BuyAutoInsurance.com

Compare prices and buy auto insurance online.

  • Auto Insurance Coverages
  • States
  • Cars
  • Featured Articles

West Virginia 
Auto Insurance

State Coverage Requirements

Coverage Type

West Virginia Requirements

Bodily Injury Liability

$20,000 limit per person / $40,000 limit per accident

Property Damage Liability

$10,000 limit

Collision

Not required, but recommended

Comprehensive

Not required, but recommended

Medical Expenses

Not required, but recommended

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Not required

Uninsured Motorist

$20,000 limit per person / $40,000 limit per accident (bodily injury), $10,000 limit (property damage)

Underinsured Motorist

Not required, but recommended

Property Protection (PPI)

Not required

Average rates vs National Average

National AVG.

West Virginia AVG.

source: www.iii.org

Cellphone/Texting

West Virginia

Explained

Hand-Held Cell Phone Ban:

Yes

In West Virginia, an officer can give a driver a citation for holding a cell phone even if no other driving offenses are taking place.

All Cell Phone Use Ban for Novice Drivers:

Yes

Drivers under the age of 18 with a Learner or Intermediate License cannot use a cell phone at all while driving.

Texting Ban:

Yes

Text messaging is banned for all drivers in West Virginia.

DUI Laws

West Virginia

Explained

The legal limit for a blood alcohol concentration (BAC):

0.08

The legal limit for a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) while driving is 0.08. It is a crime to drive with a BAC at this number or above it.

Increased penalty for high BAC:

0.15

There's an increased penalty for drivers with a BAC of 0.15 or above.

1st offense Suspension:

6 months

Administrative license suspension on the 1st offense: In Virginia, law enforcers can confiscate a first-time offender's driver's license for 6 months if he or she exceeds the legal limit. Limited driving privileges, such as to and from work, are permitted after 30 days.

Ignition Interlocks:

Mandatory for offenders with BAC .15 or higher and repeat offenders

These are devices installed in the cars of convicted drunk drivers, which analyze the breath or the driver before starting the vehicle and disable the ignition if alcohol is detected. West Virginia made ignition interlocks mandatory for all offenders with a BAC of .15 or above and repeat offenders.

Repeat Offenders:

Yes

Minimum penalties for repeat offenders include suspension of driving privileges for at least one year, impoundment or immobilization of offender's vehicles, or the installation of ignition interlocks to all vehicles owned by the offender, mandatory alcohol assessment and treatment, and imprisonment or community service for a second-time offender. Third-time and further offenders can see longer imprisonment or community service sentences.

Open Container Law:

None

None in West Virginia.

Graduated Drivers License

West Virginia

Explained

Learner Stage:

Min. Age: 15 Min.
Duration: 6 months Required Supervised
Driving Hours: 50 (10 at night); 0 if taking driver's ed

(Supervised driving, to be completed with a driving test): At 15 years of age, individuals can begin driving with supervision for a period lasting a minimum of six months. In this stage, the new drivers are required to get 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of which need to be at night. If a driver is taking driver's education, then zero hours or supervised driving are required.

Intermediate Stage:

Min. Age: 16
Night Driving Restriction: 10pm-5am
Passenger Restriction: No passengers under 20 (first 6 months), no more than 1 passenger under 20 (following 6 months)

(Some limits are applied to unsupervised drivers in high-risk situations): Drivers who passed the driver's test at 16 are now unsupervised drivers in the intermediate stage. These drivers are not allowed to drive between the hours of 10pm and 5am and cannot drive with any passengers under 20 for the first six months and no more than one passenger under 20 for the following six months.

Full Privilege Age:

Age: 17

(Full driver's license): At the age of 17, West Virginia drivers can now get a standard driver's license without any restrictions.

Speed Limit

Car

Truck

Rural Interstates:

SPEED LIMIT
70 MPH
SPEED LIMIT
70 MPH

Urban Interstates:

SPEED LIMIT
60-65 MPH
SPEED LIMIT
60-65 MPH

Other Limited Access Roads:

SPEED LIMIT
65 MPH
SPEED LIMIT
65 MPH

Page Source: ghsa.org

West Virginia
Department of Insurance

Website:  www.wvinsurance.gov
Address:  1124 Smith St., Charleston, WV 25301
Phone:  304-558-3386 or 1-888-TRY-WVIC (1-888-879-9842)

West Virginia
DMV Information

Website:  www.transportation.wv.gov/dmv/Pages/default.aspx
Phone:  304-558-3900 or 1-800-642-9066 (WV Residents Only)

Don’t wait – get free quotes now

Get a FREE quotes

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map
  • Terms and Conditions

©BuyAutoInsurance 2019