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Updated
Car insurance quick facts
In at fault states, the driver who caused the accident pays for damages.
Company | Direct premiums written (billions) | Market share |
---|---|---|
State Farm | $883,758 | 16.0% |
Geico | $637,453 | 11.6% |
Liberty Mutual | $574,536 | 10.4% |
Progressive | $536,468 | 9.7% |
Allstate | $507,733 | 9.2% |
USAA | $454,167 | 8.2% |
Farmers | $382,088 | 6.9% |
PEMCO Mutual | $295,724 | 5.4% |
American Family | $196,480 | 3.6% |
Hartford | $126,660 | 2.3% |
Washington drivers paid an average of $1,200 annually for car insurance in 2017, which is a little less than the $1,300 national average. If you’re older than 25 and have a clean driving record, you could expect to pay a lower premium if you live in Washington state.
However, rates are known to vary from one area of a state to the next. Drivers in downtown Seattle, for example, are likely to pay more than drivers out in Walla Walla. This is because city living comes with additional risk for car accidents, theft and vandalism — things that make it more likely for an urban driver to file insurance claims. And the more likely you are to file a claim, the more you’ll be charged for coverage.
Of Washington’s largest cities, Pasco has the cheapest rates and Vancouver has the most expensive car insurance rates. Vancouver drivers could face rates 2 times more than Pasco drivers.
Company | Annual car insurance rate |
---|---|
Allstate | $1832 |
American Family | $1764 |
Metromile | $1131 |
Progressive | $1961 |
Geico | $1990 |
Company | Annual car insurance rate |
---|---|
Allstate | $1436 |
American Family | $1361 |
Metromile | $899 |
Progressive | $1497 |
Geico | $1537 |
Company | Annual car insurance rate |
---|---|
Allstate | $1907 |
American Family | $1818 |
Metromile | $1190 |
Progressive | $1960 |
Geico | $1953 |
Company | Annual car insurance rate |
---|---|
Allstate | $1611 |
American Family | $1610 |
Metromile | $1110 |
Progressive | $1969 |
Geico | $1994 |
Company | Annual car insurance rate |
---|---|
Allstate | $1884 |
American Family | $1704 |
Metromile | $1142 |
Progressive | $1970 |
Geico | $1922 |
To legally drive in Washington, you’ll need insurance that includes at least:
Many Washington insurers offer roadside assistance as an optional extra, and a few offer it free when you buy collision and comprehensive coverage. Washington has some of the worst roads in the country, ranking seventh worst with 31% of roads in poor conditions, according to a recent report by the American Society of Civil Engineers. With so much mountainous terrain and rural roads, it’s difficult for the state to maintain everything with current funding. Roadside help could come in handy for any Washington driver who’s experienced a fender bender, unseen pothole or black ice on a winter night.
If you can’t find cheap coverage or if you’ve been denied coverage because you’re a high-risk driver, you can get insured with the Western Association of Automobile Insurance Plans (WAAIP).
With WAAIP, you’ll be assigned an insurance provider, and any additional risk you pose to the insurance provider is mitigated by spreading it across the WAAIP network of insurance companies.
Yes, you can file an SR-22 insurance in Washington. An SR-22 is a document proving to the state that you meet all of the car insurance minimum requirements. You might need an SR-22 filing if you’ve gotten a DUI or if you’ve been caught driving without car insurance.
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Car insurance can help to protect you, your vehicle and everyone else on the road if something ever goes wrong. And in the state of Washington, it’s a legal requirement to carry insurance for these reasons. The first step of comparing car insurance is understanding laws and regulations in your state to help you get the best value on your auto coverage.
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