In Washington, the overall cheapest car insurance is with PEMCO, Farmers, and Grange.
Each carrier is able to offer quotes from 31% to 35% lower than the median rate for drivers of a similar age and profile.
Other carriers you would want to put on your bucket list to get quotes are Chubb, Progressive, and MetLife.
Each of them offer quotes from 21% to 26% lower than the median quote for similar age drivers.
Depending on the city, State Farm is extremely competitive offering quotes 29% cheaper.
I will go into more detail below.
In this article, I am going to cover the minimum auto insurance requirements, a few cost-saving strategies, and the least expensive carriers for drivers from 25 to 55 years of age.
If you would like to skip to a certain portion of the article, there is a table of contents down a little and to the right for your convenience.
Washington Minimum Auto Insurance Coverage
Table of Contents
- 1 Washington Minimum Auto Insurance Coverage
- 1.1 Bodily Injury Liability
- 1.2 Property Damage Liability
- 1.3 Comprehensive & Collision Coverage
- 1.4 Who has the Cheapest Auto Insurance in Washington?
- 1.5 Driver average of common insurance plans in Washington
- 1.6 Best Insurers by Rate Change, Consumer Rating, & Complaints
- 1.7 Penalties for driving without insurance
- 1.8 Average Premium by City
| Coverage | Washington Minimum Liability Coverage | Recommended Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily Injury Protection | $25,000 / $50,000 | $100,000 / $300,000 |
| Property Damage | $10,000 | $25,000 |
| Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage* | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 / $50,000 |
| Underinsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage* | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 / $50,000 |
| Personal Injury Protection* | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Comprehensive Coverage | Optional | $250 - $1,000 deductible |
| Collision Coverage | Optional | $250 - $1,000 deductible |
*Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury, Underinsured Motorist Property Damage and Basic Personal Injury Protection coverage can be rejected by signing a paper form.
Bodily Injury Liability
$25,000 for a single person with up to $50,000 if there is much more than one passenger injured during the event of an auto accident.
This will cover the medical expenses of the driver and passengers in the other vehicle.
Note: The best choice for the cheapest car insurance in Washington is with PEMCO, Grange, and Progressive for a 30-year-old driver. I queried each at $1,288, $1,300 $1,387 respectfully per year. Which is 32% to 39% lower than the median quote for similar age drivers. For more details please see table below.
Property Damage Liability
Property damage liability pays for damage to buildings, guard rails and other public property and the other driver’s vehicle if there is a car accident.
The state of Washington specifies motorists maintain at least $10,000 of property damage liability coverage for each vehicle they own.
Note: The best insurers to get quotes are from PEMCO, GEICO, and Grange for a 30-year-old driver. I queried each at $923, $932, and $945 respectfully per year. Each person’s situation is different and may need special tailoring to their needs. It would be wise to get quotes from all carriers illustrated for that reason.
Comprehensive & Collision Coverage
Although this is the minimum coverage in Washington you may want to consider more coverage depending of the type of vehicle you drive.
If you have a car worth more than $4,000 you may want to consider other coverage such as comprehensive and collision.
When you use the comparison calculator at the top of the page you will get numerous quotes to compare.
Note: Lowest auto premium rates are from PEMCO, GEICO, and Grange for a 40 year old driver. All insurers clustered near the $900 mark when I queried them for this driver profile. PEMCO offered quotes at $865. Which is over 31% cheaper than the median quote for similar age drivers in Washington.
After you enter your zip enter your coverage and see how much it will cost to insure your vehicle with comprehensive or not.
You don’t want unnecessary coverage, but at the same time you do not want to be without the proper amount in the time when you really need it.
It is much easier to deal with unforeseen accidents, your car being broken into, or even stolen with proper coverage than to deal with it when you don’t have coverage.
Note: The lowest insurance carriers for a 55-year-old driver in Washington are from Grange and Progressive. I queried each at $676 and $678 respectfully per year for full coverage. Each insurer illustrated was 10% lower than the average rate. For other inexpensive quotes you should put PEMCO and Farmers on your list.
Who has the Cheapest Auto Insurance in Washington?
Below are 18 of the cheapest and most competitive carriers in the state of Washington for drivers from 25 to 55 years of age.
Overall the carriers with the lowest price are PEMCO, GEICO, and Grange.
Depending on the city you reside, they offer quotes over 31% lower than the median rate for drivers of similar age and profile.
Progressive, Farmers, and Chubb are able to offer quotes from 21% to 29% lower than the median rate.
Depending on the city you reside, Chubb at times is over 30% cheaper.
Another carrier which is extremely competitive in various metro regions is State Farm.
Though they are not always the cheapest, you should put them on your list to get quotes if you want to find the lowest premium possible.
With 7 carriers to choose from, you have a blend of national, regional, and local carriers to help you find the most savings.
| Washington Company | Average Premium 25 Y/O Driver | 30 Y/O Driver | 35 Y/O Driver | 40 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver | 55 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEMCO | $1,288 | $923 | $867 | $855 | $788 | $687 |
| GEICO | $1,290 | $932 | $877 | $867 | $790 | $688 |
| Grange | $1,300 | $945 | $888 | $879 | $798 | $676 |
| Progressive | $1,387 | $987 | $907 | $903 | $784 | $678 |
| Farmers | $1,389 | $1,008 | $908 | $908 | $799 | $710 |
| Chubb | $1,405 | $1,009 | $943 | $909 | $800 | $712 |
| State Farm | $1,411 | $1,045 | $942 | $909 | $804 | $715 |
| MetLife | $1,449 | $1,089 | $956 | $912 | $809 | $720 |
| Amica | $1,580 | $1,143 | $978 | $915 | $812 | $720 |
| Nationwide | $1,578 | $1,156 | $1,001 | $954 | $821 | $718 |
| Capital | $1,600 | $1,167 | $1,008 | $967 | $843 | $718 |
| 21st Century | $1,600 | $1,189 | $1,008 | $980 | $865 | $721 |
| Allstate | $1,634 | $1,204 | $1,008 | $995 | $867 | $723 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,667 | $1,289 | $1,032 | $1,005 | $898 | $743 |
| Esurance | $1,689 | $1,307 | $1,043 | $1,032 | $904 | $765 |
| Encompass | $1,700 | $1,376 | $1,056 | $1,054 | $898 | $785 |
| Bristol West | $1,710 | $1,432 | $1,099 | $1,067 | $909 | $723 |
| Sentry | $1,711 | $1,465 | $1,103 | $1,087 | $910 | $765 |
Driver average of common insurance plans in Washington
-
Bodily Injury Liability – $100,000/$300,000
-
Property Damage Liability – $50,000
-
Uninsured Motorist Protection – $100,000/$300,000
-
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage – $5,000
-
Personal Injury Protection – $10,000
-
Medical Payments Coverage – $10,000
-
Collision Coverage – $500 deductible
-
Comprehensive Coverage – $250 deductible
If you are going to consider medical payments coverage or personal injury protection (PIP), you want to contact your health insurance provider and see where the coverage extends if in an automobile accident.
If the coverage doesn’t extend to passengers then optional medical coverage is a good idea.
Best Insurers by Rate Change, Consumer Rating, & Complaints
Below is a list of carriers with the amount of written premiums, rate change over a 12 to 18 month period, complaints, and consumer rating.
The written premiums are included to coincide with the amount of complaints.
It is a normal course of business for any company to have complaints.
The red flags would arise when there are an extremely high amount of complaints with an unusually low amount of written premiums.
None of the insurers listed below fall into that category.
The insurers with the most amount of written premiums are State Farm, Allstate, and Progressive.
The rate change is from 1.8% to 4.6%.
However, if you get a traffic violation realize your premium could rise significantly.
The companies with the lowest percentage rate change are State Farm, American Family, and Liberty Mutual.
The consumer rating is an average from reputable online sources.
Any other data is compiled from the Insurance Information Institute (III.org), JD Power & Associates, and AM Best.
| Washington Company | Written Premiums | Rate Change < 18 Months | # of Complaints | Consumer Rating out of 5 Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $607,659,344 | +1.8% | 23 | 4.5 |
| Mutual of Enumclaw | $91,307,045 | +2.8% | 21 | 3.9 |
| GEICO | $317,701,791 | +2.7% | 17 | 4.5 |
| PEMCO | $241,117,743 | +3.8% | 12 | 3.9 |
| Progressive | $342,275,206 | +2.8% | 14 | 4.6 |
| Farmers | $19,702,542 | +2.6% | 12 | 4.3 |
| Allied | $10,920,209 | +3.3% | 16 | 4.0 |
| MetLife | $24,293,753 | +4.1% | 2 | 4.0 |
| Nationwide | $45,911,924 | +4.6% | 2 | 4.2 |
| Liberty Mutual | $230,145,789 | +2.3% | 9 | 4.4 |
| Allstate | $366,012,635 | +3.8% | 4 | 4.5 |
| ANPAC | $7,693,992 | +3.8% | 1 | 4.2 |
| Victoria | $10,900,011 | +3.9% | 12 | 4.1 |
| American Family | $20,715,033 | +1.9% | 15 | 3.8 |
| Country Financial | $53,331,911 | +4.0% | 3 | 3.7 |
| QBE | $17,448,310 | +3.8% | 3 | 3.9 |
| Encompass | $17,010,361 | +3.1% | 3 | 4.1 |
| Markel | $7,125,167 | +3.1% | 1 | 3.8 |
Penalties for driving without insurance
In the state of Washington, law enforcement officers can pull you over if they scan your plate and determine you are driving without insurance.
If you do not have proof of insurance at that time, you will have to go to court and provide evidence of coverage.
If convicted of driving without insurance, the fine is going to be at least $550 plus court costs and fees.
Average Premium by City
Below are 27 cities with the average premium by city.
Location is usually a primary factor for insurers.
One of the reasons for a driver with a significant price change in one city to the next.
The premiums average from $1,178 to $1,689.
Or over 30% difference.
Therefore, if you move to another location you may to take this into consideration when shopping for auto insurance.
If you would like a more detailed comparison of major cities in Washington please read further below.
| City | Average Rate | Population | City | Average Rate | Population | City | Average Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | $1,456 | 16,334 | Kennewick | $1,411 | 80,454 | Port Orchard | $1,497 | 13,945 |
| Arlington | $1,321 | 19,112 | Kirkland | $1,562 | 48,787 | Puyallup | $1,550 | 40,640 |
| Bellingham | $1,287 | 80,885 | Langley | $1,521 | 1,097 | Richland | $1,550 | 48,058 |
| Blaine | $1,409 | 5,164 | Longview | $1,387 | 36,648 | Rochester | $1,689 | 2,388 |
| Bremerton | $1,437 | 37,729 | Mabton | $1,476 | 2,295 | SeaTac | $1,511 | 28,873 |
| Burien | $1,532 | 33,313 | Marysville | $1,359 | 60,020 | Stevenson | $1,542 | 1,527 |
| Clinton | $1,386 | 928 | Mount Vernon | $1,417 | 31,743 | Tumwater | $1,587 | 22,538 |
| Enumclaw | $1,378 | 11,784 | Orting | $1,489 | 7,693 | Walla Walla | $1,494 | 31,731 |
| Issaquah | $1,178 | 30,434 | Pasco | $1,490 | 59,781 | Wenatchee | $1,402 | 31,925 |
Seattle, WA
Looking for cheaper car insurance in Seattle, Washington? Start with PEMCO, Grange, and GEICO.
Each of them clustered near $1,000.
This is a staggering 49% lower than the average rate of nearly $1,700.
Chubb and Progressive are well below the “mean” rate also with prices in the cheapest category with quotes at $1,154 and $1,276 respectfully per year for a 30-year-old driver.
For a 45-year old the best options are with PEMCO, Grange, and Chubb.
I queried each at $867, $899, and $1,054 respectfully per year for full coverage.
Which is over 35% lower than the median quote for similar age drivers in Seattle.
An older driver looking for the cheapest auto premium should put Chubb and Progressive on their list of quotes.
Since both carriers are over 23% cheaper than the average premium for drivers in Seattle.
A family of 4 should get quotes from all insurers illustrated to find maximum savings.
| Seattle Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| PEMCO | $1,047 | $867 |
| Grange | $1,088 | $899 |
| GEICO | $1,132 | $967 |
| Chubb | $1,199 | $1,054 |
| Progressive | $1,276 | $1,076 |
| Farmers | $1,345 | $1,143 |
| State Farm | $1,456 | $1,253 |
Outdoor recreation is one of the top reasons Seattle residents live there.
The city is home to outdoor recreation stores such as Eddie Bauer and REI.
Within the Seattle city limits, a wide array of outdoor activities awaits, including golf, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and hiking.
Spokane, WA
The average car insurance rate for residents of Spokane is over $1,500 per year.
If you want to lower your current auto premium then get quotes from GEICO, Grange, and PEMCO.
Grange and GEICO are more than 30% below the average rate.
While PEMCO is 24% lower.
A 30-year-old driver would do great by getting quotes from all three insurers.
A 45-year old can find the lowest quotes with Grange, PEMCO and Chubb.
I queried each at $965, $1,008, and $1,098 per year for full coverage.
Or approximately 32% lower than the median quote for similar profile drivers.
| Spokane Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| GEICO | $1,088 | $909 |
| Grange | $1,143 | $965 |
| PEMCO | $1,178 | $1,008 |
| Chubb | $1,287 | $1,098 |
| State Farm | $1,337 | $1,167 |
| Progressive | $1,409 | $1,189 |
| Farmers | $1,549 | $1,210 |
Spokane has over 200,000 residents and nearly half a million in the metropolitan area.
Founded in 1872, it is the second largest city in Washington behind Seattle.
It is also known for having a “hot-zone” for access to free wireless internet within a 100 block radius through the city.
Tacoma, WA
If you are looking to lower your auto insurance bill in Tacoma, Washington, the cheapest choices would be Grange, PEMCO, and Farmers.
I queried each at $1,145, $1,189, and $1,267 per year for a 30-year-old driver.
Which is more than 15% lower than the “mean” rate of $1,551 in Tacoma.
A 45-year old can find the least expensive auto insurance with Grange, PEMCO, and Farmers.
I queried each at $987, $1,023, and $1,089 respectfully per year for full coverage.
Which is 19% to 23% lower than the citywide average premium for similar age drivers in Tacoma.
Other carriers which offer competitive quotes in Tacoma are State Farm and Progressive.
Both carriers offer quotes from 14% to 18% cheaper for 30 & 45-year-old drivers.
| Tacoma Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Grange | $1,145 | $987 |
| PEMCO | $1,189 | $1,023 |
| Farmers | $1,267 | $1,089 |
| Chubb | $1,289 | $1,143 |
| State Farm | $1,376 | $1,167 |
| Progressive | $1,377 | $1,199 |
| GEICO | $1,389 | $1,254 |
Tacoma, Washington is known for locals hanging out at a coffee shop which is shaped like a teapot.
And the 6th largest shipping port in North America is in Tacoma, making the city a major player in the wave of economic globalization.
The port is responsible for more than 100,000 jobs.
Bellevue, WA
Getting cheap auto insurance in Bellevue is fairly easy if you get quotes from Grange, PEMCO, and Farmers.
Each of the insurers were 14% below the “mean” rate of $1,321.
Chubb and State Farm were nearly 10% lower than the “mean” rate for a 30-year-old driver.
For a 45-year-old driver the best insurers to get quotes from would be Grange, PEMCO, and Farmers.
I queried each at $927, $1,043, and $1,045 respectfully per year for full coverage.
Or approximately 20% to 24% lower than the “mean” quote for similar profile drivers in Bellevue.
By far, Grange is the standout if you are interested in getting the cheapest auto insurance in Bellevue.
| Bellevue Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Grange | $1,076 | $927 |
| PEMCO | $1,093 | $1,043 |
| Farmers | $1,154 | $1,045 |
| Chubb | $1,203 | $1,076 |
| State Farm | $1,234 | $1,079 |
| Progressive | $1,278 | $1,143 |
| GEICO | $1,303 | $1,144 |
Bellevue, Washington was incorporated as a city in 1953.
Today with a population of nearly 150,000 residents it was first settled in the 1870s.
The region’s beautiful and towering evergreens eventually gave way to agriculture in Bellevue, which was dominated by an abundance of farms best known for strawberries and blueberries.
Vancouver, WA
Drivers in Vancouver, Washington pay nearly $1,700 for car insurance per year.
To get the cheapest rates start by getting quotes from Grange, State Farm, and PEMCO.
The lowest, Grange, was 40% below the “mean” rate of Vancouver with quotes at $989 per year.
State Farm is 36% while PEMCO is 29% lower than the average rate for a 30-year-old driver.
For a 45-year-old driver the lower three insurers I queried are Grange, State Farm, and PEMCO.
Each of them clustering between $899 to $978 per year for full coverage.
Which is approximately 24% to 31% lower than the median quote for similar profile drivers in Vancouver.
| Vancouver Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Grange | $1,088 | $899 |
| State Farm | $1,139 | $912 |
| PEMCO | $1,230 | $978 |
| Farmers | $1,244 | $1,008 |
| Chubb | $1,298 | $1,054 |
| Progressive | $1,355 | $1,100 |
| GEICO | $1,411 | $1,132 |
Only a few minutes away from Portland, Oregon, Vancouver has a ton of things do for outdoor enthusiasts, history buffs, and those which love culture, museums, and the arts.
Vancouver was founded in 1825 with a few hundred residents.
Today, there is nearly 180,000 people and it is the 4th largest city in Washington.
Everett, WA
If you don’t have the cheapest auto insurance in Everett you are probably looking in the wrong spot.
Start with Grange, PEMCO, and State Farm.
I queried each at $1,044, $1,167, and $1,231 for a 30-year-old driver with full coverage.
The lowest, Grange, offers quotes approximately 32% lower than the median rate.
While PEMCO and State Farm offer quotes 28% and 25% lower respectfully.
Both Chubb and Farmers are worth getting quotes from since prices are competitive at $1,288 and $1,309.
For a 45-year-old driver the least expensive options are with Grange, PEMCO, and State Farm.
I queried each at $896, $945, and $980 per year for full coverage.
Which is 33% to 37% lower than the mean rate for drivers of similar profile in Everett.
Chubb and Farmers offer low quotes with prices at $1,029 and $1,068 respectfully.
| Everett Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Grange | $1,044 | $896 |
| PEMCO | $1,167 | $945 |
| State Farm | $1,231 | $980 |
| Chubb | $1,288 | $1,029 |
| Farmers | $1,309 | $1,068 |
| Progressive | $1,355 | $1,121 |
| GEICO | $1,408 | $1,165 |
Everett is the 7th largest city in Washington with approximately 103,000 residents.
It is one of the principal cities in the metropolitan and Puget Sound region.
Most people consider Everett a bedroom community of Seattle.
Kent, WA
Drivers in Kent, Washington can find the lowest quotes with PEMCO, Grange, and State Farm.
I queried each at $1,023, $1,065, and $1,150 per year for a 30-year-old driver.
The least expensive, PEMCO, is 31% lower than the median quote for similar profile drivers.
While Grange and State Farm are 28% and 23% lower than the “mean” quote.
Chubb and Farmers offer competitive quotes with prices at $1,206 and $1,287 respectfully.
A 45-year old can find cheap rates with PEMCO, Grange, and State Farm.
I queried each at $879, $903, and $965 per year for full coverage.
Which is 29% to 34% lower than the median rate for a similar profile driver.
Chubb and Farmers are equally competitive with low quotes at $1,054 and $1,080.
It would be smart to get quotes from all carriers illustrated to find affordable coverage with the lowest price possible.
| Kent Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| PEMCO | $1,023 | $879 |
| Grange | $1,065 | $903 |
| State Farm | $1,150 | $965 |
| Chubb | $1,206 | $1,054 |
| Farmers | $1,287 | $1,080 |
| Progressive | $1,322 | $1,143 |
| GEICO | $1,402 | $1,187 |
The 2nd oldest city in King County is Kent.
It has approximately 125,000 residents.
Before the extensive development took place in the 1960s and 1970s, Kent was renowned for its fertile soil and was formerly known as the “Lettuce Capital of the World” during and after the Great Depression.
Yakima, WA
Drivers in Yakima can get affordable coverage with PEMCO, Chubb, and State Farm.
I queried each at $1,076, $1,120, and $1,190 per year for a 30-year-old driver.
The cheapest, PEMCO, offer quotes 35% lower than the median rate.
While Chubb and State Farm offer quotes from 28% to 31% lower.
Grange and Farmers offer competitive quotes with prices at $1,265 and $1,297.
A 45-year old driver in Yakima can find the best options with PEMCO, Chubb, and State Farm.
I queried each at $898, $924, and $987 per year for full coverage.
Which is over 30% cheaper than the median rate for drivers of similar age and profile.
Grange and Farmers offer competitive quotes with prices at $1,022 and $1,076.
A driver in Yakima would be smart to get quotes from all carriers illustrated to find the most savings while maintaining coverage.
| Yakima Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| PEMCO | $1,076 | $898 |
| Chubb | $1,120 | $924 |
| State Farm | $1,190 | $987 |
| Grange | $1,265 | $1,022 |
| Farmers | $1,297 | $1,076 |
| Progressive | $1,345 | $1,161 |
| GEICO | $1,417 | $1,196 |
Yakima, Washington was incorporated in 1883 and has rich history.
It is an agricultural region know for the production of apples, wine, and hops.
The Yakima region produces 77% of all hops in the U.S.
Today, the city has a population of approximately 91,000 residents and 243,000 in the metropolitan area.
Resources & DMV Information
| Department of Insurance | Department of Transportation | Department of Motor Vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| 5000 Capitol Blvd SE, Olympia, WA 98512 (800) 562-6900 | 1423 E 29th St #218, Tacoma, WA 98404 (360) 705-7000 | 1001 North Broadway A-7, Everett, WA 98201 (425) 252-3518 |
| Website | Website | Website |
Sources
https://pemco.com/auto/coverage
https://www2.chubb.com/us-en/individuals-families/auto.aspx
https://www.grangeinsurance.com/
https://www.insurance.wa.gov/how-does-my-insurance-company-rate
