At $455, it would take 31 hours of minimum wage work for a teenager to pay the average cost of car insurance in Washington. Good grades, sports, and other extracurriculars become a challenge with that high price. Young adults in their 20s see more than a $175 price slash compared to the less-experienced teenage drivers.

It's the Washingtonians in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who finally slide below the average monthly cost for residents of the state. Seniors pay nearly $300 less than the youngest age category of driver.

Men in Washington pay an average of $16 per month more than women for car insurance. There are a couple reasons behind that trend: men drive more expensive vehicles, and women statistically tend to be less risky drivers––and are therefore less expensive to insure.

In Washington, married drivers pay an average of $25 less than their single counterparts for car insurance. That may not seem like much, but it averages out to over $300 per year. That’s because insurance companies generally consider married drivers to be less risky to insure than singletons.

Washington requires drivers to carry liability insurance to pay if they injure others or damage their property. The law says you must have $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person and $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 in property damage liability per accident. If you want to protect your car, buy comprehensive and collision coverage.

It’s perfectly legal in Washington for insurance companies to use credit score as a factor in determining car insurance rates.

It's no big deal for most Washingtonians because the difference between poor, average, and good is just $7 or less. When you move from good to excellent credit, that's when you see $20 savings per month, which translates to $240 a year. Washington drivers with credit scores of over 800 are in an excellent position to save on their premiums.

"Safety first" is not just a mantra that saves lives. It also saves money. Common sense tells us that the safest drivers will pay the least, and safe drivers qualify for "good driver" and "accident-free" discounts. But what if your record is less than perfect?

Drivers with a speeding ticket in Washington will pay $14 more per month on average—plus fines. Drivers with an at-fault accident on their insurance record should expect to see monthly rates increase by around $40. Accidents happen, but driving safely and keeping a clean record are the best ways to avoid rate hikes. Remember, violations and accidents will stay on your insurance history for years to come. Still, you can still take a defensive driver course to reduce your monthly payment.