West Virginia Auto Insurance

The state of West Virginia is a Tort state.  This means that if the state declares an individual as the cause of an accident, the named person will be required to pay all the damages which result from the accident they caused.  This will include all medical bills and vehicle repairs.  For this reason, insurance companies may encourage you to purchase more than the minimum auto liability insurance required by the state of West Virginia.  If a car is financed, you will most likely be required to carry comprehensive and collision coverage on the vehicle

Insurance companies in West Virginia do not have to cover members of your household if they are not listed on the policy.  Likewise, you may choose to exclude individuals in your household from your personal auto insurance coverage.  These exclusions are legal.  Even though you do not have to list everyone on the policy, the company may request it.  If you do not comply with the company’s request, they can deny the claims on any persons not included on the policy.  Any exclusion from coverage will be listed in the exclusion section of your policy along with all other circumstances which allow the insurance coverage to refuse to settle a claim.

In the state of West Virginia, the insurance company is allowed to check out your personal credit history when offering you insurance and setting your premium rates.  Your credit history will help insurance companies set an insurance risk score for you.  This score will be used along with other criteria to determine the products you will be offered, the rates you will pay and how often your insurance premium will be paid.  The other criteria which will be used are your driving record, age, and the area where you live.  Maintaining a good driving record and paying your bills on time may reduce your premiums.

The average insurance premium in West Virginia was about $827.00 as of 2006.  West Virginia was ranked as having the 19th highest premium average in the United States.  There are 34 state approved insurance companies doing business in the state of West Virginia.  The following companies may sell auto insurance in West Virginia:  AIG Centennial, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Property & Casualty Company, American National Property & Casualty Company, American Select Insurance Company, Amica Mutual Insurance Company, Dairyland Insurance Company, Encompass Insurance Company of America, Erie Insurance Property & Casualty Company, Farmers & Mechanics Fire and Casualty, GEICO General Insurance Company, GEICO Indemnity Company, Government Employees Insurance Company, Horace Mann Insurance Company, Horace Mann Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Metropolitan Direct Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Motorists Mutual Insurance Company, National General Assurance Company, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Nationwide Property & Casual Company, Peak Property and Casualty, Progressive Classic Insurance Company, Progressive Max Insurance Company, Safeco Insurance Company of America, Sentinel Insurance Company, State Auto National Insurance Company, State Auto Property & Casualty Insurance Company, State Farm fire and Casualty Company, State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance Company, Teachers Insurance Company, Titan Indemnity Company, Trumbull Insurance Company, United Services Auto Association, USAA Casualty Insurance Company, Victoria fire & Casualty Company, West Virginia National Auto Insurance Company, and Westfield Insurance Company.

Things that can help you reduce the cost of your insurance premiums include a clean driving record, the type of vehicle you choose to drive as well as the number of miles you drive per year.  The fewer miles you put on your vehicle each year, the lower your chances are of being involved in an accident.  The reduction in accident risk can translate into a reduction in premiums.  Furthermore, a clean driving record reduces your risk of an accident. 
It will be more expensive to insure a luxury car or a sports car.  You should also keep in mind that insurance premiums will be higher on vehicles which are a high priority for thieves.  The cars that made the top 10 stolen vehicles in West Virginia are:

1. 1991 Chevrolet S-10 Pickup
2. 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
3. 1991 Ford Ranger
4. 1998 Ford F150 Series
5. 1999 Honda TRX300 Series
6. 2002 Honda TRX450 Series
7. 1999 Pontiac Grand Am
8. 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
9. 1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Pickup (Full Size)
10. 1998 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee

Safety devices such as anti-lock brakes side air bags, automatic seat belts and daytime running lights may also reduce your premiums along with anti theft devices like an alarm system and global positioning systems.  Parking your car in a garage or secured area is another way to reduce your premiums.  Where you live will affect your insurance rates which can be affected by weather extremes, high theft risk, and high traffic patterns.  Don’t forget to maintain a good credit record as the insurance company looks at this to determine how likely you are to pay your premiums on time.  Prior accident claims will also be a red flag to insurance companies especially if there are several claims on your past record.  The amount of your deductible is also a key factor when determining insurance rates.  The higher your deductible is, the lower your insurance rates will be.