EXPERT REVIEWED
by Ashlee TilfordOur guide to buying car insurance for Virginia drivers is based on rate data research and expert advice from our veteran staff of insurance analysts and editors. You’ll learn how much coverage to buy, how much it will cost, and learn how auto insurance in Virginia works to protect you and your family.
Are you looking for car insurance in Virginia?
It doesn’t matter if it's your first time buying car insurance or if you're switching providers - we've got everything covered. With CarInsurance.com, there is no reason why anyone should ever pay more than they have to for their auto insurance again.
We’re here to help. Our guide will walk you through the process of finding a policy that fits your needs and budget, so you can get back on the road as soon as possible. You’ll find out how much coverage is enough, what factors affect rates, and more.
Virginia cities surrounding Washington, D.C., pay much higher car insurance rates than the rest of the state. No matter what neighborhood you live in, though, you'll find that different car insurance companies will charge the same driver very different rates. That's why it's wise to compare rates to be sure you're not overpaying.
For example, in Alexandria ZIP code 22312, the highest rate is among major carriers surveyed was $1,443. That’s $614 more than the lowest $829 rate within the same ZIP. You can save, on average, $450 in Virginia by comparing rates, according to CarInsurance.com’s average car insurance savings rate by state analysis.
- How much is car insurance in Virginia?
- Car insurance in Virginia - Rates by ZIP Code
- Cheapest car insurance in Virginia
- Cheap auto insurance for Virginia drivers with recent accidents
- Who has the cheapest car insurance for drivers in Virginia with speeding tickets?
- How much does it cost to add a teen to your policy in Virginia?
- Cheapest auto insurance in Virginia for young drivers: Ages 18 to 25
- Senior drivers: Cheap auto insurance for Virginia drivers age 65 to 85
- Virginia drivers with bad or poor credit: You can still save on car insurance
- Best car insurance companies in Virginia
- Largest car insurance companies in Virginia
- Virginia Car Insurance Laws
- Virginia roads with the most fatal accidents
- Average annual car insurance rates for major cities in Virginia
- More Resources on Virginia car insurance:
- The bottom line: Getting Car Insurance in Virginia
- Guide to car insurance (with rates) in cities of Virginia
How much is car insurance in Virginia?
The average car insurance cost in Virginia is $81 per month or $972 per year for a full coverage policy, according to a CarInsurance.com rate analysis.
State minimum coverage have the average annual premium starting at $372 but an additional coverage is affordable too, and, naturally offers more financial protection. Increasing coverage from the state minimum to higher liability limits costs $37 a year or $3 a month. Hiking your policy to full coverage with a $500 deductible costs, on average, $600 more, or $50 a month.
| Coverage limits | Average annual rate |
|---|---|
| Liability Only - state minimum | $372 |
| Liability Only - 50/100/50 BI/PD | $409 |
| Full Coverage - 100/300/100 BI/PD $500 Comp/Collision deductible | $972 |
*The table shows the average annual rate of nearly every ZIP code in Virginia from up to six major insurance companies. Rates are for a male driver, age 40, with a clean record and good credit for a 2016 Honda Accord. Data was provided for CarInsurance.com by Quadrant Information Services.
Car insurance in Virginia - Rates by ZIP Code
Calculate auto insurance rates in your state Virginia, using our free calculator - Researched insights and analysis by experts, not just numbers!
To get a customized rate for your neighborhood, enter your ZIP, age and coverage level in the tool below. You'll also see how much you can save by noting the difference between the highest and lowest rate fielded from major insurers.
Virginia Car Insurance Rates by ZIP Code
- The average car insurance cost in Virginia is $81 per month or $972 a year for a full coverage policy.
- Nationwide ($744), Geico ($894) & State Farm ($969) have the cheapest auto insurance rates in Virginia for a full coverage policy.
- In Virginia, you can expect your rate to go up by an average of 199% when adding a driver age 16 to your coverage.
- Virginia is not among the worst states for drivers with bad credit.
Cheapest car insurance in Virginia
Nationwide ($744), Geico ($894) & State Farm ($969) have some of the cheapest auto insurance rates in Virginia for a full coverage policy. So you can save money on your premium without sacrificing the protection and benefits that are important to YOU!
Below you'll see average annual rates for Virginia, ranked cheapest to most expensive, for three coverage levels:
- State minimum liability requirements
- Liability limits of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident and $50,000 property damage
- Liability of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident and $100,000 property damage, with comprehensive and collision at $500 deductible
| Company | State minimum average annual rate | 50/100/50 average annual rate | 100/300/100 average annual rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate Prop & Cas Ins Co | $326 | $371 | $1,102 |
| Geico Gen Ins Co | $326 | $368 | $894 |
| Nationwide Prop & Cas Ins Co | $398 | $407 | $744 |
| Progressive Gulf Ins Co | $487 | $516 | $1,150 |
| State Farm Mut Auto Ins Co | $320 | $380 | $969 |
Cheap auto insurance for Virginia drivers with recent accidents
Filing an accident claim means you are likely to pay more for your car insurance coverage. However, how much more you pay depends on several factors, and your car insurance company plays is one of those significant factors. Each company assesses risk differently, so that's why the increase after an accident will vary among insurers. Here is how major carriers compare after at-fault accidents for the average Virginia driver with a full coverage policy:
| Company | 1 At-fault property damage accident over $2K | 2 At-fault property damage accident over $2k | At-fault bodily injury accident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate P&C | $1,993 | $3,678 | $1,993 |
| GEICO General | $1,038 | $2,114 | $1,038 |
| Nationwide P&C | $1,344 | $1,806 | $1,344 |
| Progressive Gulf Ins | $1,019 | $2,615 | $1,019 |
| State Farm Mutual Auto | $854 | $1,435 | $854 |
Who has the cheapest car insurance for drivers in Virginia with speeding tickets?
State Farm is the best place to go if you've been ticketed for speeding in Virginia. Their annual average rate of $854 will save drivers up their money and help them stay safe on roads by practicing proper driving habits!
If you get a speeding ticket, chances are you'll see an increase in what you pay for car insurance, upon your policy renewal. Typically, you'll pay more for three years. But even with a traffic ticket, comparison shopping can save you money. For instance, you'll see that the difference between the highest rate and the lowest in the table below is $947, on average, according to CarInsurance.com's rate analysis. That's how much you can save by comparing car insurance companies.
| Company | Average Rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm Mutual Auto | $854 |
| GEICO General | $937 |
| Nationwide P&C | $1,128 |
| Progressive Gulf Ins | $1,236 |
| Allstate P&C | $1,801 |
How much does it cost to add a teen to your policy in Virginia?
No matter where you live, adding a new driver to your family policy will hike your auto insurance premium significantly. In Virginia, you can expect your rate to go up by an average of 199 percent when adding a driver age 16 to your coverage, according to CarInsurance.com rate data. You'll see in the table below how much it costs, on average, to add a teen driver in Virginia, and how major insurers compare on price. Nationwide had the lowest auto insurance cost for adding a driver age 16 to a full coverage family policy, among insurers surveyed.
| Company | Average Rate | Average Rate after adding female teen | $ Increase (female) | Average Rate after adding male teen | $ Increase (male) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate P&C | $1,349 | $3,932 | $2,583 | $4,438 | $3,088 |
| GEICO General | $937 | $1,992 | $1,055 | $2,468 | $1,531 |
| Nationwide P&C | $928 | $1,936 | $1,007 | $2,301 | $1,373 |
| Progressive Gulf Ins | $963 | $2,269 | $1,306 | $2,565 | $1,602 |
| State Farm Mutual Auto | $787 | $2,447 | $1,660 | $3,099 | $2,312 |
Cheapest auto insurance in Virginia for young drivers: Ages 18 to 25
You’ll see in the chart below which car insurance companies have the lowest rates for young drivers buying a full coverage policy. Average car insurance rates by age data shows that drivers typically pay higher rates until age 26, when rates begin to drop as drivers gain more experience on the road. But even young drivers can save money by comparing car insurance rates to see which company has the lowest rates, by qualifying for student discounts and by staying on their parents’ policy as long as possible.
Senior drivers: Cheap auto insurance for Virginia drivers age 65 to 85
Below you can see average rates by company, and how they compare, for drivers age 65 and over, buying a full coverage policy.
Virginia drivers with bad or poor credit: You can still save on car insurance
Car insurance for drivers with bad credit costs significantly more than it does for those with good credit. Virginia is not among the worst states for drivers with bad credit, as CarInsurance.com's data analysis shows it has the eleventh lowest percentage increase for bad credit drivers. But you'll still pay more. Compared to good credit drivers, those in Virginia with bad credit pay 61 percent more, on average. The good news is that you can still shave some money off your coverage costs if you compare car insurance companies. You'll see below that the difference among major insurers is nearly $1,326 for a full coverage policy for a driver with bad credit. That's how much you can potentially save by comparing car insurance quotes.
| Company | Poor credit |
|---|---|
| GEICO General | $1,102 |
| Nationwide P&C | $1,250 |
| State Farm Mutual Auto | $1,560 |
| Progressive Gulf Ins | $1,635 |
| Allstate P&C | $2,428 |
Best car insurance companies in Virginia
Scores are based on Insure.com’s “Best Insurance Companies” customer review survey of 3,700 customers. Policyholders ranked insurers on claims handling, customer service, value, mobile apps/website usefulness and were asked if they would renew their coverage and if they would recommend the company. All scores are out of 100.
| Rank | Company | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Family | 93.80 |
| 2 | CSAA Insurance Group | 91.63 |
| 3 | Farmers | 90.59 |
| 4 | USAA | 88.45 |
| 5 | Erie | 88.30 |
| 6 | Progressive | 87.32 |
| 7 | The General | 87.22 |
| 8 | Nationwide | 86.88 |
| 9 | The Auto Club Group (ACG) - AAA | 86.09 |
| 10 | Metlife | 85.58 |
| 11 | State Farm | 85.56 |
| 12 | Allstate | 85.37 |
| 13 | Geico | 85.22 |
| 14 | Esurance | 85.16 |
| 15 | Liberty Mutual | 84.52 |
| 16 | Auto Club of Southern California (Auto Club Enterprise Insurance Group) | 84.50 |
| 17 | Travelers | 82.32 |
| 18 | Hartford | 81.66 |
| 19 | Safeco | 80.54 |
Largest car insurance companies in Virginia
| Rank | Company | Premiums Written | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group | 979,950 | 17.99% |
| 2 | State Farm Group | 923,989 | 16.96% |
| 3 | USAA Group | 717,325 | 13.17% |
| 4 | Allstate Insurance Group | 523,325 | 9.61% |
| 5 | Progressive Insurance Group | 492,052 | 9.03% |
| 6 | Nationwide Group | 426,052 | 7.82% |
| 7 | Liberty Mutual Insurance Companies | 154,405 | 2.83% |
| 8 | Travelers Group | 120,565 | 2.21% |
| 9 | Farmers Insurance Group | 53,921 | 0.99% |
| 10 | American Family Insurance Group | 28,262 | 0.52% |
Source: A.M. Best; State/Line (P/C Lines) - P/C, US; Data as of:November 28, 2018
Virginia Car Insurance Laws
There’s a lot of information about car insurance in Virginia when you start shopping for it. But what does the law say?
- Stringent speeding laws: Virginia is tough on speeding. For example, a conviction for speeding above 80 mph can be considered reckless driving -- a six-point offense -- and stay on the driver's motor vehicle record for 11 years, long after the points have disappeared.
- A "super speeder" law added fines of as much as $1,050 to tickets before that provision of the law was repealed in 2008.
- Bank some safety points: For every year without incident, a Virginia driver can accumulate a "safety point" that offsets a demerit point. Drivers can also get an additional safety point for taking a defensive driving class. In total, you can't accumulate more than five, though.
- Pay $500 a year and drive anyway: Virginia has an unusual "Uninsured Motor Vehicle" fee that allows a car owner to register an uninsured vehicle and drive at his or her own risk. The owner is still legally liable for any damages he or she causes.
- Uninsured motorist penalties for Virginia: If you don't register and pay the fee to drive uninsured, you may be fined $500, have your license and registration suspended and be required to file an SR-22 form.
- Electric vehicle tax: To make up for lost gasoline tax revenue, owners of electric vehicles face an additional $50 cost at registration time.
- DUIs in Virginia: Driving under the influence and other drug- and alcohol-related violations in Virginia add six points to your license and will stay on your driving record for 11 years.
- No age restriction for insurance, title or registration: Virginia allows minors to own, register and insure vehicles, but it is up to an insurance company to decide if they will write a policy for a minor.
Virginia roads with the most fatal accidents
Here are the highways and roads where the most fatal accidents happened in 2017, according to the most recent data available from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System research compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
| Roads | Number of Fatal Accidents |
|---|---|
| US-460 | 41 |
| I-95 | 30 |
| I-81 | 27 |
| US-58 | 26 |
| US-11 | 20 |
| US-1 | 20 |
| I-64 | 19 |
| US-17 | 17 |
| US-60 | 16 |
| US-15 | 16 |
Average annual car insurance rates for major cities in Virginia
Below you'll see how average annual rates for several of the largest cities in the state compare to state and national averages. Rates are for coverage of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident in liability and $50,000 of property damage coverage, with comprehensive and collision carrying a $500 deductible.
| City | Average Premium |
|---|---|
| Chesapeake | $1,102 |
| Newport News | $1,090 |
| Norfolk | $1,164 |
| Richmond | $1,268 |
| Virginia Beach | $1,132 |
| Virginia | $1,142 |
| National | $1,679 |
More Resources on Virginia car insurance:
The bottom line: Getting Car Insurance in Virginia
Virginia is one of the states with the affordable auto insurance rates in America. If you're looking for cheaper car insurance, it's worth your time to compare policies and ask about discounts that may apply to you. You can also consider raising your deductibles or increasing coverage limits if you need more protection than what's offered by a typical policy (although higher premiums will be required). It might not make sense to buy anything less than liability-only coverage in most cases because comprehensive and collision coverages are important under certain circumstances. Regardless of which type of coverage best suits your needs, always get the cheapest quote possible before making any decisions!