Cheap Car Insurance in Virginia for [2022]

Known as the Mother of Presidents, Virginia is one of the only states that doesn’t require drivers to carry insurance. However, the average price of insurance in the Old Dominion State is about 30% cheaper than the national average.

Although Virginians usually enjoy affordable rates, there are many factors that affect your insurance rates, such as your age, ZIP code, and driving history.

If you’re looking for affordable insurance in Virginia, you can explore your options below. Then, compare rates with as many companies as possible to find where to buy the cheapest coverage.

What are the cheapest insurance companies in Virginia?

The average car insurance policy in Virginia costs about $1,067 a year, which is nearly $500 less than the national average. To see how that compares with rates across the country, consult the map below.

However, the amount you’ll pay for car insurance depends on a variety of factors unique to you. These factors include your age, gender, ZIP code, and driving history. Insurance companies will use these factors to craft a price specifically for you, but you can get an idea of how different factors affect rates below.

Virginia Car Insurance Rates for Minimum Coverage

Virginia is one of the only states that have a minimum car insurance requirement.  Because of this, there isn’t a minimum amount of insurance Virginia drivers need to drive.

Drivers who skip car insurance must pay an uninsured motorist fee of about $500 to the Virginia DMV. If you decide to buy a minimum amount of liability, you’ll likely pay about $408 per year, which is actually cheaper than the uninsured motorist fee. For that reason, getting car insurance is usually recommended for Virginia drivers.

Check below to see the average rates for liability insurance across the nation to give you a good idea of what you may pay in Virginia.

As you can see, USAA offers the cheapest average rates for minimum insurance. However, USAA has strict membership rules and only sells insurance to active or retired military members and their families. For more details, see USAA car insurance review.

If you’re not a military member, State Farm and GEICO might be your best bet for cheap car insurance in VA.

Although minimum insurance is your most affordable option, it doesn’t offer protection to your car. If you want help paying for repairs to your car after an accident, you’ll need full coverage.

Virginia Car Insurance Rates for Full Coverage

Full coverage auto insurance is not a requirement in any state, you might need it if you have a car loan or lease on your vehicle. Even if you own your car outright, full coverage might be a good idea because it protects you and your car from a variety of damage.

Full coverage includes liability, comprehensive, collision, uninsured motorist, and either personal injury protection or medical payments.

Once again, USAA, State Farm, and GEICO offer the cheapest full coverage rates in Virginia. However, there are many other factors that insurance companies look at when determining your rates, which might make other companies more affordable.

You can add other insurance types to your policy to increase the coverage on your car. Here are some popular options for Virginia drivers:

• GAP insurance
• Roadside assistance
• Rental car reimbursement

While adding more insurance to your policy offers better protection for your car, it also increases your rates. While it can be tempting to add as much coverage as possible to your policy, you should only buy what you need.

Virginia Car Insurance Rates by Age

Age is an integral part of what you’ll pay for car insurance. Finding cheap rates for teens can be difficult because young drivers are statistically more likely to drive recklessly and cause accidents. Similarly, older drivers also see higher rates because they file more claims and are more likely to be injured in an accident.

To get an idea of how much insurance will cost for your age group, take a look below.

While State Farm and GEICO are usually affordable options for car insurance in Virginia, Erie and Nationwide might be your cheapest option for teen coverage. For more details on both, check out a review of Erie auto insurance and Nationwide auto insurance review.

While car insurance for teens is some of the most expensive, there are ways to save. Teens should look for student discounts to take advantage of, and a parent or guardian can cut their rates in half by adding them to an existing policy.

Virginia Car Insurance Rates by Credit Score

Your credit score is used for a wide range of products and services — everything from buying a new car to getting an apartment is affected by your credit score.

The price of your insurance is also determined by your credit score. Drivers with low credit scores can pay up to 60% more for insurance than people with excellent scores.

Some insurance companies are warier about low credit scores than others. State Farm — usually an affordable option — is actually more expensive than companies like Nationwide and GEICO because it charges drivers with low credit scores more.

While you’ll pay more for your insurance while your credit scores are low, you can decrease how much you pay for coverage by improving your score. You can learn more about auto insurance and your credit score, but the general rule of thumb is, the higher you get your credit score, the lower your insurance rates will be.

Virginia Car Insurance Rates After an At-Fault Accident

One of the most significant factors that affect your rates when looking for cheap car insurance in Virginia is your driving record. Drivers with clean records will pay much less for insurance than people with an at-fault accident.

USAA has much cheaper rates for military members, but State Farm and Nationwide offer nearly identical rates for everyone else.

An at-fault accident will increase your rates for about three years. If you keep your record clean during those three years, your rates will gradually return to normal.

Virginia Car Insurance Rates After a DUI

After years of relentless efforts to decrease DUI arrests and fatalities, Virginia currently has a relatively low number of intoxicated drivers. However, despite fairly serious consequences, the Old Dominion State still struggles with DUIs.

The consequences for a DUI in Virginia include the following:

• First offense — up to $2,500 fine, mandatory alcohol education classes, the installation of an interlock device on your car, license suspension for 12 months, and up to 12 months in jail.
• Second offense — up to $2,500 fine, mandatory alcohol education classes, the installation of an interlock device on your car, license suspension for 36 months, and up to 12 months in jail.

You can expect some changes in your car insurance after a DUI. If you’re charged with a DUI in Virginia, your insurance rates can increase by 99%. Some insurance companies might refuse to cover you, especially if you have multiple violations.

At $1,753 a year, State Farm has the lowest average rates after a DUI. If you already have car insurance, you should still compare rates with other companies after a DUI conviction. One of the best ways to save money after a DUI is to see what other companies can offer you.

While car insurance quotes in Virginia are much higher after a DUI, they don’t stay high forever. Just like insurance after an accident, your rates will decrease as long as you keep your record clean. However, DUIs stay on your record for about seven years.

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Cheapest Car Insurance in Virginia by City

An essential aspect of Virginia auto insurance rates is your location. While Virginia car insurance rates are about 30% cheaper than the national average, there can be some big differences in auto insurance rates by ZIP codes and cities.

Cities like Norfolk, Burke, and Woodlawn have some of the most expensive insurance in Virginia. While the reason for higher rates varies, some cities are more expensive for insurance because of more car thefts, heavier traffic, and more car accidents.

On the other hand, cities like Harrisonburg and Winchester have some of the lowest rates. Both cities have relatively small populations and are far enough from the coast that cars are unlikely to be damaged by hurricanes and other coastal storms.

What are Virginia’s car insurance laws?

While Virginia insurance laws don’t include liability auto insurance, there are other statutes you should be aware of.

To register a car, you need to provide proof of insurance or pay the uninsured motorist fee. Insurance is recommended for Virginia drivers to protect them from financial hardship after an accident, especially since a low amount of coverage costs less than the uninsured motorist fee.

If you choose to buy insurance, you should always keep proof of it in your car.

Whatever you choose, you should always keep everything up to date. If your insurance lapses or you don’t pay the uninsured motorist fee, you risk having your driving privileges revoked.

If your license is suspended, you’ll have to pay a $600 reinstatement fee and file SR-22 insurance forms for three years.

Do you need SR-22 insurance in Virginia?

Virginia drivers might be required to file either an SR-22 or FR-44 after serious driving infractions and license suspensions. SR-22 is usually required after a license suspension, while FR-44 insurance is for DUI convictions.

Whichever you need to file, they’re not actually insurance. Instead, they are proof you provide to Virginia’s DMV that you have a minimum amount of insurance. While being ordered to provide SR-22 or FR-44 insurance might seem inconvenient, it’s usually an easy process.

How do you get SR-22 insurance in Virginia?

Getting SR-22 auto insurance is easy, especially if you already have a policy. When you have a policy, simply call an insurance representative and ask about filing SR-22 insurance. You’ll have to pay a fee, but your insurance company will know what to do.

If you don’t have insurance — or your old company decided to drop you — you should be upfront that you’ll need SR-22 insurance when you request a quote. Needing SR-22 insurance might disqualify you from some companies, and your rates will be higher, but most companies will work with you.

Filing SR-22 insurance is required to reinstate your driver’s license, but what happens if you don’t have a car?

In this case, you should consider nonowner auto insurance. Nonowner auto insurance provides you coverage when you occasionally drive someone else’s car. Not only does nonowner insurance allow you to file your SR-22 or FR-44 form, but it’s also cheaper than standard policies.

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Find the Best Car Insurance in Virginia

Aside from being the birthplace of many presidents and having beautiful beaches, the average car insurance cost in Virginia also gives residents something to be happy about. Although you can choose not to carry coverage, the affordability of car insurance in Virginia makes it a safer option.

If you’re wondering how much car insurance is in Virginia, the best way to find out is to compare quotes. Although State Farm, GEICO, and USAA offer the cheapest average rates, you might find that other companies offer you better prices.

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