Cheap Car Insurance Rates in Seattle, Washington
Cheap Car Insurance Rates in Seattle, Washington
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Seattle
The average cost of car insurance in Seattle is $901 per year, or $75 per month, for a minimum-coverage policy. The average rate for a full-coverage policy in Seattle is $2,086 per year, or $174 per month.
Progressive is the cheapest insurer in Seattle, with an average quote of $692 per year for minimum coverage. That's 23% less than the average rate citywide.
Cheapest car insurance in Seattle: Progressive
Progressive and Mutual of Enumclaw have the cheapest minimum insurance policies in Seattle. If you're willing to spend a little extra, State Farm and Geico are two alternatives worth receiving quotes from.
However, if you are a former or current military member, you're eligible to get an insurance policy estimate from USAA, which has the cheapest minimum coverage insurance policy overall.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Seattle
Cheapest car insurance in Seattle, WA
Company | Average annual cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $692 |
| Mutual of Enumclaw | $713 |
| State Farm | $734 |
| Geico | $769 |
| American Family | $1,046 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
The cheapest option for insurance coverage is the minimum liability policy, which includes the lowest amount of coverage you can legally drive with in the state.
Drivers who are insured under a What types of car insurance are mandatory? do not have certain types of protection. The policy won't cover collisions, natural disasters, theft and vandalism.
We recommend choosing full coverage or extra liability protection if your car is less than 10 years old or valued at more than $3,000.
Cheapest full-coverage insurance: Mutual of Enumclaw
Mutual of Enumclaw is the Seattle insurer with the cheapest full-coverage policy in Washington. The company's average full-liability policy costs roughly $1,471 — which is $615 less than the city average. Geico is the second-cheapest option for drivers looking for a full-coverage policy and has an average annual rate of $1,607.
The cheapest insurer overall, USAA, is only available to eligible military members, veterans and their families. Drivers with a full-coverage car insurance policy from USAA pay an average $1,159 per year, or $97 per month.
Insurance company | Average annual rate |
|---|---|
| Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,471 |
| Geico | $1,607 |
| State Farm | $1,710 |
| Progressive | $1,998 |
| American Family | $2,473 |
| Allstate | $2,950 |
| Farmers | $3,321 |
| USAA | $1,159 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Drivers with full-coverage policies get more protection compared to a minimum-coverage liability policy. A full-coverage policy includes comprehensive and collision coverage in addition to the state minimum insurance requirement.
- Comprehensive coverage: pays for damage to your vehicle caused by "acts of God," or events out of your control. Some examples include natural disasters, theft and fires.
- Collision coverage: pays for damage to your vehicle caused by driving into another object. Some examples include crashing into another car, driving into a ditch or hitting a pole.
It's important to note that while full coverage offers different types of protection for drivers, it may not suit your individual needs. Drivers with new or expensive vehicles should consider additional coverage to protect their cars.
Cheapest full-coverage policy for young people: Mutual of Enumclaw
Young drivers in Seattle can find the lowest insurance rates with Mutual of Enumclaw and Geico.
If you or a family member have a military background, it's a good idea to get a quote from USAA because its rates are cheaper than Geico's.
Insurance company | Average annual rate |
|---|---|
| Mutual of Enumclaw | $3,824 |
| Geico | $4,968 |
| State Farm | $5,190 |
| Farmers | $8,813 |
| Progressive | $10,124 |
| Allstate | $10,487 |
| American Family | $15,547 |
| USAA | $4,393 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
The average cost of a full-coverage policy for a young driver is nearly four times higher than the average price of a full policy for a 30-year-old driver. Teen drivers are classified as high risk because they are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents.
Young people will struggle to find affordable auto insurance. However, there are a few ways to lower your rates:
- Join your parents' auto insurance policy. This is one of the best ways to save money on insurance if you're a teen driver. Joining your parents' insurance plan is half as expensive as purchasing your own individual policy.
- Check out each insurer's discount offerings. Large insurers typically have a number of discounts available to their drivers. You can get discounts for being a good student, completing safe-driving courses and having an accident-free record.
- Research small insurance companies. There are many small insurers located in Seattle. Some may have rates that are even cheaper than larger companies like State Farm or Geico.
Cheapest full-coverage plan for drivers with an accident history
Every insurance company has a different formula for raising rates. In Seattle, Mutual of Enumclaw and State Farm had the lowest rate increases following an accident.
Current and former military personnel qualify for a quote from USAA, the insurer with the cheapest full-coverage policy for drivers with an accident history.
Company | Car insurance quote before accident | Car insurance quote after accident | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,471 | $2,023 | $552 |
| State Farm | $1,710 | $2,052 | $342 |
| Geico | $1,607 | $2,330 | $723 |
| American Family | $2,473 | $3,749 | $1,276 |
| Allstate | $2,950 | $4,257 | $1,307 |
| Farmers | $3,321 | $4,392 | $1,071 |
| Progressive | $1,998 | $4,693 | $2,695 |
| USAA | $1,159 | $1,606 | $447 |
*USAA is not ranked because only military members (current and former) and their families are eligible.
At-fault accidents almost always increase your annual insurance rate.
However, depending on your insurer, these increases can vary from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. State Farm increased their drivers' insurance rates by an average of $342 after an accident. Meanwhile, Progressive more than doubled their drivers' annual rates. These differences demonstrate the importance of comparing rates from multiple insurance companies.
Best insurance companies for customer service in Seattle
Insurers should not only be evaluated based on the affordability of their policies but also on the quality of their service. The insurance companies with the best customer service, measured by the frequency of customer complaints, were:
- PEMCO
- Mutual of Enumclaw
- Liberty Mutual (Ohio Security)
Company | Market share | NAIC Complaint Index |
|---|---|---|
| PEMCO | 4.73% | 0.29 |
| Mutual of Enumclaw | 1.82% | 0.34 |
| Liberty Mutual (Ohio Security) | 1.07% | 0.64 |
| Progressive | 8.51% | 0.91 |
| Farmers (Mid-Century) | 2.04% | 1.01 |
| Travelers (Standard Fire) | 1.15% | 1.13 |
| Hartford | 1.75% | 1.13 |
| Farmers | 3.60% | 1.25 |
| American Family | 2.86% | 1.36 |
| Geico | 9.35% | 1.63 |
| USAA | 6.42% | 1.79 |
| Integon | 1.48% | 1.84 |
The NAIC Complaint Index compares the number of complaints a company has compared to its size. The average score is 1.00, and a lower score is better.
Dealing with an accident or damage to your car is stressful enough. Having an insurer that is unresponsive, unavailable or unprofessional can make the whole experience even worse. So it's a good idea to consider both customer service and costs when choosing an insurer.
Average cost of insurance, by Seattle ZIP code
Your auto insurance rates are affected by the area of Seattle you reside in. Each neighborhood has its own crime rate, accident rate and population density.
Residents of Downtown Seattle pay the lowest amount or a minimum-coverage car insurance policy, at $830 per year. In the most expensive area, Seward Park and Rainier Valley, drivers pay an annual average of $982 for coverage.
ZIP code | Neighborhood | Average annual auto insurance rate |
|---|---|---|
| 98101 | Downtown | $830 |
| 98102 | Eastlake / Cascade | $881 |
| 98103 | Woodland Park / Green Lake | $887 |
| 98104 | SoDo / Downtown | $864 |
| 98105 | University District | $902 |
Car insurance companies in Seattle
State Farm, Progressive and Liberty Mutual are the three largest insurance companies in Washington. The five biggest insurance companies account for more than 50% of direct premiums written to drivers in the state.
If you're debating between selecting a small insurer versus a large insurer, there are a few factors to consider. Large companies often have more policy and discount offerings for their drivers compared to small insurers. However, small insurers may provide a more personalized customer service experience.
Insurers | Direct premiums written | Percent of direct premiums |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | 899,740 | 13.61% |
| Progressive | 746,398 | 11.29% |
| Liberty Mutual | 719,486 | 10.88% |
| Geico | 678,528 | 10.26% |
| Allstate | 579,983 | 8.77% |
| Farmers | 405,500 | 6.13% |
| American Family | 266,432 | 4.03% |
| Travelers | 141,811 | 2.14% |
| The Hartford | 130,834 | 1.98% |
| Nationwide | 117,650 | 1.78% |
| USAA | 487,470 | 7.37% |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Minimum insurance requirement in Seattle, Washington
Washington requires the following coverage for drivers in the state:
- Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $10,000 per accident
Although fulfilling the minimum insurance requirement is the cheapest option for drivers, it may not be best for your needs. Bodily injury liability and property damage liability are meant to provide coverage for other people and their belongings in accidents. If your car is damaged in a crash, the minimum coverage will not be enough to protect you.
Methodology
In order to conduct our analysis, data was collected from eight insurance companies located in Seattle. Our study used a male sample driver who is 30 years old and owns a 2015 Honda Civic EX. Unless explicitly stated, the driver was comparing quotes for a minimum-coverage liability policy.
During instances where our driver searched for full-coverage policy rates, the following limits were implemented:
Coverage type | Study limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident |
| Property damage | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
| Personal injury protection | $10,000 |
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.