Car Insurance In Virginia 2026: Laws, Costs, Requirements & Companies

With 15 years of experience in the industry, I’ve seen the impact that car-related crime, inclement weather, and state driving laws can have on drivers in Virginia. This guide is designed to provide comprehensive information on Virginia’s state driving laws, which companies operate there, how much Insurance to get, and how to keep car insurance costs low.

Does Virginia Require Car Insurance?

Yes, all drivers in Virginia with a motor vehicle have to keep liability insurance on that vehicle. Before 2024, Virginia allowed drivers to pay a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee rather than keep insurance, but this is no longer the case. Moving forward, all registered vehicles need to meet state minimum policies, which require 50/100/25 coverage:

• Bodily Injury Liability: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
• Property Damage Liability: $25,000 per accident.
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) Coverage: Virginia also mandates UM/UIM coverage that must match these 50/100/25 limits.

How Much Insurance Should You Get In Virginia?

The mandatory limits required by Virginia only apply to the damages you cause to other people. Given the high rate of uninsured motorists on the road and the unpredictable weather, many experts recommend investing in full financial protection with collision and comprehensive coverage to protect not only other drivers but yourself.

Virginia requires mandatory management coverage, but Collision and Medpay can provide immediate protection for your car repairs and medical bills if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, of which there are an average of 13% on the road. Medpay can be a safety net for many Virginia drivers who have high health deductibles or copays, covering the cost right after an accident to ensure drivers get treatment immediately.

In the Piedmont region and the Shenandoah Valley, black ice is a frequent cause of single-vehicle slide-offs. Only with collision insurance can you rely on your coverage to fix your car if you slide into a guardrail off the road, into a tree, or into any other object.

Residents who live in Hampton Roads or the Northern Neck have to contend with a high risk of coastal flooding, making comprehensive coverage the only way to protect a damaged vehicle against floods.

High-speed crashes along the I-81 and the I-95 necessitate gap insurance for Virginia drivers with a lease or a loan on their car; gap insurance can help cover the loan balance in the event that your insurance payout from a total vehicle loss is not enough.

How Much Is Car Insurance In Virginia?

The average cost of car insurance for minimum state liability is around $62 per month in Virginia, but for full coverage can be up to $200 per month. That said, several factors can influence costs, like the items below:

• Low-income Car Insurance: There are no government-sponsored programs for drivers in Virginia who are low-income, but the state minimum coverage is often a good alternative.
• Non-owner car insurance: Virginia drivers who don’t own a car can expect to pay around $15 per month for insurance.
• Temporary Car Insurance: A short-term, 1-month policy can cost around $65 per month, depending on the provider.
• Senior Car Insurance (Age 60-75): Virginia seniors have some of the lowest rates with minimum coverage around $40 per month.
• Teen Car Insurance: Teens in Virginia, by comparison, have some of the highest rates, with the average full coverage policy at $629 per month.
• SR-22 Insurance: Filing an SR-22 in Virginia brings monthly minimum premiums up to an average of $150.
• College Students: Young adult drivers (ages 20-25) pay an average of $200 per month.
• Bad Credit: Having poor credit in Virginia can increase premiums significantly, with costs for someone with poor credit roughly four times that of someone with exceptional credit.
• With a Speeding Ticket: A single speeding violation in Virginia increases the average monthly premiums for full coverage to over $220 per month.

These figures are general estimates and can vary depending on the insurer and your personal driving profile.

Which Car Insurance Companies Operate In Virginia?

There are many insurers throughout Virginia offering specialty coverage and general coverage for Virginia drivers, including:

• GEICO
• State Farm
• Erie Insurance
• Virginia Farm Bureau
• Auto-Owners Insurance
• Mercury Insurance
• Selective Insurance
• USAA
• Amica Mutual Insurance
• Nationwide
• Farmers Insurance
• Main Street America
• Rockingham Insurance
• Elephant Insurance
• Liberty Mutual
• Travelers
• Allstate
• Progressive
• American Family Insurance
• Dairyland (for high-risk or SR-22 drivers)
• Root Insurance (for telematics-based premiums, calculated using real-time driving behavior)
• Metromile (for low-mileage drivers)
• National General Insurance

Note: You can access the Virginia Bureau of Insurance Search Engine to find the official state directory of licensed insurers.

If you are unsure whether national or regional companies might offer the best coverage for you, you can compare quotes and coverage details through Insuranceopedia.

How To Get Lower Insurance Premiums In Virginia

Virginia drivers can find a lot of ways to voluntarily reduce their premiums, taking advantage of different Virginia state laws.

Complete A DMV-Approved Driver Improvement Clinic

One such option is a DMV-approved driver improvement clinic. These are typically 8-hour courses, and if you voluntarily complete them, you can get a discount of up to 10%. That discount typically lasts 2 years.

Mature Driver Discount (Ages 55+)

Virginia state law stipulates that drivers aged 55 or older who voluntarily complete a motor vehicle accident prevention course can get a reduced premium, with discounts valid for 3 years.

Avoid The New Uninsured Penalties

As of July 1, 2024, Virginia no longer allows drivers to pay a $500 fee to drive uninsured. Not so you can keep your premiums low by maintaining good insurance without any gaps to avoid these new penalties.

Maintain Or Improve Your Credit Score

Virginia allows insurers to use credit-based insurance scores. So if you already have a good credit score, you must maintain it, especially if you decide to shop around later. If your credit score can be improved, keeping things like the amount of credit you use to under 30% of the total credit you have can go a long way toward reducing premiums.

Pay Annually

Every time you make a payment for your insurance, it comes with a processing fee, so being able to pay every 6 months or every year can reduce the number of processing fees you are charged.

Keep A Clean Driving Record

Avoiding accidents and tickets can keep your driving record clean and your premiums down.

Reduce Miles

Consider reducing the number of miles you put on each vehicle you own, especially if you live in an area where you can take advantage of public transit. This can qualify you for low-mileage discounts.

Proof Of Insurance In Virginia

Virginia requires that all drivers maintain insurance. Before 2025, some drivers were allowed to pay an uninsured motorist fee rather than maintain insurance, but as of 2025, that has changed. Now all drivers must carry the state minimum coverage on any policies that are issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025.

Drivers must also carry proof in a physical or digital form. When requested by a law enforcement agent, Virginia drivers need to submit this proof of insurance. The Virginia DMV uses an electronic verification system, and this continually monitors registered vehicles to ensure that they have active policies, so if the system flags your vehicle or you cannot provide proof of insurance, it can result in an immediate suspension of your driver’s license, vehicle registration, and license plates.

It can also result in a class 3 misdemeanor.

After a conviction, drivers have to pay a $600 statutory fee to the uninsured motorist fund, a reinstatement fee, and file an SR-22 certificate, which must be maintained for 3 years. If at any point your insurance coverage lapses during those three years, that SR-22 requirement time frame will start over.

Virginia State Driving Laws

In 2025, Virginia’s driving system implemented mandatory insurance requirements and a stricter negligence system for determining fault. With a range of state driving laws designed to protect everyone on the road, below is a breakdown of the key regulations that Virginia drivers should know:

Fault State

Virginia is an at-fault state, so whoever is found at fault for an accident is responsible for paying for the damages from the other parties involved.

Civil Threshold Limits

Virginia uses a strict contributory negligence rule. As such, if you contribute even 1% to an accident, you cannot recover damages.

Drivers Without Insurance

It is illegal to drive without insurance, and failure to maintain insurance can result in fees, license and registration suspension, and SR-22 requirements.

Teen Driving Laws

Virginia has a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program with restrictions on learner’s permits and provisional licenses, including hours a teen can drive, who can be a passenger, and the age of that passenger.

DUI Laws

In Virginia, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit is 0.08% for drivers 21 and older and 0.02% for younger drivers.

SR-22s

Drivers convicted of violations like driving without insurance might be required to file an SR-22 certificate with the Virginia DMV for a minimum of 3 years.

Regional Variation (FR-44)

While many states use the SR-22, two states—Florida and Virginia—use a stricter form called an FR-44, which brings with it significantly higher liability limits than the state’s standard minimums.

Car Inspections

Virginia requires annual safety inspections for all vehicles, but the emissions testing is contingent upon your county. Most emissions tests are required every 2 years and are necessary for registration renewal.

Self-Insurance

Virginia state law allows businesses to apply for self-insurance. Technically, individuals can apply as well, but it is typically designated for entities that own a fleet of vehicles. Qualifications include owning 21 or more Vehicles all registered in the state of Virginia, filing a 3-year loss history, submitting a consolidated financial report certified by a CPA, and maintaining a net working capital equal to the minimum liability coverage limits required by Virginia. In some situations, a crash involvement report has to be filed every quarter.

Seat Belt Laws

As of July 1st, 2025, all occupants of a vehicle, whether they are seated in the front or the back, must wear a seatbelt when a vehicle is in motion on a public highway. It is the responsibility of the driver to make sure that anyone under the age of 18 is properly buckled. Officers can issue a citation, but it is a secondary offense, which means they typically have to pull you over for some other reason before that citation can be issued.

Distracted Driving Laws

In Virginia, you cannot hold a physical communication device while driving and can only use voice commands or steering wheel controls. It is illegal to read or send texts or emails while driving, however.

Statute Of Limitations For Claims

The statute of limitations to file a personal injury or property damage lawsuit in Virginia is 2 years.

When To Report An Accident

Accidents have to be reported immediately to the police if there is injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,500. Accidents must then be reported to the DMV within 5 days.

Defensive Driving

Drivers in Virginia can voluntarily complete a defensive driving course to get points removed from their record and qualify for insurance premium discounts.

When Is A Car Declared A Total Loss?

Cars are declared a total loss in Virginia if the salvage value and damages exceed 75% or more of the actual cash value of the vehicle.

Cancellation/Non-Renewal Notification Laws

Drivers must be given 30 days notice before policy expires for a non-renewal or a cancellation, but only 15 days notice if the reason for that cancellation is non-payment. Car insurance providers in Virginia must also state the reason for cancellation or non-renewal and provide drivers with alternative options like the Virginia Automobile Insurance Plan.

Virginia Car Insurance Contact Information

Several organizations throughout Virginia handle things like car insurance compliance. Knowing who to call under which circumstances can save you time.

1. Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) – Bureau of Insurance

The Bureau of Insurance should be contacted if you need help understanding rate changes for your insurance premium, verifying an insurance seller, or filing a complaint with your insurance provider over things like a premium hike or claim denial.

Contact Information:

• Consumer Protection Hotline: (877) 310-6560 (Toll-free) or (804) 371-9185 (Property & Casualty).
• Main Office: (804) 371-9741.
• Email: BureauofInsurance@scc.virginia.gov.
• Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1157, Richmond, VA 23218.
• Website: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Insurance

2. Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

The DMV is the agency you contact if you need to respond to a request to verify your insurance coverage. It is also your POC if you need to manage registration or titling for a car. If your driving privileges were revoked after failure to maintain insurance, or if you need to file an SR-22, this is where you go.

Contact Information:

• General Information: (804) 497-7100.
• Insurance Verification Unit (Fax): (804) 367-6693 (to submit proof of insurance).
• Dealer Services: (804) 367-0901.
• Mailing Address: P.O. Box 27412, Richmond, VA 23269.
• Website: dmv.virginia.gov

3. Office of the Attorney General (Consumer Protection)

The Attorney General’s office is where you go if you want to report insurance fraud.

Contact Information:

• Consumer Protection Hotline: (800) 552-9963.
• Main Line: (804) 786-2071.
• Website: oag.state.va.us

Common Virginia Car-Related Crime And Fatalities

Drivers need to understand the types of car-related incidents that are most common in Virginia. This will help drivers better understand key statistics related to car theft and fatalities.

Traffic Fatalities In Virginia

Over 700 traffic-related fatalities happened in 2025, close to the previous year’s average of around 800. Many of these are related to drivers and passengers failing to wear a seatbelt, with unrestrained fatalities attributed to 73.2% of all car accident fatalities in the state. In fact, fatality rates in Virginia are eight times higher for drivers and passengers who do not wear a seat belt.

Vehicle Theft Trends

The port of Virginia ranks second across the nation for stolen vehicle recovery, as over 8 million worth of stolen vehicles were recovered in 2025. The most targeted regions for vehicle theft occur in residential counties like Chesterfield, Richmond, and Henrico.

Causes Of Accidents And Fatalities In Virginia

Speeding is one of the biggest factors in accidents and fatalities for Virginia drivers, contributing to 20% of all car accidents across the state and 46% of all car accident fatalities. Another 17% of all accidents relate to distracted driving. Driving under the influence has been attributed to 6% of all accidents across the state, but 26% of all accident fatalities.

Drivers having a 1 in 105 chance of colliding with a wild animal in Virginia in the fall, and in the winter, have to contend with severe wintry weather, which is particularly dangerous along I-77.