State profile · WV · CMS + NAIC
West Virginia marketplace insurers denied 23.3% of claims (3rd of 30 states); drivers average $1063/yr for auto cover, #32 nationally by cost.
The verdict
Marketplace insurers in West Virginia deny 23.3% of claims - above the 20% national average, the 3rd-highest of 30 states, and drivers pay an average $1063 a year for auto cover, less than the $1191 national average (the 32nd-most-expensive of 51 states).
2 insurers reporting marketplace claims in West Virginia
| # | Insurer | Claims | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CareSource West Virginia Co. F | 962,053 | |
| 2 | Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia C | 2,380,084 |
Among carriers with enough reported claims to compare, West Virginia's highest marketplace denial rates in this dataset belong to CareSource West Virginia Co. (30.5%) and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia (20.4%). A high rate often reflects utilization-review intensity and network design, not just claim legitimacy -- check the carrier's own profile before drawing conclusions.
The reported-claims sample is highly concentrated: the 2 largest insurers account for 100% of the 3,342,137 claims represented here. That makes the statewide rate especially sensitive to the mix and experience of a few reporting carriers. Only insurers with at least 1,000 claims in the CMS filing are included, so this is a description of the available dataset rather than the full insurance market.
CareSource West Virginia Co.: 65 of 993 reported appeals overturned
7 appeals overturned (%)
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia: 41 of 130 reported appeals overturned
32 appeals overturned (%)
What this shows Across the 2 carriers with at least 100 reported appeals in West Virginia, 9.4% of reported appeals were overturned (106 of 1,123). This filing field describes reported outcomes, not the likelihood that an individual claim will change.
2019: $939 average expenditure
$939 avg expenditure
2020: $915 average expenditure
$915 avg expenditure
2021: $919 average expenditure
$919 avg expenditure
2022: $953 average expenditure
$953 avg expenditure
2023: $1063 average expenditure
$1,063 avg expenditure
What this shows West Virginia drivers' average auto cost rose 13% between 2019 and 2023.
Year over year, West Virginia's average auto expenditure rose 11.6% from 2022 to 2023, part of a 13% increase (+$124) since 2019. See the full 5-year state-by-state comparison.
West Virginia auto rates in detail →West Virginia: $1063/yr average auto expenditure (this state)
$1,063 avg expenditure
New Mexico: $1082/yr average auto expenditure
$1,082 avg expenditure
Alabama: $1081/yr average auto expenditure
$1,081 avg expenditure
Arkansas: $1051/yr average auto expenditure
$1,051 avg expenditure
Tennessee: $1050/yr average auto expenditure
$1,050 avg expenditure
Evidence map
The order below follows the evidence with the greatest bearing on this state record, while keeping the CMS claims filing, NAIC cost series, and state-rule context distinct.
Reporting-sample shape
The 2 largest reporting insurers represent 100% of the 3,342,137 claims in this page's CMS sample. That concentration means the statewide rate can be strongly affected by a few carriers and their plan mix.
Marketplace claims filing
West Virginia's reporting insurers denied 23.3% of submitted marketplace claims, ranking 3rd among the 30 states with a comparable federal filing. This is a carrier-reported claims measure, not a consumer-complaint rate or a prediction of how an individual claim will be resolved.
Auto-cost position
West Virginia's 2023 average auto expenditure was $1063, 32nd of 51 jurisdictions by cost and 10.7% below the national average. The figure reflects the coverage mix recorded by NAIC, not an individual driver's quote.
State insurance rules
West Virginia uses an at-fault (tort) auto-insurance system: the driver responsible for an accident, or their insurer, is liable for the other party's damages -- unlike the 12 no-fault states. West Virginia's insurance commissioner is an appointed office (in most states, by the governor), not an elected position -- one of 39 states structured this way.
Nearest expenditure peers. By average auto expenditure, West Virginia's closest peers in PlainInsurer's dataset are Arkansas ($1051/yr) and Tennessee ($1050/yr) -- both within a few dollars of West Virginia's own $1063/yr.
Border comparison. West Virginia borders Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. West Virginia's auto costs run higher than 3 of them and lower than 2, by average auto expenditure -- geography is one of several factors (alongside regulation and risk pool) that shapes these differences, not a direct cause.
Rate regulation and guaranty-fund coverage are state-specific, so a state record can differ from an insurer's national average. Sources: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF PY2026; NAIC 2023 Auto Insurance Database; Insurance Information Institute; Ballotpedia.
State insurance-department directory links come from NAIC. PlainInsurer is not affiliated with NAIC or CMS.
Every figure on PlainInsurer comes directly from NAIC MCAS and CMS Transparency in Coverage data; no editor types in numbers. See our editorial standards or methodology, or report an error. Data current as of 2026-08-11. Grades measure only the published complaint/denial data; we don't recommend any insurer or policy.