West Virginia Car Insurance: A Simple Guide

As with every state in the US, West Virginia has a unique set of policies and guidelines regulating the purchase of auto insurance by its residents. Complete information about West Virginia’s insurance policies can be obtained from the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner located in by calling 1-888-TRY-WVIC or by visiting their website at http://www.wvinsurance.gov; however, there are a few basic guidelines that everyone should know.

West Virginia requires that all of its vehicular residents be covered underneath a liability policy. This will pay for damages resulting from an accident for which they are responsible. Minimum levels of liability are twenty thousand dollars for medical expenses belonging to a single driver, forty thousand dollars for the combined medical expenses of all of the occupants of the vehicle at the time of the accident and ten thousand dollars for any property damages caused, including but not limited to public property and damages to the other vehicle. With medical and repair costs possessing the potential to quickly accumulate beyond these amounts it is strongly suggested that each driver purchase more than the minimum level of liability insurance; they will be held personally liable for any costs not covered by their insurance policy.

Not required but also strongly suggested is the purchase of comprehensive and collision coverage. This will pay for damages suffered by the vehicle of the insured in the same accident discussed above; liability is only for the vehicle of the driver not responsible. WV Comprehensive insurance will also pay for damages suffered in accidents involving inclement weather and the local wildlife up to the Kelley Blue Book value of the vehicle and may be required for any car currently under lien.

West Virginia does require that all of its drivers possess an uninsured motorist policy, a guideline no doubt inspired by the fact that Virginia, its neighbor to the east, does not require its residents to purchase liability. Uninsured motorist coverage will pay for damages suffered in an accident with an individual who does not possess insurance or for those caused by a hit and run. Without this coverage a driver’s only recourse is to attempt to take the individual responsible to court and attempt to recoup their costs from the responsible individual’s personal assets.