Best car insurance in West Virginia (2024)

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Meredith NapolitanoFreelance contributorAs a content writer, Meredith has written most extensively about home renovation, vocational training, the automotive industry, real estate, family law, and data protection.&Andrew HurstSenior Editor & Licensed Auto Insurance ExpertAndrew Hurst is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, NPR, Mic, Insurance Business Magazine, ValuePenguin, and Property Casualty 360.

Edited by

Anna SwartzAnna SwartzSenior Managing EditorAnna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.
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Maria FilindrasMaria FilindrasFinancial AdvisorMaria Filindras is a financial advisor, a licensed Life & Health insurance agent in California, and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius.

Updated|3 min read

Expert reviewedExpert reviewedThis article has been reviewed by a member of ourFinancial Review Council to ensure all sources, statistics, and claims meet the highest standard for accurate and unbiased advice.Learn more about oureditorial review process.

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The average cost of full coverage car insurance in West Virginia is $1,615, but rates will vary widely depending on where in the state you live, as well as your age, driving record, credit score, and any past claims.

Ready to shop car insurance?

The best way to save money on car insurance in West Virginia is by comparing quotes from different companies before you buy. Policygenius can help you see options from top companies so you can choose the coverage that’s right for you.

Key takeaways

  • USAA has the lowest average rate for full coverage in West Virginia, at $869 a year.

  • State Farm has the best rate for 18-year-old drivers in West Virginia.

  • West Virginia drivers are required to have $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage.

Methodology & why you can trust our rates

Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:

  • Bodily injury liability: 50/100

  • Property damage liability: $50,000

  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 50/100

  • Comprehensive: $500 deductible

  • Collision: $500 deductible

In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by state or insurer.

Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers ages 30, 35, and 45. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles/year.

Rates for driving violations and “Poor” credit determined using average rates for a single male 30-year-old driver with a credit score under 578.

Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of costs. Your actual quotes may differ.

Cheapest car insurance companies in West Virginia

Even though they use the same data, like your ZIP code, driving history, credit score, and age, each insurance company has a different formula for calculating your car insurance rates. That’s why it’s so important to shop around and find the company that offers you your best rates.

Company

Average cost

JD Power Rating

USAA

$869

890

State Farm

$1,003

882

Erie

$1,228

893

GEICO

$1,237

874

Nationwide

$1,253

868

Cheapest car insurance companies by age in West Virginia

New drivers and drivers under the age of 25 pay more for car insurance, because their inexperience behind the wheel means they’re more likely to get into an accident and need to file a claim. Young drivers may notice a change in their premiums once they reach 25 and age into a less-risky age group.

Age

Cheapest company

Average cost

16

State Farm

$2,595

18

State Farm

$2,142

21

USAA

$1,444

25

USAA

$1,082

30

USAA

$918

35

USAA

$874

45

USAA

$816

55

USAA

$769

60

USAA

$765

65

USAA

$789

70

USAA

$893

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Choosing the right car insurance company in West Virginia

There’s no one car insurance company that’s right for every driver. Because car insurance rates are so personalized, you may get very different rates from your neighbor. That’s why the only way to find the right company for you is to shop around and compare rates before you buy.

Policygenius can help you see what you’d pay for coverage from top companies, so you can choose the policy that works best for your needs.

Car insurance rates for drivers with driving violations in West Virginia

Any moving violations in your driving history will mean higher rates. More serious violations or at-fault accidents will raise your rates more. Keeping a clean record following an accident is the best way to make sure your rates go back down after a few years.

Violation

USAA

State Farm

Erie

GEICO

Nationwide

At-fault accident

$1,285

$1,178

$1,497

$2,454

$2,006

DUI

$1,647

$1,100

$1,908

$2,822

$2,470

Suspended license

$1,606

$1,100

$1,908

$3,241

$2,470

Open container

$1,279

$1,100

$1,380

$2,822

$1,639

Expired registration

$1,400

$1,100

$1,380

$1,440

$1,639

Driving without lights

$1,059

$1,100

$1,380

$1,862

$1,639

Running a red light

$1,059

$1,100

$1,380

$1,862

$1,639

Following too closely

$1,059

$1,100

$1,380

$1,862

$1,639

Hit and run

$1,684

$1,100

$1,908

$3,241

$2,470

Not-at-fault accident

$918

$1,021

$1,259

$1,481

$1,292

Passing a school bus

$1,279

$1,100

$1,380

$1,862

$1,639

Reckless driving

$1,279

$1,100

$1,380

$3,241

$2,470

Speeding

$1,059

$1,100

$1,380

$3,241

$1,639

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Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI in West Virginia

Company

Rates for drivers with DUIs

State Farm

$1,100

USAA

$1,647

Erie

$1,908

Nationwide

$2,470

GEICO

$2,822

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket in West Virginia

Company

Rates for drivers with speeding tickets

USAA

$1,059

State Farm

$1,100

Erie

$1,380

Nationwide

$1,639

GEICO

$3,241

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with bad credit in West Virginia

Drivers with bad credit generally pay more for car insurance than drivers with good credit. If you know your credit is poor, it’s all the more important to shop around and find your most affordable options.

Company

Rates for drivers with bad credit

USAA

$1,633

Nationwide

$1,734

GEICO

$1,839

Westfield Insurance

$1,951

State Farm

$2,177

Car insurance costs in West Virginia cities

Car insurance premiums can vary from city to city, depending on things like rates of theft and vandalism, the number of at-fault accidents and claims, even the average cost of repairs in your city can mean higher or lower rates. Here’s what drivers pay for coverage in the ten largest cities in West Virginia.

  • Charleston: $1,558

  • Huntington: $1,554

  • Morgantown: $1,461

  • Parkersburg: $1,481

  • Wheeling: $1,399

  • Fairview: $1,467

  • Weirton: $1,458

  • Martinsburg: $1,383

  • Beckley: $1,542

  • Clarksburg: $1,449

Ready to shop car insurance?

Buying car insurance in West Virginia

more than the state minimum requirements, but all West Virginia drivers must have the following:

  • Bodily injury liability coverage per person: $25,000

  • Bodily injury liability coverage per accident: $50,000

  • Property damage liability coverage: $25,000

  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Coverage must equal liability coverage ($25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident). But there’s also a state maximum of 100/300/50.

West Virginia is an at-fault state. That means that after an accident, the driver found at-fault for the accident will be legally and financially responsible for any damage or injuries resulting from that accident, and claims will be filed with the at-fault driver’s insurance. 

West Virginia also has modified comparative negligence laws. This means each driver in an accident can be attributed a percentage of fault for which they’re financially responsible. To fully protect themselves, West Virginia drivers should have more than the minimum levels of liability coverage required by law.

How to get cheap car insurance in West Virginia

One of the best ways to find affordable car insurance coverage is to take advantage of any available discounts. Some of the most common car insurance discounts include:

  • Bundling discount

  • Safe driver discount

  • Good student discount

  • Accident-free discount

  • Multi-car discount

  • Paid-in-full discount

  • Low mileage discount

  • Military discount

If you are not eligible for any discounts, you can still find the cheapest rates by comparing quotes from different companies when you shop. You should also reshop for car insurance whenever your policy is up for renewal, to make sure you’re not missing out on cheaper coverage with another company.

Find car insurance in your city:

Frequently asked questions

Who has the cheapest car insurance in West Virginia?

USAA currently has the cheapest car insurance in West Virginia. However, that doesn’t mean USAA is the right insurance company for every driver, and not every driver will qualify for coverage. It’s important to compare rates from different companies to find the cheapest option for you.

Is car insurance expensive in West Virginia?

Compared to the national average cost of coverage, car insurance is slightly less expensive in West Virginia. However, at $1,615 per year for car insurance in the state, coverage costs only about $20 less per year in West Virginia than the national average.

Will my gender impact my car insurance premiums in West Virginia?

Gender and marital status do play a role in determining premiums in West Virginia, but their impact is minimal. Your age, address, credit score, driving history and any past claims will matter much more when it comes to car insurance.

In West Virginia, which violation will have the greatest impact on my rates?

In West Virginia, a DUI will cause the biggest increase in your insurance premiums. So if you’ve got a recent DUI on your record, you may have to look harder to find a company that will still offer you affordable coverage.

Authors

As a content writer, Meredith has written most extensively about home renovation, vocational training, the automotive industry, real estate, family law, and data protection.

Andrew Hurst is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, NPR, Mic, Insurance Business Magazine, ValuePenguin, and Property Casualty 360.

Editor

Anna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.

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