Car Insurance in Florida vs. Virginia: Costs, Laws and Resources

If you are thinking about moving from Florida to Virginia or vice versa, auto insurance requirements in Florida vary from those in Virginia.

In Florida, property damage liability per accident is required to be $10,000. In Virginia, car insurance is optional but mandates certain limits if purchased.

In this guide, MoneyGeek researched the differences in car insurance requirements and laws in Florida and Virginia to identify the cheapest companies.

Florida auto insurance regulations require drivers to carry minimum coverage of property damage liability per accident and personal injury protection per person. Virginia's minimum car insurance requirements include 25/50/20 coverage limits, as well as uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance. This is one of the most important factors influencing insurance costs.

In Florida, a minimum-coverage vehicle insurance policy costs an average of $1,123 annually. The same coverage costs $433 in Virginia. Virginia has more insurance requirements than Florida, but it is less expensive. This could be related to a variety of factors, including population density and accident frequency.

In the United States, there are 12 no-fault states, including Florida. The state of Florida is known as a no-fault state because it has a statute that requires a form of car accident insurance that pays regardless of who was at fault for the accident. Keep in mind that this type of coverage may result in higher premiums.

Meanwhile, Virginia is an "at-fault" tort state. This means that drivers who cause an accident must bear the financial responsibility.

Car insurance premiums fluctuate between companies and states. MoneyGeek recommends that you shop around to get the best rates.

On average, the following are the most affordable companies in Florida and Virginia:

• Cheapest in Florida: GEICO ($590 per year)
• Cheapest in Virginia: Progressive ($333 per year)

MoneyGeek found USAA to be the cheapest company on average in Florida, at $406, and Virginia, where it tied with Progressive at $333 a year. However, it is only available to military families.

Keep in mind that costs vary by state. For example, GEICO, which is the cheapest insurer in Florida, is one of the more expensive options in Virginia.

How much coverage you purchase impacts the cost of your car insurance.

The average cost of state minimum coverage in Florida and Virginia is $1,123 and $433, respectively. This means that drivers in Virginia save an average of $690 on the state's minimum coverage when compared to drivers in Florida. Meanwhile, the average cost of full coverage in Florida is $2,208. In Virginia, it’s roughly $790.

These are average prices. Your actual charges may vary based on the level of coverage you choose.

Car insurance rates can be impacted for various reasons, but it’s impossible to blame the differences on one factor. Several reasons, like the state's high theft rate, the state's high number of uninsured drivers and natural disaster probability, contribute to Florida's higher rates when compared to Virginia.

The cost of auto insurance varies by state, and your rates are influenced by the city in which you reside. MoneyGeek found the cheapest and most expensive cities for vehicle insurance in Florida and Virginia on average.

Florida

• Cheapest city: Gainesville ($693 per year)
• Most expensive city: Hialeah ($1,461 per year)

Pennsylvania

• Cheapest city: Newport News ($408 per year)
• Most expensive city: Alexandria ($462 per year)

Although car insurance requirements are the same in all cities in each respective state, this is not a cost consideration. Higher rates are more likely in areas with higher population densities.

If you are moving from Florida to Virginia or vice versa, you need to transfer your driver's license, vehicle registration and auto insurance coverage.

If you're moving to a state where your current insurance provider is available, you may be able to keep it. However, your rates may increase to reflect the additional risks and coverage requirements.

MoneyGeek provides a number of resources to help you select the insurance coverage that best meets your needs.

The regulations and rates for auto insurance in Florida and Virginia vary. MoneyGeek answered some commonly asked questions regarding car insurance in Florida and Virginia to help you get the best coverage.

To calculate average car insurance rates by company and across Florida and Virginia, MoneyGeek collaborated with Quadrant Information Services to collect auto insurance quotes from both locations. We used a sample profile for a 40-year-old driver with a clean driving record and minimum coverage unless modified by criteria like coverage level, age, driving offenses and credit score. Learn more about how costs are calculated in our MoneyGeek car insurance methodology.

Minimum car insurance requirements by state were sourced from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of the respective state.