- Car Insurance in Virginia is fairly affordable. The average driver pays $785 per year for coverage.
- The best cheap car insurance comes Nationwide for drivers with good or better credit and GEICO for those with poor credit.
- Drivers who make the time to shop around for their car insurance coverage will save the most.
- See Insider's picks for the best car insurance companies.
Finding the best cheap car insurance in Virginia will involve some shopping around. While it's not expensive to insure your car in Virginia — the average driver pays $785 per year according to the Insurance Information Institute— there are some big opportunities to save.
Every insurance policy is different, as is everyone's premium, or cost to maintain coverage. Car insurance companies consider your location, age, gender, and driving record to calculate rates for premiums. Other factors like credit score, marital status, vehicle type, previous coverage, and miles driven can all play a role in the amount you'll pay for coverage.
That said, it's important to shop around and find the right coverage for you.
The best cheap car insurance in Virginia based on credit score
Consumer Reports compiled a list of the best cheap car insurance in each state, gathering pricing information from every insurance company. Here are the three best insurance companies offering the best rate at each credit level, along with the average yearly premium for each:
| Excellent credit (FICO 800+) | Good credit (FICO 670-739) | Poor credit (300-579) |
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The best car insurance for drivers with a clean record
For a driver in Virginia age 25 or older with no accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
| Company | Average monthly insurance premium |
| State Farm | $114 |
| GEICO | $123 |
| Nationwide | $135 |
| Progressive | $138 |
| Travelers | $141 |
| USAA* | $144 |
| Root | $147 |
| Allstate | $151 |
| Liberty Mutual | $155 |
| Esurance | $160 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Above data obtained from
Best car insurance for one or more accidents on record
For a driver in Virginia age 25 or older, with one or more accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
| Company | Average monthly insurance premium |
| Bristol West | $101 |
| GEICO | $130 |
| Progressive | $157 |
| Allstate | $161 |
| Esurance | $184 |
| Farmers | $198 |
Above data obtained from
The best car insurance in Virginia based on customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction with car insurance providers may factor into your decision. According to J.D. Power, a consumer research company that surveys customers, these are the top car insurance companies in the Southeast region (which includes Virginia):
Virginia car insurance rates by city
Below is the estimated average annual premium of auto insurance policies per household in Virginia's most populous cities:
| City | Average annual insurance premium |
| Virginia Beach | $1,495 |
| Norfolk | $1,304 |
| Chesapeake | $1,492 |
| Arlington | $1,553 |
| Richmond | $1,299 |
| Newport News | $1,347 |
| Alexandria | $1,493 |
| Hampton | $1,348 |
| Roanoke | $1,223 |
| Portsmouth | $1,339 |
| Suffolk | $1,456 |
| Lynchburg | $1,274 |
| Centreville | $1,637 |
| Dale City | $1,554 |
| Reston | $1,612 |
| Harrisonburg | $1,280 |
| Ashburn | $1,689 |
| Leesburg | $1,650 |
| McLean | $1,772 |
| Charlottesville | $1,339 |
| Tuckahoe | $1,503 |
| Blacksburg | $1,304 |
| Linton Hall | $1,762 |
| Lake Ridge | $1,553 |
| Annandale | $1,506 |
| Manassas | $1,510 |
| Burke | $1,711 |
Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence
The most popular car insurance companies in Virginia based on market share
The following are the most popular car insurance companies in Virginia, based on the percentage of insured Virginia drivers who use them:
| Company | Market share (%) |
| GEICO | 19.64 |
| State Farm | 14.88 |
| USAA* | 13.39 |
| Progressive | 11.07 |
| Allstate | 9.67 |
| Nationwide | 6.60 |
| Erie Insurance | 4.10 |
| Liberty Mutual | 2.41 |
| Travelers | 2.30 |
| VA Farm Bureau | 2.20 |
| National General Holdings | 2.12 |
| Elephant Insurance | 1.27 |
| Farmers Insurance | 0.87 |
| American Family | 0.85 |
| The Hartford | 0.65 |
| Agency Insurance Co. of MD | 0.62 |
| MetLife | 0.61 |
| Alfa Mutual Group | 0.60 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance | 0.55 |
| The Hanover Insurance | 0.39 |
| Northern Neck Insurance | 0.35 |
| Rockingham Insurance | 0.34 |
| Grange Insurance | 0.33 |
| Donegal | 0.32 |
| Amica | 0.30 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence
Who gets the best cheap car insurance in Virginia?
As the numbers show above, the better the credit score, the more affordable the car insurance. Drivers with the best credit scores typically pay the least for their coverage.
But, that doesn't mean that there aren't opportunities to save. By shopping around for your coverage, you can easily see which companies offer you the best coverage for your money. Because each insurance company gives different prices for coverage based on various factors, shopping around can help you find the company that will offer you the best coverage for your money.
To start shopping around, get quotes from several different insurance companies and compare them. You'll want to look past the premium and consider things like the coverage types and limits, and look at the deductible, or the amount you'll pay for coverage if you get into an accident.
The best policy is the one that offers you the most types of coverage and the highest limits with the lowest deductible and premium. By shopping around, you can find the best insurance for you, and find the most coverage for your budget.