Cheap Auto Insurance in Virginia (2023)

Virginia was one of the original 13 colonies to form the U.S., but when it comes to car insurance costs, the Old Dominion is neither the cheapest nor most expensive state to drive in. Virginia is the 22nd least-expensive state for car insurance, with an average monthly rate of $202.

Best cheap car insurance in Virginia: State Farm

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State Farm

Best Cheap Car Insurance Virginia

Liability-only insurance is typically the lowest-cost type of insurance you can buy. In Virginia, State Farm has the lowest quote for minimum coverage, at just $60 per month. This is roughly 108% less than the state average cost of $202. Kemper Preferred, USAA, and GEICO also offer competitive rates for liability insurance in Virginia, but note that USAA only serves military families.

The following table shows monthly average liability quotes from multiple companies for drivers in Virginia.

Learn More: Best Car Insurance Companies

Minimum car insurance requirements in Virginia

Virginia requires car insurance for all motor vehicles operated or parked on the commonwealth’s roadways. You’ll need to carry proof of insurance in your car at all times. You’ll need to show it if a law enforcement officer asks for it, when you renew your vehicle registration, or if you get in an accident.

To register a vehicle and drive in Virginia, you’ll need to carry a minimum of:

• $30,000 per person bodily injury coverage

• $60,000 per accident bodily injury coverage

• $20,000 property damage liability coverage

Take note that those limits will rise for policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2025, when you’ll have to carry bodily injury coverage of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident, and property damage coverage of $25,000.^[1]

Virginia DMV information

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles manages driver’s licensing, private vehicle titling and registration, and commercial permitting and registration. Through the DMV website, you can make an appointment at a DMV location, renew your registration or driver’s license, change your address, report a vehicle sold or traded, and buy a license plate.^[2]

Public transportation in Virginia

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation operates the Virginia Breeze, a bus service with routes that connect rural areas of the state to the national bus network.^[3] Additionally, Amtrak passenger trains run between several Virginia cities, including Richmond and Norfolk, to points of interest inside and outside the state.^[4]

You’ll need to rely on a car or other form of motor vehicle transportation to navigate around the state, but some Virginia cities are very walkable. For example, the website Walk Score gives Arlington a score of 71 for walkability and 72 for cycling.^[5] The Virginia REALTORSⓇ Association gives Arlington a walkability score of 69, noting that only some errands can be accomplished on foot.^[6]

Tips for getting cheap car insurance in Virginia

Comparison shopping to find the best rate available to you is a smart way to find cheap car insurance. You can also take some additional steps to reduce your car insurance costs, including:

• Bundling: Many insurers offer discounts to customers who purchase both car and home or renter’s insurance from the same company.

• Keep your driving record clean: Moving violations can push up car insurance rates. Driving safely and carefully can help ensure you avoid the kind of incidents that increase rates.

• Polish your credit score: Many insurance companies consider credit scores when setting car insurance rates. Generally, the higher your score, the lower your insurance rates will be.

• Seek discounts: Car insurance companies typically offer a variety of discounts. For example, if you have a teen driver, they might be eligible for a good student discount.

Learn More: How Does a Clean Driving Record Affect Your Car Insurance?

Liability-only vs. full-coverage insurance in Virginia

If you live in Virginia, you can opt to carry liability-only auto insurance, which pays for expenses related to injuries and damage to the other party’s car if you cause an accident. Each state sets its own minimums for how much liability insurance it requires drivers to carry. Liability-only insurance can make sense if:

• You have a low-value vehicle.

• You can afford to repair or replace your car out of your own pocket.

• Getting the cheapest insurance possible is your top priority.

For a higher level of protection, you can choose full-coverage insurance, which includes basic liability plus collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage pays for damages to your car, even if you’re at fault for an accident. Comprehensive coverage pays for damages caused by events out of your control, like vandalism, weather, and animals. Auto lenders and leasing companies typically require drivers to carry full coverage on a car they’ve financed.

You may also opt for full coverage if:

• You have a high-value vehicle.

• You wouldn’t be able to afford to repair or replace your car out of pocket.

• Your car’s actual cash value (the payout you’d likely get if your car is totaled) exceeds your annual premium to carry full coverage.

The following table provides a look at average monthly rates for the cheapest auto insurance in Virginia by policy type. State Farm has the lowest monthly averages, with just $60 for liability-only insurance and $89 for full coverage.

See More: High-Risk Car Insurance Virginia 

How your driving history affects Virginia car insurance rates

Your driving history is the factor that most influences your car insurance costs. Good drivers — whose records are free of serious traffic violations like speeding tickets or reckless driving — tend to get the best car insurance rates in Virginia. But infractions like driving under the influence or at-fault accidents can significantly increase insurance costs.

Here’s a look at average monthly quotes for the cheapest car insurance in Virginia based on driving and accident history.

See More: SR-22 Car Insurance Virginia 

SR-22 insurance in Virginia

Moving violations could prompt the state or courts to require you to verify you have adequate insurance. An SR-22 is a document that you obtain from your state’s department of motor vehicles. You might need to get one if your driving record includes multiple at-fault accidents, DUIs, more than one speeding ticket in a short time frame, or you’ve been caught driving with insufficient insurance.

The following companies provide SR-22 insurance in Virginia:

How credit scores affect Virginia car insurance quotes

Generally, people with excellent or good credit scores can qualify for lower car insurance premiums than people with average or poor credit scores. The table below shows how credit score can affect car insurance rates in Virginia.

See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance Virginia 

How your city affects Virginia insurance quotes

Location is an important factor in car insurance rates. Virginians who live and drive in urban areas face higher population density and more traffic that may put them at higher risk of an accident. The table below gives an idea of how location can affect car insurance quotes.

How your age affects your Virginia car insurance rates

Because insurers generally equate age with experience level, your age will significantly affect how much you pay for car insurance. New drivers, who tend to be teens or people in their early 20s, typically pay more for insurance than drivers 25 and older.

The following table gives a high-level view of how age can affect insurance rates in Virginia.

Quotes for younger drivers

Multiple other factors influence how much drivers in each age group will pay for car insurance. Some increase rates for one age group more than another, while others affect all age groups evenly. Generally, though, young drivers have the highest car insurance rates of any age group.

The following table compares how different insurance factors affect average monthly rates for drivers younger than 30.

Quotes for middle-aged drivers

As drivers age and gain experience, their insurance rates typically fall. This is especially true for drivers who’ve maintained clean driving records and good credit scores.

The following table compares how different insurance factors affect average monthly rates for drivers between 30 and 59.

Quotes for senior drivers

Seniors typically pay the lowest car insurance premiums of any age group. But their rates can begin to rise as they move into their 70s and 80s, especially if they have an at-fault accident or other moving violation.

The following table compares how different insurance factors affect average monthly rates for drivers 60 and older.

Virginia car insurance FAQs

Drivers in Virginia enjoy some competitive car insurance rates, and they have many options for lower insurance premiums. Here are the answers to some common questions about car insurance in Virginia.

Insurify Insights

How Virginia Drivers Measure Up

While most drivers know that car insurance quotes are determined in part by your personal driving history, many may be unaware that rates are also impacted by the average risk of the drivers around you as well. Check out Insurify's latest analysis of driving records in Virginia below:

Methodology

Drawing from an internal database of over 4 million car insurance applications, the research team at Insurify analyzes patterns in car ownership and driver behavior - including how Virginia drivers measure up to their fellow motorists across the United States in areas including speeding, DUIs, and more.
Insurify Insights publishes data-driven articles, trend analyses, and national rankings each week on all factors related to cars and those who drive them.

Honda Accord

Most Popular Car in Virginia

#5

State with the Most Speeding Tickets Rank

#5

State with the Moving Violations Rank

#17

State with the Most DUIs Rank

#12

State with the most Suspended Licenses

• Accidents in Virginia

  While car accidents are a sadly unavoidable feature of time spent on the road, rates of accidents do vary from city to city and from state to state. Virginia is the #7 state in the country for drivers with an at-fault accident on their driving record.

  • Rank among states: #7
  • Percent of drivers in Virginia with an accident: 10.2%
• DUIs in Virginia

  While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. Virginia is the #17 state in the country for drivers with a prior drunk driving conviction.

  • Rank among states: #17
  • Percent of drivers in Virginia with a DUI: 1.7%
• Reckless Driving in Virginia

  Reckless driving refers to a specific traffic violation: when drivers willfully act dangerously in spite of the risks they’re imposing on both themselves and others. Virginia is the #3 state in the country for drivers with a reckless driving offense on record.

  • Rank among states: #3
  • Percent of drivers in Virginia with a reckless driving offense: 2.2%
• Rude Driving in Virginia

  The Insurify team classifies rude drivers as those who commit one or more of the following driving offenses: failure to yield or failure to stop, improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing, or hit-and-run. Virginia is the #5 state in the country for drivers with a rude driving violation on record.

  • Rank among states: #5
  • Percent of drivers in Virginia with a rude driving violation: 2.6%
• Speeding in Virginia

  Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and have a serious impact on your insurance costs. Virginia is the #5 state in the country for drivers with a speeding ticket on record.

  • Rank among states: #5
  • Percent of drivers in Virginia with a speeding ticket: 11.9%
• Failure to Yield Rates in Virginia

  Failing to yield the right of way isn’t just frustrating for other drivers; it’s dangerous, too. Virginia is the #1 state in the country for drivers with a failure to yield violation on record.

  • Rank among states: #1
  • Percent of drivers in Virginia with a failure to yield violation: 0.5%

Insurify Insights

Insurify's team of data scientists and content specialists presents Insurify Insights, a series of automotive, home, and health studies focusing on the topics that impact us all. through expert analysis of over 4 million car insurance applications and an array of top data sources, the Insurify Insights team produces new data-driven articles, trend analyses, regional superlatives, and national rankings every week. See Insurify Insights as featured in Forbes, Fox News, USA Today, NPR, and more.