bestauto insuranceRichmondCompare the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Richmond, VA
The average auto insurance cost in Richmond is $819 per year, $29 more expensive than the state average. The most affordable insurer is Progressive, which has an average rate of $530. MoneyGeek’s study also identified the cheapest companies by coverage level and driving history. If you value a balance of quality and affordability, MoneyGeek ranked the best insurers in the city.
REVIEW AUTO INSURANCE RATES
Ensure you're getting the best rate for your auto insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.
Advertising & Editorial DisclosureLast Updated: 1/9/2023
Edited By |
Scott Strandberg
Written By |
Mark Fitzpatrick
For drivers in Richmond, Progressive offers the cheapest options for full coverage auto insurance, state minimum policies and for drivers with a speeding ticket. If you’re in the military, USAA is another affordable choice of insurer. Based on MoneyGeek’s research, GEICO is the best car insurance company in Richmond, balancing affordability and quality customer service. The cost of your auto insurance will vary depending on your profile, driving history and the coverage you opt for.
bestauto insuranceRichmondThe Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Richmond
Cheapest Overall - Progressive
Cheapest State Minimum - Progressive
Cheapest With a Driving Violation - Progressive
Best Overall - GEICO
Methodology
MoneyGeek ranked insurers in Richmond, Virginia, using evaluation scores from J.D. Power, AM Best and the NAIC.
The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Richmond
The cheapest full coverage auto insurance options for Richmond drivers are:
- Progressive: $530 per year
- Erie: $715 per year
Military members and their families can choose to go through USAA, the second most affordable car insurance company in Richmond at $631 per year on average.
Progressive’s policy is $655 cheaper than the most expensive insurer for full coverage, which is MetLife. Full coverage policies include comprehensive as well as collision insurance, and your lender may require that you include these if your vehicle is leased or financed.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Richmond
Full Coverage 100/300/100
- Company100/300/100per year
- 1.$530
- 2.$631
- 3.$715
- 4.$729
- 5.$760
MoneyGeek’s methodology included collecting full coverage policy rates for a 40-year-old male driver in Richmond.
A full coverage policy includes comprehensive and collision coverage. These coverages are in addition to the minimum requirements. If you have a leased or financed vehicle, you may be required to include full coverage so that you can pay off your loans in the event of an accident.
- Comprehensive Insurance: This insurance covers damage to your vehicle due to non-accident-related causes such as theft and natural calamities.
- Collision Insurance: This insurance covers you when you collide with another vehicle (irrespective of who is at fault) or a stationary object.
If you own an older car, it would be cheaper to choose liability-only insurance or even a state minimum policy. Otherwise, you may end up paying more for insurance than the replacement value of your vehicle.
Compare Car Insurance Rates in Richmond
Ensure you're getting the best rate for your car insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Richmond for Minimum Coverage
Auto insurance companies in Richmond and elsewhere consider the amount of coverage you buy when determining your premium costs. A basic policy that only meets state minimums in Richmond costs $440 on average, while a full coverage policy with higher liability limits costs around $819. That is a difference of $379.
Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in Richmond
State Minimum
- CompanyState Minimumper year
- 1.$305
- 2.$346
- 3.$360
- 4.$379
- 5.$410
State minimum coverage policies are the cheapest option in Virginia under normal circumstances. However, it could prove to be more expensive in the event of an accident. This is because you may have to pay out of pocket to meet certain expenses that are not covered in your policy.
For instance, if the medical bills for an at-fault accident amount to $50,000 for the other driver, your 25/50/20 minimum coverage will cover $25,000 of that. You will be responsible for paying the balance.
Virginia Minimum Liability Requirements
- ItemDescription
- Bodily Injury and Property Damage$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $20,000 for property damage. A more protective level is 100/300/100.
- Uninsured Motorist$25,000 per person, $50,000 per incident and $20,000 for property damage. The minimum coverage may not be enough if you're in a serious accident.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Richmond if You Have Driving Violations
Drivers with violations such as a DUI, at-fault accident or a speeding ticket will have to pay more for insurance. In Richmond, the cheapest auto insurance for such drivers are:
- Cheapest after a ticket: Progressive, $704 per year
- Cheapest after an at-fault accident: Progressive, $911 per year
- Cheapest after a DUI: Progressive, $744 per year
Drivers with poor records in Richmond can get better rates by improving their records over time. To get more affordable insurance premiums in the meantime, try exploring several quotes before deciding upon the best cheap car insurance for drivers with bad records.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Richmond With a Violation
Speeding Ticket
- CompanySpeeding Ticketper year
- 1.$704
- 2.$729
- 3.$747
- 4.$762
- 5.$865
Average Cost of Car Insurance in Richmond
Richmond$819
Virginia$790
U.S.$1,424
Richmond’s average car insurance rate is $819 per year, which is 42.5% lower than the national average. Though this rate is 3.7% higher than the average annual premium in Virginia, you can still get cheap car insurance in Richmond if you look around.
Personalized Quotes to Get You the Cheapest Car Insurance in Richmond
To get the best car insurance in Richmond, having a personalized quote is recommended. Age, gender, credit score, driving history and marital status are just some of the factors that car insurance companies in Richmond look into. Because so many aspects of your personal profile are considered, it’s best to get a quote that suits your unique situation.
Compare Car Insurance Rates in Richmond
Ensure you're getting the best rate for your car insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.
The Best Car Insurance Companies in Richmond
MoneyGeek found the top car insurance companies in Richmond, Virginia, by looking at a combination of average rates, claims ratings and user satisfaction. Our analysis shows the following companies achieving the highest scores:
- Erie: MoneyGeek score of 91 out of 100
- Progressive: MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100
Based on the same rankings, USAA scored 98 out of 100, making it the best car insurance company in Virginia for military members. However, our overall rankings exclude USAA because it is not widely available.
1
Erie
Score:91
Achieving near-perfect scores on claims, satisfaction and affordability, Erie is the best car insurance in Richmond, costing an affordable $715 per year on average. It offers better car replacement as one of its rare add-on coverages.
More About Erie
Erie offers a rare type of new/better car replacement coverage called Auto Security to drivers in Richmond. This coverage replaces a totaled car with the newest model year if it is less than two years old. If your car is more than two model years old, it will be replaced with a car that is two model years newer. Erie also offers some more common add-on coverages, including accident forgiveness and rental car and/or travel reimbursement.
Read MoneyGeek's Erie auto Insurance Review2
Progressive
Score:90
Progressive earned high scores on affordability and stability, though it fell below average on satisfaction. Erie’s policies cost an average of $530 annually, with custom parts coverage as a rare offer.
More About Progressive
Drivers in Richmond who install aftermarket accessories on their vehicle may want to add custom parts with a $5,000 limit to their list of coverages. This pays for the cost of replacing or repairing items such as a stereo, navigation system, custom wheels and paint job.
Another unique coverage from Progressive is rideshare insurance. All coverages in your personal auto insurance policy remain in effect while rideshare drivers wait to match with a rider. Deductible modification subtracts $50 from your policy’s comprehensive and collision deductible for each six-month period you drive without an accident or violation. This resets when you file a claim.
Read MoneyGeek's Progressive auto Insurance Review3
State Farm
Score:86
4
GEICO
Score:82
5
Nationwide
Score:72
6
Travelers
Score:69
7
Allstate
Score:53
8
Mercury
Score:45
9
MetLife
Score:24
Average Cost of Car Insurance by Postal Code
Car insurance companies in Richmond also look at ZIP codes when determining their quotes. If you live in ZIP code 23223, you could pay around $34 more than drivers in ZIP code 23234. The difference relies on the number of car-related incidents in a specific area, such as uninsured motorists, thefts, accidents and more.
- Zip CodeState Minimumper year
- 23234$802
- 23223$837
Factors That Impact Insurance Costs in Richmond
In addition to individual driver needs and history, location-specific factors like the percentage of uninsured motorists and the rate of car thefts also contribute to car insurance rates in Richmond. How Richmond ranks compared to the 300 most populous cities in the United States can have a significant impact on premium costs.
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