Rideshare Insurance in Virginia (2025)
If you drive for a rideshare company in Virginia, your personal insurance won’t provide sufficient coverage.
Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.
People driving for rideshare or transportation network companies (TNCs) like Lyft and Uber must buy rideshare insurance because a personal car insurance policy doesn’t provide sufficient coverage. Not all Virginia auto insurers offer rideshare insurance, but many do.
Per Virginia law, TNCs must require drivers to have insurance that covers them from when they accept a ride request to the end of the transaction, as well as between when they log on and off but aren’t driving. Rideshare drivers must have liability insurance with higher limits than Virginia’s minimum requirements.1
Here’s what you need to know about how rideshare insurance works in the state and what insurers to consider buying coverage from.
How much does Virginia rideshare insurance cost?
Auto insurance premiums in Virginia vary based on driving record, vehicle, city, ZIP code, insurance company, and more. Many rideshare drivers may choose to purchase full-coverage insurance with an additional rideshare endorsement.
The table below shows the cheapest average monthly quotes for full-coverage auto insurance available to Virginia drivers from companies offering rideshare insurance.
Rideshare insurance requirements in Virginia
Virginia laws for rideshare insurance vary depending on what phase of use you’re in with the rideshare app. Here’s what you need to know.
Phase 1
When you drive your vehicle for personal use with the rideshare app turned off, your personal auto policy covers your vehicle. You must meet the state’s ordinary minimum coverage requirements applicable to all drivers of personal vehicles.2
This includes $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in bodily injury liability, $20,000 per accident for property damage liability, and equal amounts of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.3
Phase 2
This phase begins the moment you log into a TNC’s digital platform and ends when you accept a request to transport a passenger. During this time, Virginia requires a minimum of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $25,000 per accident in property damage liability.
Rideshare drivers can buy insurance to meet this requirement as long as the TNC verifies the policy is in effect and covers ridesharing. Otherwise, the TNC can maintain the necessary insurance on the driver’s behalf.
Phase 3
The moment you accept a pre-arranged ride on a TNC platform, this phase begins. And it lasts until the ride is complete or you complete the transaction on the TNC’s digital platform. Drivers must have a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance for death, bodily injury, and property damage. Rideshare drivers or the TNC can fulfill this requirement as outlined in Phase 2.
Uber and Lyft requirements in Virginia
Both Uber and Lyft impose certain vehicle and driver requirements before a motorist can begin working as a rideshare driver in the state of Virginia. Here’s what you need to know about minimum requirements for drivers and vehicles in Virginia.
Rideshare car requirements
People applying to drive for Uber or Lyft must prove they have an eligible vehicle that meets the company’s specific requirements.
Must have four doors
16-year-old vehicle or newer
Good condition with no cosmetic damage
No commercial branding
Within 30 days of the first trip, drivers must provide proof of a Virginia state vehicle safety inspection completed in the last 12 months4
2007 or newer in all cities except Fredericksburg
2009 or newer vehicle in Fredericksburg
Must have four doors
Must have five to eight seats, including the driver’s
No taxis, stretch limousines, or non-Express Drive rental vehicles
Not titled as salvage, non-repairable, rebuilt, or an equivalent5
Rideshare driver requirements
Before TNC companies approve you to drive for the company, you need to prove that you meet certain eligibility requirements as a driver.
Meet the minimum age to drive in your city
Have at least one year of driving experience with a license
Pass a background screening
Have an eligible form of transportation
Submit required documents (including your driver’s license, proof of residency, and a photo of yourself)6
Have a valid Virginia driver’s license (a temporary or out-of-state license from Washington, D.C., or Maryland is also acceptable)
Be at least 25 years old
Complete a driver screening (includes a driving history review and criminal background check)
Have three or fewer minor violations in the past three years
Have a smartphone that can download and run the Lyft driver app
Types of rideshare insurance coverage
It’s important to understand the types of rideshare insurance coverage you can purchase. Here’s what you need to know:
You should also carefully consider your deductible, which is the amount you must pay out of pocket for a covered claim before insurance kicks in. Liability insurance doesn’t have a deductible, but collision and comprehensive coverages do. Setting a higher deductible will result in lower premiums. But you should always make sure you can comfortably afford it.