may require Renters insurance as a lease condition.
For consultation and to get a quote on Homeowners, Renters, Condo, Flood, and other types of insurance in Chester County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed by the state of Pennsylvania.
A Pennsylvania P&C insurance agent:
analyzes your needs and restrictions,
reviews your current policy, to make sure that the coverages are reflective of the current needs and housing market - helps to update, if needed,
researches the locally available plans that fit your needs and is usually able to find a better deal than a consumer can find on their own,
checks for available savings and bundling discounts,
provides you with the available options of coverage,
explains how the differences between the options affect you once you start using each insurance product,
assists you with the application process.
Chester County - Health Statistics and Analysis
Roughly 7% of all Chester County adults do not have proper health insurance coverage. The average uninsured adult rate in Pennsylvania is around 8%, and along with Chester County, Montgomery County is below this average. Lancaster County has the highest figure in the region.
| COUNTY | Uninsured Adults |
| Chester County | 7% |
| Berks County | 9% |
| Delaware County | 7% |
| Lancaster County | 11% |
| Montgomery County | 5% |
While the highest uninsured adult rate in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is in Juniata County (≈12%), the lowest rate is observed in Butler County, at around 5% of the adult residents.
Close to 14% of adults in Chester County report problems with health, which is partially due to the fact that 1 in 7 of them smoke, 19% drink too much alcohol, and 6% have limited access to healthy foods.
On top of these, roughly 20% of the Chester County population are physically inactive, which contributes to its 29% adult obesity rate (BMI of 30 or more) — lower than Pennsylvania’s average of 33%. Berks County has the highest obesity rate in the region at 34%.
In 2022, 101,448 Chester County residents were enrolled in Medicare, with the following utilization:
| Chester COUNTY - MEDICARE | Usage |
| Original Medicare | 70% |
| Medicare Advantage | 30% |
| Original Medicare Part A and Part B | 60% |
| Medicare Advantage and Other Health Plan Part A and Part B Beneficiaries | 30% |
| Medicare Part D (Medigap) | 54% |
| Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan | 25% |
In 2022, there were 13 health insurers in Chester County, offering affordable and frequently subsidized ACA health insurance on the Pennie, Pennsylvania’s Health Insurance Exchange.
Health Insurance Analysis
Over 35 thousand Chester County adults do not have proper health insurance coverage which is the most important type of coverage.
Pennsylvania is among the states that allow the sale of multiple types of health insurance and supplemental health insurance. This makes it easier for Chester County residents to obtain coverage that fits their specific needs (both medically and financially): Group or Individual Marketplace ACA health insurance, various types of Short Term insurance (up to 3 years in coverage), Hospital Indemnity insurance, Accident & Health insurance, etc.
Low-income health insurance: Chester County residents who cannot afford health insurance can apply for government subsidies in order to substantially bring down the total cost of health insurance.
If you do not have pre-existing conditions, short-term health insurance may provide an alternative saving path. (* Some Pennsylvania multi-year short-term health insurance plans may cover certain pre-existing conditions after a year or more of coverage).
Discuss your health insurance needs with a knowledgeable Commonwealth-licensed Pennsylvania health insurance professional with access to a variety of health insurance plans available to Chester County residents. Offerings of health insurance coverage and its pricing may differ between zip codes.
A Pennsylvania health insurance agent: analyzes your health needs and restrictions, researches the locally available plans that fit your needs, provides you with the available options of coverage, and explains how the differences between the options affect you once you start using each insurance product. The agent researches the available discounts and bundling options, assists you with the application process, and at any time you need to make a change to the policy, or shop for replacement coverage.
Chester County - End of Life Statistics and Analysis
The average Pennsylvanian has an expected life span of 78 years — which is roughly 3 years shorter than the expected life span in Chester County. In the region, Delaware County has the shortest life expectancy, followed by Berks County.
| COUNTY | Average Life Expectancy |
| Chester County | 81.2 |
| Berks County | 79 |
| Delaware County | 78 |
| Lancaster County | 80 |
| Montgomery County | 80.5 |
The longest average life expectancy in Pennsylvania is observed in Centre County, at over 82 years old, while the shortest average is seen in Fayette County, at under 75 years old.
In 2022, there were approximately 92,000 seniors (65 and older) residing in Chester County.
Life Insurance Facts
In 2022, 47% of Americans did not have an active life insurance policy of any type.
Age is a significant factor when determining the insured’s life insurance premiums. The younger the insured is, the lower the premiums. This is why young adults can financially benefit from securing a life insurance policy at a young age.
Over 14% of the adults in Chester County smoke, which means over 20 thousand Chester County adults will have life insurance policies that are up to 4 times more expensive than non-smokers’. A smoker is more susceptible to developing fatal diseases that can cause premature deaths, and this makes a smoker more of a risk than people who don’t smoke.
Aside from the death benefit, Cash Value life insurance can be used for Living Benefits by the insured while they are still alive, to borrow against it, or even used as a source of tax-free retirement income.
Chester County - Funeral Expenses Statistics and Analysis
Chester County funeral homes charge around $6,200 for a traditional service — this figure is the most affordable in the region, followed by Montgomery County’s $6,600 average. Both of these figures are below the Pennsylvania average cost of $6,700. Delaware County’s $9,300 average is the most expensive among the neighboring counties.
Commonwealth-wide, Clinton County has the least expensive funerals averaging more or less $4,700, while Bucks County’s $11,600 average is the most expensive in Pennsylvania.
Life Insurance Analysis
Since 46% of Americans depart with savings of less than $10,000, over 42 thousand Chester County senior residents could possibly be placing a difficult financial situation on their families and friends. The bereaved may have to juggle mourning, planning, and paying for the funeral.
Besides the burial costs, the deceased often leave unpaid taxes and unsettled debts behind for the family to deal with. Discuss your senior life insurance options with a licensed Pennsylvania life insurance professional.
Indexed Universal Life (IUL) is the most preferred life insurance policy to use for its living benefits and retirement financing.
The most commonly used life insurance policies to leave money to the family are the variations of: Term Life Insurance and Cash Value insurance, such as Whole Life insurance, Final Expense (FE), and multiple Universal Life insurance policies.
Term Life Insurance and Final Expense (also known as Burial insurance) are the most frequently used life insurance policies to cover “final expenses” up to $50,000.
To find out more about life insurance options and to get life insurance quotes in Chester County, speak with a knowledgeable state-licensed and experienced life insurance professional who has access to multiple insurers and plan types for comparison.
Chester County - Business
Chester County is home to nearly 16 thousand business establishments each with its own commercial insurance needs. The three largest job-creating sectors, accounting for around 36% of all employment in the county in 2022 were:
Health Care and Social Assistance - 14.6%
Professional and Technical Services - 10.6%
Retail Trade - 10.6%
Commercial Insurance Analysis
Every business in Chester County needs some type of insurance, based on what it does and the amount of people it employs. The coverage mostly falls into:
Commercial Property,
Business Liability, and
Employee Protection and Benefits.
Health care professionals can benefit from Medical malpractice coverage, which protects both the patients and the insured medical professionals.
Professional services and consulting businesses in the county can benefit from professional liability insurance, also known as Errors and Omissions insurance (E&O insurance), that protects them and their clients in case the professional advice they give causes damages or losses.
Retail businesses in Chester County are primarily insured against customer liabilities that come from using the retail location or by interacting with the products, and to protect the property, inventory, and the staff.
To assess your business insurance needs in Chester County and to get a commercial insurance quote, speak with a knowledgeable Pennsylvania-licensed commercial insurance agent with access to multiple insurers and premium finance options. Always try to compare at least 2 or 3 options before deciding on the coverage.
