Best Cheap Car Insurance Companies for High-Risk Drivers in West Virginia

Insurance companies may consider you high risk based on certain factors, such as your age and driving record, and charge higher rates. You can shop around and compare rates from different providers to find the most affordable option for you.

In West Virginia, Erie offers the best and cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers. A policy from this insurer costs an average of $861 per year. However, your actual rate will depend on various personal factors.

Typically, car insurance companies view drivers who are more likely to file an auto insurance claim as risky to insure. Drivers who fall into this category include students, those with poor credit and those with bad driving records (e.g., multiple at-fault accidents, traffic violations like tickets or a DUI conviction).

If you’re considered a high-risk driver in West Virginia, expect to pay around 27% more for car insurance than those with a low-risk profile. Keep in mind that auto insurance companies tend to charge high-risk drivers a more expensive premium to, for example, offset the costs of covering them in an accident.

Based on MoneyGeek’s analysis, the cheapest insurance for high-risk drivers in West Virginia is offered by Erie at approximately $861 per year.

Find out more about this insurer and its pros and cons by reading MoneyGeek’s Erie auto insurance review.

MoneyGeek’s analysis found that the best high-risk auto insurance company in West Virginia is Erie, with a score of 97 out of 100. The next-best option is State Farm, which received a score of 93 out of 100.

Our Erie auto insurance review and State Farm auto insurance review provide an in-depth look at the companies’ affordability, financial stability and customer service.

According to MoneyGeek’s research, the most affordable car insurance company in West Virginia for drivers with a DUI is State Farm. A policy from this insurer costs an average of $869 per year. Find out more about its average rates, coverages and customer service by reading our State Farm auto insurance review.

Active service members and veterans with a DUI conviction in West Virginia may also find USAA’s high-risk car insurance inexpensive.

At roughly $2,448 per year, State Farm is the cheapest car insurance company in West Virginia for teen drivers. However, your actual rate depends on your age and other factors, such as whether you qualify for discounts. Check out our State Farm auto insurance review to know more about what the company offers for teen drivers.

For individuals with bad credit, the cheapest company for car insurance in West Virginia is Nationwide. A policy from this insurer costs around $1,144 per year, roughly 29% higher than the rate for those with good credit.

MoneyGeek provided an in-depth look at this company in our Nationwide auto insurance review.

Insurance companies assess a driver’s risk when determining their car insurance rate. They consider those with a history of at-fault accidents, tickets or a DUI conviction as high risk and charge a higher rate.

In West Virginia, for instance, high-risk drivers pay around $1,333 per year for car insurance, while low-risk drivers pay approximately $908 per year for the same coverage. That’s a difference of more than $400.

When shopping around for car insurance, it’s best to have a rough estimate of how much you’ll pay for a policy to find the best option for your needs. MoneyGeek’s West Virginia car insurance calculator can help you get a ballpark figure of your insurance costs by providing your personal information, like age, gender and credit score.

Insurance companies may refuse to cover you if they consider you risky to insure. Reasons why you may be viewed as high-risk include being a student driver, having poor credit or a history of traffic violations, at-fault accidents or a DUI conviction.

If this happens, your next course of action is to shop for a residual market plan through the Automobile Insurance Plan Service Office (AIPSO). This organization maintains a state-by-state database to help high-risk drivers find car insurance where they live.

High-risk drivers in West Virginia who can’t purchase car insurance through the voluntary market may consider the West Virginia Automobile Insurance Plan (WVAIP). Residents with a West Virginia driver's license and a vehicle registered in the state qualify to apply for this residual market plan.

High-risk drivers often find it difficult to buy car insurance. MoneyGeek answered some frequently asked questions about high-risk car insurance in West Virginia to help you find coverage that fits your particular needs.

MoneyGeek calculated average rates using full coverage car insurance policies with 100/300/100 liability insurance and comprehensive and collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible. Minimum coverage car insurance policy rates were calculated based on each state’s minimum car insurance requirement.

To calculate rates for high-risk drivers, MoneyGeek averaged the premiums insurance companies charge for three of the most common driving violations: speeding, at-fault accident and DUI.

To determine the best car insurance company for high-risk drivers, MoneyGeek scored companies based on affordability, customer satisfaction and complaints — obtained from J.D. Power surveys and NAIC complaint scores — and financial strength ratings as calculated by AM Best. Affordability received the greatest weighting in our calculations.