As it seems everything is getting more expensive, including medical bills, the new year brings some changes to the minimum limits required in auto insurance.

Virginia's New Minimum Auto Injury Coverage [2025 Update]

If you go to renew an existing auto policy or go to another insurance carrier for coverage after January 1, 2025, for all vehicles registered in Virginia the minimum liability limits have gone up to $50,000 per injury claim but no more than $100,000 per accident for all claims from a single crash. This is double the pre-2022 minimum required coverage of $25,000 per injury claim / $50,000 per crash for all injury claims and significantly more than the 2022-2024 minimum limits of $30,000 per injury claim/$60,000 per accident.

As a firm focused on personal injury and wrongful death claims, we often see cases where there is insufficient coverage. Although it is generally better to have higher liability and uninsured motorist limits for any crash so that you are covered, many motorists only get the bare minimum required when purchasing auto coverage.

Also, the ability to register a vehicle (apply for license plates) without insurance and pay the uninsured motorist fee has been eliminated in Virginia.

Under Virginia Code 46.2-472, every personal vehicle on the road must have at least the minimum limits of 50/100 unless self-insured under Virginia law.

Here is the relevant law:

B. For all policies effective on or after January 1, 2025, every motor vehicle owner's policy shall:

1. Designate, by explicit description or appropriate reference, all motor vehicles with respect to which coverage is intended to be granted.

2. Insure as insured the person named and any other person using or responsible for the use of the motor vehicle or vehicles with the permission of the named insured.

3. Insure the insured or other person against loss from any liability imposed by law for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person, and injury to or destruction of property caused by an accident and arising out of the ownership, use, or operation of such motor vehicle or vehicles within the Commonwealth, any other state in the United States, or Canada, subject to a limit exclusive of interest and costs, with respect to each motor vehicle, of $50,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident and, subject to the limit for one person, to a limit of $100,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and to a limit of $25,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.

North Carolina Minimum Auto Injury Coverage

North Carolina is also raising its minimum limits to $50,000 per claim/$100,000 per accident. Although the new minimum limits were scheduled to go into effect on January 1, due to logistical issues, the new minimum limits for North Carolina auto policies are scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2025.

Stay tuned for additional information about this change in another article later this year.

What Does This Mean For My Auto Coverage?

If you've been in a recent motor vehicle accident with serious injuries, talk to a motor vehicle injury attorney at Slaughter & Lupton Law, PLLC.

Fill out the form below to contact our offices and get the legal help you need.