RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — If you don’t have car insurance in Virginia, it may be time to do some shopping.

That’s because a new law is set to take effect in Virginia on July 1, requiring all vehicles in the state to be insured. 

“Driving without insurance is not a good thing,” Tom Brown of Mega Insurance Center said. “People need protection. If someone gets in an accident with them, they need to have the person responsible’s insurance to help pay for the damage that is caused.” 

In 2023, the General Assembly passed a bill ending a DMV program allowing residents to pay $500 to register an uninsured vehicle. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) subsequently signed the bill, allowing it to go into effect beginning July 1.

Brown said that, currently, if you are in an accident with an uninsured motorist, it’s often that your insurance company pays for your damages — regardless of whether or not you are at fault. 

“Perhaps that will lower the amount of frequency that we see people out there driving without insurance,” Brown said. “Because, now, there is just no way around it.”

The Department of Motor Vehicles said that more than 6,000 Virginians currently pay the $500 fee to drive around uninsured.

Brown said they should start looking for a policy sooner rather than later — and he has a tip.

“Reach out to an independent agency, that’s my suggestion,” Brown said. “Independent agencies have access to insurance markets that the general consumer doesn’t have. They can’t get to those markets unless they use an independent agency.”  

People caught driving an unregistered vehicle could have their license suspended and face more than $700 in potential fines.