State guide
Car Insurance in Virginia
Updated August 2026
No state rewrote its car insurance rules more thoroughly in the last few years than Virginia. Until July 1, 2024, a Virginia driver could legally skip insurance by paying the DMV a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee — that option is gone, and liability insurance is now required to register a vehicle. Then, on January 1, 2025, the minimum limits jumped to 50/100/25: $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage, under Va. Code § 46.2-472.
Those are now among the highest minimum limits in the country — a minimum-limits Virginia policy buys real protection, and costs more than the old 30/60/20 policies did. Because every carrier repriced the same mandate differently, the spread between quotes for identical coverage is wide, which is exactly the situation where comparing quotes side by side pays off.
| Coverage | Required minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability (per person) | $50,000 |
| Bodily injury liability (per accident) | $100,000 |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 |
| PIP / medical | Not required (at-fault state) |
| Additional requirements | Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage must be included in every Virginia auto policy |
| No-fault state | No |
| SR-22 used | Yes |
Source: Va. Code § 46.2-472; Virginia DMV
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in Virginia was $949 in 2022 — a figure that predates both of the state's recent rule changes. (NAIC 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement)
Virginia's two-step overhaul
The change came in two moves. First, the General Assembly repealed the uninsured motor vehicle fee (SB 951), so from July 1, 2024, every registered vehicle must carry a policy that meets Virginia's liability limits — registering without one is no longer an option, and lapses can lead to license suspension.
Second, the minimums stepped up on a schedule written into Va. Code § 46.2-472: policies effective from 2022 through 2024 required 30/60/20, and policies effective on or after January 1, 2025 require 50/100/25. If your policy has renewed since then, it already carries the new limits.
Fault and uninsured motorist coverage
Virginia is an at-fault state: the driver who causes a crash pays for the other side's injuries and damage through their liability coverage. There is no PIP requirement.
Virginia also requires every auto policy to include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, at limits matching the liability coverage. That protects you when the at-fault driver carries nothing or too little — a scenario the 2024 mandate was designed to shrink, but one that hasn't disappeared.
SR-22 and FR-44: Virginia has both
Virginia is one of only two states — Florida is the other — that uses the FR-44 filing. After DUI-related convictions, an FR-44 requires liability limits double the standard minimums, which today means 100/200/50, typically maintained for three years.
For other serious violations and certain suspensions, Virginia uses the regular SR-22 filing at standard limits. In both cases the certificate itself is cheap; the premium attached to the underlying violation is the real cost, and carriers price the same record very differently — the strongest argument these drivers have for comparing quotes.
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Frequently asked questions
What car insurance is required in Virginia?+
For policies effective on or after January 1, 2025: $50,000 bodily injury per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage (50/100/25), per Va. Code § 46.2-472. Policies must also include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Is car insurance mandatory in Virginia now?+
Yes. Since July 1, 2024, Virginia no longer allows registering a vehicle by paying the $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee — liability insurance meeting the state minimums is required.
What is an FR-44 in Virginia?+
A filing required after DUI-related convictions, proving liability coverage at double the standard minimums (currently 100/200/50), generally for three years. Virginia and Florida are the only states that use FR-44s; Virginia uses regular SR-22s for other violations.
Is Virginia a no-fault state?+
No. Virginia is an at-fault (tort) state — the driver who causes the accident is responsible for the resulting damage, paid through their liability coverage. PIP is not required.
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