Average Car Insurance Cost in Washington (2024)
Drivers in Washington pay $114 per month, on average, for car insurance.
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Written byJanet Berry-Johnson
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8+ years writing about insurance, taxes, and personal finance
Certified public accountant
Janet applies her experience in personal finance, taxes, and accounting to make complex financial topics accessible. Her byline has appeared on numerous web media.
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Edited bySara Getman
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga and crocheting.
Updated November 20, 2024
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Table of contents
Car insurance in Washington averages around $114 per month — slightly lower than the national average of $154. The Evergreen State’s temperate climate means fewer weather-related claims, but it has a high rate of uninsured drivers.[1]
Understanding the factors that go into setting car insurance rates and comparing quotes from multiple companies can help you secure affordable premiums.
Quick Facts
The average annual cost of car insurance in Washington is $908 per year for liability only and $1,833 per year for full coverage.
Car insurance rates vary across cities due to traffic, crime rates, and weather patterns, which affect local accidents and claim statistics.
Washington has a relatively large number of uninsured drivers on its roads, leading to higher rates on uninsured motorist coverage for insured drivers.[1]
What’s the average cost of car insurance in Washington?
Car insurance in Washington costs an average of $76 per month for liability-only coverage and $153 for full coverage.
Liability-only policies help cover bodily injury and property damage costs if you cause an accident that injures someone else or damages another person’s property. Liability-only coverage doesn’t protect your own vehicle or passengers.
Full-coverage policies include liability coverage but add comprehensive and collision coverage. Comprehensive insurance helps cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle after non-collision incidents, like theft, vandalism, or falling tree limbs. Collision insurance helps cover damage to your car after an accident.
The table below shows the cheapest rates for liability and full-coverage insurance in Washington.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Auto | $77 | $47 |
| State Farm | $119 | $52 |
| USAA | $121 | $53 |
| Safeco | $126 | $79 |
| GEICO | $146 | $64 |
| National General | $148 | $83 |
| Allstate | $157 | $69 |
| Liberty Mutual | $159 | $156 |
| The General | $175 | $97 |
| American Family | $179 | $78 |
| Nationwide | $184 | $81 |
| Chubb | $199 | $87 |
| Farmers | $209 | $92 |
| Travelers | $244 | $107 |
| Dairyland | $275 | $122 |
| Bristol West | $290 | $127 |
| Foremost | $325 | $118 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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Average Washington car insurance rates by city
Car insurance rates vary from city to city — even within the same state — due to a variety of factors like population density, traffic congestion, and local crime rates in that location. For example, cities with higher traffic tend to have more accidents, leading to higher car insurance premiums.[2]
The table below shows average rates across several major cities in Washington state.
City ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Way | $268 | $126 |
| Kennewick | $115 | $62 |
| Seattle | $212 | $99 |
| Spokane | $123 | $73 |
| Tacoma | $181 | $96 |
| Vancouver | $143 | $73 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Average Washington car insurance rates by age
Age plays a big part in determining car insurance rates. Insurance companies consider young drivers more at risk of accidents due to their limited experience.
Teen drivers and young adults usually face the highest premiums. As Washington drivers age and gain experience, rates tend to decrease. But older drivers see their rates increase in their 70s due to age-related factors that may affect their driving abilities.
This table shows Washington drivers’ average car insurance rates by age group.
Average Rates by Driver Age
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
How gender affects car insurance rates in Washington
Gender is another factor insurers consider when calculating car insurance rates. Men often pay more than women based on statistical data showing that men, particularly young men, tend to practice high-risk driving behaviors and have more accidents than women. That gender gap gets smaller as drivers age.
The table below shows the state average rates for males and females at different ages.
Age ▲▼ | Male ▲▼ | Female ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | $366 | $294 |
| 35 | $187 | $170 |
| 50 | $145 | $137 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
How your driving record affects car insurance rates in Washington
Your driving record has a big effect on your car insurance rates. Insurance companies view a clean driving record as an indication of a lower-risk driver and charge lower premiums. But an at-fault accident, speeding ticket, or driving under the influence (DUI) conviction signals higher risk, and insurance companies tend to give a rate increase to high-risk drivers to offset potential claims.[3]
Maintaining a clean driving record keeps your average premiums down and helps you qualify for good driver discounts.
Driver Record ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Clean record | $153 | $76 |
| With accident | $235 | $117 |
| With speeding ticket | $228 | $113 |
| With DUI | $265 | $132 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Average Washington car insurance rates by marital status
Insurance companies generally offer lower premiums to married drivers compared to single drivers. Married people are statistically less likely to have serious accidents[4] and can more often take advantage of multi-car discounts.
But marital status doesn’t have a big effect on car insurance rates in Washington. As shown in the table below, liability-only and full-coverage car insurance rates are neck and neck for single policyholders and married couples.
Marital Status ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $191 | $87 |
| Married | $190 | $86 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Cheapest recent rates in Washington
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $34/mo for liability only and $51/mo for full coverage in Washington.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 20, 2024
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from November 20, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 20, 2024
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from November 20, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Average Washington car insurance rates by credit tier
The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner allows insurance companies to use customers’ credit history when setting car insurance rates.[5]
Insurance companies use a special credit-based insurance score to predict the likelihood of policyholders filing claims. They view people with higher credit as less likely to file claims, which leads to lower car insurance premiums. Low credit is associated with higher risk and higher premiums.[3]
In Washington, rates don’t change drastically for people with good credit. But premiums for drivers with poor credit jump significantly — especially for full-coverage policies.
Credit Tier ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | $173 | $78 |
| Good | $182 | $83 |
| Fair | $180 | $82 |
| Poor | $213 | $97 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Washington car insurance FAQs
Check out the additional information below about car insurance in Washington to help you better understand your coverage options when looking for cheap car insurance.
What is the average cost of car insurance per month in Washington state?
In Washington, car insurance averages $114 per month. Your rates may vary depending on your age, driving record, marital status, and the type of insurance coverage you select.
What is the cheapest car insurance in Washington?
Liability-only coverage at the state-mandated minimums is the cheapest car insurance option in Washington. Direct Auto, State Farm, and USAA offer the lowest rates for liability-only coverage, although you may find a lower rate from other companies based on your unique circumstances.
To find the cheapest companies, it’s important to shop around and get car insurance quotes from multiple companies or an independent insurance agent.
What are the best auto insurance companies in Washington?
State Farm, GEICO, and USAA all receive high overall Insurify Quality (IQ) Scores and offer affordable rates in Washington. But you might find the best deal on the coverage you need from other insurers based on factors like driving record, age, ZIP code, vehicle type, and others.
Why is car insurance so expensive in Washington?
Car insurance costs in Washington can be relatively high because traffic congestion leads to more accidents and expensive claims. Traffic congestion is especially high in densely populated King County and Pierce County — the home of Seattle, Federal Way, and Tacoma — leading to higher insurance costs in these areas than in the rest of the state.[6]
In addition, Washington has a relatively large number of uninsured drivers on its roads, leading to higher rates on uninsured motorist coverage for insured drivers.[1]
What are the car insurance requirements in Washington?
In Washington, the state-mandated minimum-coverage limits are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $10,000 for property damage per accident.
But remember, finding the most affordable car insurance shouldn’t be your only goal. A full-coverage insurance policy with collision and comprehensive coverage offers more protection if you’re in a car accident or face other claims.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
Sources
- III. "Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists."
- Ct.gov. "Territorial Rating for Auto Insurance."
- III. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
- National Library of Medicine. "Motor vehicle driver injury and marital status: a cohort study with prospective and retrospective driver injuries."
- Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. "Credit scores and insurance."
- Office of Financial Management. "Population density by county."
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Janet Berry-Johnson
Janet Berry-Johnson, CPA is a freelance writer with a background in accounting and income tax planning and preparation. She's passionate about making complicated financial topics accessible to readers. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and son and their rescue dog, Dexter. Visit her website at www.jberryjohnson.com.
Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga and crocheting.