Virginia Car Insurance Requirements, Laws, and Quotes
First-time driver or just moving to Virginia and are in the market for car insurance? A lot of first-time shoppers are unaware of the requirements, laws and the different quotes you may receive. Here is some information on all three so you will know the steps to take next.
If you’re a first-time driver, Virginia requires that all drivers have auto insurance. Your policy must include at least the minimum liability coverage limits of 25/50/20: $25,000 coverage per person for injuries to another party in an accident, $50,000 total coverage limit for bodily injury per accident, and $20,000
Minimum Liability Insurance
Under Virginia law, drivers must obtain the minimum required auto insurance coverage or pay an uninsured motorist fee. If you choose to obtain the minimum required insurance coverage, then you must have at least:
- $25,000 in coverage for bodily injury (per person)
- $50,000 in coverage for bodily injury (per accident)
- $20,000 in coverage for property damage.
Liability coverage will apply only when you were at fault and will cover the damages caused by another party to suffer in cases of minimum mandated insurance coverage; you will have no insurance protection for yourself, your family, or your vehicle.
Virginia is a unique state in America that you can legally not have to obtain any liability insurance if you pay the state’s $500 uninsured motorist fee. Just remember if you are considering going this route, this fee offers you no insurance protection. The only benefit is that it gives you the legal ability to drive on Virginia public roads without being subject to fines or penalties for failing to carry insurance coverage. You will be personally responsible for any damages to a person or their property if you are found at fault for an accident.
Complete Protection: Virginia Car Insurance
Since Virginia’s minimum requirement for insurance coverage only offers you basic liability coverage, while you are stuck paying the state’s uninsured motorist fee, that does not offer you protection other than the ability to get out of an uninsured motorist ticket. For the majority of Virginia drivers, this is simply not enough protection.
With that being said, we suggest you obtain additional insurance coverage that offers you more than the state’s minimum requirements. The Virginia Bureau of Insurance recommends that drivers review their circumstances and obtain additional insurance coverage to provide true protection.
Three Common Types of Virginia Car Insurance
Note: Even though they are not required to buy they still should be considered.
- Collision coverage – This coverage will protect you if there are damages to your vehicle. Unfortunately, car accidents do happy, so you always want to make sure your vehicle is covered. You want to ensure you carry collision coverage that covers the full value of your automobile.
- Medical expenses coverage – All Virginia motorists should obtain insurance coverage that will help or fully pay for their medical bills if necessary. Healthcare costs can be extraordinarily expensive. Beyond basic medical coverage, you can also cover lost income related to your accident.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage – This type of coverage will offer you protection in case another driver causes your accident who is either uninsured (legally or illegally) and cannot pay or lacks enough coverage to pay for all of your losses. Drivers lack insurance coverage. As a result, we strongly advise that you carry at least some UM/UIM coverage to protect yourself.
Conclusion
Having an adequate auto insurance policy is essential for any motorist. Having the right coverage can help pay for medical bills and lost wages, should you find yourself in an accident. Be sure to obtain good coverage, including uninsured/underinsured motorist protection, to adequately protect yourself from financial losses due to another driver’s negligence or misfortune. Doing so will help ensure that you are financially covered in the event of an accident with a driver without proper insurance coverage. Thank you for choosing DMVConnect! We hope this information was helpful. Have a great day!
