Best & Cheapest Car Insurance in Washington as Rated by Customers in 2024
Insurance is an important investment in anyone’s lives and when buying car insurance in Washington, you want to make sure you choose the right company. Clearsurance reviews are from unbiased customers like you, sharing their experiences with others. Our hope at Clearsurance is to help you better understand how a company performs before you even purchase a policy so you can select the best auto insurance in Washington. With thousands of car insurance reviews from unbiased policyholders, we have reviews and rankings for hundreds of car insurance companies so you can evaluate and compare the best Washington car insurance companies.
In the table above, you can sort through all the Washington car insurance companies ranked on Clearsurance. The rating next to each company — the insurer’s Clearsurance score — is based exclusively on the ratings provided by customers. Note: Only those companies with at least 25 car insurance reviews are eligible to appear in the best Washington car insurance rankings.
Interested in learning more about one of these Washington car insurance companies? You can visit the company’s profile page to find out what additional coverage they offer, any insurance discounts they offer and read car insurance reviews to learn from the experiences of other policyholders.
On this page:
- Who offers the cheapest teen car insurance rates in Washington?
- Who offers the cheapest car insurance rates for a married couple in Washington?
- Who offers the cheapest senior car insurance rates in Washington?
- 10 Cheapest areas in Washington for car insurance
- 10 Most expensive areas in Washington for car insurance
- Minimum car insurance coverage and limits in Washington
Who offers the cheapest teen car insurance rates in Washington?
Car insurance for teen drivers can be expensive because of the lack of driving experience. Younger drivers pay three times the national average because of the risk presented as inexperienced drivers. For teens in Washington state, the lowest rates can be found from PEMCO. In the table below, you can find average Washington teen car insurance rates for male and female drivers. The average premiums are listed for the five largest car insurance companies in Washington.
| Company | Female teen rates | Male teen rates |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate Insurance | $2,443 | $2,965 |
| Farmers Insurance Group | $2,472 | $2,848 |
| PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company | $1,013 | $1,060 |
| Safeco Insurance | $2,522 | $2,632 |
| State Farm Insurance Company | $1,165 | $1,250 |
These rates are based on profiles for 18-year-old male and female drivers in Washington. The car used was a 2015 Honda Civic EX. We used the minimum car insurance state limits. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates in Washington will differ. Insurance rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.
Who offers the cheapest car insurance rates for a married couple in Washington?
Drivers with a clean driving record can consider these companies because they offer the lowest average rates.
Out of the five largest companies in Washington, PEMCO offers the cheapest car insurance rates for married couples in Washington on average.
| Company | Married couple rates |
|---|---|
| Allstate Insurance | $1,727 |
| Farmers Insurance Group | $1,690 |
| PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company | $941 |
| Safeco Insurance | $2,011 |
| State Farm Insurance Company | $1,687 |
These rates are based on a 35-year-old married couple with two drivers and two vehicles on a policy. The cars used were two 2015 Toyota Highlander LEs. Full coverage was used with 100/300/50 limits and a $500 collision and comprehensive deductible. The drivers had 1 driving incident within the past 3 years and they both have a good credit score. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates in Washington will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.
Who offers the cheapest senior car insurance rates in Washington?
State Farm provides the cheapest car insurance rates for male and female senior drivers in Washington on average when compared with the other largest auto insurers in the state.
| Company | Female senior rates | Male senior rates |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate Insurance | $1,029 | $1,083 |
| Farmers Insurance Group | $856 | $1,009 |
| PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company | $744 | $804 |
| Safeco Insurance | $891 | $1,062 |
| State Farm Insurance Company | $724 | $724 |
These rates are based on profiles for 65-year-old male and female drivers. The car used for each was a 2015 Toyota Camry LE. Full coverage was used with 100/300/50 limits and a $500 collision and comprehensive deductible. The drivers had zero incidents within the past three years and a good credit score. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates in Washington will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.
What are the 10 cheapest areas in Washington for car insurance?
Since different areas of Washington state have higher risks of crime rate or car accidents, car insurance rates vary by location. The cheapest area in Washington for car insurance on average is Port Townsend. The table below displays the top 10 areas in Washington with the cheapest rates for a single adult.
| Area | Car insurance rates |
|---|---|
| Port Townsend | $921 |
| Sequim | $923 |
| Oak Harbor | $938 |
| Anacortes | $939 |
| Clallam Bay | $941 |
| Port Angeles | $941 |
| Friday Harbor | $942 |
| Port Hadlock | $943 |
| Eastsound | $943 |
| Forks | $944 |
These rates are based on a 35-year-old single adult with one driver and one vehicle on a policy. The car used was a 2015 Toyota Highlander LE. Full coverage was used with 100/300/50 limits and a $500 collision and comprehensive deductible. The driver had 1 driving incident within the past 3 years and had a good credit score. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates in Washington will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.
What are the 10 most expensive areas in Washington for car insurance?
On average, the most expensive area for car insurance in Washington is Seattle. The table below displays the top 10 most expensive areas in Washington for car insurance based on average rates for a single adult.
| Area | Car insurance rates |
|---|---|
| Seattle | $1,383 |
| Federal Way | $1,383 |
| Spanaway | $1,378 |
| Tacoma | $1,375 |
| Kent | $1,371 |
| Auburn | $1,370 |
| Pacific | $1,358 |
| Seahurst | $1,355 |
| Milton | $1,354 |
| Renton | $1,352 |
These rates are based on a 35-year-old single adult with one driver and one vehicle on a policy. The car used was a 2015 Toyota Highlander LE. Full coverage was used with 100/300/50 limits and a $500 collision and comprehensive deductible. The driver had 1 driving incident within the past 3 years and had a good credit score. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates in Washington will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.
What are the minimum car insurance coverage and liability limits in Washington?
Washington’s car insurance requirements are straightforward: drivers are required to buy liability insurance. This will help protect you from any damage you cause, or any injuries to another driver or their passengers in an at-fault accident. But liability insurance will not protect you or your vehicle in an accident that you cause. You also wouldn’t have protection if you’re in an accident with another driver who doesn’t have insurance or is underinsured.
That’s why Washington drivers would be wise to consider some optional coverages available in the state. The two most common coverages are collision insurance and comprehensive insurance, which will help protect your vehicle in accidents, and from the things like fire, hail and theft.
Additionally, auto insurance companies in Washington are required to offer you personal injury protection (PIP), which will pay for things like your medical expenses and lost income resulting from an accident, regardless of fault. If you don’t want PIP coverage, you must reject it in writing.
The minimum liability limits in Washington, which are outlined below, are enough to make sure that you are a legal driver. These limits are low, however, and you should strongly consider purchasing higher limits to ensure you have enough protection in the event of a costly accident.
Washington state minimum car insurance requirements:
Liability coverage:
- Bodily injury — $25,000 per person
- Bodily injury — $50,000 per accident
- Property damage — $10,000 per accident
Bodily injury liability coverage provides coverage for medical bills from injuries sustained by the other vehicle’s driver and passengers if you are held responsible for an accident. This coverage also kicks in to defend you in the event of any legal claims.
Property damage liability coverage provides coverage in the event you damage someone else’s property in a car accident, most commonly the other vehicle, but also things like a home or fence.
What other types of coverage do you need in Washington?
Once you've purchased the minimum coverage required by law, it is up to you to determine how much auto insurance coverage you need. Many people choose to purchase collision coverage, which pays for the policyholder's damages after at-fault accidents. Collision usually goes hand in hand with comprehensive coverage, which pays for damages from events other than collisions, like a falling tree limb, natural disasters, or vandalism.
Personal injury protection and medical payments coverage are two options that pay for medical costs related to an accident.
Rental car reimbursement coverage pays you back for the cost of your rental car while your own vehicle is in the shop.
GAP insurance, also called loan/lease payoff coverage, pays for the remainder of your loan if your car is totaled while you're still paying it off.
Accident forgiveness is a type of optional coverage that allows you to be involved in one auto accident without your auto insurer raising your rates.
How are car insurance rates calculated in Washington?
When searching and comparing insurance quotes from the best auto insurance companies in Washington, it can be frustrating trying to understand how your insurance rates are calculated. While there is no exact formula that each car insurance company uses when providing you a quote, there are many factors that do contribute to the price you pay for your insurance. Among the factors that car insurers consider are:
- Your driving record
- Your annual mileage
- Location
- Age
- Marital status
- Gender
- Your car’s make, model and year
- Your credit history
- Amount of auto insurance coverage (required coverage and optional add-ons, such as collision and comprehensive)
One of the biggest misunderstandings when it comes to auto insurance rates is that the history of drivers in your area also contributes to how much you pay. For instance, even if you go two years without an accident, if there were a lot of accidents near you recently, your rates might still go up. Why is that the case?
Insurance companies disperse risk across all policyholders so that when it comes time to pay a claim, they have enough money to pay out. But imagine a scenario where they only raised rates for drivers with an accident. For drivers who had an expensive claim, the drivers simply wouldn't be able to afford the raised rates that are based off how much their insurer had to pay after an accident. So instead, insurance providers slightly increase rates across the board to offset the costs, though of course the at-fault driver may see a larger increase.
How can you save money on your car insurance in Washington?
At the end of the day, we’d all like to have cheap car insurance from one of the best Washington car insurance companies. While you never want to sacrifice quality to save a couple of dollars, there are some different ways you can lower your car insurance premium.
Even though insurance premiums are 20% cheaper than the national average, you can still save money.
Here are six ways you can save money on your auto coverage:
- Bundle your car insurance with homeowners/renters insurance
- Consider raising your deductibles
- Pay your auto insurance policy in full
- Try usage-based car insurance
- Monitor price changes to your policy
- Shop for better rates by comparing auto insurance quotes
- Ask about auto insurance discounts
Common discounts include the safe driver discount, defensive driving course discount, and good student discount.
How does Clearsurance rate and rank the best car insurance companies in Washington?
Consistent with its mission towards greater transparency, Clearsurance does not keep its rating and ranking formulas in a black box. Our algorithm analyzes a range of inputs from our independent community of insurance customers, including:
- Price
- Customer Service
- Claim service
- Likelihood to renew
The algorithm also takes into account the percentage of what customers say the company does well vs. the percentage of what customers say the company could do better.
The Clearsurance customer ratings and rankings are derived entirely from customer reviews and ratings.
What do you need to know about car insurance?
Whether you’re buying your insurance direct or going through an insurance agent, understanding the different car insurance coverage options is a must. Do you know what is covered by comprehensive coverage? Are you familiar with uninsured motorist coverage? Do you know how a deductible works?
We want to make sure you’re equipped with a proper knowledge of car insurance, so check out our car insurance guide. Looking for more educational information about car insurance? Check out our car insurance blog for more information and topics related to car insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who offers the cheapest teen car insurance rates in Washington?
Car insurance for teen drivers can be expensive because of the lack of driving experience. For teens in Washington state, the cheapest car insurance rates can be found from PEMCO.
Who offers the cheapest car insurance rates for a married couple in Washington?
Out of the five largest companies in Washington, PEMCO offers the cheapest car insurance rates for married couples in Washington on average.
Who offers the cheapest senior car insurance rates in Washington?
State Farm provides the most affordable rate for male and female senior drivers in Washington on average when compared with the other largest auto insurers in the state.