West Virginia car insurance prices are slightly below the national average, about $550 for minimum liability and $1,450 for full coverage. But do drivers there get just an average service for that money, and are there car insurers that distinguish themselves from the competition?
In order to find out, we’ve conducted an extensive review of the insurance companies, including their coverage options, discounts, and prices.
Auto Insurance WV – What is the Best Choice?
- Erie Insurance – Overall Winner
- GEICO – Runner Up
- State Farm – Cheapest Overall
- Nationwide Insurance – Cheapest for Drivers With Poor Credit
- Farmers Insurance – Best for Discounts
- USAA – Best for the Military
Overall Winner: Erie Insurance
Erie Insurance is one of the leaders in the West Virginia market, and its position is well deserved. The company has a very high (90%) client retention rate and holds a high position in the 2020 J. D. Power customer satisfaction study. Besides being kind to its clients, the company also treats their money well, resulting in high financial stability, rated with A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best.
The nice thing about Erie car insurance is that you don’t have to pay the premium price for good customer support. Even though it’s not the cheapest, the company is always amongst the most affordable options for all driver categories, except for drivers with bad credit.
If you decide on Erie, you will be pleasantly surprised by its Rate Lock feature, which guarantees you the same price for policy renewal (of course, only if you don’t change your car or address).
Erie Insurance WV did its best to provide its clients with…well, everything when it comes to optional coverages. Its comprehensive plans include pet coverage, auto glass repair, roadside and rentals bundle, locksmith services, and more.
Erie also offers many discounts for safe drivers, passive and active safety equipment installed, bundling policies, etc.
Customer Service
Discounts & Optional Coverages
Financial Strength
Prices
Choose Erie Insurance if you want excellent customer support, good optional coverage, and affordable prices.
Look elsewhere if you have poor credit.
4.5
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GEICO – Runner Up
GEICO Is one of the most significant West Virginia insurance companies, as 10% of drivers in the state have its policy. If you decide on the company, you will benefit from its affordable prices, good customer satisfaction ratings, and a wide array of discounts. Even though it’s not the best in any of these categories, it’s always near the top of the list, making it a sound choice.
The user satisfaction ratings are nothing special—just slightly above the average for the region, according to the J. D. Power 2020 study. Still, this WV car insurance company has a very low NAIC user complaint ratio (just 0.62, compared to the expected average of 1). GEICO also has very stable finances—it has an A++ (Superior) A.M. Best financial strength rating, which proves it can handle any potential customer claim.
Luckily, the company does not sustain this financial stability by overcharging its customers. As we’ve mentioned before, GEICO is not the cheapest option, but it’s one of the more affordable solutions, except for drivers with driving offenses. Drivers with DUI or at-fault accidents may want to look at other WV insurance companies.
Discounts can reduce the price even more, and GEICO offers plenty of them. The customers who will profit the most are former and active military members and government employees. In addition, the company provides discounts to more than 500 member groups associated with the company. However, these discounts can’t be combined.
As with many other insurance companies, you can also get discounts for safe driving, safety features on your car, bundling insurance policies, etc.
Customer Service
Discounts & Optional Coverages
Financial Strength
Prices
Choose GEICO if you want a WV insurance company with good optional coverage, affordable prices, and a wide array of discounts.
Look elsewhere If you have driving offenses on your record.
4.5
State Farm – Cheapest Overall
With 25% of the car insurance market, State Farm is, by far, the most popular car insurance in the state. However, low prices are not its only advantage. Besides offering the lowest average prices across driver categories, it also had the best customer satisfaction score in the 2020 J.D.Power regional study.
When it comes to financial stability, you have nothing to worry about—with an A++ (Superior) rating, it can handle any claim that comes its way.
Cheap car insurance in WV can be even cheaper with discounts, and State Farm offers a wide variety. There are discounts for safe drivers, bundling insurance policies, making online payments, and many more. Practically anyone can qualify for several of them.
However, it should be noted that people with bad driving records, multiple offenses, and DUIs will lose the opportunity for discounts and get very high quotes. Drivers from these categories should look for another insurance company since State Farm is not exactly the cheapest auto insurance in WV for them.
Customer Service
Discounts & Optional Coverages
Financial Strength
Prices
Choose State Farm if you want low prices and above-average customer care.
Look elsewhere if you have bad driving habits and DUIs.
4.75
Nationwide Insurance – Cheapest for Drivers With Poor Credit
Nationwide is the cheapest insurance company for drivers with poor credit and high-risk driving habits. Of course, the company’s prices for these categories are higher than for safe drivers, but the price increase is not as steep as with other companies.
You should consider Nationwide even if you don’t belong to the previous categories.The company is one of the best auto insurance companies in WV and has a lot going for it. 10% of all drivers in WV agree with this statement—they’ve chosen it because it offers many benefits.
First, the company is financially sound; it has an A+ (Superior) financial rating and holds 66th place in the Fortune 500 list. Secondly, it has very useful services such as OnYourSide. It is a review of your insurance policy conducted by a specialist from the company that will enable you to get the best insurance at the lowest price.
Other benefits include discounts for safe driving and low annual mileage, bundling your policies, paperless contracts, paying online, etc. They make this cheap auto insurance in WV even cheaper.
Unfortunately, customer care could be better, as J.D Power gave it a below-average score In its 2020 regional customer satisfaction study.
Customer Service
Discounts & Optional Coverages
Financial Strength
Prices
Choose Nationwide if you have poor credit or driving offenses.
Look elsewhere if you want top-notch customer care.
3.75
Farmers Insurance – Best for Discounts
If you are into discounts, Farmers Insurance is a great choice for car insurance in West Virginia. In general, this is a solid company, with an A (Excellent) A. M. Best financial rating and its place on the Fortune 500 list. Results like that clearly say that the company is capable of paying claims.
The prices can be described as above-average in general but exceptionally high for teen drivers. Unfortunately, high prices don’t get you high-quality customer service, as Farmers Insurance ranks below-ave rage in the 2020 J.D.Power customer satisfaction list.
The most significant advantage of Farmers auto insurance WV is its discount policy. Besides regular discounts (safe driving, insurance bundling, online payments, etc.), the company offers attractive occupational discounts. Namely, active or retired teachers, doctors, RNs, police officers, military personnel, and firefighters will get reduced prices.
The savings don’t stop there. If you install a Signal app that monitors your driving habits, you will be eligible for up to $100 in rewards each month. Of course, the safer you drive, the higher the amount will be.
Finally, the company also offers Rewards Visa Cards. You earn points by purchasing with it and can redeem the points to use as you wish. So, if you are willing to look past the below-average customer service and above-average car insurance quotes in WV, Farmers might be good insurance for you.
Customer Service
Discounts & Optional Coverages
Financial Strength
Prices
Choose Farmers Insurance if you like discounts.
Look elsewhere if you are a teen driver or want great customer care.
3.5
USAA – Best for the Military
USAA is one of the best insurances you can get. Besides offering solid optional coverage, affordable prices, and excellent discounts, it’s also ranked No.1 on J.D.Power customer satisfaction regional study, with results far above the average. But, unfortunately, USAA car insurance is sold exclusively to active and former US military personnel and members of their families.
Since it caters to a specific driver category, it offers some specially designed perks. Some of them are lower rates for vehicles parked in army bases, discounts of up to 60% for Army members deployed overseas, etc.
Overall – USAA is a great option, and if you qualify as a potential customer, you shouldn’t give it a second thought.
Customer Service
Discounts & Optional Coverages
Financial Strength
Prices
Choose USAA for exceptionally low prices, great customer service, and good coverage.
Look elsewhere if you are not in the Army.
5
Cheapest Car Insurance in WV (By City)
The average insurance prices in WV are generally not high—a couple of percentages below the national average. The prices, however, are different between cities. To find out more about the prices, we’ve requested a quote for a 30-year-old single man with good credit and a clean driving record from several leading insurers. The vehicle is a 2012 Honda Accord EX, a four-door sedan.
We then compared auto insurance quotes in WV and made lists of the cheapest insurance by city. Let’s see the results. (Keep in mind that the quotes you will get will be different due to various factors).
Charleston
Charleston is the state’s capital and also the most populous city in the state. Once famous for its battles in the Revolutionary and the Civil War, Charleston is now renowned for being a vibrant city and an economic hub. Some of the famous people who lived here are Jenifer Garner, the star of the “Alias” TV show, and Nick Nolte, a huge movie star.
Luckily, the auto insurance in Charleston, WV is not very expensive. On average, the cheapest insurer is State Farm, followed by Nationwide, GEICO, and Erie.These companies are a sound choice, but we can give State Farm and Erie a slight advantage since they have the best customer satisfaction ratings.
Huntington
Huntington is the second-largest city in the state and a very important economic hub. It’s home to the Port of Huntington Tri-State, the largest inland port in the US, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. People who work hard also like to relax and have fun, and having Camden Park, one of the world’s oldest amusement parks, certainly helps.
Luckily, the companies offering car insurance in Huntington, WV, take their job seriously. They provide good coverage and reasonable pricesThe cheapest options are State Farm, Nationwide, and Erie, closely followed by GEICO.
Morgantown
Morgantown is a relatively small city with just under 30,000 permanent residents, but the three West Virginia University campuses add almost 28,000 seasonal residents from August to May. This used to create traffic jams in the city center until, in the 70s, a revolutionary Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit system was installed.
It reduced traffic jams and made driving pleasure in this small city. Combine that with low crime rates, and you get all the conditions needed for low insurance prices. Indeed, car insurance in Morgantown WV is somewhat cheaper than in other WV cities.
The cheapest insurer is State Farm, followed by Erie and Nationwide. Since State Farm and Erie have the best customer satisfaction ratings, they are the best choice.
Parkersburg
Parkersburg was once an industrial and oil and gas center, but now the economy is mainly based on the chemical industry and government facilities. It’s mostly famous for Parkersburg Bridge, an engineering marvel, and once the longest bridge in the world, with 7,140 feet in length. But, unfortunately, it’s a railroad bridge and is off-limits to cars.
But the car drivers can’t complain about being restricted when it comes to access to the best West Virginia car insurance offers. The companies offer good coverage at relatively affordable prices, slightly above the state’s average. As in previous cities, the cheapest insurance is offered by State Farm, Erie, and GEICO
Wheeling
Wheeling is a small city but rich in history. It was where the creation of West Virginia was planned, and it was the first capital of the new state. For a short while, in 1863, it was even the state capital of both West Virginia and Virginia. The 19th century was the peak of the city’s industrial strength, and it started to lose its shine afterward. But it’s still an important transportation and economic hub of the region.
When it comes to car insurance, WV insurers don’t deem the city as high risk, and the prices are below the state’s average. You can get the cheapest insurance at State Farm, and considering it also has the highest customer satisfaction ratings, it’s a great choice. If you want an alternative, Erie also has affordable prices and satisfied customers.
Weirton
Weirton has an interesting story. It was the largest unincorporated city in the US in the 40s, centered around the Weirton Steel Mill. The mill employed more than 12,000 workers in its glory days. With the tectonic shifts in the steel market, the mill started downsizing the production and workforce. Now, the city has under 20,000 permanent residents, just 8,000 more than what the steel mill employed once.
West Virginia auto insurance companies consider it a safe city to drive in, and the prices are analogous—somewhere below the state’s average. State Farm and Erie would be the obvious choice if you are interested in the best prices and best customer care, but GEICO is also worth checking into.
Fairmont
Fairmont is a small city with just under 19,000 permanent residents, and it’s unlikely you would have heard about it if it weren’t for extraordinary people born there. Some of them are Francis Harrison Pierpont, called the “Father of West Virginia,” Mary Lou Retton, the famous gymnast, and Frank Kendall Everest Jr, a test pilot who earned the nickname “the fastest man alive.”
The drivers in Fairmont are not after such nicknames and generally drive safely. Auto insurance in Fairmont WV is affordable and in line with the state’s average. State Farm combines the best prices and excellent customer satisfaction rates. If you are interested in alternatives, Erie, GEICO and Nationwide are also good choices.
Martinsburg
Martinsburg can be described as a history buffs’ paradise. The historic Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Martinsburg Shops are home to the oldest covered railroad roundhouse in the US. The city can also boast of having the first US post office in West Virginia. It’s home to the Martinsburg IRS Facility, one of the largest and busiest in the country.
The insurers are also active here and offer good plans at affordable prices for car insurance in West Virginia and Martinsburg. The cheapest insurer is State Farm, followed by Erie, Nationwide, and GEICO. State Farm and Erie also have great customer satisfaction ratings, which makes them the obvious choice. But, since the city has a large population working for the government, GEICO and Farmers Insurance might be interesting since they provide discounts for active and retired government employees and other occupational groups.
West Virginia Auto Insurance Laws
The State of West Virginia requires drivers to have at least the minimum liability insurance at all times. If the vehicle is seasonally utilized, it has to be insured while being used.
West Virginia Automobile Insurance Plan (WVAIP)
Drivers who are deemed high-risk may have difficulties buying insurance, and the Automobile Insurance Plan helps them find a company willing to insure them. All insurance companies in West Virginia must participate in this program, analogous to their market share.
SR-22 (the certificate of financial responsibility) is an insurance form filed with the local DMV which proves that a driver who committed certain driving offenses carries minimum mandatory insurance. Unlike most of the states, West Virginia doesn’t require high-risk drivers to file SR-22. However, the insurance rates will be higher for them.
West Virginia No-Fault Laws
West Virginia is an at-fault or “tort” state. It means that the person who caused the accident is responsible for covering all the expenses that came from it—medical bills and property damage. If the guilt is shared, every participant will pay for the damages analogous to their contribution to the accident.
West Virginia Car Insurance for New Residents
West Virginia laws say that new residents must have their vehicles titled and registered after establishing residency, and they have 30 days to do so. The vehicles must be insured by a company licensed to sell insurance in the State of West Virginia.
Price Optimization in West Virginia
Although some states deemed this highly controversial practice unlawful, the WV Insurance Commissioner’s office has yet to take a stance on the subject. Price optimization is a procedure where insurance companies use information unrelated to risk management to decide on the prices. This means that if the company doesn’t think you will switch to another insurer, it will raise your prices just because it can. Basically, they are turning their “loyal customers” lists into so-called “sucker lists.”
WV Auto Insurance Minimums Requirements
Drivers in West Virginia must have at least mandatory car insurance, and it covers:
- Bodily injury: $25,000 per individual, $50,000 per accident
- Property damage: $25,000 per accident
The insurance companies are required by law to offer uninsured and underinsured driver policies. If the client does not want to buy them, he must do so in writing. These policies should cover:
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage: $25,000 per accident
- Underinsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per accident
How to Get The Best Car Insurance Rates in Virginia
Check Auto Insurance Reviews
Going through every insurer’s website can be overwhelming. You have to go through tons of sales pitches and somewhat exaggerated claims in order to extract the info you need. This is where good reviews come in handy.
We have evaluated most of the insurers in the US, and our extensive library holds in-depth reviews for every major insurance company in the country. After going through them, make a list of your favorites and request quotes.
Compare West Virginia Auto Insurance Quotes
Getting quotes from different insurers is highly recommended, even if you are not planning on switching insurance. Just because some insurance came cheap for your neighbor or colleague doesn’t mean it will be the most affordable for you. You should shop around, ask for as many quotes as you can, and then decide. Since price optimization isn’t illegal in WV, your actions may alert your current insurer and get you a lower offer when renewing.
Determine Who Provides the Best Discounts for Car Insurance WV
Discounts can dramatically reduce the final insurance price. Most companies offer the same introductory discounts: for safe drivers, buying and paying online, bundling insurance policies, etc. But some of the insurers have specialized rebate policies for certain occupations or membership groups. GEICO, for instance, has discounts for government employees, Farmers Insurance has price reductions for doctors, nurses, firefighters, etc.actors
Conclusion
Buying an insurance policy is so much more than just getting a piece of paper, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s meant to be used in case of an emergency, and you should choose a company you trust. Don’t make the low price your only criteria but look at the whole package.
People Also Ask
What is the cheapest car insurance in West Virginia?
In general, the cheapest insurer in West Virginia is State Farm, and it is closely followed by Erie, GEICO, Nationwide, and Westfield.But since car insurance quotes are highly personalized and depend on many factors, this doesn’t mean that these companies will be the cheapest options for you. You should shop around, request quotes from several insurers and then decide.
How much is car insurance in West Virginia?
The average cost of car insurance in West Virginia is around $550 annually for minimum and about $1450 annually for full coverage. The mostly rural and uncongested roads, combined with the low number of uninsured drivers, keep prices in West Virginia below the national average. However, you should keep in mind that the quotes you receive will differ from these averages since they are calculated based on many personal factors.
Why is car insurance so expensive in West Virginia?
Car insurance in West Virginia is actually not expensive at all—the prices are below the national average. In general, the prices are steadily increasing, but so do the prices on the national level. One of the two factors contributing to this increase is that the cars are getting pricier (and pricier to repair), and the costs of medical care are increasing rapidly.
Does West Virginia require car insurance?
Car insurance is mandatory in West Virginia, and it should cover:
- $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury:
- $25,000 per accident for property damage
The insurance companies are also required to offer uninsured and underinsured driver policies. If the client doesn’t want to buy, he must decline in writing. These policies should cover at least:
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage: $25,000 per accident
- Underinsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per accident
Is West Virginia a no-fault insurance state?
West Virginia is an at-fault, or “tort” state. That means that the driver who caused the accident will use his insurance to pay for any bodily injury or property damage. If the court or the police department rule that the accident participants share the guilt, the expenses will be shared between them analogous to their contribution to the accident.
Who has the cheapest auto insurance?
The cheapest insurers are State Farm and GEICO. They provide an excellent balance between good coverage and low prices, with an average national price of $380 and $550 for minimum coverage. However, it would be best if you didn’t have the lowest price as your only criteria. Instead, you should evaluate the whole package and try to find the best West Virginia car insurance company for you specifically.
