Before you can register your vehicle in West Virginia, you must have an auto insurance policy that meets the state's minimum requirements; in some situations – such as one involving a brand new vehicle that’s financed – you’ll have to purchase even more coverage.

West Virginia Car Insurance Requirements

Under the state’s Compulsory Insurance Law, every registered vehicle must have the following amounts of liability insurance:

• $20,000 for one accident/one injury.
• $40,000 for one accident/two or more injuries.
• $10,000 for property damage.

Keep in mind that these are the minimum liability insurance requirements. You will need (or want) to purchase more coverage if:

• Your car is financed. Most lienholders (banks and other financial institutions or lenders) require owners to purchase and keep comprehensive and collision coverage until the loan is paid off and the title has been transferred to the owner’s name.
• Your car is fairly new and still quite valuable. Just because these are the required amounts of coverage doesn’t mean they’re enough to take care of your vehicle in the event of an accident or other damage.
• You’re concerned about the liability requirements being insufficient. Too often vehicle owners find themselves in financial peril because the cost of an accident is more than their insurance covers.

Also keep in mind that there are plenty of other kinds of insurance you can purchase in addition to the state’s liability requirements. We’ve mentioned comprehensive and collision coverage, but don’t forget about personal injury protection (PIP), which covers your and your passengers’ medical expenses and lost employment wages after an accident. To date, 16 states require PIP; West Virginia isn’t one of them, but the benefits of personal injury protection are clear. 

West Virginia Car Insurance: Facts to Remember

Now that you know how much coverage you must have (and the benefits of purchasing more), take note of these WV auto insurance points:

• You can’t register your vehicle without showing proof of insurance.
• The WV DMV can ask you to verify your insurance at any time during the year.
• You must keep your proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times.
• Being caught without insurance carries severe penalties to the tune of steep fines, registration and license suspension (and the fees to reinstate both), and even jail time.
• If you decide to cancel your insurance, you must submit both a Form WC-4C (Owner’s Notice of Insurance Cancellation) and your license plate to the DMV.
• If you only use your vehicle seasonally (say, you have a camper, motorcycle, or antique vehicle you only use a few months out of the year), you must insure it during that time. While it’s not in use (and not insured) you must have on file with the DMV a Form WV-4B (Seasonal Statement of Insurance).