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Get Cheap Car Insurance in Virginia (2020)
Car insurance can be expensive, but it tends to be cheaper in Virginia than it is in other states.
Our research found that the national average premium for “full coverage” auto insurance is $1,254 per year. The average premium for the same amount of coverage in Virginia is $993 per year.
State-minimum car insurance coverage in Virginia is cheaper than it is in a lot of other places, too. While the national average rate for minimum coverage is around $641 per year, according to our data, the average rate in Virginia is $520 per year.
What you pay for car insurance in Virginia varies by company and depends on several factors, including your age, how long you’ve driven, your driving record and others. You’ll learn more about this topic, as well as the following, in this article:
- Average auto insurance rates in Virginia by city
- How to find affordable car insurance in Virginia
- Virginia auto insurance requirements
- Recommended coverage levels for Virginia drivers
Best car insurance in Virginia
Based on rate data we gathered for the average driver in this state, Utica National Insurance Group, Virginia Farm Bureau and Erie offer the cheapest car insurance coverage in Virginia.
Cheapest car insurance companies in Virginia
| Insurance company | Yearly premium | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica National Insurance Group | $700 | |||
| Virginia Farm Bureau | $780 | |||
| Erie | $937 | |||
| USAA | $943 | |||
| Progressive | $978 | |||
| Note: These average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services.1 Your rates may vary. | ||||
How cheap are these Virginia auto insurance companies? Our data shows that Utica National offers a monthly premium of about $58. We found Virginia Farm Bureau’s premiums to be similarly affordable, at $65 per month.
If you prefer to get car insurance coverage from a bigger company, consider Progressive or USAA. In our research, USAA’s monthly premiums were around $79 a month, while Progressive’s were approximately $82.
This data is based on a standard sample driver who is a single, 35-year-old male with an average credit score and zero accidents on his driving record. He owns a 2012 Honda Accord and drives it an average of 16,000 miles a year. His car insurance policy has 100/300/50 coverage limits and a $1,000 deductible.
Cheap car insurance in Virginia for good drivers
As cheap as auto insurance can be for the average Virginia driver, it can be even cheaper if you’re a good driver — and if you buy coverage from Virginia Farm Bureau, Utica or USAA.
What’s a good driver in this context? Someone who has had a license for several years and also has a clean driving record and at least an average credit score.
| Insurance company | Yearly premium | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Farm Bureau | $604 | |||
| Utica National Insurance Group | $700 | |||
| USAA | $717 | |||
| Progressive | $724 | |||
| Erie | $744 | |||
| Note: These average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services.1 Your rates may vary. | ||||
As a good driver in Virginia, your car insurance rates could be as low as $50 a month if you get coverage from the Virginia Farm Bureau. Your rates could be higher than that, though. The average good driver in Virginia pays about $82 a month for auto insurance coverage, according to our data.
This variability makes sense, as companies base car insurance premiums on a number of factors, including where you live and what kind of vehicle you drive.
That said, an $82 monthly premium is less than the $108 per month the average driver in Virginia spends on auto insurance, as the chart above shows.
Cheap auto insurance in Virginia for bad drivers
High-risk drivers tend to pay more for car insurance than average drivers. Here are the insurance companies we found to offer the cheapest rates in Virginia for high-risk drivers, or drivers with multiple tickets, accidents or DUIs on their records.
Best car insurance companies for high-risk drivers
| Insurance company | Yearly premium | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica National Insurance Group | $1,099 | |||
| Virginia Farm Bureau | $1,176 | |||
| GEICO | $1,557 | |||
| Nationwide | $1,840 | |||
| Erie | $2,154 | |||
| Note: These average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services.1 Your rates may vary. | ||||
Although our data shows that high-risk drivers in Virginia can get car insurance for as little as $1,099 a year from Utica National Insurance Group, that’s only part of the story. Our data also shows that the average high-risk driver in Virginia pays $2,864 a year for car insurance, or $239 a month. In other words, chances are good you’ll spend more than $1,099 a year on auto coverage in the state if you have several citations or violations on your record.
Drivers with even one at-fault accident on their records pay higher rates for car insurance in Virginia, too. Once again, Virginia Farm Bureau, Utica and Erie are the cheapest companies for those drivers, according to our research.
Cheapest car insurance companies for drivers with one at-fault accident
| Insurance company | Yearly premium | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Farm Bureau | $831 | |||
| Utica National Insurance Group | $924 | |||
| Erie | $1,203 | |||
| USAA | $1,355 | |||
| GEICO | $1,422 | |||
| Note: These average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services.1 Your rates may vary. | ||||
Virginia drivers with one at-fault accident on their records pay less for auto coverage than high-risk drivers, at least.
Our data shows that drivers with one accident pay an average of $1,853 per year for car insurance. That’s $1,011 per year less than what the state’s high-risk drivers tend to pay. But it’s also $560 per year more than what our base Virginia driver pays.
Cheapest insurance in Virginia for new and young drivers
Young and new drivers usually pay more for car insurance than more experienced drivers across the U.S., and that’s true in Virginia, too.
Still, it’s possible to get affordable auto insurance as a new or young driver if you buy it from the right company. When we compared rates for this article, Utica National Insurance Group offered the cheapest auto coverage to our sample inexperienced driver with a $705 yearly premium.
Here are other sources of cheap insurance for young or new drivers:
| Insurance company | Yearly premium | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica National Insurance Group | $705 | |||
| Alfa Alliance Insurance | $1,405 | |||
| Erie | $1,516 | |||
| Virginia Farm Bureau | $1,883 | |||
| USAA | $2,298 | |||
| Note: These average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services.1 Your rates may vary. | ||||
Our research on car insurance for young and new drivers in Virginia shows how important it is to compare quotes from several companies when shopping for coverage. Although Utica quoted us a $705 yearly premium for our sample driver, the next cheapest insurers were Alfa Alliance, at $1,405 a year, and Erie, at $1,516.
Even more noteworthy is our finding that the average annual premium for new and young drivers in our survey of insurers was $3,474. That’s $2,181 more than our base driver’s average annual premium.
Why do new and young drivers pay more for car insurance than more experienced drivers? The main reason is inexperienced drivers are more likely to get tickets or cause accidents. That costs insurance companies money, which they pass along to first-time drivers in the form of higher rates.
Average car insurance rates in Virginia by city
If you live in one of Virginia’s most populous cities, you probably pay higher car insurance rates than drivers who live elsewhere in the state.
Our data shows that the average Virginia driver pays $994 a year for auto insurance coverage. That’s $83 a month. Drivers living in Virginia’s top 10 most populous cities, on the other hand, pay an average of $115 a month, or $1,381 a year, for coverage.
Average car insurance premiums for Virginia’s 10 most populous cities
| City | Average annual premium | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington | $1,359 | |||
| Alexandria | $1,428 | |||
| Chesapeake | $1,382 | |||
| Hampton | $1,415 | |||
| Newport News | $1,412 | |||
| Norfolk | $1,498 | |||
| Portsmouth | $1,469 | |||
| Richmond | $1,404 | |||
| Roanoke | $1,148 | |||
| Virginia Beach | $1,396 | |||
| Note: These average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services.1 Your rates may vary. | ||||
As you can see, drivers in Virginia’s biggest cities tend to pay more than the state average for car insurance. Roanoke drivers pay the lowest rates, at $1,148 per year, according to our data. But even that is $154 per year more than the average.
Whether you pay more or less than the average annual car insurance premium as a Virginia driver depends on factors like your age, gender, driving record and claims history.
Finding affordable car insurance in Virginia
Although car insurance in Virginia often costs less than it does in other states, it’s still possible to save money on it.
For example, to save money on car insurance as a young or new driver, try one or more of the following:
- See if you qualify for a good student discount.
- Take a defensive driving course.
- Raise your policy’s deductible.
If you’re a high-risk driver, you may be able to save money on auto coverage by:
- Shopping around and comparing quotes from a number of insurance providers.
- Improving your driving record by minimizing traffic infractions and violations.
- Being patient and waiting for your tickets and accidents to drop off your record.
A few other tips for finding affordable car insurance in Virginia:
- Bundle your auto and homeowners insurance policies.
- Consider carrying just liability coverage if your vehicle is old or isn’t worth much money.
Virginia car insurance requirements
To get license plates or decals for a vehicle in Virginia, you either need to carry a minimum amount of car insurance coverage or you need to pay a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee.
If you decide to insure your car in Virginia, you must buy at least the following types and amounts of auto coverage:
Virginia auto insurance minimums
| Type of coverage | State minimum coverage requirements | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) | $25,000 for the bodily injury or death of one person and $50,000 for the bodily injury or death of two or more persons | |||
| Property Damage Liability (PDL) | $20,000 per incident | |||
| Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist | Same limits as for BIL and PDL coverage, so $25,000/$50,000/$20,000 | |||
| Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles | ||||
Virginia’s $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee doesn’t provide insurance coverage. It just allows you to drive an uninsured vehicle at your own risk. Also, this fee expires along with your registration.
FR-44 and SR-22 insurance in Virginia
Virginia requires drivers to file FR-44 or SR-22 forms and carry a minimum amount of car insurance in certain situations.
For example, Virginia requires FR-44 certification if you’re convicted of:
- Driving while under the influence (DUI).
- Maiming while under the influence.
- Driving while the driver's license has been forfeited for a conviction.
The FR-44 liability insurance coverage limits in Virginia are:
- $50,000 for the bodily injury or death of one person.
- $100,000 for the bodily injury or death of two or more persons.
- $40,000 for property damage.
Virginia’s SR-22 liability insurance coverage limits are half of its FR-44 coverage limits, or:
- $25,000 for the bodily injury or death of one person.
- $50,000 for the bodily injury or death of two or more persons.
- $20,000 for property damage.
Virginia Automobile Insurance Plan
High-risk drivers who want car insurance but can’t get it through the voluntary market may be able to get it through the Virginia Automobile Insurance Plan, or VAIP.
To get coverage through the VAIP, you must have tried, but failed, to buy auto insurance from a company that serves the state at least once in the previous 60 days. You also must:
- Live in Virginia.
- Have a car that’s registered in Virginia.
Recommended car insurance coverage levels for Virginia drivers
Although you’re free to buy only the minimum amount of car insurance the state requires, doing so could cost you — especially if you’re involved in a serious accident.
Because of this, consider getting a car insurance policy with these coverage limits:
- $100,000 BIL per person.
- $300,000 BIL per incident.
- $50,000 PDL per incident.
You should also consider getting collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage protects you if your car is damaged in an accident. Comprehensive coverage protects you if something other than a collision damages your car. That includes fallen trees, natural disasters, theft and vandalism.
Virginia Bureau of Insurance
- Virginia Commissioner of Insurance:
- Scott White
- Consumer service hotline:
- (800) 552-7945
- Office hours:
- Monday through Friday, 8:15 am to 5 pm (Eastern)
- File a consumer insurance complaint:
- Complaint page
Methodology
1We used these driver profiles to gather data from a variety of auto insurance companies serving the state of Virginia:
Good drivers
Our sample good driver is a single, 35-year-old woman who drives a 2012 Honda Accord. She has an excellent credit score and no accidents on her record. Her car insurance policy has 100/300/50 coverage limits and a $1,000 deductible.
Bad drivers
Our high-risk driver is a single, 35-year-old male. He has poor credit and one at-fault accident on his record that resulted in $3,000 of damage. His auto insurance coverage limits are 100/300/50 and he has $1,000 collision and comprehensive deductibles.
Our sample driver with one at-fault accident on her record is a single, 35-year-old woman. She has an average credit score and has caused one accident that resulted in $3,000 of damage. She has 100/300/50 coverage limits and a $1,000 deductible.
Young and new drivers
This driver is an 18-year-old female. She is single, has an average credit score and has caused no accidents. She has 100/300/50 coverage limits and a $1,000 deductible.
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