New Virginia Law: Doubling Insurance Minimums for DUI Offenders

If you needed another reason to fight your Virginia driving under the influence (DUI) charge, here it is. As of January 1, 2008, Virginia is requiring that all drivers who have a DUI-related conviction carry double the minimum amount of automobile liability insurance.

Before giving you a driver’s license or a vehicle registration card, Virginia requires that you prove that you are carrying a minimum insurance policy of 25/50/20, which is fully explained on this page. In short, Virginia requires that all drivers carry a minimum coverage of $25,000 for single injuries in a car crash, and $50,000 for all injuries in an auto accident.

If you have been convicted of a DUI, you are now required to carry, at a bare minimum:

· $50,000 for the injury or death of one person;

· $100,000 for the injury or death of two or more people; and

· $40,000 for property damage.

It has been widely recognized that simply having a DUI or DWI on your record will cause your insurance premium rate to skyrocket. Now that Virginia is requiring drivers with a record of a DUI to carry double the minimum coverage, you can expect your insurance rates to go up even more.

This new policy doubling rule applies to all persons convicted of:

· Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs

· Maiming while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs

· Driving your license is suspended/revoked for one of the above DUI-related offenses.

This new law imposes additional penalties on DUI drivers. Virginia already tacks demerit points onto driver’s records, imposes harsh first offender penalties, takes away your license, and allows judges to require the installation of an ignition interlock device. As it becomes more and more expensive for drivers to have a Virginia DUI on their record, it is becoming more and more important to fight a Virginia DUI charge.

©2009 Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C., All Rights Reserved, Reproduced with Permission
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