Washington car insurance

Full-coverage car insurance in Washington state costs about $162 per month, on average, or $1,941 per year, while the state minimum policy runs about $61 per month.

Washington is reasonably affordable when it comes to full coverage car insurance, which includes comprehensive and collision coverage, in addition to liability protection.

In this guide, you’ll learn how Washington car insurance laws work, what the requirements are, and how to shop for car insurance.

Full coverage in Washington averages about $162 a month ($1,941 a year), and the state minimum averages about $61 a month ($732 a year). 

At a minimum, Washington requires liability coverage of at least 25/50/10.¹

The state minimum policy includes liability coverage only. This type of coverage pays other people for injuries or property damage you cause. But it does nothing to protect your own car. If you want to protect yourself against collisions, theft, flood, hail, animal collisions, or vandalism, you will need to purchase full coverage, which includes both collision and comprehensive insurance.

Is state minimum coverage enough in Washington?

The state minimum policy is probably adequate for a minor fender bender. But it may not be enough for a serious crash involving injuries or significant damage to a late model or high-value car.

The state minimum property damage liability protection is $10,000. But according to Kelley Blue Book, the average new vehicle is selling for nearly $50,000, while full-sized pickups average nearly $67,000.³ Total someone’s new pickup truck, and $10,000 in liability coverage will barely make a dent. You’ll be personally liable for the rest.

For these reasons, it’s recommended to choose higher liability limits, rather than just carry the state minimum or skimp on liability coverage on a full coverage policy.

Does Washington require personal injury protection (PIP)?

Your insurer must offer personal injury protection (PIP). It’s voluntary in Washington, but if you don’t want it, you must specifically decline it in writing.⁴

PIP pays your own medical bills, lost wages, and related costs after a crash, no matter who caused it. It’s usually not enough by itself to cover the treatment of serious injuries: $10,000 in PIP is common. But it can help pay your deductible, copays, and other out-of-pocket costs that your major medical insurance doesn’t cover.

Also, because PIP benefits are not contingent on establishing fault, they can be paid out very quickly after an accident.

Do you need uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage in Washington?

In Washington, UM/UIM coverage is generally built into your policy at the liability limits you select for yourself, unless you specifically decline all or part of it in writing.⁵

UM/UIM steps in when the driver who hits you has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover your damages. 

UM/UIM coverage costs a little extra. But it’s a good idea to have it: According to the Insurance Information Institute, Washington's uninsured-driver rate was 19.1 percent in 2023 – the 10th-highest in the country and well above the national uninsured rate of 15.4 percent.²

USAA is the cheapest carrier, charging about $77 a month. Travelers, State Farm, GEICO, and Nationwide come in between $128 and $135. PEMCO Mutual, a lesser-known regional carrier, comes in very close behind them, at $136.

Washington's market includes strong regional carriers like PEMCO and Mutual of Enumclaw that won't surface on every national quote site. Luva compares regional and national carriers with your details in one place.

Every carrier has its own strategy for setting premiums. But here are the most important factors in Washington: 

Driving record

A speeding ticket, an at-fault crash, and a DUI will all increase your insurance premiums. See below for their estimated impact.

Additionally, a DUI conviction in Washington triggers an SR-22 filing requirement for three years. During this time, your insurance carrier will file a document with the Department of Licensing verifying your coverage, and will notify the Department of Licensing if you let it lapse.

If it lapses, the State of Washington will administratively suspend your driver’s license until it receives another SR-22 filing verifying you have insurance in force.⁶

Age 

Rates are highest for teenagers, but decline substantially for drivers in their 20s and 30s. Nationally, full coverage modeled premiums for a 16-year-old average about $757 a month, versus about $191 per month for a 35-year-old.

Credit history

Credit history is among the biggest drivers of insurance premiums. Premiums for Washington drivers with poor credit average around $249 a month, while drivers with excellent credit pay $134 a month on average.

Location

Premiums can vary widely by ZIP code, due to differences in crime rates, accident rates, repair costs, and medical costs.

Vehicle

Some vehicles are safer than others in a collision. And some cost more to repair, or are stolen more frequently.

The best way to find cheap car insurance in Washington is to compare quotes. Here are a few tips: 

Here are a few tips:

• Compare five or more companies, using identical limits and deductibles.

• Include regional carriers, such as PEMCO and Mutual of Enumclaw, as well as the national names.

• Explore discounts such as multi-policy (bundling), multi-car, safe-driver, honor roll/good student discounts, low-mileage, telematics, and paperless statement discounts. Stack multiple discounts to lower your premiums.

• Choose the highest deductible you can afford. Going from a $500 deductible to $1,000 can reduce premiums significantly.

• Buy additional liability insurance. The state minimum isn’t enough to protect you, and additional liability insurance costs almost nothing.

• Don’t lapse. Carriers typically charge higher premiums if you’ve had a break in coverage.

• Use Luva. It pulls personalized quotes from multiple Washington carriers on identical limits and deductibles, so you're comparing true apples-to-apples prices.