5+ years of finance writing experience
Certificate of financial planning from Boston University
Erin is a personal finance writer and journalist with work featured in major publications. Her writing explores investing, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and more.
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7+ years in content creation and management
5+ years in insurance and personal finance content
Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.
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Updated October 30, 2024
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
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Table of contents
Charlottesville drivers pay an average monthly premium of $105, which is lower than both the state and national averages of $138 and $158 per month, respectively.
Virginia’s overall low insurance premiums could be a result of many factors, including the unique insurance requirements where drivers don’t necessarily need to carry coverage. But your premiums could look very different based on your personal situation and driving profile, which is why it’s important to compare quotes from several insurers before choosing a policy.
Auto-Owners is the cheapest insurer for liability-only coverage in Charlottesville, and Auto-Owners offers the cheapest full-coverage policies.
Charlottesville drivers pay an average of $78 per month for liability insurance and $133 per month for full coverage.
Virginia has minimum liability coverage limits in place but allows drivers to opt out of insurance by paying an annual fee.
3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in Charlottesville
Thanks to low insurance premiums in the state of Virginia, Charlottesville drivers should have an easy time finding affordable car insurance. The cheapest insurance company for you may vary depending on your individual situation and needs.
We’ve rounded up three of the cheapest insurers in Charlottesville to help get you started on your search. The rates in the table below are for Virginia overall.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ | Best For ▲▼ |
---|---|---|---|---|
Auto-Owners | 8.5 | $66 | $36 | Personalized service |
State Farm | 9.3 | $68 | $37 | Customer satisfaction |
GEICO | 9.0 | $91 | $49 | Discounts |
Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.
We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.
- Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
- Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
- Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
- Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
- Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.
Best insurer for personalized service: Auto-Owners
User Reviews | 3.8 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.5/10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $30/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $57/mo |
Auto-Owners offers some of the cheapest and most hands-on auto insurance coverage in Charlottesville. Auto-Owners uses an agent approach, meaning each customer works directly with independent insurance agents. The good news is you can expect personalized service, but it also means you can’t get a quote online. Auto-Owners also has many types of coverage available and few customer complaints with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Personalized customer service
Many coverage options
Below-average number of customer complaints with the NAIC
Can’t get a quote online
No usage-based discount
Poor digital experience
They Cancelled Our Home Insurance
Good
Honest Answers to Questions
Best insurer for customer satisfaction: State Farm
User Reviews | 3.2 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.3/10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $31/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $58/mo |
State Farm is the nation’s largest auto insurance company. Not only does it have some of the cheapest insurance rates for Charlottesville drivers, but it also consistently ranks high in customer satisfaction. Though State Farm doesn’t offer as many discounts as many competitors, it does offer savings for safe drivers through its Drive Safe & Save program.
Above-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating in the Mid-Atlantic region
Savings for safe drivers
Offers rideshare coverage
No gap insurance
Above-average number of customer complaints with the NAIC
Fewer discounts than other top insurers
Good
Friendly agents!
I also have my homeowners insurance with them. I had a fire in my hot water heater and a year later, someone stayed in my house while I was gone for 2 months. I came home to a floating kitchen floor. After these incidents, StateFarm cancelled my policy.
Best insurer for discounts: GEICO
User Reviews | 3.1 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.0/10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $42/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $78/mo |
GEICO already offers affordable premiums in Charlottesville, but it also offers many ways to save more through discounts. You can save based on your vehicle’s safety features, driver’s education, driving history, and more. GEICO also stands out for its digital tools, which are among the best in the industry.
Many discounts available
Excellent digital tools
Savings for safe drivers
No gap insurance
Below-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating in the Mid-Atlantic region
Above-average number of customer complaints with the NAIC
Excellent
It's Expensive
Unpleasant Experience on Cape Cod
How to get the cheapest car insurance in Charlottesville
Many things affect your car insurance premiums, including your age, gender, driving history, ZIP code, and more. Though some of those factors may be outside your control, you can take some key steps to get the cheapest car insurance:[1]
Compare rates. When you’re getting ready to purchase car insurance, shop around and compare rates across several insurers. This way, you can make sure you’re getting the best deal on a policy for your situation.
Consider your coverage needs. Not everyone has the same insurance coverage needs, whether it be the type of coverage or the amount of coverage. Make sure to build an insurance policy that’s sufficient to cover your needs while avoiding wasting money by purchasing more insurance than you need.
Choose a higher deductible. The deductible you choose when you purchase your policy directly affects your premiums. A higher deductible — meaning you pay more out of pocket when you file a claim — results in a lower premium, while a lower deductible results in a higher premium.
Save with discounts. Car insurance discounts can help you lower your insurance premiums by rewarding you for everything from bundling your insurance policies to driving a safe vehicle to being a member of certain affinity groups. Each insurer has its own lineup of discounts, so make sure to keep that in mind when narrowing down your options.
Bundle your policies. Many insurance companies offer a discount when customers bundle their auto insurance policy with their home insurance, renters insurance, or even life insurance policy. The amount you can save and the types of policies you can bundle depend on the insurer.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Charlottesville: Auto-Owners
A liability-only insurance policy includes two coverage types: bodily injury liability and property damage liability. These coverages protect other drivers on the road, paying for their damages when you’re at fault for an accident. However, it doesn’t provide any protection for you or your vehicle.
The table below shows the cheapest liability-only rates for drivers in Charlottesville. As you can see, Auto-Owners offers the cheapest liability-only policies, at $30 per month.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Auto-Owners | $30 |
State Farm | $31 |
GEICO | $42 |
USAA | $42 |
Mercury | $43 |
Chubb | $46 |
Clearcover | $47 |
Erie | $47 |
Nationwide | $54 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $55 |
Safeco | $61 |
Direct Auto | $64 |
Progressive | $65 |
Allstate | $66 |
Elephant | $67 |
State Auto | $69 |
National General | $76 |
GAINSCO | $82 |
AssuranceAmerica | $83 |
Dairyland | $84 |
Travelers | $88 |
CSAA | $94 |
Liberty Mutual | $100 |
Bristol West | $103 |
The General | $122 |
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Charlottesville: Auto-Owners
Full-coverage car insurance includes liability insurance, but it also includes other coverages to protect you and your vehicle. For example, a typical full-coverage policy includes collision and comprehensive coverages, both of which pay for damage to your vehicle.
Because liability insurance doesn’t protect your vehicle, full coverage is often a good idea, especially if you can’t afford to replace your vehicle out of pocket. Your lender may also require it if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle.
Drivers can find the cheapest full-coverage insurance with Auto-Owners, with rates of $57 per month. Check out other full-coverage insurance quotes in Charlottesville in the table below.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Auto-Owners | $57 |
State Farm | $58 |
GEICO | $78 |
USAA | $78 |
Clearcover | $83 |
Chubb | $85 |
Erie | $89 |
Mercury | $95 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $95 |
Safeco | $95 |
Nationwide | $101 |
Direct Auto | $112 |
State Auto | $114 |
Elephant | $121 |
Allstate | $122 |
Progressive | $124 |
AssuranceAmerica | $137 |
National General | $148 |
CSAA | $149 |
Travelers | $163 |
Liberty Mutual | $165 |
GAINSCO | $193 |
Bristol West | $204 |
Dairyland | $207 |
The General | $235 |
Cheapest recent rates near Charlottesville, Virginia
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $39/mo for liability only and $68/mo for full coverage in Charlottesville and other Virginia cities.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Charlottesville, Virginia within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Charlottesville, Virginia within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
Car insurance requirements in Virginia
Virginia is unique because, though it has minimum insurance limits, you don’t necessarily have to meet them. Virginia drivers have two options:
Purchase the state’s minimum liability insurance limits, which are listed in the table below.
Pay the annual $500 uninsured motor vehicle (UMV) fee, which allows you to drive without insurance.
If you fail to meet one of those requirements, you may have your driver’s license and vehicle registration suspended until you pay a $600 fee. You’ll also be required to file an SR-22 with the state’s DMV for three years after reinstatement.[2]
It’s important to note that paying the UMV fee doesn’t absolve you of responsibility if you’re at fault for an accident. It simply allows you to drive at your own risk. As a result, if you’re responsible for an accident, you could be liable for all property damage and injuries.
Here are the minimum coverage requirements in Virginia for people who decide to purchase insurance rather than pay the UMV fee:
Coverage ▲▼ | Minimum Requirements ▲▼ |
---|---|
Bodily injury liability | $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident |
Property damage liability | $20,000 per accident |
Virginia drivers should take note that the coverage limits above will increase with policies that go into effect on or after Jan. 1, 2025. The minimum coverage amounts will increase to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage and $25,000 per accident in property damage liability coverage.[2]
In addition to the required insurance coverages in Virginia, Charlottesville drivers can add several optional coverages to their policies. Here are some of the most common:
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for damage to your vehicle after an accident, regardless of who’s at fault.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your vehicle after an incident that’s not an accident, such as storm damage or vandalism.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays for damage to your vehicle when the driver responsible for an accident doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have sufficient coverage.
Roadside assistance coverage
Roadside assistance pays for emergency services you need while on the road, including towing, jump-starts, lock-out service, and more.
Rental reimbursement coverage
Rental reimbursement pays for your rental car when your vehicle is undrivable due to a covered incident, such as an accident.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
Drivers without violations on their records pay the cheapest premiums. Having any sort of incident on your record, whether it be a speeding ticket, at-fault accident, DUI, or anything else, is likely to increase your premiums.[3]
The amount your premiums will increase after an incident depends on a variety of factors. The more severe the incident, the more your premiums are likely to increase. Additionally, different insurers may increase rates by different amounts after incidents.
For example, drivers with clean records in Charlottesville pay a monthly average of $78 for liability coverage. But an at-fault accident increases that rate to an average of $109 per month.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record ▲▼ | With Speeding Ticket ▲▼ | With At-Fault Accident ▲▼ | With DUI ▲▼ |
---|---|---|---|---|
Auto-Owners | $30 | $39 | $40 | $49 |
State Farm | $31 | $39 | $41 | $50 |
GEICO | $42 | $54 | $56 | $68 |
USAA | $42 | $53 | $56 | $68 |
Mercury | $43 | $59 | $61 | $64 |
Chubb | $46 | $60 | $62 | $75 |
Clearcover | $47 | $61 | $67 | $76 |
Erie | $47 | $61 | $64 | $76 |
Nationwide | $54 | $70 | $72 | $88 |
Safeco | $61 | $79 | $79 | $99 |
Direct Auto | $64 | $82 | $87 | $104 |
Progressive | $65 | $83 | $87 | $106 |
Allstate | $66 | $84 | $88 | $107 |
Elephant | $67 | $93 | $87 | $109 |
State Auto | $69 | $96 | $101 | $112 |
National General | $76 | $97 | $102 | $124 |
GAINSCO | $82 | $113 | $104 | $133 |
AssuranceAmerica | $83 | $107 | $110 | $135 |
Dairyland | $84 | $107 | $111 | $137 |
Travelers | $88 | $113 | $118 | $143 |
CSAA | $94 | $123 | $130 | $153 |
Liberty Mutual | $100 | $138 | $143 | $163 |
Bristol West | $103 | $131 | $136 | $167 |
The General | $122 | $158 | $165 | $198 |
Average cost of car insurance by age
Age is an important factor that determines your car insurance rates. Generally speaking, young drivers, especially teens, pay the highest premiums. Their lack of experience and propensity toward high-risk driving behaviors present a higher risk for insurers.[4]
On the other hand, older drivers usually pay the lowest rates. Rates tend to drop throughout a driver’s 20s, 30s, and 40s, reaching their lowest level in a driver’s 50s and 60s.
Finally, some drivers see their rates increase again in their 70s. Though older drivers often make safer driving decisions, a decline in their physical or cognitive health can result in a slower reaction time and more accidents.[5]
The table below shows the average monthly quote for drivers in different age groups in Charlottesville.
Age ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Teens | $245 |
20s | $303 |
30s | $282 |
40s | $240 |
50s | $179 |
60s | $126 |
70s | $94 |
Charlottesville car insurance quotes by credit tier
In most states, your credit history is another factor that insurance companies take into consideration when setting your insurance premiums.[6] Credit history can be an indication of risk. Insurance companies consider drivers with good or excellent credit as lower risk, meaning they pay lower premiums.
On the other hand, insurers may consider drivers with poor credit as more likely to file claims and charge them higher premiums as a result.
In the table below, you can see the average premium for drivers of each credit profile in Charlottesville:
Rates by Credit Tier
Charlottesville car insurance FAQs
If you’re shopping for car insurance in Charlottesville, this additional information may help as you research your coverage options.
How much is car insurance in Charlottesville?
Car insurance in Charlottesville costs $78 per month for liability coverage and $133 per month for full coverage, according to Insurify data.
Who has the cheapest car insurance in Charlottesville?
Auto-Owners has the cheapest car insurance in Charlottesville, with monthly liability-only rates of $30. State Farm and GEICO also offer affordable liability policies, with monthly rates of $31 and $42, respectively.
But these may not be the cheapest insurers for you. Shopping around and comparing quotes is the best way to find a policy that meets your budget and coverage needs.
What are the best car insurance companies in Charlottesville?
With an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best, above-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores, and a high IQ Score of 4.5 out of 5, State Farm is the best car insurance company in Charlottesville. Other top insurers include Auto-Owners and GEICO.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
Related articles
More cities in Virginia
Sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "How to save money on car insurance."
- Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. "Insurance Requirements."
- Insurance Information Institute. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
- Insurance Information Institute. "Background On: Teen drivers."
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Older Adult Drivers."
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "Credit-Based Insurance Scores."
Erin Gobler is a personal finance writer and journalist based in Madison, Wisconsin. With more than five years of experience, Erin has covered topics such as investing, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and more. Her work has been featured in major publications like Business Insider, Fox Business, and Time. Erin received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2013, studying journalism and political science. She also received a certificate of financial planning from Boston University in 2022.
7+ years in content creation and management
5+ years in insurance and personal finance content
Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.
Featured in