According to West Virginia state law, all motorized vehicles are required to have a minimal amount of liability insurance on them at all times. Each vehicle that is registered with the state must have a valid insurance policy at the time of registration, and it must remain current until the registration expires. If the insurance policy lapses or the coverage is canceled for any reason, the owner is obligated to bring the license plates into the DMV to ensure that the vehicle is not driven.

Even though all states have some form of liability insurance laws; each state including West Virginia has their own regulations and their own ways to enforce the laws. In all states, it is up to the owner keep insurance on their vehicle at all times.

West Virginia Minimum Coverages

The state of West Virginia determines what the minimum insurance coverages are on all vehicles. Some states have higher minimum amounts while others may be lower. In West Virginia, every vehicle must provide coverages of $20,000 per person with a cap of $40,000 for the incident and at least $10,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist insurance is also required on all vehicles in West Virginia.

Seasonal Use Vehicles

There are many types of vehicles that can only be used a few months out of the year, therefore many drivers do not want to pay for insurance on the vehicle during the time when it is in storage. West Virginia offers seasonal insurance for vehicles like classic cars or motorcycles which allows the owner to file a seasonal use permit that lets them take the insurance off of that vehicle for the time when it is not in use.

Verification of Insurance

West Virginia is one of very few states that actively check on the status of the insurance policy for registered vehicles. This is done in a few ways; the most prominent way is to pull a few registrations each month and request proof of insurance from the owner. If proof of insurance is not provided, the owner will lose the license plates on the vehicle as well as their driver's license. Other ways include when the vehicle is pulled over, the officer can look up their current insurance to verify that it is an active policy, the officer can also choose to monitor the policy after the vehicle has been released.

Penalties for No Insurance

Having active liability insurance is the law in all states including West Virginia. When a vehicle is found to have no liability insurance, the owner of the vehicle is subject to prosecution that can carry very expensive penalties. Those who are convicted of driving with no insurance in West Virginia can face registration suspension as well as driver's license suspension. When the registration has been suspended the license plates are surrendered to the DMV; if the owner does not surrender the plates, a police officer will come to their residence and remove the plates. Before the owner can get the plates back, they must pay a $100 reinstatement fee; another $50 will be added on if the police need to remove the plates. Once the driver provides proof of insurance and the required reinstatement fee, they can get their plates back and continue to drive the vehicle.

When an owner is convicted of driving with no liability insurance or if their plates have been confiscated due to no insurance, their driver's license will also be suspended for a period of 30 days. A second no insurance violation will result in a suspension of 90 days. When their license has been suspended, a driver will be required to pay a $50 reinstatement fee before they can have their driving privileges back. Repeated violations may also result in jail time.

Cost of Insurance In West Virginia

The average national cost per year for one vehicle with the minimum liability insurance is about $700. West Virginia falls into the more expensive category for insurance costs as it lies at the number 16 spot in the nation with an average yearly cost of $815. Many banks and lending institutions will also have their own requirements for comprehensive and collision insurance to cover a vehicle that has been financed. This will also raise the premium depending on the amount of the required deductible.

Lowering Insurance Costs

There are many ways that consumers in West Virginia can get cheap auto insurance. The biggest factor in the cost of insurance is the deductible for those who have full coverage insurance on a vehicle. When the deductible on a vehicle is higher, the premium is lower; when the deductible is low, the premium is high.

West Virginia is a graduated license state meaning that before a teenager can get their full driver's license they need to go through certain requirements that ensure that they are ready for the responsibilities that come with driving a motor vehicle. This helps keep insurance costs down but parents can still expect their insurance to increase by about $1,500 per year. When a teenager is on the honor roll with at least a 3.0 GPA, they can qualify for the good student discount through most nationwide insurance companies.

West Virginia Automobile Statistics

Roughly 90% of drivers in West Virginia wear their seat belts while they are driving or riding in an automobile, which helps to bring down the total cost of insurance for drivers in the state.

While the rate of stolen cars remains steady throughout the state of West Virginia, the most stolen vehicles are still the older models. The 1991 Chevy S-10 pickup and the 1996 Cavalier for example, are the two most frequently stolen vehicles in the state of West Virginia. Owning a newer car with an advanced anti-theft device will make it more difficult for thieves to steal the car and will reduce insurance premiums at the same time.

West Virginia Insurance Companies

All nationwide auto insurance companies provide coverage in West Virginia. Drivers can obtain cheap car insurance from companies like Geico, or they can choose to go through local agencies of companies such as Farmers, State Farm and Nationwide. Most of these companies will also offer the option to bundle policies like motorcycle, auto and homeowners insurance and offer a multi-policy discount.