Rideshare Insurance in Virginia (2024)
If you drive for a rideshare company in Virginia, your personal insurance won’t provide sufficient coverage.
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Written byChristy Rakoczy
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Christy Rakoczy has been a personal finance and insurance writer for over a decade. Her work has been published on USA Today, MSN, Yahoo Finance, Credit Karma, Forbes Advisor, and more. Christy has a JD from UCLA School of Law and previously worked as a data analyst for Blue Cross and as a paralegal studies instructor before transitioning to writing full time.
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Edited byKatie Powers
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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Updated November 20, 2024
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Table of contents
People driving for rideshare or transportation network companies (TNCs) like Lyft and Uber must buy rideshare insurance because a personal car insurance policy doesn’t provide sufficient coverage. Not all Virginia auto insurers offer rideshare insurance, but many do.
Per Virginia law, TNCs must require drivers to have insurance that covers them from when they accept a ride request to the end of the transaction, as well as between when they log on and off but aren’t driving. Rideshare drivers must have liability insurance with higher limits than Virginia’s minimum requirements.[1]
Here’s what you need to know about how rideshare insurance works in the state and what insurers to consider buying coverage from.
Quick Facts
Auto-Owners, State Farm, and GEICO offer the cheapest full-coverage insurance in Virginia, on average.
Rideshare companies can satisfy the state’s TNC insurance requirements by providing coverage for or confirming partner drivers have sufficient coverage in place.
Coverage requirements are different for drivers who have logged in to the TNC app but aren’t driving a passenger versus when they’re driving with a passenger in the vehicle.
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How much does Virginia rideshare insurance cost?
Auto insurance premiums in Virginia vary based on driving record, vehicle, city, ZIP code, insurance company, and more. Many rideshare drivers may choose to purchase full-coverage insurance with an additional rideshare endorsement.
The table below shows the cheapest average monthly quotes for full-coverage auto insurance available to Virginia drivers from companies offering rideshare insurance.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ | IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $79 | 9 |
| State Farm | $82 | 9 |
| GEICO | $110 | 9 |
| USAA | $110 | 9 |
| Chubb | $120 | 7 |
| Erie | $125 | 9 |
| Clearcover | $135 | 7 |
| Nationwide | $141 | 9 |
| Allstate | $171 | 9 |
| Mercury | $171 | 8 |
| Progressive | $187 | 8 |
| Elephant | $199 | 8 |
| CSAA | $208 | 8 |
| Direct Auto | $220 | 7 |
| Travelers | $228 | 9 |
| National General | $234 | 7 |
| Safeco | $237 | 8 |
| Bristol West | $301 | 5 |
| Liberty Mutual | $303 | 8 |
| GAINSCO | $315 | 7 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $325 | 5 |
| Dairyland | $358 | 7 |
| The General | $410 | 7 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Rideshare insurance requirements in Virginia
Virginia laws for rideshare insurance vary depending on what phase of use you’re in with the rideshare app. Here’s what you need to know.
Phase 1
When you drive your vehicle for personal use with the rideshare app turned off, your personal auto policy covers your vehicle. You must meet the state’s ordinary minimum coverage requirements applicable to all drivers of personal vehicles.[2]
This includes $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in bodily injury liability, $20,000 per accident for property damage liability, and equal amounts of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.[3]
Phase 2
This phase begins the moment you log into a TNC’s digital platform and ends when you accept a request to transport a passenger. During this time, Virginia requires a minimum of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $25,000 per accident in property damage liability.
Rideshare drivers can buy insurance to meet this requirement as long as the TNC verifies the policy is in effect and covers ridesharing. Otherwise, the TNC can maintain the necessary insurance on the driver’s behalf.
Phase 3
The moment you accept a pre-arranged ride on a TNC platform, this phase begins. And it lasts until the ride is complete or you complete the transaction on the TNC ’s digital platform. Drivers must have a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance for death, bodily injury, and property damage. Rideshare drivers or the TNC can fulfill this requirement as outlined in Phase 2.
Cheapest recent rates in Virginia for rideshare drivers
Recent Virginia car insurance prices for Jeep, Nissan, Hyundai , and more.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 20, 2024
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from November 20, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 20, 2024
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from November 20, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Uber and Lyft requirements in Virginia
Both Uber and Lyft impose certain vehicle and driver requirements before a motorist can begin working as a rideshare driver in the state of Virginia. Here’s what you need to know about minimum requirements for drivers and vehicles in Virginia.
Rideshare car requirements
People applying to drive for Uber or Lyft must prove they have an eligible vehicle that meets the company’s specific requirements.
Must have four doors
16-year-old vehicle or newer
Good condition with no cosmetic damage
No commercial branding
Within 30 days of the first trip, drivers must provide proof of a Virginia state vehicle safety inspection completed in the last 12 months[4]
2007 or newer in all cities except Fredericksburg
2009 or newer vehicle in Fredericksburg
Must have four doors
Must have five to eight seats, including the driver’s
No taxis, stretch limousines, or non-Express Drive rental vehicles
Not titled as salvage, non-repairable, rebuilt, or an equivalent[5]
Rideshare driver requirements
Before TNC companies approve you to drive for the company, you need to prove that you meet certain eligibility requirements as a driver.
Meet the minimum age to drive in your city
Have at least one year of driving experience with a license
Pass a background screening
Have an eligible form of transportation
Submit required documents (including your driver’s license, proof of residency, and a photo of yourself)[6]
Have a valid Virginia driver’s license (a temporary or out-of-state license from Washington, D.C., or Maryland is also acceptable)
Be at least 25 years old
Complete a driver screening (includes a driving history review and criminal background check)
Have three or fewer minor violations in the past three years
Have a smartphone that can download and run the Lyft driver app
Types of rideshare insurance coverage
It’s important to understand the types of rideshare insurance coverage you can purchase. Here’s what you need to know:
Liability coverage
If you injure or kill someone or damage someone’s property while driving a vehicle for rideshare, liability insurance kicks in to cover the resulting medical bills and repair costs. It can also cover potential legal bills.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
In case of an accident caused by a driver without insurance or with too little insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can help pay for the costs of your injury or vehicle damage.
Collision coverage
If your vehicle needs repair or replacement after an accident, collision insurance can cover it, regardless of fault. This applies to collisions with another vehicle or an animal, or even a single-car crash.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive coverage pays out if a non-collision incident causes damage to your vehicle. Potentially covered incidents include severe weather, vandalism, and falling trees.
You should also carefully consider your deductible, which is the amount you must pay out of pocket for a covered claim before insurance kicks in. Liability insurance doesn’t have a deductible, but collision and comprehensive coverages do. Setting a higher deductible will result in lower premiums. But you should always make sure you can comfortably afford it.
Rideshare insurance FAQs
If you plan to drive for Uber or Lyft in Virginia, you need to make sure you have the right amount of coverage for your personal and professional car usage. The information below should help answer any of your remaining questions.
Do Uber drivers in Virginia have to carry commercial auto insurance?
Virginia law indicates that a rideshare driver’s insurance can satisfy minimum coverage requirements only if the driver’s auto insurance policy contains an amendment or endorsement indicating it specifically applies to ridesharing.
If a driver doesn’t have the required coverage, the TNC is responsible for providing liability insurance coverage for when the driver logs into the app but hasn’t accepted any rides and when the driver has accepted a ride or is actively transporting a passenger.
Do you really need rideshare insurance if you have personal auto insurance?
Personal auto insurance policies typically exclude coverage for commercial use, including ridesharing. Virginia requires drivers to meet one set of coverage requirements when they’ve logged into the app but haven’t accepted a ride and another set between when they’ve accepted and completed a ride.
What happens if you get into a car accident while ridesharing without insurance?
Uber and Lyft must provide rideshare insurance coverage if the driver doesn’t have the required minimum coverage in place. Liability insurance from Uber or Lyft will pay for damages you cause to others.
Does DoorDash count as rideshare for insurance?
It depends. Rideshare insurance from some companies, like Progressive, covers drivers who use delivery services such as DoorDash or UberEats. DoorDash also provides third-party liability insurance that covers the delivery service period.
How does a rideshare insurance claim work?
The process of filing a rideshare insurance claim depends on the circumstances. In Virginia, the driver’s rideshare insurance or the TNC’s third-party insurance will cover the claim. The third-party insurance maintained by the TNC becomes operative as soon as the driver actively logs into the TNC platform.
Related articles
More cities in Virginia
Sources
- Virginia Law Library. "§ 46.2-2099.52. TNC insurance.."
- Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. "Insurance Requirements."
- Virginia Law Library. "§ 38.2-2206. Uninsured motorist insurance coverage.."
- Uber. "Vehicle Requirements."
- Lyft. "Virginia Driver Information."
- Uber. "Become a rideshare driver in Williamsburg, VA."
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Christy Rakoczy
Christy Rakoczy has been a personal finance and insurance writer for over a decade. Her work has been published on USA Today, MSN, Yahoo Finance, Credit Karma, Forbes Advisor, and more. Christy has a JD from UCLA School of Law and previously worked as a data analyst for Blue Cross and as a paralegal studies instructor before transitioning to writing full time.
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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