Best car insurance in Washington (2024)

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Gianetta PalmerContributing WriterGianetta Palmer is a contributing writer at Policygenius, where she covers life insurance, home insurance, and auto insurance. Her writing has also appeared in TIME, Readers Digest, Healthline, and elsewhere.&Rachael BrennanSenior Editor & Licensed Auto Insurance ExpertRachael Brennan is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.

Edited by

Anna SwartzAnna SwartzSenior Managing EditorAnna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.
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Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®Certified Financial PlannerIan Bloom, CFP®, RLP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, he was a financial advisor at MetLife and MassMutual.

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The average cost of full coverage car insurance in Washington is $1,730 per year, a little higher than the U.S. national average of $1,638. But car insurance rates are different for everyone, and whether you live along the coast or along the border with Idaho will affect what you’ll pay. So will your age, driving history and the company you pick.

Ready to shop car insurance?

The best way to get affordable coverage is to compare quotes before you pick a policy. Policygenius can help you see options from top car insurance companies so you can be sure you’re getting the best rates.

Key takeaways

  • PEMCO has the lowest average insurance rates in Washington at $918 per year for full coverage.

  • Drivers insured with USAA who are convicted of a DUI can expect their insurance rates to double.

  • Washington’s car insurance requirements are $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $10,000 in property damage liability.

Methodology & why you can trust our rates

Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:

  • Bodily injury liability: 50/100

  • Property damage liability: $50,000

  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 50/100

  • Comprehensive: $500 deductible

  • Collision: $500 deductible

In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by state or insurer.

Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers ages 30, 35, and 45. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles/year.

Rates for driving violations and “Poor” credit determined using average rates for a single male 30-year-old driver with a credit score under 578.

Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of costs. Your actual quotes may differ.

Cheapest car insurance companies in Washington

The price you pay for car insurance depends on lots of factors, including your driving history, marital status, and the kind of car you drive. But rates can vary from company to company, even for the exact same driver.

Company

Average cost

JD Power Rating

PEMCO Insurance

$77/month

--

USAA

$86/month

890

State Farm

$92/month

882

GEICO

$105/month

874

Nationwide

$121/month

868

Cheapest car insurance companies by age in Washington

Young drivers pay the highest insurance rates of any age group. Statistics show teenage drivers are more likely to be in an accident and file a claim than any other group. Many young drivers see a price reduction when they turn 25, but that isn’t always the case, especially for drivers with accidents or moving violations on their record.

Age

Cheapest company

Average cost

16

PEMCO Insurance

$3,216

18

PEMCO Insurance

$2,364

21

USAA

$1,496

25

PEMCO Insurance

$1,094

30

PEMCO Insurance

$929

35

PEMCO Insurance

$909

45

PEMCO Insurance

$915

55

PEMCO Insurance

$861

60

PEMCO Insurance

$841

65

PEMCO Insurance

$933

70

PEMCO Insurance

$966

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Choosing the right car insurance company in Washington

Living in the Pacific Northwest means lots of opportunities to hit the open road and enjoy the great outdoors. So it’s important that you find a car insurance provider that meets your coverage needs without charging you too much.

Policygenius can help you compare quotes from top companies, so you can get the coverage you need at affordable rates.

Car insurance rates for drivers with driving violations in Washington

A speeding ticket can increase your insurance rates by hundreds of dollars, and a DUI conviction can double or even triple your rates with some companies. Obeying the speed limit and never driving under the influence are simple ways to avoid paying more for car insurance.

Violation

PEMCO Insurance

USAA

State Farm

GEICO

Nationwide

At-fault accident

$1,147

$1,489

$1,338

$2,006

$2,621

Suspended license

$1,243

$2,117

$1,231

$2,241

$3,330

Open container

$1,243

$1,593

$1,231

$2,006

$2,287

Expired registration

$1,062

$1,273

$1,231

$1,668

$2,287

Driving without lights

$1,062

$1,082

$1,231

$1,668

$3,330

Running a red light

$1,062

$1,273

$1,231

$1,668

$2,287

Following too closely

$1,243

$1,273

$1,231

$1,668

$2,287

Hit and run

$1,326

$2,327

$1,231

$2,006

$3,330

Not-at-fault accident

$914

$1,082

$1,124

$1,142

$1,501

Passing a school bus

$1,243

$1,593

$1,231

$1,668

$2,287

Reckless driving

$1,243

$1,419

$1,231

$2,006

$3,330

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Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI in Washington

Company

Rates for drivers with DUIs

State Farm

$1,231

PEMCO Insurance

$1,326

GEICO

$2,006

USAA

$2,245

Nationwide

$3,330

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket in Washington

Company

Rates for drivers with speeding tickets

PEMCO Insurance

$1,062

State Farm

$1,231

USAA

$1,273

GEICO

$2,006

Nationwide

$2,287

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with bad credit in Washington

Washington recently eliminated the use of credit as a factor when setting car insurance rates by issuing an emergency rule, but this change may not already have been applied to every driver, so drivers with poor credit scores may still be paying more for car insurance.

Car insurance costs in Washington cities

Drivers who live in cities often pay more for car insurance than those who live in rural areas. More people on the road means more accidents, which raises the overall cost of car insurance. Here are the average car insurance rates in the ten largest cities in Washington by population.

  • Seattle: $2,182

  • Spokane: $1,744

  • Tacoma: $2,188

  • Vancouver: $1,896

  • Bellevue: $1,988

  • Kent: $2,220

  • Everett: $2,021

  • Spokane Valley: $1,643

  • Renton: $2,146

  • Kirkland: $1,926

If you live in a city with high rates, shopping around for coverage, bundling policies, and maintaining a good driving record are the easiest ways to save money.

Find car insurance in your city:

Ready to shop car insurance?

Buying car insurance in Washington

Washington state law says that all vehicles have the following minimum liability insurance requirements:

  • Bodily Injury Liability Coverage per person: $25,000

  • Bodily Injury Liability Coverage per accident: $50,000 

  • Property Damage Liability Coverage: $10,000

Washington state allows drivers who don't have liability coverage to choose one of these alternate forms of coverage:

  • Apply for a certificate of deposit to guarantee financial responsibility for an accident with the state’s Department of Licensing

  • Have a liability bond of at least $60,000

Washington has low minimum liability requirements, which won’t be enough protection for most drivers. Remember that Washington is an at-fault state when it comes to car accidents. That means that the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident must pay for the other party’s medical bills and repair costs, up to the limits of the policy.

The state also follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which says if more than one driver is responsible for an accident, each settlement claim is reduced accordingly.

How to get cheap car insurance in Washington

The cost of insurance in Washington tends to go up over time, even for good drivers. Fortunately, most insurance companies offer a range of discounts, some of the most common include:

  • Safe-Driver Discount: For drivers without any recent accident claims 

  • Military Discount: A discount for active-duty service members and their families

  • Bundling Discount: For combining home and auto or another policy from the same company

  • Multi-car discount: For having more than one car on your policy

  • Customer Loyalty: For customers with policies in effect for more than a year

You might not qualify for some of these discounts, so you should still be sure to shop around and compare quotes to find your cheapest rates.

Frequently asked questions

Who has the lowest car insurance in Washington?

PEMCO has the lowest average rates in the state, at $918 per year for full coverage.

What is the minimum car insurance in Washington state?

State law in Washington requires drivers to have minimum liability levels of 25/50/10.

Will a speeding ticket make my insurance go up in WA?

In Washington, a single speeding ticket can raise by more than $250 annually with some car insurance companies, but how much your rates will increase may vary.

How much is car insurance per month in Washington?

Drivers in Washington pay an average of $1,730 per year, which breaks down to $144 per month.

Authors

Gianetta Palmer is a contributing writer at Policygenius, where she covers life insurance, home insurance, and auto insurance. Her writing has also appeared in TIME, Readers Digest, Healthline, and elsewhere.

Rachael Brennan is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.

Editor

Anna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.

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