Car Insurance Requirements in Virginia (2024)

Virginia, like most states, requires you to carry a minimum level of liability car insurance. However, the minimum coverage requirements in Virginia differ from those in other parts of the country. That’s why it’s important to understand what’s expected in Virginia.

Here’s what you need to know to drive safely and legally in the Old Dominion.

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Virginia car insurance requirements

Today, Virginia only requires liability insurance; however, that liability requirement will change at the end of 2024.

Liability insurance is broken into two parts: bodily injury and property damage. Here are Virginia’s required minimums and when they take effect:

• Policies effective through Dec. 31, 2024: Liability limits of 30/60/20

• Policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2025: Liability limits of 50/100/25^[1]

Liability coverage comes with limits. These limits represent the maximum amount the policy will pay toward a claim. Bodily injury has two limits, the first is a per-person limit, and the second is a per-accident limit.

In Virginia, you must carry bodily injury coverage of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident and property damage coverage of $20,000. These requirements go through the end of 2024. After that, the limits will increase to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in bodily injury and $25,000 in property damage.

A per-person limit is the maximum amount your policy will pay for each person involved in an accident. The per-accident limit reflects the total amount that your insurer will pay out in liability coverage per accident.

This means that if you’re carrying the state-minimum coverage levels and cause a car accident that injures two people, the total amount your insurance company will pay for their medical expenses is $60,000. Each person is also limited to the per-person limit, and the total per-person amount can’t exceed the per-accident amount.

Property damage is the final aspect of liability coverage, and in Virgina, the required minimum is currently $20,000. This will go up to $25,000 in 2025.

Bodily injury liability

Liability coverage is broken into two coverage types. Bodily injury helps cover any medical bills related to another driver’s injuries that you’re responsible for after an accident with your vehicle.

Bodily injury will also step up to cover your legal bills if you’re sued as a result of the accident. Your insurer will cover the cost of a legal defense or pay any settlements or judgments, up to your coverage limits.

In many cases, state-mandated minimum coverage levels may not be enough coverage in the event of a serious accident. In these instances, once your coverage levels are exceeded, you’ll have to cover any additional expenses out of pocket.

Property damage liability

The other component of liability car insurance is property damage coverage.

This protection will pay to repair the other person’s vehicle if you’re at fault in an accident. It will also pay to repair damage to fences, mailboxes, garage doors, and any other property. Coverage limits apply to property damage as well.

Uninsured motor vehicle (UMV) fee

Virginia is a bit of an outlier in that it allows drivers to pay an annual $500 uninsured motor vehicle (UMV) fee to drive an uninsured vehicle on state roads at the driver’s own risk.^[2] You must pay the fee when your plates are renewed.

However, keep in mind that if you’re at fault in an accident and uninsured, all the repair costs and any medical and legal bills stemming from the accident will fall to you.

Do you need more than state-minimum coverage in Virginia?

State-minimum liability coverage is available as stand-alone coverage or as part of a full-coverage policy. However, in most cases, the state-required minimums aren’t enough coverage to properly protect you.

If you’re carrying a liability-only policy, you can choose the state-minimum limits or higher coverage limits depending on your needs. Here are a couple situations where carrying the state minimums might makes sense:

• You drive an old vehicle. If you would replace your vehicle instead of repairing it after an accident, carrying a liability-only policy might make sense. A liability-only policy will protect you if you injure someone or damage their property, and your premium will be lower since you aren’t carrying collision or comprehensive coverage.

• You can’t afford additional coverage. Carrying the state-minimum required coverage can be risky, but if your budget is limited, it may be your only option. If you’re responsible for a serious accident, the state-required minimums can be quickly eaten up by hospital bills, and once your coverage levels are reached, any additional costs will have to be covered out of pocket.

If you’re seeking additional coverage, consider full coverage. A full-coverage policy includes liability and adds collision and comprehensive protection.

In all, a full-coverage policy may make sense for you if:

• You lease or have a loan to pay for your vehicle. If your vehicle is leased or you have a car loan, your lender will probably require full coverage on the vehicle. Technically, your lender owns the vehicle until you make that last payment, and it’ll want the vehicle repaired or replaced if it’s damaged or destroyed.

• You can’t afford to replace your vehicle. Even if you don’t have a loan on your vehicle, you may still find it difficult to replace if it were lost in an accident. Carrying full-coverage insurance ensures your vehicle is repaired or replaced after a covered incident.

The cost of liability-only car insurance in Virginia

The average cost of a liability-only policy in Virginia is $102 per month.

Liability-only insurance won’t pay to repair your vehicle if it’s damaged in an accident, but it will help cover the costs of hospital bills for the other party if you caused the accident. It will also pay to repair the other person’s vehicle when you’re at fault.

Here’s a look at the average monthly quotes for liability-only insurance from leading insurers in Virginia.

The cost of full-coverage car insurance in Virginia

In Virgina, the average cost of a full-coverage policy is $184 per month. Full coverage includes liability coverage as well as collision and comprehensive, which will pay to repair your vehicle if it’s damaged.

If your vehicle is leased or you have a car loan, your lender will usually require full coverage on the vehicle to protect their investment until you have paid off the loan.

Here’s a look at the average monthly quotes for full-coverage insurance from leading insurers in Virginia.

Penalties for driving without proof of insurance in Virginia

The penalties for driving without insurance or not paying the UMV fee can be severe. According to the Virginia DMV, if your insurance coverage terminates during your registration period, you must do one of the following:

• Reinsure the vehicle. You’ll need to put a new insurance policy in place and provide proof to the DMV before driving. To reactivate your plates and registration, you need to provide proof of insurance and have no outstanding financial obligations to the DMV. If your insurance can’t be verified, your driving privileges and vehicle registration may be suspended.

• Pay the uninsured motor vehicle fee. Virginia drivers are allowed to pay a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee, which allows them to drive on the road without insurance at their own risk. It should be noted that if you’re responsible for an accident, you’ll have to cover all costs out of pocket.

• Deactivate or surrender your plates. If you can’t get insurance coverage or pay the uninsured motorist fee, you can deactivate your plates on Virginia’s DMV website or permanently surrender them to the DMV.^[3]

Optional car insurance coverages to consider

Virginia drivers are required to carry liability insurance, but there are a number of other coverages you should consider, including:

• 

  Collision coverage

  Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your vehicle if it’s damaged or destroyed in a collision with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or fence. Collision coverage comes with a deductible that you must pay before your insurer covers the balance.

• 

  Comprehensive coverage

  Comprehensive coverage will pay to repair or replace your vehicle if it’s damaged by something other than a collision. Comprehensive insurance covers incidents such as theft, vandalism, fire, natural disasters, and falling objects.

• 

  Roadside assistance coverage

  Roadside assistance coverage will typically pay the costs of roadside issues such as towing, tire changes, jump-starts, lockouts, and fuel delivery.

• 

  Rental reimbursement coverage

  Rental reimbursement coverage is usually an add-on to your policy and will pay for the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired after a claim. This coverage usually has a daily rental price cap, so you can’t rent a Ferrari while your Toyota is in the shop. In most cases, the rental coverage is limited to 30 days.

• 

  Medical payments coverage

  Medical payments coverage is optional in Virginia but is required in some states. It will help cover medical bills for you and your passengers after a car accident. This coverage can be used regardless of who’s at fault.

Virginia car insurance requirements FAQs