Is car insurance required in West Virginia?

Car insurance is mandatory in West Virginia. All drivers need to carry a minimum of 25/50/25 in liability insurance and mandatory uninsured motorist insurance. Failure to present proof of insurance can result in penalties, fines and jail time. Your license and vehicle registration might be suspended as well.

Do you need car insurance to register a car in West Virginia?

It is not possible to register a car without proof of insurance in West Virginia. You need to present proof of insurance during registration and it is illegal to drive a vehicle without valid insurance.

What is “basic” car insurance in West Virginia?

Basic car insurance in West Virginia usually entails meeting the state minimum requirements, which consists of 25/50/25 liability insurance and uninsured motorists coverage. Drivers need a minimum of this amount of coverage to drive their cars in West Virginia legally.

Does insurance follow the car or driver in West Virginia?

Car insurance usually <a href="https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2014/06/05/249762.htm" target="_blank">follows the car</a> in West Virginia. This is true for liability coverage, personal property coverage and uninsured motorists coverage.

Can you get car insurance without a license in West Virginia?

You do not need a driving license to purchase a vehicle or get car insurance in West Virginia. However, you can list a rated driver with a valid license to get car insurance without your license .

Is West Virginia a no-fault state and what does this mean?

West Virginia is <a href="https://www.iii.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/insurance_factbook_2020.pdf" target="_blank">not a no-fault state</a>. This means that, in the event of an accident, the at-fault party is considered liable and their insurance provider would need to cover the associated costs.

Is PIP coverage required in West Virginia?

PIP or Personal Injury Protection coverage is not mandatory in West Virginia.

Does West Virginia require uninsured motorist insurance?

West Virginia requires mandatory uninsured motorist insurance. At a minimum, drivers need to carry 25/50/20 coverage to protect themselves against costs arising from accidents involving uninsured motorists.

Does West Virginia allow for diminished value compensation after an accident?

West Virginia has a provision for <a href="https://www.collisionclaims.com/west-virginia-diminished-value/#:~:text=West%20Virginia%20is%20a%20diminished,motorist%20coverage%20for%20diminished%20value." target="_blank">diminished value compensation</a> after an accident. This means that you can be entitled to the diminished value of your vehicle after an accident. The state also has uninsured motorist coverage for diminished value.

How do car insurance requirements change after a DUI in West Virginia?

There is no change in car insurance requirements in West Virginia after a DUI . However, you would likely have to pay higher premiums and might have to fill out SR-22 paperwork.

What is a CARCO inspection and is it required?

A <a href="https://www.carcogroup.com/policyholder-resources/faqs" target="_blank">CARCO</a> inspection, carried out pre-insurance, documents factors like mileage, physical condition and accessories to carry out an overall assessment of your car. West Virginia does not require CARCO inspections.

West Virginia Minimum Car Insurance Requirements, Penalties and Other Auto Insurance Laws

Car insurance laws in West Virginia dictate that drivers should have minimum liability coverage of 25/50/25 along with mandatory uninsured motorists coverage. This means that your car insurance policy needs to include $25,000 coverage in bodily injury per person with a minimum of $50,000 coverage per accident and $25,000 in property damage coverage. Drivers who fail to meet these limits can face different penalties, including fines, suspension of driving privileges and jail time. In addition, this minimum coverage can protect third parties after an accident. If you want to protect yourself and your vehicle, you can purchase additional coverage and relevant add-ons.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in West Virginia
How Much Does Minimum Car Insurance Cost?
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in West Virginia
FAQs

What Is the Minimum Car Insurance Requirement in West Virginia?

How much car insurance do you need in West Virginia? To comply with state laws, you must carry a mandated minimum amount of insurance to drive in West Virginia. This includes:

$25,000 per person for injury or death
$50,000 total per accident
$25,000 per accident for property damage
$25,000 per person with up to $50,000 per accident for uninsured motorist bodily injury
$20,000 per accident for uninsured motorist property damage

You might see these liability limits shown as 25/50/25 and uninsured motorists’ coverage written as UM. For better protection, you can extend these coverage limits at an additional cost.

What Does This Minimum Coverage Mean?

Liability insurance is a mandatory requirement in most states, including West Virginia. This covers injuries and property damage sustained by the other involved party if you cause an accident. Liability limits in West Virginia are 25/50/25. This means you need to carry a minimum of $25,000 per person for injuries or death per accident and up to $50,000 total per accident for all involved. Property damage coverage pays for damage to property, like another vehicle or home belonging to a third party, if you damage it in an accident. Therefore, you need a minimum of $25,000 in property damage coverage in West Virginia.

West Virginia also mandates uninsured motorists coverage, which protects you financially if you are involved in an incident with an uninsured motorist. In West Virginia, you need $25,000 per person for bodily injury, with $50,000 per accident and $20,000 property damage coverage for uninsured motorists.

How Much Does the Minimum Car Insurance Cost in West Virginia?

The cost of car insurance in West Virginia can depend on several variables, including your age, driving record, ZIP code, credit score, the type of car you own and other factors. The cost will also vary between different car insurance providers in West Virginia.

The most affordable car insurance in West Virginia is offered by USAA and costs about $265 per year. However, USAA policies are only available to current and former military members and their families. The second most affordable option is Erie, which costs an average of $314 per year.

These prices are only estimates based on rates for an average West Virginia driver and should not be used to compare insurance prices.

MoneyGeek analyzed car insurance rates at the state minimum limits of 25/50/25 and mandatory UM for a 40-year-old male driver in West Virginia with a 2010 Toyota Camry, a clean driving record and good credit rating.

MoneyGeek also ranked the best car insurance companies in West Virginia for those who want strong service and affordable rates.

What Is the Minimum Car Insurance Requirement in West Virginia While Leasing a Car?

While West Virginia has mandatory minimum liability insurance requirements, a leasing company can enforce its requirements if you lease a car. In most cases, leasing companies look for full coverage car insurance with minimum liability limits of 100/300/50. You can contact your leasing company to find out the minimum coverage requirements to meet your leasing terms. Make sure you clearly understand the terms of the agreement and the minimum insurance requirements.

If you want to know how much car insurance you should have in West Virginia, MoneyGeek recommends full-coverage car insurance with at least 50/100/50 liability limits. West Virginia has a relatively low risk of uninsured motorists with only 9.2% of drivers being uninsured. If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver in West Virginia, you will be protected thanks to the mandatory 25/50/20 uninsured motorist coverage.

Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance in West Virginia

Several penalties are in place for driving without car insurance in West Virginia. You need to carry proof of insurance at all times and present it whenever required to a law enforcement official.

Failure to show proof of insurance is considered a misdemeanor. Here are some of the consequences for drivers driving without insurance or proof of insurance:

License suspension for 30 days for the first offense
License suspension for 90 days for subsequent offenses
A $200 fee for failure to respond to the first offense
Vehicle registration revocation for a repeat offense
A $100 fee for registration reinstatement and a $50 fee for license reinstatement
Jail term between 15 days and one year

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Insurance in West Virginia

Here are answers to questions people may ask about car insurance in West Virginia.

Learn More About Car Insurance

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick is a senior content director at MoneyGeek with over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, conducting original research and creating content that can be personalized for every buyer. He has been quoted on insurance topics in several publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Mark earned a master’s degree in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his economics and insurance knowledge to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.

sources

CARCO. "CARCO FAQs." Accessed July 9, 2021.
ClaimsJournal.com. "Does Automobile Insurance Follow the Car or the Driver?." Accessed July 11, 2021.
CollisionClaims.com. "West Virginia Diminished Value Claims." Accessed July 11, 2021.
Insurance Information Institute. "2020 Insurance Factbook." Accessed July 11, 2021.
Insurance Information Institute. "Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists." Accessed July 11, 2021.
Kelly Blue Book. "Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance by State." Accessed July 11, 2021.
West Virginia DMV. "Consumer Insurance Information." Accessed July 11, 2021.
West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner. "Automobile Mandatory Limits." Accessed July 11, 2021.