How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Washington State?
Get the best and cheapest auto insurance in Washington State!
“I saved a ton of time letting MyInsuranceShark shop for the lowest car insurance rates. I started calling around and it was taking 20 minutes per insurance company. I filled out the online form in a few minutes and got the best quote for my car. Easy!” – Philip Xavier – Washington Car Owner
The Ultimate Guide to Auto Insurance in Washington State
If you intend to drive a car in Washington, it is mandatory to have yourself registered under at least one of the following –
- Auto Insurance
- Certificate of Deposit
- Self-Insured
- Liability Bond
People mostly opt for full coverage auto insurance policy for their car, as this is easier then the other options and the rates are quite moderate based on the coverage they provide. An average car insurance Washington State comes with a monthly payment rate of $125, or an annual payment rate of $1,499.
How Much Car Insurance Do I Need in Washington?
A car insurance is basically designed to safeguard the driver as well as the passengers from any financial issues, in case of an accident, or any issues related to their car.
It is recommended to get insurance when you buy a car, not just because it is the law but the protection car insurance affords beyond the law are extremely helpful. If you have an older auto you may need classic car insurance and if you don’t own a car you may need non-owner car insurance. In case of an accident, the victim might sue the driver, and the driver has to pay a huge amount as compensation.
Here’s where the insurance comes in handy and performs its magical. If the driver has a car insurance, then the insurance company protects the driver from paying that huge sum.
Types of Car Insurance
Liability Coverage
Liability Coverage covers for the harms caused by the vehicle to other people. It covers both injuries to a person’s body as well as property. So, if an accident or harm is caused to someone else and you owe them money, then the liability coverage not only pays for that, but also for the attorney if one is involved. Following is the monetary coverage that it pays for–
In any one accident, $25,000 is paid for 1 injured person.
In any one accident, $50,000 is paid for 2 injured persons.
In any one accident, $10,000 is paid for any property damage.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UMC) or Uninsured Motorist (UM) covers the harm caused to you, by another motorist. It works, only when the opposite party has either no liability coverage or an insufficient one. Though it is kind of optional, still it is to be included in the auto insurance policy. According to it-
In any one accident, $25,000 is paid for 1 injured person.
In any one accident, $50,000 is paid for 2 injured persons.
In any one accident, $5,000 is paid for any property damage.
Personal Injury Protection Coverage
Personal Injury Protection Coverage (PIP) pays for the medical expanses regardless of whose fault it was. So, one can claim for the insurance in case of any accident. It can be of three types depending on the one you choose-
$50,000-$100,000 for medical or rehabilitation purposes.
$12,000 or $24,000 for work loss coverage.
$4,000 for funeral process.
Collision Coverage
This is an optional kind of coverage in car insurance Washington State. If this type is bought then regardless of whose fault it was, the coverage pays for the damage caused to the car due to collision. Since, there are no stated laws for this, the terms are decided by the insurance company.
Comprehensive Coverage
It is another optional kind that covers damages caused to the car, other than collision. Like, damage caused due theft, natural calamities, vandalism etc. For this also the terms are decided by the insurance company.
Overall car insurance Washington State is mandatory, so you may choose whichever you want. But, it is always advisable to go for an auto insurance policy, as it saves you a lot of money and risk and allows you to drive around tension free.
Towing
Reimburses you for the cost of towing your vehicle to your home or the nearest auto repair facility.
Rental Reimbursement
Pays the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is in the repair shop.
If you hurt or kill my client in a car accident that is your fault. I will sue you for damages including pain and suffering. Make sure you have enough liability insurance to protect your assets (home equity, savings/investments, and wages). If you don’t, then any settlement amount above your liability limits will come out of your own pocket. Consider a Personal Liability Umbrella if your assets exceed $1,000,000.
Car Insurance Lawyer, Washington
CHAPTER 2:
How Do I Get a Washington Car Insurance Quotes?
There is no doubt that it is mandatory to get your vehicle insured. Driving your car on the roads without insurance is an offense and it could land you into lot of trouble should there be an accident or other such problems.
There are many auto insurance companies and therefore getting the right policy for your vehicle should not be a big problem.
The Key to Getting an Online Car Insurance Quote
However, choosing the best Washington auto insurance quotes could be a confusing decision for many because there are so many companies offering car insurance. You must know where and how to look for them and the internet certainly has a big role to play.
Today, most of the auto insurance policies are sold online and therefore you must know how to make the best use of the internet. We will try and find out the ways and means by which you can get the best possible insurance quotes for your automobile.
Do Some Thorough Research
As mentioned above, the internet is the best place where you will be able to get the best possible rates and auto insurance policies. Therefore, you must spend some time researching on the internet, using the right keywords.
Inputting suitable keywords will give you a list of agents as well as insurance companies who sell their auto insurance policies directly to customers. This will help you to broad base your search and identify at least a dozen such service providers.
Be Sure About Your Requirements
Auto insurance companies require some basic information based on which they can offer you quotes. They would ask for garage location, which in most cases is the location of your home where the vehicle usually is parked. If you have more than one such location, you must give the address where the vehicle stays parked for majority of the time.
Be Ready With Necessary Information About The Vehicle
While seeking online quotes, you must provide the necessary information required by the insurance companies. This could include the name of the car manufacturer, the model name, year of purchase, date purchased, odometer and various other pertinent details. In most cases there is a readymade template available and you must fill in all the relevant details correctly and accurately.
Add Driver Information
If the vehicle is being driven by more than one driver, then the necessary details should also be provided. There could be many situations where both the husband and wife could be sharing the same vehicle. If so, you must give relevant details like their age, and driving license details. Most insurance companies require information concerning all licensed drivers living at the residence.
You might also be required to share information about your driving track record and the tickets you might have gathered over a period of time. This could impact the cost of your insurance policy quite significantly.
Fully Complete the Online Car Insurance Application
Once you have shortlisted a few auto insurance agents or companies, you must ensure that you fill up all the relevant details completely, fully and accurately. This will help you to get the best possible quotes and also avoid unnecessary delays and moving of information back and forth. This could even lead to increased premium costs because in many cases, the rates are valid only for a certain period of time.
If you are looking to buy car insurance, then there are several factors that you need to consider in order to get the auto insurance that suits you best.
This way, if you are aware of the guidelines that insurance companies use to determine the price for car insurance, then you can perhaps influence those factors so that you can get a better and affordable car insurance deal.
Factors That Influence The Cost of Auto Insurance
Thus, the ability to get low-cost car insurance will be in your hands by being aware of the criteria for determination of your car insurance rates. Below are the factors that determine car insurance prices.
Age Group
The most important criterion for determining car insurance cost is the age group of the driver who is going to get insured. In principle, if you are of older age, then you will be considered in a lower risk group and thus you will be able to get your car insurance for a cheaper price.
Gender
Research shows men are more likely to crash particularly in their early driving years.Women are considered a low-risk group and thus get a lower price for their car insurance policy.
Driver’s Record
If you have a driving record that is filled with accident records, speeding tickets, and other violations; then, of course, you will be considered in a high-risk group and thus you will have a more expensive insurance quote as a result.
However, if you have a good record, then you will be able to have a better pricing for your auto insurance policy.
Car Type
Owning a high-priced car will cause you to have a higher insurance premium and having a low-cost car will result in low-cost insurance premiums.
Also, the historic cost to repair the car and the amount of damage certain cars cause other property and bodily injury is taken in consideration.
Car Safety
The relative safety factors that you provide for your vehicle is also an important factor in determining the car insurance cost. If you have a closed garage and if you have an advanced alarm system for your car (as well as for your garage), then your auto insurance costs can be lowered considerably. Make sure that the insurance company knows about the safety conditions that you provide for your car.
Frequency of Usage
The car mileage, as well as the frequency of usage for your car, are vital in determining the cost of insurance. If you use your car too frequently, then you are considered to be in a higher risk group and thus your insurance premiums will go up.
Credit Rating
If you have a bad credit rating, then this will also affect your insurance premiums. If you have a negative report with a low credit score, then you will be considered as a higher risk group and thus your average cost of car insurance will be higher than normal.
Thus, if you want to get a lower price, then it is important for you to maintain a clean credit history so that you can get better prices.
Claims Record of Driver
If you have a bad credit rating, then this will also affect your insurance premiums. If you have a negative report with a low credit score, then you will be considered as a higher risk group and thus your average cost of car insurance will be higher than normal.
Thus, if you want to get a lower price, then it is important for you to maintain a clean credit history so that you can get better prices.
There are many things in life that you must have in Washington. Car insurance is one of those things.
Most people cannot afford to pay for all the costs associated with an accident. Car insurance helps cover the cost of injuries and damages that are a direct result of an accident. This is why it is so important that you have car insurance.
Just because you must have car insurance does not mean that you have to pay a lot for it. In fact, you should always shop for the best deal possible. You can make sure that you are getting the best deal when you compare car insurance in Washington.
Car Insurance Comparison Can Decease Your Rates
You should compare car insurance before you purchase any new car insurance policy. You should also compare prices periodically to make sure you are still getting the best deal possible.
Finding great deals on car insurance in Washington may not be a daunting task. Adverts for cheap car insurance can be found everywhere. You may even have some websites and phone numbers memorized due to the prevalence of car insurance advertising. If not, you can do a quick search online using your favorite search engine. This will likely provide you with numerous deals that you would not have found otherwise.
Once you find a few great deals, you need to compare car insurance so that you can find the best car insurance policy to meet your individual needs. Pay attention to the following:
Premium
The premium is the amount of money that you will pay for the car insurance. Be careful not to compare car insurance based on premium alone. There are many factors that can affect the cost of a policy, and the lowest premium might not be attached to the best policy.
Deductible
The deductible is the amount of money that you will have to pay out of pocket for any claim that you file. The excess that you choose directly affects the cost of your policy.
Coverage
Make sure that you understand all that is covered and not covered when you compare car insurance. What looks like a great deal may turn out to be a stingy policy that doesn’t give you protection when you need it.
Discounts
Always ask for all discounts that you are eligible for. Don’t think that you won’t be eligible. There are several different types of discounts to choose from. Different insurers offer different discounts so be sure to ask.
Reputation & Reviews
Check the reviews and the official insurer ratings of the car insurance companies you’re comparing.
Reviews are generally unbiased assessments that former or current buyers give online about the experience they had with the company in question. These can very good places to start as the reviews are mostly not sugar-coated. Insurer rating may also give you a lot of information about the car insurance company that you are considering to do business with.
What auto insurance features are you looking for?
Determine what features you want for your car insurance policy before you call companies asking for a quote. Before you get on the phone or start contacting insurance companies online, think carefully about what you need to meet your minimum needs.
Are you looking for a basic policy that meets the minimum legal requirements in the event you are involved in an accident, or do you want additional features such as roadside assistance, towing repair help or car rental coverage? Some companies will offer these things at no additional charge, while others charge a monthly fee for these features, so be sure and decide what you are looking for before you start placing those first calls requesting quotes. Otherwise, you will be easily convinced to sign up for things that you may not desire.
Car insurance is a necessity, but you can control the cost of it by comparing car insurance quotes. Never purchase a policy based on price alone. Always do a car insurance comparison so that you can be sure that you are getting the best deal and a policy that meets your needs.
When it comes to car insurance which is designed to protect you and your investment, you want to ensure that you are dealing with a financially stable and reputable insurance company.
However, with a plethora of insurance companies in Washington, finding the best can be quite a daunting task.
How to determine the best car insurance company in Washington?
Here are some effective tips to help you find the best insurance company in Washington.
Check the state’s insurance department website
Washington has an insurance department website that regulates auto insurers. This website contains valuable information about insurance companies such as licensing and complaint filings. It also includes the rate filings of the insurance company which means that you can see how often the provider requests to increase its rates as well as if the requests are granted.
Check financial stability
It is important to check the financial status of an insurance company so as to determine whether or not it will be able to pay your claims. You can check the financial strength rating on websites of companies such as Standard & Poor, A.M. Best, Fitch or Moody’s, and Fitch Group. Though most major insurance companies are safe bets, this information is helpful when dealing with lesser known companies.
Check licensing
All insurance companies in Washington must be licensed to operate. For your own peace of mind, ensure that you only deal with a licensed provider. You can confirm the license validity with the State’s department by phone or online.
Find out what the customers think
In order to determine whether or not you will be happy with a specific insurance company, you need to find out what the customers think. Request for contact details of at least five random customers and ask them information about the provider such as the length of time it takes to settle a claim, the ease of filing a claim and how easy it is to reach the customer service.
If you get all positive review, then you can hire the insurance company, if not, then consider looking somewhere else.
What is the cheapest car insurance in Washington?
This is one of the questions many car owners in Washington are looking for answers on online. If you are one of them, we have you sorted. In this article, we have explained steps you can use to find cheap car insurance Washington companies. Read on to learn more.
The Best Method for Getting Cheap Car Insurance in WA
The car owners in Washington with the cheapest auto insurance rates were not giving these rates, they earned them by following the steps outlined below.
Compare auto insurance quotes online
There are several third party websites you can use to compare car insurance quotes from different companies using your zip code. You don’t need to pay anything to compare quotes from top companies. These sites offer a free online resource for car owners interested in learning more about car insurance.
Compare quotes offline
You need to consult your area local phone book to know the number of insurance companies or agents near you. Then, you need to visit each of them to know how much they are asking for insurance premiums. During the visit, remember to take notes regarding how much they are asking.
Check for discounts
Most car insurance companies in Washington offer a variety of discounts to customers who insure multiple cars with one policy, agree to receive documents online, pay their entire annual premium at once, drivers who have a clean driving record and much more. You need to consult with agents or check car insurance company websites to find out which ones might apply to you.
Get recommendations
You need to ask your friends and family members to recommend the cheapest car insurance Washington companies for you. Ask them which company they use and how much they are paying in premiums. You are sure to receive an unbiased advice and opinion from them.
Review sites
You will know who offers the cheapest car insurance in Washington using consumer or expert reviews posted on various websites. Through these sites, you will know not only who offers the cheapest insurance but also who offers better services.
You might’ve heard buying from a national insurer is the way to go; but this isn’t always the case. So why buy from a local insurer?
When choosing a car insurance near me policy, you will realize many benefits.
Some reasons to buy car insurance locally are:
- Local car insurance agents are familiar with your city in Washington, so can offer the best quote in the area.
- Local agents know your city in Washington risk profile. Although a national agent has the data, local agents actually understand risk, knows the most common claims in the area, and can point you in the right direction when choosing a policy.
- They are there. As simple as it sounds, you can always pop in, ask questions, get new quote rates, or learn about other policy options as you desire.
Even though you might want to go through national, top insurers for auto policies, it pays off to at least shop locally. These are some reasons to consider a local Washington insurer/agent, when choosing your car insurance policy.
To get specific recommendations of car insurance agents in your city, please click on the link below.
Now It’s Your Turn
I hope you enjoyed my guide to car insurance in Washington State. What did you think of the guide?
Or maybe you have a question.
Either way, let me know by leaving a quick comment below right now.
Two weeks after I got renters insurance there was a fire at my apartment. Four units were destroyed. Fortunately my unit was sparred but my stuff smells like smoke. Almost all the renters who lost their belongings did not have renters insurance.
Kelsey Conner
Washington State
I started calling around to get renters insurance but it was taking me forever. I found this website and secured the cheapest renters insurance in a matter of minutes.
Damian Fillton
Washington Renter
