Compare car insurance in Washington

Most popular Washington auto insurance companies list

Average car insurance costs in Washington

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.

Which city has the cheapest car insurance in Washington?

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.

• Redmond
• Pasco
• Bothell
• Vancouver
• Everett

State minimum requirements in Washington

To legally drive in Washington, you’ll need insurance that includes at least:

• $25,000 for injuries or death to one person
• $50,000 for injuries or death to all other people
• $10,000 for damage to another person’s property

Car insurance for high-risk drivers in Washington

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.

Can I get SR-22 insurance in Washington?

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.

Bottom line

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.

Common questions about car insurance in Washington

• Why do some cars cost more to insure than others?

  Mainly because of the risk they pose to insurance companies. High performance cars, for example, tend to be driven faster and more aggressively than family sedans or minivans; this puts them at a higher risk for accidents, and higher risk typically translates to higher rates.

  Another factor is the car’s repair costs after a crash. It costs a lot more to replace the rear corner of a Ferrari F380 than it does to replace the same parts on a Honda Civic. This raises the insurance claim, and cost of your premium.

• I have insurance, but couldn't find my insurance ID card when I got pulled over. What do I do next?

  This will likely require an appeal to the court, which would void your ticket if you’re successful in proving your coverage. That means you won’t receive any points on your driver’s license and you won’t have to pay the penalty for not having coverage.

  However, you might still end up paying $25 for court processing fees.

• Does Washington allow for reckless driving charges rather than DUI charges?

  Yes, it’s technically possible in Washington to plea bargain for a “wet reckless” instead of a DUI. Whether the judge is willing to consider this will likely depend on all the other circumstances of a case. Many states don’t allow for any plea bargaining when it comes to drunk driving.