VIRGINIA AUTO INSURANCE

REQUIREMENTS FOR ACQUIRING AUTO INSURANCE

SafeAuto wants to help you get the lowest possible auto insurance rates. Being familiar with your state's financial responsibility requirements is an easy way to start. Here is the most recent information for Virginia:

The minimum amount of liability insurance coverage required to satisfy Virginia's Financial Responsibility law is25,000/50,000/20,000. This means that your insurance policy must insure you against loss in an accident where you have been determined to be at-fault for a minimum of:

• Twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) because of bodily injury to or death of 

one (1) person in any one (1) accident

• Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) because of bodily injury to or death of two (2) or
•  more persons in any one (1) accident, subject to the twenty-five thousand dollars

 ($25,000) per person limit

• Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) because of injury to or destruction of property of others in

an accident

PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH VIRGINIA'S FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Every person applying for registration of a motor vehicle and declaring it to be an insured vehicle,
 faces stiff penalties if the motor vehicle is subsequently found to be uninsured. The Virginia DMV
may suspend the driver's license and registration certificates and license plates issued to the owner
 of the motor vehicle. These items are suspended until the person pays a $500 statutory fee,
 furnishes and maintains proof of financial responsibility (form SR-22) for three years and pays a
 reinstatement fee, if applicable. [Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-706]

CERTIFICATE OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SR-22) OR (FR-44):

An SR-22 or an FR-44 is a certification of future proof of Financial Responsibility issued by your insurance company to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) providing proof that you purchased liability insurance. The following circumstances may require a person to have an SR-22:

• Unsatisfied judgments
• Driver's license suspension as a result of a conviction for:
  • Voluntary or involuntary manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle
  • Perjury, making a false affidavit to the DMV regarding the registration of motor vehicles, or

 making a false statement on any driver's license application

• • Any crime punishable as a felony under the motor vehicle law or any felony in the commission

 of which a motor vehicle is used

• • Failure of a driver of a motor vehicle, involved in an accident resulting in death or injury

 to another person, to stop and disclose his identity at the scene of the accident

• Operating or permitting the operation, for a second time, of a passenger automobile 

for transportation of passengers for rent or for hire, without a license

• Uninsured motor vehicle suspension
• Failure to provide proof of insurance associated with insurance monitoring
• Falsifying insurance certification

FR-44 certification is required for the following convictions:

• Maiming while under the influence
• Driving while under the influence of intoxicants or drugs
• Driving while the driver's license has been forfeited for a conviction, or finding of not

 innocent in the case of a juvenile

• Violation of the provisions of any federal law or law of any other state or any valid

 local ordinance similar to the above

SafeAuto will only issue a Virginia SR-22 or FR-44 to Virginia residents.  An FR-44 is available only to existing policy holders, and – like the SR-22 – must be issued immediately upon request.  If an FR-44 is issued, appropriate follow-up underwriting action will be taken, consistent with Virginia law.

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES:

http://www.dmv.state.va.us/

If you have any further auto insurance questions please visit the FAQ page or contact the SafeAuto Customer Service Department at CSD@safeauto.com.