If you are in the market for the cheapest auto insurance in Virginia, your best options are going to be with USAA, Travelers, and Erie.
All three carriers are able to provide quotes from 18% to over 35% lower than the median rate for drivers of similar age and profile.
Other car insurance companies which are extremely competitive are Mid Century, Virginia Farm Bureau, and Garrison Property & Casualty.
All three can provide drivers with a premium which is 14% to 26% lower than the median rate for those of a similar profile.
In this article, I am going to cover the minimum auto insurance requirements in Virginia, the overall cheapest & best carriers and strategies to help you save more on your monthly premium.
If you would like to skip to a certain portion of the article, there is a table of contents down a little and to the right.
Note: The cheapest car insurance for a 25-year-old driver is USAA, Travelers, and GEICO. I queried each at $1,632, $1,688, and $1,789 per year. Which is nearly 29% lower than the median quote for similar profile drivers. For more details please see rate table below.
Virginia Minimum Car Insurance Requirements
The state of Virginia used to be pretty lenient about car insurance requirements.
Times have changed.
The state decided to combat the uninsured motorist issues.
For those which were falsifying documents stating they had an active auto insurance policy when applying for their registration and license plates.
| Coverage | Virginia Minimum Liability Coverage | Recommended Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily Injury Protection | $25,000 / $50,000 | $100,000 / $300,000 |
| Property Damage | $20,000 | $50,000 |
| Uninsured Motorist Coverage BIL | $25,000 / $50,000 | $100,000 / $300,000 |
| Uninsured Motorist Coverage PD* | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Underinsured Motorist Coverage | Combined with Uninsured Motorist | Combined with Uninsured Motorist |
| Medical Payments | Optional | $5,000 limit |
| Comprehensive Coverage | Optional | $100 deductible |
| Collision Coverage | Optional | $250 deductible |
*$200 deductible for hit-and-run accidents
Bodily Injury Liability
In Virginia the minimum liability insurance for bodily injury liability is $25,000 for one person or $50,000 for two or more people involved in an auto accident.
Note: As illustrated, a 30-year old can find the lowest prices with USAA, GEICO, and Travelers. I queried each at $1,411, $1,447, and $1,454 per year for full coverage. Or approximately 31% lower than the average premium for similar age drivers in Virginia. Please see rate table below for more details.
Property Damage Liability
Property damage liability minimum coverage is $20,000 which will cover any damage done to private or public property.
Note: For a 35-year-old driver the cheapest premiums are with USAA, Travelers, and GEICO. I queried each at $1,176, $1,213, and $1,232 per year. Or nearly 32% cheaper than the median quote for similar profile drivers. Erie and Mid Century offer competitive prices with quotes at $1,303 and $1,300 respectfully.
Cheapest Auto Insurance Companies by Age in Virginia
Below are 24 of the cheapest car insurance companies in Virginia by rank for drivers from 25 to 55 years of age.
The top three overall cheapest for drivers with a good driving record are USAA, Travelers, and GEICO.
All three carriers are able to provide quotes from 18% to 35% lower then the median rate.
In some instances they can provide quotes over 40% cheaper depending on the city your reside in.
Erie is a regional carrier in Virginia which is able to provide low quotes as competitive as USAA, Travelers, or GEICO.
Local carriers which are equally competitive are Mid Century, Virginia Farm Bureau, and Garrison Property & Casualty.
All three local carriers are able to provide quotes from 14% to 26% lower than the “mean” rate for drivers of the same age and profile.
Below is provided a list of quotes based on drivers with no traffic violations and good credit.
| Virginia Company | Average Rate for 25 Y/O Driver | 30 Y/O | 35 Y/O | 40 Y/O | 45 Y/O | 55 Y/O |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,632 | $1,411 | $1,176 | $987 | $843 | $690 |
| Travelers | $1,688 | $1,454 | $1,213 | $1,007 | $854 | $699 |
| GEICO | $1,789 | $1,447 | $1,232 | $1,032 | $879 | $699 |
| Erie | $1,823 | $1,511 | $1,303 | $1,056 | $890 | $708 |
| Mid Century | $1,911 | $1,533 | $1,300 | $1,055 | $900 | $709 |
| VA Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,948 | $1,531 | $1,309 | $1,067 | $907 | $723 |
| Garrison Property and Casualty | $1,987 | $1,565 | $1,308 | $1,087 | $909 | $743 |
| Progressive | $2,004 | $1,665 | $1,321 | $1,124 | $910 | $755 |
| Auto-Owners | $2,043 | $1,678 | $1,343 | $1,176 | $921 | $766 |
| VA Farm Bureau Town & Country | $2,021 | $1,700 | $1,354 | $1,178 | $911 | $789 |
| Integon Casualty | $2,234 | $1,706 | $1,387 | $1,176 | $932 | $790 |
| Farmers | $2,265 | $1,765 | $1,407 | $1,198 | $965 | $754 |
| State Farm | $2,328 | $1,876 | $1,421 | $1,190 | $966 | $800 |
| Liberty Mutual | $2,347 | $1,876 | $1,432 | $1,208 | $978 | $806 |
| Nationwide | $2,453 | $1,865 | $1,454 | $1,214 | $987 | $832 |
| Westfield | $2,476 | $1,887 | $1,457 | $1,276 | $980 | $821 |
| Allied | $2,643 | $1,879 | $1,459 | $1,254 | $1,009 | $834 |
| Allstate | $2,765 | $1,921 | $1,480 | $1,287 | $1,030 | $876 |
| USAA Casualty | $2,789 | $2,211 | $1,598 | $1,308 | $1,044 | $859 |
| The Hartford | $2,865 | $2,243 | $1,617 | $1,312 | $1,043 | $890 |
| Safe Auto | $2,987 | $2,254 | $1,631 | $1,311 | $1,067 | $902 |
| Amica | $3,211 | $2,576 | $1,719 | $1,342 | $1,087 | $854 |
| Hanover | $3,322 | $2,646 | $1,809 | $1,376 | $1,108 | $876 |
| 21st Century | $3,321 | $2,632 | $1,933 | $1,421 | $1,132 | $894 |
Uninsured Motorist Fee
If you do not want to have the minimum coverage in the state of Virginia then you have the option to pay uninsured motorist fee.
You will have to pay $500 to the states Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) every twelve months.
However, the fee does not provide you with any coverage.
If you are involved in an accident you will be held liable for any damages that may have incurred.
Even though it may seem cost-effective to pay the $500 fee, over ninety-eighty percent of drivers prefer to get insurance for their vehicles.
Note: As illustrated, the least expensive car insurance for a 40-year-old driver is with USAA, Travelers, and GEICO. I queried each at $987, $1,007, and $1,032 per year for full coverage. Mid Century and Erie are competitive with quotes at $1,055 and $1,056 respectfully.
Uninsured Motorist Detection in VA
You want to be sure you are covered in the sate of Virginia since they have implemented many monitoring methods to be sure drivers are carrying the minimum coverage for their vehicles.
The state has Electronic Verification which works in concert with the insurance companies, and any time a policy is canceled, the insurer will inform the department of motor vehicles.
Note: A 45-year-old driver can find the cheapest car insurance with USAA, Travelers, and GEICO. I queried each at $843, $854, and $879 per year for full coverage. Or approximately 32% lower than the average premium for similar profile drivers.
The state has Suspected Uninsured Accident policy and if a driver “suspects” another driver has no insurance during the accident he/she can report it to the DMV and the state will take appropriate actions.
The Law Enforcement Notification is another method to detect uninsured motorists which works with over 100 agencies and police officers to find uninsured motorists at roadside checks.
The last method used in Virginia is Police Accidents Reports and although neither motorist may not want to get their insurance companies involved during a minor “fender bender” the police officer requests information to identify potential uninsured motorists.
Note: A 55-year-old driver can find inexpensive auto insurance with USAA, Travelers, and GEICO. I queried each at $690, $699, and $699. Or nearly 28% lower than the median quote for similar age drivers. Erie and Mid Century are nearly as competitive with low prices at $708 and $709 respectfully.
Best Insurance Companies by Consumer Rating, Complaints & Rate Change
Below are the best insurers in Virginia base on the consumer rating, complaints, and the rate change over 12 to 18 month period.
The amount of written premiums are included since the amount of complaints are too.
Any carrier with an extremely high amount of complaints but a low amount of written premiums should throw up a red flag.
This is not the case for any of the insurers below.
The rate change is from 1.6% to approximately 3.0% which is normal.
However, if you get a traffic violation your rate can be increased significantly.
The best thing to do for a the lowest premium possible is to keep a clean driving record.
The consumer ratings are averages from reputable online portals.
Any other data compiled is from JD Power & Associates, AM Best, and the Insurance Information Institute or III.org.
| VA Company | Premiums | Rate Change | # of Complaints | Consumer Rating out of 5 Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $601,932,737 | +1.6% | 95 | 4.7 |
| Erie | $160,015,448 | +2.1% | 18 | 4.2 |
| Nationwide | $396,846,371 | +2.4% | 42 | 4.2 |
| Liberty Mutual | $65,319,534 | +2.2% | 42 | 4.4 |
| MetLife | $19,883,591 | +2.8% | 4 | 3.8 |
| Virginia Farm Bureau | $105,965,712 | +2.8% | 2 | 3.8 |
| Esurance | $32,772,163 | +2.7% | 9 | 4.3 |
| State Farm | $809,251,036 | +2.5% | 110 | 4.4 |
| Travelers | $56,441,120 | +2.8% | 16 | 4.5 |
| Victoria | $89,761,971 | +2.8% | 9 | 4.2 |
| Progressive | $382,932,189 | +2.2% | 63 | 4.4 |
| Amica | $15,854,328 | +2.2% | 5 | 3.9 |
| Rockingham Group | $14,397,820 | +2.7% | 5 | 3.9 |
| Allstate | $427,588,268 | +3.0% | 6 | 4.4 |
| Direct General | $15,799,200 | +2.6% | 7 | 4.3 |
| National General | $71,543,771 | +2.6% | 27 | 4.4 |
| Hartford | $22,494,068 | +2.6% | 19 | 4.2 |
| Farmers | $35,769,120 | +2.7% | 4 | 4.3 |
| GEICO | $775,118,212 | +2.1% | 129 | 4.5 |
| Elephant | $95,678,893 | +2.4% | 40 | 4.0 |
Available Discounts for Drivers
When you are comparing cheap car insurance in Virginia you want to be sure you get a policy which fits your vehicular needs.
Be sure to ask for discounts and many are overlooked such as:
- Paperless discount
- Automatic payments from your bank account or credit card.
- Multipolicy – if you have car, life, homeowners insurance with the same company.
- Multicar – if you have more than one car on the policy.
- Anti-theft devices
- Safety devices
- Accident free driving for three or more years.
- Good student for young drivers who have good grades.
- Low mileage if you drive your car only for pleasure or short distances.
- Pay your premium in full which can save you twenty percent or more.
- Ask about services such as Progressive’s Snapshot program to get a personalize discount.
Average Rate by City in Virginia
Below I have provided the average quote for drivers in 30 cities across the state of Virginia.
The quotes average from $1,400 to $2,400 per year depending on the city.
There is a significant difference and quotes vary wildly depending on the location.
If you have quotes which are significantly higher you are either a young driver or you may have a violation on your driving record.
The quotes provided are an average across the whole age spectrum of drivers.
If you are an older driver your quotes will be significantly lower.
The details below are provided to show the difference in price from one city to the next.
And to see how well a driver may fair based on the average price for quotes in the city they reside in.
If you would like a detailed comparison for more populous cities in Virginia please read further below.
| City | Average Rate | Population | City | Average Rate | Population | City | Average Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appomattox | $1,786 | 1,778 | Harrisonburg | $1,974 | 52,538 | Reston | $2,843 | 58,404 |
| Bristol | $1,987 | 17,141 | Hopewell | $1,963 | 22,378 | Rocky Mount | $2,002 | 4,764 |
| Charlottesville | $2,109 | 46,597 | Lynchburg | $1,855 | 79,812 | Salem | $2,047 | 25,432 |
| Chesapeake | $2,108 | 235,429 | Manassas | $2,732 | 41,764 | Staunton | $2,428 | 24,416 |
| Colonial Heights | $2,254 | 17,820 | Martinsville | $2,054 | 13,645 | Surry | $1,822 | 225 |
| Danville | $1,983 | 42,082 | Newport News | $2,428 | 182,385 | Vienna | $2,435 | 16,468 |
| Fairfax | $2,232 | 24,013 | Occoquan | $2,241 | 1,061 | Waynesboro | $1,954 | 21,491 |
| Falls Church | $2,652 | 13,892 | Palmyra | $1,488 | 104 | Williamsburg | $2,632 | 15,052 |
| Fredericksburg | $2,187 | 28,118 | Portsmouth | $2,436 | 96,201 | Windsor | $1,733 | 2,683 |
| Hampton | $2,438 | 136,454 | Radford | $1,843 | 17,403 | Wytheville | $1,793 | 7,998 |
Virginia Beach, VA
Finding a cheaper auto premium in Virginia Beach is easy if you know where to look.
For military, the lowest is USAA which I queried at $1,165 for a 30-year old.
If not military, Mid Century and Garrison are the most affordable.
Each queried at $1,187 and $1,190 for full coverage.
Which is 45% lower than the “mean” rate in Va Beach.
For a 45-year old it is the same three carriers, USAA, Mid Century, and Garrison.
Each queried at $808, $897, and $900 respectfully for a 45-year-old driver.
Which is well over 50% lower than the “mean” rate of Va Beach.
Out of the 8 carriers I queried the most expensive is Progressive at $1,421 for a 30-year old and $1,043 for a 45-year-old driver.
Which is 32% and 48% lower than the average rate within the city.
| Virginia Beach Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,165 | $808 |
| Mid Century | $1,187 | $897 |
| Garrison Property and Casualty | $1,190 | $900 |
| GEICO | $1,233 | $932 |
| Travelers | $1,324 | $954 |
| VA Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,376 | $976 |
| Erie | $1,388 | $1,004 |
| Progressive | $1,421 | $1,043 |
Virginia Beach is the largest city in the state with nearly 500,000 residents.
In the metropolitan area there are 1.8 million residents.
Home to the longest pleasure beach in the world, according to Guinness Book of World Records.
Norfolk, VA
Finding a cheapest car insurance is possible in Norfolk if you get quotes from USAA, Mid Century, and Garrison.
I queried each at $1,245, $1,365, $1,476 per year for a 30-year old.
Which is 42% lower than the “mean” rate of $2,544 in Norfolk.
GEICO and Travelers are worth getting quotes from since both carriers are over 30% lower than the average rate.
For a 45-year-old driver the best options are USAA, Mid Century, and Garrison.
For military, USAA is 54% lower than the “mean” rate $912.
Mid Century is 52% lower with a quote at $943 while Garrison is less than $40 more with a quote at $976.
Both GEICO and Travelers are over 40% lower than the citywide average rate with quotes at $1,032 and $1,076 respectfully.
The most expensive carrier queried was Progressive.
I received quotes at $1,752 for a 30-year old and $1,231 for a 45-year old.
| Norfolk Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,245 | $912 |
| Mid Century | $1,365 | $943 |
| Garrison Property and Casualty | $1,476 | $976 |
| GEICO | $1,543 | $1,032 |
| Travelers | $1,587 | $1,076 |
| VA Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,649 | $1,127 |
| Erie | $1,704 | $1,176 |
| Progressive | $1,752 | $1,231 |
Norfolk is the second largest city in the state with 250,000 residents.
It is part of the metropolitan area of Va Beach with 1.8 million residents.
Norfolk is a cosmopolitan city with colorful history and culture.
Roanoke, VA
If you want to lower your premium in Roanoke, get quotes from Travelers, Virginia Farm Bureau, and Mid Century.
I queried each at $1,166, $1,241, and $1,287 per year for a 30-year-old driver.
All three carriers are 46% lower than the “mean” rate of $2,532.
Garrison at $1,365 is 38% lower than the average premium.
For a 45-year old the cheapest carriers are Travelers, Virginia Farm Bureau, and Mid Century.
I queried each at $890, $902, an $932 per year for full coverage.
Or more than 50% lower than the citywide average premium.
For any military or former it would be smart to get quotes from USAA.
Each queried at $1,247 for a 30-year old and $932 for a 45-year-old driver.
| Roanoke Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Travelers | $1,166 | $890 |
| VA Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,241 | $902 |
| USAA | $1,247 | $932 |
| Mid Century | $1,287 | $976 |
| Garrison Property and Casualty | $1,365 | $998 |
| GEICO | $1,487 | $1,028 |
| Erie | $1,521 | $1,118 |
| Progressive | $1,588 | $1,174 |
Founded in 1852 as Big Lick, Roanoke is a city with 100,000 residents.
Formerly known as Big Lick from the massive amounts of salt in the area.
By 1882 it was established as Roanoke.
Richmond, VA
Richmond is the second highest average premium in the state of Virginia.
To find savings, get quotes from Travelers, USAA, and Virginia Farm Bureau.
I queried each at $1,476, $1,532, and $1,590 per year for a 30-year old.
All three carriers are over 41% lower than the “mean” rate of $2,843.
GEICO and Mid Century are more than 30% lower than the “mean” rate at $1,654 and $1,748 respectfully.
For a 45-year-old driver the cheapest quotes are with Travelers, USAA, and Virginia Farm Bureau.
I queried each at $1,032, $1,048, and $1,059 per year for full coverage.
Which is 50% lower than the citywide average premium in Richmond.
| Richmond Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Travelers | $1,476 | $1,032 |
| USAA | $1,532 | $1,048 |
| VA Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,590 | $1,059 |
| GEICO | $1,654 | $1,163 |
| Mid Century | $1,748 | $1,179 |
| Garrison Property and Casualty | $1,832 | $1,180 |
| Erie | $1,854 | $1,254 |
| Progressive | $1,879 | $1,311 |
Richmond is the 4th largest city in the state with 230,000 residents.
There are more than 1.2 million residents within the metropolitan area.
Richmond is also the place of the of Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech.
Alexandria, VA
Alexandria has the highest auto premiums in the state at $2,998.
For the cheapest car insurance get quotes from USAA, Travelers, and Progressive.
I queried each at $1,622, $1,674, and $1,743 per year for a 30-year-old driver.
All of which are over 30% lower than the citywide “mean” rate.
GEICO and Virginia Farm Bureau are 25% lower at $1,869 and $1,821 respectfully.
For a 45-year old the cheapest quotes are with USAA, Travelers, and Progressive.
I queried each at $1,178, $1,180, and $1,239 per year for full coverage.
Which is over 50% lower than the citywide average premium.
Out of the 8 insurers queried the most expensive is Erie at $2,055 for a 30-year old and $1,558 for a 45-year-old driver.
| Alexandria Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,622 | $1,178 |
| Travelers | $1,674 | $1,180 |
| Progressive | $1,743 | $1,239 |
| VA Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,821 | $1,365 |
| GEICO | $1,869 | $1,387 |
| Mid Century | $1,942 | $1,411 |
| Garrison Property and Casualty | $1,965 | $1,489 |
| Erie | $2,055 | $1,558 |
Alexandria is part of a growing Washington metro area that has more than 3 million people.
The city offers colonial charm, a pleasant environment, good schools, plenty of parks and easy access to the nation’s capital.
Suffolk, VA
If you want cheaper auto insurance in Suffolk then get quotes from Virginia Farm Bureau, Travelers, and USAA.
I queried each at $1,265, $1,387, and $1,389 per year for a 30-year-old driver.
Which is 35% lower than the average rate of $2,129.
Progressive and GEICO are 28% lower than the citywide average with quotes at $1,421, and $1,476 respectfully.
For a 45-year old the lowest choice is with Virginia Farm Bureau at $895 or over 50% lower than the “mean” premium in Suffolk.
Travelers is over 50% lower at $925.
USAA is $30 higher with a quote at $955 per year.
Out of the 8 carriers I queried the two most expensive are Garrison and Erie.
However, both carriers are 34% lower than the “mean” auto insurance premium in Suffolk.
| Suffolk Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| VA Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,265 | $895 |
| Travelers | $1,387 | $925 |
| USAA | $1,389 | $955 |
| Progressive | $1,421 | $987 |
| GEICO | $1,476 | $1,043 |
| Mid Century | $1,598 | $1,151 |
| Garrison Property and Casualty | $1,657 | $1,178 |
| Erie | $1,730 | $1,255 |
Suffolk is a city approximately 30 miles west of Va Beach with 90,000 residents.
It is the birthplace of Mr. Peanut, the famous mascot of Planters Peanuts.
It was originally named Constance’s Warehouse.
Resources & DMV Information
| Department of Insurance | Department of Transportation | Department of Motor Vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| 1300 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 371-9741 | 4975 Alliance Dr, Fairfax, VA 22030 (800) 367-7623 | 1595 N Main St, Marion, VA 24354 (804) 497-7100 |
| Website | Website | Website |
Sources
https://www.scc.virginia.gov/boi
https://www.libertymutual.com/auto/car-insurance-coverage/virginia
https://www.vafb.com/insurance/auto
http://www.scc.virginia.gov/boi/pubs
