Penalties for Driving without Insurance in Virginia

In order to keep a lot more money in your wallet overall, you should be aware of the penalties for driving with no insurance in the state of Virginia if your car is registered there. In the state, drivers must purchase the automobile insurance plans that meet the state’s minimum requirements, or they will face stiff penalties.

The minimum requirement for auto insurance in the state of Virginia includes bodily injury/death insurance in the amount of at least $25,000 per person, and bodily injury/death insurance of two or more persons of $50,000 per accident. The state also requires drivers to have $20,000 of property damage liability coverage. Drivers in the state can find themselves paying large fees, and other penalties can also be administered.

Penalties For Driving Without Insurance

If you are caught driving in Virginia without valid automobile insurance, and have not paid the designated fee for having an uninsured motor vehicle, you can face stiff penalties. The uninsured motor vehicle fee, or UMV fee, allows people to drive without an insurance policy for a determined length of time. Penalties for people who do have a car insurance policy or have not paid the uninsured motor vehicle fee could be forced to pay up to $500 or more in fines, and have many other possible consequences as well, depending on whether it is a first offense, second offense, or subsequent offense.

Penalties For A First Offense

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles utilizes an electronic insurance verification system to keep track of people and make sure that they have appropriate insurance coverage. People are subject to a $500 fine, and the possible loss of driving privileges. The suspension of your license plate can also be a penalty that occurs. Some of this is dependent on the specific circumstances surrounding your violation. In addition, reinstatement fees and other penalties can occur for people violating Virginia auto insurance law.

Penalties For Second Offenses

The penalties for people who have a second offense are similar to the first offense but can increase in severity. This means that longer suspensions can happen, larger fines, and in some cases, a person may need to file a Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate with the DMV for multiple years.

Subsequent Offenses

People who have had offenses beyond a second offense are not often shown leniency when fines and penalties are awarded. You will likely need to file a Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate, as well as pay $500 fine and a reinstatement fee to get your license back on track. This may need to wait a while, however, because your driver’s license could be suspended, as well as your license plates.

Penalties For Driving Without Insurance In An Accident

Driving a motor vehicle comes with an inherent risk of being in an accident. These accidents can result in a lot of damage to your vehicle, other vehicles, and their bodies as well. In order to protect yourself from large financial expenses that can empty your bank account and leave you struggling financially, insurance is immensely important. By finding the best prices for insurance on this website, utilizing the ability to get free auto insurance quotes and top car insurance information, you can not only save money on car insurance premiums, but you can also save a lot of money simply by having coverage.

Other ways that people can save money on their car insurance plans is through comparing multiple automobile insurance companies, looking for car insurance discounts, and maintaining a good driving record. The biggest thing to remember is that the costs associated with fees and penalties can be drastically higher than the cost of insurance itself. The same goes for general expenses associated with a car crash that you are found to be at fault with, so getting a sufficient automobile insurance plan is a smart idea.