There are certain requirements that the state of Washington’s vehicle insurance regulations have in common with other states, most notably the inclusion of injury and property damage liability in any car insurance policy. There are also notable differences, however, which is inevitably the case in any state-run program.

All vehicles registered and insured in Washington must carry a minimum of $25,000 in injury liability to a single person and $10,000 in property liability. The minimum to cover all parties involved in an accident is $50,000 in Washington state. This coverage applies to persons and property other than that of the policy holder. It could cover damages to another vehicle in the accident, or a passenger in the policy holder’s car. These coverages can be increased on the policy holder’s car insurance if so desired, but no insurance company can offer less than these amounts in their basic car insurance quotes. Car insurance companies are also obligated to offer prospective clients the option of purchasing personal injury protection or PIP coverage, but customers do have the option of declining this offer in writing. This type of insurance is “no-fault” and will cover the driver themselves in the event of a collision.

In addition, insurance companies in Washington must offer what is known as underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage in all car insurance quotes. Again, this is a mandatory offer, but not mandatory to carry. Clients can decline or reduce the amount of the coverage of this type offered by signing a waiver or reduction form. Certain vehicles, such as motorcycles, are exempt from these laws, and companies with over 26 vehicles may choose to self-insure their vehicles with the permission of the state insurance department. Any vehicle found not in compliance with these regulations will be subject to at least a $450 fine.

Car insurance rates in Washington were listed at an average of approximately $1,800 annually, which is $100 more expensive that the $1,700 national average. This is mostly due to the higher-than-average amounts of both injury and property liability required by state law. Although these higher coverage requirements will mean higher premiums for consumers, they may make all the difference in a collision. Costs of both property repair and injury rehabilitation can skyrocket extremely quickly, leaving even parties who were not at fault with large medical bills and no means of transportation. The combination of liability insurance and offers of PIP and uninsured/underinsured coverage can mean that an auto insurance quote in Washington state can seem quite expensive at the outset. With the amount of declinable coverage, however, there are options to bring the policy premium down to a far more manageable level, depending on budget needs.