Virginia Car Insurance Requirements
Virginia drivers must have insurance with 50/100/25 of liability insurance as of Jan. 1, 2025.
The state of Virginia also requires uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage limits equal to the coverage minimums. This is the lowest coverage you can have in Virginia. If you drive without insurance, you'll face penalties, such as fines or a license suspension.
Virginia auto insurance requirements
- Bodily injury liability (BI): $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability (PD): $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury (UM/UIMBI): $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage (UM/UIMPD): $25,000 per accident
Virginia drivers with a DUI must have an FR-44 policy, which doubles the minimum coverage requirements. You must also have your insurance company file an FR-44 form on your behalf.
- Bodily injury (BI): $100,000 per person and $2000,000 per accident
- Property damage (PD): $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury (UM/UIMBI): $100,000 per person and $200,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage (UM/UIMPD): $50,000 per accident
Drivers with a DUI usually pay more for car insurance because insurance companies believe those drivers are more likely to cause a future accident. Higher liability limits will likely cause your rates to increase even more. So it's even more important to compare DUI rates from multiple companies to find the cheapest quote for you.
New Virginia car insurance laws
On Jan. 1, 2025, Virginia raised its minimum car insurance requirements.
On Jan. 1, 2022, Virginia began the process of raising minimum liability limits over a three-year period. The 2025 increase was the final step in this process.
Uninsured motorist fee in Virginia
Virginia no longer offers drivers the option to pay an uninsured motorist fee instead of buying auto insurance, as of July 1, 2024.
Previously, Virginia drivers could drive legally without insurance after paying a $500 uninsured motorist fee to the DMV. All drivers in Virginia must now have auto insurance that meets the state requirement.
Which type of insurance coverage is required in Virginia?
Virginia requires drivers to have bodily injury liability, property damage liability and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Bodily injury liability
Bodily injury coverage (BI) pays the other driver's medical bills up to your chosen limits when you cause an accident.
The lowest coverage you can have in Virginia for bodily injury liability is $50,000 of coverage per person and $100,000 per accident. Most insurance companies offer higher limits, up to as much as $1 million per accident. However, the amount available varies by company.
Property damage liability
Property damage coverage (PD) pays for any damage you cause in an accident up to the limit you choose.
The lowest amount of coverage you can have in Virginia is $25,000 of property damage per accident. You can get higher property damage limits from most Virginia insurance companies. Some offer coverage as high as $500,000 per accident.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist
There are two types of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage: bodily injury and property damage. Virginia auto insurance laws require you to have both types of coverage to drive legally.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury (UM/UIMBI) covers your medical bills when you're in an accident with an uninsured motorist. If a driver whose limits are lower than your UM/UIM limits hits you, your insurance company will also cover the difference.
The minimum amount of UM/UIMBI insurance in Virginia is $50,000 of coverage per person and $100,000 per accident. You can choose higher UM/UIMBI limits, but they cannot exceed your own liability limits. So, if your bodily injury liability limits include $50,000 of coverage per person, you can't have uninsured motorist coverage of $100,000 per person.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage (UM/UIMPD) pays to repair or replace your car when an uninsured driver hits you. If an insured driver with lower limits than your UM/UIMPD limits causes the accident, you're also covered for the difference between the two limits.
Virginia requires you to have at least $25,000 of UM/UIMPD. Like uninsured motorist bodily injury liability, you can get higher limits. But, only if your own property damage liability limits are higher as well.
Cheapest companies for liability-only car insurance in Virginia
To find the cheapest company for Virginia minimum car insurance, ValuePenguin editors over 498,000 quotes from eight top companies across 1,008 Virginia ZIP codes. Full methodology.
Do the Virginia vehicle insurance requirements come with enough coverage?
Virginia's minimum car insurance requirements may not be high enough to cover the cost of a major accident.
This is despite the state having some of the highest car insurance requirements in the country.
For example, If you hit and total a brand new luxury vehicle, $25,000 of property damage liability coverage won't be enough to fully replace it. You'll have to pay the difference yourself. That could be much more expensive than the cost of higher insurance limits.
In addition, minimum coverage insurance doesn't include collision or comprehensive coverage. These coverages pay for most types of damage to your car, regardless of whose fault it is.
Lenders typically require collision and comprehensive coverage if you have a car loan or lease. Check your financing paperwork before buying minimum coverage insurance to make sure you're not breaking your contract.
Recommended auto insurance coverage in Virginia
Minimum liability insurance satisfies the legal requirement in Virginia, but it might not offer enough protection.
The required liability insurance helps pay for injuries and property damage you cause in an accident. But these limits may not be high enough to cover a serious crash. And a liability-only policy won't cover additional costs, like damage to your car or lost income if you can’t work.
Virginia drivers may want to consider adding more coverages, such as comprehensive, collision, medical payments or lost income benefits, to help avoid a big bill after a crash. In addition, you should choose higher liability limits than the state requires, if you can afford it.
Collision and comprehensive coverages pay for damage to your vehicle, whether from a car crash, theft, hail or a number of other causes.
Your lender typically requires you to have these coverages if you have a car loan or lease. You should also consider adding collision and comprehensive coverage if your car is less than eight years old or worth more than $5,000.
Medical payments coverage pays your medical bills after an accident, regardless of whose fault it is. If anyone covered by your policy passes away in the crash, this coverage also pays for funeral expenses.
In Virginia, medical payments coverage is also called the medical expense benefit. Limits vary by insurance company, but most companies offer medical payment limits between $500 and $10,000.
Lost income benefits help cover your monthly expenses after an accident and can't work. You can typically get coverage of up to $100 per week for a total of 52 weeks ($5,200 total). All insurance companies in Virginia must offer this coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need car insurance in Virginia?
As of July 1, 2024, all Virginia drivers must have a car insurance policy. The state no longer allows you to pay an uninsured motor vehicle fee to the DMV instead of buying an insurance policy.
What is the lowest coverage you can have in Virginia?
The state of Virginia requires drivers to have at least $50,000 of bodily injury liability per person and $100,000 per accident, along with $25,000 of property damage liability coverage. You must also have matching uninsured and underinsured motorist liability limits.
Do you need insurance to register a car in Virginia?
Yes, you must have an active insurance policy that meets the state's minimum requirements before you can register a car in Virginia.
Is it illegal to drive without insurance in Virginia?
Yes, it is illegal to drive without insurance in Virginia. If you're caught driving without insurance, you'll have to pay a $600 fine. You may also lose your driver's license, car registration and license plate.
Is Virginia an at-fault state?Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Virginia?
Yes, Virginia requires all drivers to have uninsured and underinsured motorist liability coverage. You must have at least $50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person and $100,000 per accident along with $25,000 of property damage liability coverage.
Methodology
To find the cheapest minimum liability insurance in Virginia, ValuePenguin gathered thousands of rates from the largest insurance companies in the state. Rates are for a 30-year-old single man with good credit and a clean driving record. He owns a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were taken from insurance company filings and should be used for comparative purposes only. Your quotes may differ.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.