Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
Featured in
8+ years writing for major outlets, including MarketWatch and Business Insider
Master’s in Education
Taylor Mlam-Samuel is a personal finance writer and credentialed educator. When she’s not helping readers better save and spend money, she can be found teaching.
Featured in
30+ years in financial services
Clinical Professor of Finance, University of San Diego
Dan is a well-recognized and widely quoted financial services expert, regularly appearing in a variety of national and local media as a subject matter expert.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Updated October 30, 2024
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We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.
Table of contents
Nicknamed the Mountain State, West Virginia is in the nation’s Appalachian region. West Virginia is the third most-forested state in the country, and more than 80% of its population live in rugged terrain.[1]
Smaller communities in rugged terrain areas can mean less road congestion and fewer accidents, which helps explain West Virginia’s lower car insurance costs. Car insurance in West Virginia costs an overall average of $117 per month, compared to the national average rate of $158, according to Insurify data. Your premium may be more or less than the average, depending on many factors.
It’s a good idea to compare car insurance quotes from multiple companies to find the most affordable coverage for your needs. Here’s how to find the best car insurance in West Virginia.
Full-coverage car insurance averages $160 per month in West Virginia. Liability-only policies average $74 per month.
State Farm, USAA, and Erie are the cheapest car insurance companies in West Virginia.
West Virginia drivers with incidents on their records pay an overall average of $174 per month for car insurance.
3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in West Virginia
Various factors affect car insurance costs, including your age, ZIP code, driving record, vehicle, and credit history. Because of that, it’s always a good idea to shop for the best deal by comparing quotes from different insurers. Each person’s insurance needs and driver profiles vary, so the best insurer for you may not offer the best coverage for another driver.
Here are a few of the cheapest insurance companies in West Virginia.
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 ▲▼ |
---|---|---|---|---|
State Farm | 9.3 | $56 | $33 | Cheap rates |
USAA | 9.4 | $68 | $40 | Drivers with a speeding ticket |
Erie | 9.0 | $68 | $40 | Teen drivers |
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 cheap rates: 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. | $33/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. | $56/mo |
State Farm is a well-known insurer that sells products in most states. In West Virginia, the company offers some of the cheapest options in the state for liability-only and full-coverage car insurance. Most customers report positive experiences working with local agents and appreciate the digital access for claims. Discounts can help keep costs down even more.
As a company, State Farm has an A++ (Superior) AM Best financial strength rating and a below-average number of customer complaints filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Cheapest average rates in West Virginia
You can work with independent agents
No gap insurance
Mixed customer reviews about the claims process on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website
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 drivers with a speeding ticket: USAA
User Reviews | 3.6 |
---|---|
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. | 9.4/10 |
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. | $40/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. | $68/mo |
A members-only insurance company, USAA only sells coverage to active, reserve, and retired military personnel and their eligible family members. This company offers full-service banking, including checking accounts, retirement services, and investing.
USAA offers various auto insurance discounts, including bundling discounts. It also has an A++ (Superior) AM Best financial strength rating and a below-average number of customer complaints filed with the NAIC.
SafePilot program can lower costs by up to 30%
Extensive discounts
Only available to military members, veterans, and their families
Limited hours for phone support
Excellent
Significant Increase in Policy Payment
My Opinion
Best insurer for teen drivers: Erie
User Reviews | 3.9 |
---|---|
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. | $40/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. | $68/mo |
Car insurance from Erie is only available in a handful of states, but West Virginia is one of them. The company offers an appealing Rate Lock feature, which guarantees that premiums won’t increase. Rates are competitive for drivers in West Virginia, especially for young drivers.
Erie earned an A+ financial strength rating from A.M. Best and a below-average number of customer complaints filed with the NAIC.
High J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating in the Mid-Atlantic region
Rate Lock guarantee to avoid price increases
Doesn’t offer usage-based coverage
You can’t buy a policy or file a claim online
Erie Insurance Unreliable
Expensive but Efficient Company
Could be Better
How to get the cheapest car insurance in West Virginia
Different factors influence how much you pay for car insurance, including your age, credit score, location, vehicle, and driving record. Even though some of these factors are out of your control, you can find ways to lower your car insurance costs:
Seek out discounts. Before you finalize your insurance coverage, get information about potential discounts. For example, you can secure a lower rate by bundling policies or qualifying for a good student discount.
Maintain good credit. Car insurance companies in West Virginia consider credit scores a factor for rates. Higher scores correlate to lower rates.
Compare rates. Car insurance rates differ from one insurer to the next, sometimes by hundreds of dollars each year. Get quotes from multiple insurers to find the best deal.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in West Virginia: State Farm
Drivers in West Virginia must have a minimum of liability car insurance. If you cause an accident, this policy type covers the medical expenses and vehicle repairs for the other driver. It doesn’t cover any expenses related to your bodily injury or property damage.
In West Virginia, the average cost for liability insurance is $74 per month. The following insurers offer the lowest quotes in the state.
10 cheapest insurers for liability-only
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in West Virginia: State Farm
Even though the state doesn’t mandate full-coverage car insurance, policies with more coverage can provide additional financial protection. These policies usually include liability, comprehensive, and collision insurance. Full-coverage policies can sometimes include medical payments coverage as well.[2]
You should consider this coverage if you have a new or expensive vehicle or you can’t afford potentially high out-of-pocket costs. And if you lease or finance your vehicle, your lender may require you to purchase full-coverage insurance. In West Virginia, the average cost for a full-coverage policy is $160 per month.
Here are the cheapest full-coverage options for West Virginia drivers.
10 cheapest insurers for full coverage
Cheapest recent rates in West Virginia
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $48/mo for liability only and $56/mo for full coverage in West Virginia.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
Car insurance requirements in West Virginia
As an at-fault state, West Virginia mandates that the driver who causes an accident is responsible for the insurance claim. West Virginia drivers must have liability insurance that includes bodily injury liability, property damage liability, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Drivers must have the following coverage amounts to meet the state minimum requirements:[3]
Coverage ▲▼ | Minimum Requirements ▲▼ |
---|---|
Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
Uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage | $25,000 per accident |
The minimum coverage requirements provide financial protection in the event of an accident, but you can opt for additional coverage to protect you and your vehicle. Consider the following optional coverages:
Comprehensive coverage
If your vehicle sustains damages due to theft, vandalism, severe weather, or other non-collision incidents, comprehensive insurance helps pay for repairs.
Collision coverage
Whether or not you cause an accident, collision insurance helps pay for vehicle damage due to a crash.
Medical payments coverage
This optional insurance policy kicks in to cover some of the medical bills for you and your passengers following an accident.
To determine the amount of coverage you want, you should consider all aspects of your finances, including the value of your vehicle and your ability to pay out-of-pocket for repairs.
“If you’re insuring an older vehicle, you may decide that you don’t need comprehensive [and] collision coverage, which pay for damage to your own car,” advises Bob Passmore, department vice president of personal lines for the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
Your driving record, especially if you don’t have a clean driving record, affects your rates significantly. Incidents like driving under the influence (DUI) charges, at-fault accidents, and speeding tickets can cause your premium to increase. If you have an incident on your record, you should compare quotes from different insurers to find the best deal.[4]
In West Virginia, drivers with an incident on their motor vehicle records pay an average of $110 per month for liability-only policies, according to Insurify data.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: State Farm
One or more speeding tickets on your record can cause your car insurance rates to increase. Finding a good deal with a speeding ticket on your record is still possible, but you need to compare rates.
A speeding ticket in West Virginia pushes the average cost of full coverage to $269 per month, and liability-only coverage increases to an average of $124 per month. Here are the cheapest car insurance companies in West Virginia for drivers with a speeding ticket and how the rates compare to drivers with a clean record.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record ▲▼ | With Speeding Ticket ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $33 | $47 |
USAA | $40 | $57 |
Erie | $40 | $59 |
GEICO | $60 | $86 |
National General | $64 | $92 |
Progressive | $71 | $101 |
Nationwide | $75 | $108 |
Direct Auto | $78 | $112 |
Clearcover | $81 | $118 |
Root | $81 | $123 |
Allstate | $83 | $119 |
Dairyland | $91 | $131 |
Liberty Mutual | $97 | $149 |
CSAA | $98 | $143 |
Foremost | $100 | $154 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: State Farm
If you cause an accident, your insurance company will be responsible for paying for the other party’s injuries and damages. Your insurance rates will most likely increase when it’s time to renew your policy. The accident doesn’t stay on your driving record indefinitely, but it typically affects your insurance rates for three to five years.[5]
West Virginia drivers with an at-fault accident on their records face average monthly car insurance costs of $265 for full coverage and $123 for liability-only policies. Consider the following insurers if you have an at-fault accident in West Virginia.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record ▲▼ | With Accident ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $33 | $48 |
USAA | $40 | $58 |
Erie | $40 | $59 |
GEICO | $60 | $88 |
National General | $64 | $94 |
Progressive | $71 | $105 |
Nationwide | $75 | $110 |
Direct Auto | $78 | $116 |
Clearcover | $81 | $126 |
Root | $81 | $125 |
Allstate | $83 | $121 |
Dairyland | $91 | $132 |
Liberty Mutual | $97 | $151 |
CSAA | $98 | $148 |
Foremost | $100 | $155 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: State Farm
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offense in every state. Drivers with a conviction can expect their car insurance rates to increase substantially. Some insurance companies will refuse to renew your coverage after a DUI conviction, but some insurers specialize in coverage after a DUI.
On average, West Virginia drivers with a DUI pay $297 per month for full coverage and $137 for minimum coverage. See how quotes for drivers with a clean record compare to those for drivers with a DUI in West Virginia.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record ▲▼ | With DUI ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $33 | $58 |
USAA | $40 | $70 |
Erie | $40 | $70 |
GEICO | $60 | $105 |
National General | $64 | $112 |
Progressive | $71 | $125 |
Nationwide | $75 | $132 |
Direct Auto | $78 | $137 |
Clearcover | $81 | $142 |
Root | $81 | $142 |
Allstate | $83 | $146 |
Dairyland | $91 | $160 |
Liberty Mutual | $97 | $170 |
CSAA | $98 | $172 |
Foremost | $100 | $175 |
Cheapest car insurance for seniors: State Farm
Insurance companies consider your age as a factor when determining rates. Rates typically decrease steadily in adulthood between the ages of 25 and 70, thanks to years of driving experience. But as drivers deal with new age-related risks, insurers may increase prices again after age 70.[6]
Senior drivers in the Mountain State pay an average of $121 per month for full coverage and $56 for liability-only coverage. The following insurers offer the cheapest monthly car insurance quotes for senior drivers in West Virginia.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $42 | $24 |
Erie | $49 | $29 |
USAA | $52 | $31 |
GEICO | $78 | $46 |
Progressive | $83 | $48 |
Nationwide | $91 | $53 |
National General | $100 | $47 |
Root | $106 | $64 |
Allstate | $109 | $64 |
Direct Auto | $128 | $58 |
Clearcover | $130 | $64 |
CSAA | $137 | $72 |
Liberty Mutual | $155 | $77 |
Foremost | $170 | $76 |
Dairyland | $191 | $69 |
Cheapest car insurance for teens: State Farm
Car insurance companies determine premiums based on how likely a driver is to file a claim. Because teenagers have limited driving experience and may engage in unsafe habits like speeding, insurers usually charge high rates for coverage.[7]
If you need to insure a teenage driver, consider having your teen join your insurance plan, selecting a vehicle with additional safety vehicles, and encouraging your teen to complete a safe driving program to reduce costs. You can also ask your insurance company about good student discounts for younger drivers.
Teen drivers in West Virginia face the highest average monthly car insurance rates – $327 for full coverage and $151 for minimum coverage. As you compare quotes and shop for the best rate, consider the following insurers for teen drivers.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $104 | $61 |
USAA | $124 | $73 |
Erie | $125 | $73 |
GEICO | $177 | $104 |
Root | $221 | $134 |
Progressive | $234 | $137 |
Nationwide | $240 | $141 |
Allstate | $272 | $159 |
National General | $288 | $136 |
CSAA | $328 | $174 |
Clearcover | $339 | $168 |
Direct Auto | $339 | $154 |
Liberty Mutual | $373 | $186 |
Foremost | $432 | $193 |
Dairyland | $450 | $163 |
West Virginia car insurance quotes by credit tier
Drivers in West Virginia can expect their credit history to affect their car insurance rates. Car insurance companies use information from your credit history to create a credit-based insurance score that helps them estimate your risk of filing a claim. Even though a few states don’t allow insurers to consider credit scores as a factor, West Virginia does.
You can expect lower rates with an excellent or good credit score. But if you have poor credit, your insurance will usually cost more.
Here’s what you can expect to pay in West Virginia for full-coverage insurance based on your credit tier.
Rates by Credit Tier
West Virginia car insurance FAQs
You should decide on the right amount of coverage for you before shopping around for car insurance. The information below can help you navigate the process of finding cheap car insurance in West Virginia.
How much is car insurance in West Virginia?
The average cost of car insurance in West Virginia is $160 per month for full coverage and $74 for liability only. Your specific premium depends on your insurer, driving record, credit history, age, location, and more.
What are the cheapest car insurance companies in West Virginia?
State Farm, USAA, and Erie are the three cheapest insurers in West Virginia. State Farm’s liability policies start at $33 per month. USAA and Erie have liability rates as low as $40 and $40, respectively.
What are the best car insurance companies in West Virginia?
State Farm is the best car insurance company in West Virginia due to its high Insurify Quality (IQ) Score of 9.3 out of 5, A++ (Superior) AM Best rating, and low rates. Other top insurers include Erie and USAA.
Do you need car insurance in West Virginia?
Yes. Drivers must carry a minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $25,000 per accident in property damage liability. You also need to purchase the same limits for uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury and property damage coverage.[3]
Is West Virginia a no-fault state?
No. West Virginia is an at-fault state. This means the driver who causes an accident is responsible for covering the medical expenses and vehicle damage of the other driver.[8]
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 West Virginia
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. "West Virginia has highest share of people living in rugged terrain."
- III. "Auto insurance basics—understanding your coverage."
- West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner. "Automobile Mandatory Limits."
- III. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
- West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. "Points System."
- III. "Senior driving safety and insurance tips."
- III. "Auto insurance for teen drivers."
- Nolo. "The Minimum West Virginia Auto Insurance Requirements."
Katie Powers is an insurance writer at Insurify with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in Massachusetts and expertise in personal finance and auto insurance topics. She strives to help consumers make better financial decisions. Prior to joining Insurify, she completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Emerson College. Her work has been published in St. Louis Magazine, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. Connect with Katie on LinkedIn.
8+ years writing for major outlets, including MarketWatch and Business Insider
Master’s in Education
Taylor Mlam-Samuel is a personal finance writer and credentialed educator. When she’s not helping readers better save and spend money, she can be found teaching.
Featured in
30+ years in financial services
Clinical Professor of Finance, University of San Diego
Dan is a well-recognized and widely quoted financial services expert, regularly appearing in a variety of national and local media as a subject matter expert.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.