The state-liability insurance obligations after a driving infraction vary with the state. For example, while most states require you to file for SR-22 insurance or the Safety Responsibility Form, Virginia also requires the Financial Responsibility form, commonly known as FR-44.
Here we look at the SR-22 and FR-44 insurance in the state, what leads to the requirement of these forms, and the cheapest available SR-22 insurance in Virginia.
Virginia is not different when it comes to SR-22 insurance. After specific driving infractions, Virginia DMV requires the driver to legally file an SR-22 to drive in the state. This is required to have your driving privileges reinstated. However, one must note that SR-22 is not insurance but proof that the driver, after a violation, has met the state-mandated insurance liabilities.
The minimum car insurance coverage in Virginia is as follows:
The additional coverage required in Virginia while filing for the SR-22 insurance is mentioned below.
In Virginia, small violations that might fetch you a ticket and certain accidents do not require SR-22. Such infractions, though, categorize you as a high-risk driver and influence your insurance rates. Hence, offenses that require you to file for an SR-22 will increase your insurance premium more than the average rates.
You need to file for SR-22 insurance in Virginia under the following circumstances.
Drivers are legally required to keep SR-22 insurance for three years in Virginia. However, the period is extended if they commit another serious driving offense or allow their SR-22 coverage to expire. If there is a lapse, then the SR-22 must be maintained for another three years in addition to a suspended license, reinstatement fees, and further increase in the insurance premiums.
FR-44 insurance is proof of insurance required in Virginia after your license has been suspended following a driving infraction, mainly including DUI or DWI charges. Therefore, FR-44 is required for infractions that are considered severe in the state. For example, the Virginia DMV mandates filing FR-44 if you are charged with the following offenses.
The state–mandated liability insurance that must be met to file for FR-44 insurance are higher than what is generally required. You must meet the following requirements to file for an FR-44 to reinstate your license privileges after a DUI charge.
The period of FR-44 insurance in Virginia is three years from the date your license has been reinstated. However, depending on the severity of the offenses, it can also extend to four years. You must make sure there are no lapses while carrying forward FR-44 insurance. Discontinuity in maintaining the insurance can lead to license suspension, increased insurance rates, and an extension in time.
The average cost of auto insurance in Virginia is $1002, which is lower than the national average. However, your driving record can skyrocket insurance rates with an SR-22 or FR-44. Both SR-22 and FR-44 insurance has primary and secondary fees.
While the primary fee concerns filing the forms, the secondary fee is calculated as the amount to be paid as the insurance premium, which will increase with the infraction on the driving record.
The filing fee for the SR-22 form is between $15 and $50. It will cost between $15 and $35 for an FR-44 form. The average cost of insurance state FR-44 insurance in Virginia is $772 per year for the minimum amount of coverage. Therefore, the average monthly rate with SR-22 coverage will be $238.
Another non-driving factor that can influence insurance costs is the credit score. Your average insurance rates will increase with the driving infraction that requires you to file for SR-22 insurance. However, if you have a good to excellent credit score, insurance rates will be in check compared to poor credit scores. In Virginia, those drivers with SR-22 and a poor credit score pay at least $50 more than those with a good score.
Credit Tier | Avg. Monthly Rate - No Violation | Avg. Monthly Rate - SR-22 |
---|---|---|
Excellent | $176 | $217 |
Good | $196 | $241 |
Average | $196 | $243 |
Poor | $213 | $263 |
There may not be many insurance companies that focus on SR-22 insurance. Once you have an infraction on your driving record, it will be hard to find cheaper insurance. However, few companies in Virginia insure high-risk drivers with an SR-22 requirement.
State Farm and Progressive offer the cheapest rates for SR-22 insurance in Virginia.
Insurance Company | Annual Average Insurance Rate |
---|---|
USAA | $607 |
State Farm | $440 |
Progressive | $461 |
Acceptance RTR | $936 |
Bristol West | $972 |
Dairy Land | $1428 |
GAINSCO | $1272 |
Standard Fire | $1529 |
City | Price |
---|---|
Staunton | $105 |
Idylwood | $95 |
Marumsco | $114 |
Kingstowne | $116 |
Chester | $94 |
Virginia Beach | $113 |
Harrisonburg | $101 |
Portsmouth | $93 |
Dale City | $98 |
Laurel | $94 |
Newport News | $101 |
Sterling | $106 |
Springfield | $105 |
Petersburg | $106 |
Fair Oaks | $105 |
Lake Ridge | $91 |
Cave Spring | $100 |
Leesburg | $91 |
Montclair | $103 |
Lincolnia | $111 |
Charlottesville | $97 |
Oakton | $98 |
Ashburn | $114 |
Linton Hall | $113 |
Merrifield | $114 |
Centreville | $115 |
Reston | $112 |
Bon Air | $114 |
Christiansburg | $107 |
Tysons | $106 |
Burke | $103 |
Culpeper | $98 |
Lorton | $96 |
Hampton | $110 |
Bailey's Crossroads | $92 |
Richmond | $115 |
Hopewell | $109 |
Annandale | $107 |
Buckhall | $114 |
Fredericksburg | $94 |
Suffolk | $115 |
Franconia | $112 |
Brambleton | $106 |
Short Pump | $114 |
Salem | $102 |
Rose Hill | $99 |
Woodlawn CDP | $103 |
Sudley | $108 |
South Riding | $109 |
Norfolk | $112 |
McNair | $101 |
Arlington | $111 |
Winchester | $96 |
Cherry Hill | $116 |
Chantilly | $107 |
Radford | $107 |
Danville | $97 |
Herndon | $96 |
Fairfax | $99 |
Mechanicsville | $104 |
Tuckahoe | $101 |
Burke Centre | $111 |
Waynesboro | $100 |
West Falls Church | $97 |
Manassas | $97 |
Chesapeake | $103 |
West Springfield | $101 |
Meadowbrook | $104 |
Filing an SR-22 insurance policy involves more than simply completing the necessary forms. Since not all insurance companies are willing to insure high-risk drivers, the first step is to narrow down the list of companies to those who offer SR-22 insurance in Virginia.
Finalize your Provider
Your current insurance company may not provide you with SR-22 insurance. Thus, you must research, shop around, compare and finalize your provider in the state.
Payment of SR-22 Fee
You'll have to pay between $15 and $50 to the provider as the provider needs to fill in the form on your behalf to the Virginia DMV. The filing fee can vary with your provider.
Filing Fees for SR-22 in Virginia
Company | Filing Fees |
---|---|
Assurance America | $25 |
Liberty Mutual | $15-$25 |
Mendota Ins. Company | $25 |
Acceptance RTR | $25 |
National General | $25 |
Farmers | $15-$71 |
Dairyland | Free |
GAINSCO | $25 |
File Proof of Insurance
Your insurance provider will file the proof of insurance with the Virginia DMV after you have purchased the state-mandated insurance.
Receive Confirmation
After filing the SR-22, the Virginia DMV and your insurer must verify your insurance coverage and driving eligibility.
If you don't own a car in Virginia but have faced a serious driving infraction leading to an SR-22 or FR-44 requirement, then you can opt for the non-owner SR-22 and FR-44 insurance. This will let you hit the road again, reinstating your driving privileges.
The non-owner SR-22 and FR-44 insurance are cheaper than those high-risk drivers who own a car. State Farm and USAA offer the cheapest rates for non-owner SR-22 and FR-44 insurance in Virginia.
Insurance Company | Average Annual Rate |
---|---|
USAA | $363 |
State Farm | $312 |
Progressive | $334 |
Travelers | $478 |
A clean driving record lowers insurance premiums. With conviction, it's hard to lower insurance prices. However, with a few options, comparing insurance quotes should indicate average rates. This can help choose a cost-effective option even after filing an SR-22 form.
Way.com is the quickest and easiest way to compare quotes in Virginia. Make use of the online quotes that insurance companies now provide. Choosing the one that suits your needs is best possible through this research.
A good credit score indicates fewer claims. This will reduce your premium rates if the offenses are not repeated.
You might be able to opt for the good driver discounts due to the infraction on the record. But you must always look for the other available discounts the insurance companies offer. For example, multipolicy, telematics, and bundling discounts can significantly affect the rates even after you have filed for SR-22 insurance.
Higher deductibles reduce vehicle insurance premiums even though they can reduce your accident claim. First, compare deductible alternatives to discover if a reduced deductible delivers savings, then choose one that meets your budget and comfort level.
Insurance companies will reduce the total amount paid if you can pay your premium in full.
If you are not a frequent driver but are a high-risk driver due to infractions, you might want to consider usage-based Insurance.
After a traffic violation, the first step in resolving the complications is to search for proper insurance coverage. Unfortunately, your insurance premiums may increase after filing an SR-22. Way.com finds the best deals from Virginia's leading insurance providers.
In Virginia, the FR-44 insurance has stricter liabilities to be met to have your driving privileges reinstated. Both insurance proofs must be maintained without any lapses for three consecutive years. Way.com helps you stay on track with your policies.
The auto insurance rates published in this guide are based on the results of research completed by Way.com’s data team. Using a mix of public and internal data, we analyzed millions of rate averages across U.S. ZIP codes.
Quotes are typically based on a full coverage policy average unless otherwise noted within the content.
These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes will differ. Given this, it’s important to go through our insurance steps form to find how much you can save with way.com
Drivers are legally required to keep SR-22 insurance for three years in Virginia. However, this period can be extended if they commit another serious driving offense or allow their SR-22 coverage to expire.
Moving to a new state without causing a lapse in the SR-22 insurance is advisable. However, you might have to bring it depending on the laws of the state to which you are moving to.
Yes, if you don't own a car and have faced a severe driving infraction, you will have to consider non-owner SR-22 or FR-44 insurance in Virginia. This is cheaper than average car insurance rates in the state after a driving infraction.
While most states require you to file for SR-22 insurance or the Safety Responsibility Form, Virginia also requires the Financial Responsibility form, commonly known as FR-44. While the former is for driving violations like driving without insurance or a suspended license, FR-44 is specifically after you have been charged with DUI or DWI infractions.
Many nationally recognized insurance companies operating in the state of Virginia offer SR-22 and FR-44 insurance. Your provider will file the SR-22 or FR-44 to the Virginia DMV on your behalf.
It will cost between $15 and $35 to file an FR-44 form. The average cost of insurance state FR-44 insurance in Virginia is $772 per year for the minimum amount of coverage.
The period of FR-44 insurance in Virginia is three years from the date your license has been reinstated. However, depending on the severity of the offenses, it can also extend to four years. Similar is the case with SR-22, which must be maintained for three consecutive years.
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