Home Car insurance Car insurance rates by state The best, cheapest car insurance in Washington The best, cheapest car insurance in Washington View Carriers Please enter valid zip Compare top carriers in your area Written by Mark Vallet Mark Vallet Mark is a freelance journalist and analyst with over 15 years of experience covering the insurance industry. Reviewed by John McCormick John McCormick John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology. Expert insight from Tim Bottini Tim Bottini Insurance agent, Country FinancialGo to comment Updated on: April 4, 2024 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Our takePEMCO is the best insurer in Washington, based on Insure.com research of state rates and third-party rankings. PEMCO received 3.39 out of 5 stars.Best car insurance company in WashingtonDrivers in Washington pay an average of $1,608 a year or $134 a month for car insurance coverage which makes it the 42nd most expensive state in the country.Even though car insurance is pretty expensive in Washington, it is possible to find affordable coverage with top insurers such as Geico, PEMCO, Travelers, and other insurers.PEMCO is our choice for the best car insurance in Washington. It finished first in our rankings with 3.39 out of 5 stars and an average premium of $1,326 a year, or $111 a month, which is $282 less than the state average.Geico was second with a score of 3.37 stars followed by Travelers with 3.35 stars.The best car insurance companies in WashingtonCompany GroupNAICJ.D. PowerAM Best RatingScore (out of 5)PEMCO0.24831B++3.39Geico0.91797A++3.37Travelers0.49810A++3.35State Farm0.7821A++3.14Nationwide0.64810A+3.01Allstate0.65783A+2.96Farmers0.8796A2.84American Family1.1820A2.56Progressive0.65807A+2.48How we picked the top auto insurance companiesWhen choosing the top car insurance companies in the state, we not only looked at the average cost of coverage but also J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores, AM Best financial strength ratings and National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint rankings. National averages were used where state/regional data was not available.For each of the four metrics, we gave companies in each state from 1 to 5 (5 being the best) based on how they performed in each category.” Those components were then given the following weights to arrive at an overall star rating.Premiums: 25%JD Power: 30%AM Best: 25%NAIC: 20% You might find interesting Cheapest car insurance in WashingtonWashington car insurance calculatorNon-owner car insurance in Washington: Which company has the cheapest rates?Cheapest SR-22 insurance in WashingtonBest and cheapest companies for home and auto bundles in Washington Auto insurance premiums vary significantly from city to city, so drivers need to be sure they’re getting the best deal. Insure.com has done the research for you. Get more information on auto insurance rates by city below.Car insurance rates in Washington by cityBellevueSeattleSpokaneTacomaVancouverCheapest car insurance in WashingtonGeico has the cheapest average rate in the state at $1,171 a year.While Geico is the cheapest for many drivers, the perfect insurer for you may be a different company.Insurers consider a wide variety of factors when setting a premium including your driving record, credit score, age, marital status as well the vehicle. Where you live also affects rates.“States that have a higher rate of severe weather that damages cars or helps cause accidents will typically have higher rates,” says Chong Gao, director of product management R&D at Mercury Insurance. “Florida, for example, is prone to extreme weather like hurricanes and its car insurance costs are consequently much higher.”Insurance companies crunch all this data with proprietary algorithms, which can result in dramatic differences in premium quotes.The data clearly shows the range of premiums for similar drivers.In Washington, as mentioned earlier, the cheapest policy is with Geico with an average rate of $1,171 a year. PEMCO follows with an average premium of $1,326 a year or $111 a month and Travelers with premiums of” $1,503 a year or $125 a month.Progressive is the most expensive insurer with an average premium of $2,554.Make sure you are getting all available discounts that you qualify for to sure you are paying the best rates. Ask your agent to do a discount review of your policy.The list below shows the cheapest full-coverage car insurance rates in Washington for a 40-year-old driver of a Honda Accord LX.CompanyAverage annual premiumAverage monthly premiumGeico$1,171$98PEMCO$1,326$111Travelers$1,503$125Nationwide$1,658$138Farmers$1,714$143American Family$1,750$146Allstate$1,766$147State Farm$1,794$150Progressive$2,554$213Full coverage car insurance in WashingtonAs noted, the rates above are for full coverage car insurance. Full coverage car insurance simply means you are carrying liability and any other state requirements as well as collision and comprehensive.Full coverage insurance includes collision and comprehensive, which protects your own vehicle. Collision insurance will pay to repair your vehicle when it is damaged after colliding with another vehicle or object. Comprehensive covers damage that is done by perils such as fire, theft, flooding, vandalism, and more.Learn more about liability, collision and comprehensive coverage here.Shopping for car insurance in WashingtonShopping around for coverage is a great way to make sure you are getting the best rates on your auto insurance. Experts often tell consumers to shop for insurance yearly. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should be looking to switch.“I recommend that people stay with the same insurance company, as they tend to get a better rate when they have been with the same carrier for more than 12 months.” The more tenure you have with a carrier,” the more potential there is to earn benefits,” says Tim Bottini, a Country Financial insurance agent based in St. Louis. “The carrier can also review your claims history and provide information about applicable discounts.”But make sure you are comparing like coverage levels and deductibles.“It is extremely important to make sure you start off with an apples-to-apples comparison,” Bottini says. “However, if a person has low limits, say 25/50/25 – limit per person/per occurrence/limit for property damage – I am going to recommend and quote at least 50/100/100. Depending on their age/income and profession, I would quote higher limits to protect their net worth and earnings potential.”Bottini also says people can save money on their car insurance by keeping their credit score up, following the speed limit and placing both home and auto insurance with the same carrier.Cheapest car insurance in Washington by ageInsurance companies consider your age when setting a premium and teens and young adults pay more for coverage as statistics show that young drivers, because they are inexperienced, have more accidents and claims.”Regardless of your age, in Washington, Geico is the most affordable coverage with an average rate of $1,171 a year.As teens transition into young adults and get more experience under their belt rates start to drop. By their mid to late-20s (assuming they keep their record clean) driver rates should stabilize and then stay stable until the driver moves into their 70s when rates will start climbing again.Cheapest car insurance for senior drivers in WashingtonSeniors in the state pay more for coverage than all other driver groups, except for teens. Geico is the most affordable option for seniors with a yearly premium of $1,142 or $95 a month. Travelers was the second cheapest at $1,512 and Nationwide rounded out the top three at $1,516.Seniors tend to pay more for coverage due to age. Many seniors suffer from vision and hearing issues as well as slowing reflexes. In addition, medications they may take can impact their driving. All of these factors combined lead to more accidents and claims which will result in a higher premium.The chart below shows the average premium for senior drivers.CompanyAverage annual premiumAverage monthly premiumGeico$1,142$95Travelers$1,512$126Nationwide$1,516$126PEMCO$1,655$138State Farm$1,741$145Farmers$1,810$151Allstate$1,856$155American Family$2,021$168Progressive$2,726$227Car insurance for young drivers in WashingtonWhile young adults pay less than teen drivers, they still pay more than older more experienced drivers. The best choice for young adults (early 20s) in Washington is PEMCO with an annual rate of $1,984 or $165 a month.Geico had the second cheapest premium at $2,150 a year followed by Farmers was third at $2,160.If young drivers keep their driving record clean, their rates will drop down as they move out of their 20s.The table below shows the best insurers for young drivers in Washington:CompanyAverage annual premiumAverage monthly premiumPEMCO$1,984$165Geico$2,150$179Farmers$2,160$180Travelers$2,309$192American Family$2,316$193Allstate$2,603$217Nationwide$2,690$224State Farm$2,936$245Progressive$4,299$358Car insurance for teen drivers in WashingtonAdding a teen to a car insurance policy will always push up the rate. Teens are the least experienced drivers out on the road which leads to more accidents and claims and higher premiums.“Teen drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents due to their lack of driving experience and tendency to engage in risky behaviors like speeding,” says Eliezer Zupnick, founder of East Leads Group LLC. “Teens are involved in three times as many auto accidents per mile compared to drivers aged 20 and up, making them a high-risk category for insurers.”For Washington teens, PEMCO is the most affordable option with a premium of $3,514 a year or $293 a month. Travelers is the next most affordable at $4,100 a year or $342 a month followed by Farmers running $4,670 a year.If your teen has a B average or better, ask for a good student discount to help save a bit of money. Having your teen drive an older vehicle will also help save some money. If the car is old enough that you wouldn’t repair it after an accident, you may be able to drop collision and comprehensive.The chart below shows average premiums for teens in Washington:CompanyAverage annual premiumAverage monthly premiumPEMCO$3,514$293Travelers$4,100$342Farmers$4,670$389American Family$4,701$392State Farm$4,794$400Geico$5,008$417Nationwide$6,019$502Allstate$6,580$548Progressive$8,874$740Average cost of car insurance in WashingtonIn Washington, the average premium is $1,608, which makes Washington the 42nd most expensive state for coverage.All states have large metropolitan areas, which will always push up the cost of insurance as more vehicles on the road lead to more accidents and claims. A high crime rate will also impact rates.“If a state has a higher rate of car insurance claims associated with vandalism or car theft, prices are usually higher because car insurance companies view insuring these cars as a higher risk for them,” says Chong Gao, director of product management R&D at Mercury Insurance.The chart below is the average rate in each state for a 40-year-old driver of a 2023 Honda Accord LX.Average annual premiumAverage monthly premium$1,608 $134 Which Washington ZIP codes are most expensive for car insurance?Where your vehicle spends its days and nights will impact your rate. Frequent severe weather or a high crime rate will raise the cost of insurance for everyone in the area.Our data shows that Tukwila is the most expensive area for coverage with an average premium of $2,085 a year.Here are the most expensive ZIP codes in Washington for car insurance:CityAverage annual PremiumTukwila$2,085Bryn Mawr-Skyway$2,071White Center$2,040SEATAC$2,027Federal Way$2,021East Hill-Meridian$2,017Kent$2,009Parkland$1,998Des Moines$1,997Tacoma$1,988Which Washington ZIP codes are the cheapest for car insurance?The cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in Washington tend to be in rural areas where there are fewer people and cars which leads to lower accident and claim rates. Malden has the most affordable ZIP code in Washington with an annual premium of $1,331.CityAverage annual PremiumMalden$1,331 Ardenvoir$1,355 Sequim$1,362 Lopez Island$1,364 Port Townsend$1,367 Olga$1,373 Friday Harbor$1,374 Anacortes$1,376 Eastsound$1,380 Port Angeles$1,381 Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers in WashingtonIf you have an at-fault accident, DUI or speeding ticket on your driving record, your insurer may consider you a high-risk driver and will push up the cost of your coverage.A speeding ticket increases the average premium to $2,014 and will stay on your record and impact your premium for three years.If you are responsible for an accident, your rates will push the average cost of coverage to $2,184.A DUI is considered a major violation and will raise the average premium to $2,666.The table below shows the average increase for drivers with an incident on their record:Profile GroupsAverage annual premiumRates after IncidentRates increase after incident ($)Rates increase after incident (%)At-Fault Accident$1,351$2,184$83362%DUI$1,351$2,666$1,31497%Speeding$1,351$2,014$66249%Minimum car insurance requirements in WashingtonMost states require all drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage to drive legally. Washington requires drivers to carry 25/50/10 in liability coverage, which translates into:$25k for bodily injury and $50,000 for death for a person involved in an accident$50k for bodily injury and $100,000 for death for two or more people in an accident$10k for property damage for a single accidentThese required minimums are fairly average when compared to other states. However, these minimums are rarely enough coverage if you are involved in a serious accident. Once your coverage levels are exceeded, you will be on the hook for any remaining damage.Experts typically recommend carrying 100/300/50 as a minimum liability coverage level.What our expert says Q: Is it a good idea to switch insurers? Tim BottiniInsurance agent, Country Financial “I recommend that people stay with the same insurance company, as they tend to get a better rate when they have been with the same carrier for more than 12 months. The more tenure you have with a carrier, the more potential there is to earn benefits. The carrier can also review your claims history and provide information about applicable discounts.” How much is car insurance in other statesAlaska$1,676/YearAlabama$1,860/YearArkansas$1,957/YearArizona$1,812/YearCalifornia$2,416/YearColorado$2,337/YearConnecticut$1,725/YearWashington D.C.$2,157/YearDelaware$2,063/YearFlorida$2,694/YearGeorgia$1,970/YearHawaii$1,517/YearIowa$1,630/YearIdaho$1,428/YearIllinois$1,532/YearIndiana$1,515/YearKansas$1,900/YearKentucky$2,228/YearLouisiana$2,883/YearMassachusetts$1,726/YearMaryland$1,746/YearMaine$1,175/YearMichigan$2,266/YearMinnesota$1,911/YearMissouri$1,982/YearMississippi$2,008/YearMontana$2,193/YearNorth Carolina$1,741/YearNorth Dakota$1,665/YearNebraska$1,902/YearNew Hampshire$1,265/YearNew Jersey$1,902/YearNew Mexico$2,049/YearNevada$2,060/YearNew York$1,870/YearOhio$1,417/YearOklahoma$2,138/YearOregon$1,678/YearPennsylvania$1,872/YearRhode Island$2,061/YearSouth Carolina$2,009/YearSouth Dakota$2,280/YearTennessee$1,677/YearTexas$2,043/YearUtah$1,825/YearVirginia$1,469/YearVermont$1,319/YearWisconsin$1,664/YearWest Virginia$2,005/YearWyoming$1,758/YearShow moreMark ValletContributing Researcher | . .Mark is a freelance journalist and analyst with over 15 years of experience covering the insurance industry. 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Part 1: How insurance companies spot bogus claims Insurance options for rideshare drivers 10 things that are illegal but shouldn’t be 1/1 On this page Our takeBest car insurance company in WashingtonHow we picked the top auto insurance companiesCheapest car insurance in WashingtonFull coverage car insurance in WashingtonShopping for car insurance in WashingtonCheapest car insurance in Washington by ageAverage cost of car insurance in WashingtonWhich Washington ZIP codes are most expensive for car insurance?Which Washington ZIP codes are the cheapest for car insurance?Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers in WashingtonMinimum car insurance requirements in WashingtonWhat our expert says ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates