Best Cheap Car Insurance Rates in Washington
The average cost of minimum coverage car insurance in Washington was $353 for a 6-month policy and $706 annually, or $141 per month. We studied auto insurance rates throughout the state to help drivers determine which companies offered the best quotes.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Washington state has a wide range of costs for car insurance. Annual premiums at the most expensive company can cost twice those of the cheapest insurer in Washington. That's why it's important to compare quotes from at least three companies in order to get a good rate.
Learn more below, or enter your ZIP code above to see a list of cheap auto insurance companies in your area.
Who offers the cheapest car insurance in Washington?
For a minimum coverage car insurance policy, the cheapest insurers in Washington were: Mutual of Enumclaw, Progressive and State Farm. Together, these three insurers had an average premium of $544, or 23% cheaper than the overall Washington state average of $706.
Below we've ranked the cheapest auto insurers in Washington state in order from cheapest to most expensive, based on the group's average annual premiums for different policy types.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area
While these are the statewide rankings, insurers can quote the same driver living in different places quite differently depending on the company's record of insurance claims in that area. It's best to compare at least three quotes; start by typing in your ZIP code above to see a list of companies that are active in your area.
| Rank | Insurer | Annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mutual of Enumclaw | $527 |
| 2 | Progressive | $529 |
| 3 | State Farm | $575 |
| 4 | GEICO | $688 |
| 5 | American Family | $731 |
| 6 | Farmers | $1,015 |
| 7 | Allstate | $1,254 |
| NA | USAA | $333 |
The difference between the average full coverage ($1,691) and minimum coverage ($706) car insurance policies in Washington was $985.
Minimum coverage car insurance policies meet the minimum coverage levels required by state law, and unlike full coverage policies, do not include comprehensive and collision insurance. While carrying a minimum coverage policy is permissible by law, having low coverage limits may put you at risk of insufficient coverage if you're involved in a car accident.
Cheap full coverage car insurance in Washington
The cheapest car insurance companies for full coverage in Washington state were: Mutual of Enumclaw, State Farm and GEICO. Together, the three cheapest car insurers had an average premium of $1,323, which is 22% cheaper than the overall Washington state average of $1,691.
Below we include the complete list of full coverage car insurance premiums with no prior accident history for all eight insurers analyzed in Washington.
| Rank | Insurer | Annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,113 |
| 2 | State Farm | $1,366 |
| 3 | GEICO | $1,489 |
| 4 | Progressive | $1,727 |
| 5 | American Family | $1,822 |
| 6 | Allstate | $2,484 |
| 7 | Farmers | $2,504 |
| NA | USAA | $1,024 |
A full coverage policy is a car insurance policy that includes liability insurance coverage, personal injury protection and both comprehensive and collision coverage. Any driver that wants to protect themselves against damage to their car should consider purchasing a full coverage policy.
Cheap full coverage car insurance policy with one prior accident
For a full coverage auto insurance policy with one prior accident, the cheapest insurers in Washington were: Mutual of Enumclaw, State Farm and GEICO. Together, these companies offered an average rate of $1,769, or 30% cheaper than the overall Washington state average of $2,527.
Drivers with an accident on their driving record tend to have more expensive rates than those without any history of accidents. The rate difference between a full coverage policy with no accident history ($1,691) versus with one prior accident ($2,527) was $836.
| Rank | Insurer | Annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,519 |
| 2 | State Farm | $1,633 |
| 3 | GEICO | $2,154 |
| 4 | American Family | $2,740 |
| 5 | Farmers | $3,283 |
| 6 | Allstate | $3,498 |
| 7 | Progressive | $3,982 |
| NA | USAA | $1,411 |
Progressive saw the most drastic change in car insurance rates from the addition of a single accident, more than doubling from $1,727 to $3,982. Given the variability in rates from insurers for different driver profiles, we always recommend shopping around for car insurance.
Best-rated car insurance companies in Washington
To find the best auto insurance companies in Washington, we looked at the complaint index of the largest licensed insurers in the state, or those with a statewide market share of at least 1%.
By this metric, in Washington, the best car insurance companies are Mutual of Enumclaw, Farmers and PEMCO. These top three insurers have well below the average complaint index numbers, which indicate that they get fewer complaints compared to other companies their size.
| Rank | Company | Market share | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 | Mutual of Enumclaw | 1.82% | 0.16 |
|
2 | Farmers | 3.6% | 0.22 |
|
3 | PEMCO | 4.73% | 0.28 |
|
4 | Liberty Mutual (First National) | 5.49% | 0.44 |
|
5 | Farmers (Mid-Century) | 2.04% | 0.46 |
|
6 | State Farm | 14.28% | 0.57 |
|
7 | Travelers (Standard Fire) | 1.15% | 0.57 |
|
8 | GEICO | 9.35% | 0.62 |
|
9 | Liberty Mutual (Safeco) | 2.05% | 0.65 |
|
10 | Allstate | 7.29% | 0.69 |
|
11 | American Family | 2.86% | 0.70 |
|
12 | Progressive | 8.51% | 0.91 |
|
13 | USAA | 6.42% | 1.15 |
|
14 | Progressive (United Financial) | 1.09% | 1.86 |
|
15 | Integon | 1.48% | 2.13 |
|
16 | Hartford | 1.75% | 2.52 |
|
17 | Liberty Mutual (Ohio Security) | 1.07% | 177.23 |
The complaint index, using national data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), measures an insurer's complaint share relative to its market share of premiums underwritten. This helps to identify how much better or worse an insurer is compared to the rest of its competition. The lower the index, the better: meaning an insurer gets a smaller share of complaints relative to its size. An index number of 1 would be average for that market.
Minimum auto insurance requirements in Washington
In order to drive in Washington, your auto insurance coverage must meet the minimum liability insurance requirements listed below. There are also certain coverages that you are technically required to hold but can waive when purchasing your policy.
Washington state auto insurance requirements are as follows:
- $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident of bodily injury liability insurance
- $10,000 property damage liability insurance
While the following coverages can be waived, since Washington is a no-fault state, they are highly recommended by government officials and insurance companies:
- $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident of uninsured motorist bodily injury
- $10,000 uninsured motorist property damage
- $10,000 personal injury protection (PIP)
Cheap car insurance quotes in Washington by city
We delved into the full coverage quotes for the profiled driver based on which Washington city he lived in. Here is a table with the top three cheapest insurers in each of the 50 cities in our study. Following the table, we discuss the five largest cities in Washington in more detail.
| City | Auto insurance company | Average annual rates |
|---|---|---|
| Anacortes | Mutual of Enumclaw | $995 |
| State Farm | $1,181 | |
| GEICO | $1,214 | |
| Arlington | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,137 |
| State Farm | $1,181 | |
| GEICO | $1,463 | |
| Auburn | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,414 |
| State Farm | $1,683 | |
| GEICO | $1,885 | |
| Bainbridge Island | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,227 |
| GEICO | $1,249 | |
| State Farm | $1,252 | |
| Battle Ground | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,344 |
| State Farm | $1,427 | |
| GEICO | $1,512 | |
| Bellevue | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,358 |
| State Farm | $1,604 | |
| GEICO | $1,646 | |
| Bellingham | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,137 |
| GEICO | $1,201 | |
| State Farm | $1,202 | |
| Bonney Lake | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,344 |
| State Farm | $1,538 | |
| GEICO | $1,694 | |
| Bothell | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,344 |
| State Farm | $1,588 | |
| GEICO | $1,647 | |
| Bremerton | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,098 |
| State Farm | $1,252 | |
| GEICO | $1,260 | |
| Burien | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,451 |
| State Farm | $1,742 | |
| GEICO | $1,757 | |
| Camas | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,344 |
| State Farm | $1,427 | |
| GEICO | $1,512 | |
| Centralia | Mutual of Enumclaw | $995 |
| State Farm | $1,253 | |
| GEICO | $1,336 | |
| Cottage Lake | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,290 |
| State Farm | $1,623 | |
| GEICO | $1,646 | |
| Covington | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,344 |
| State Farm | $1,742 | |
| GEICO | $1,885 | |
| Des Moines | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,431 |
| State Farm | $1,742 | |
| GEICO | $1,757 | |
| Edmonds | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,347 |
| GEICO | $1,649 | |
| State Farm | $1,712 | |
| Ellensburg | Mutual of Enumclaw | $995 |
| State Farm | $1,121 | |
| GEICO | $1,414 | |
| Everett | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,344 |
| State Farm | $1,619 | |
| GEICO | $1,632 | |
| Federal Way | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,469 |
| State Farm | $1,739 | |
| GEICO | $1,885 | |
| Issaquah | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,154 |
| State Farm | $1,604 | |
| GEICO | $1,647 | |
| Kenmore | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,507 |
| GEICO | $1,644 | |
| State Farm | $1,660 | |
| Kennewick | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,025 |
| State Farm | $1,164 | |
| GEICO | $1,293 | |
| Kent | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,414 |
| State Farm | $1,742 | |
| GEICO | $1,885 | |
| Kirkland | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,414 |
| State Farm | $1,604 | |
| GEICO | $1,644 | |
| Lacey | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,064 |
| State Farm | $1,409 | |
| GEICO | $1,480 | |
| Lakewood | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,431 |
| State Farm | $1,763 | |
| GEICO | $1,863 | |
| Longview | Mutual of Enumclaw | $995 |
| State Farm | $1,254 | |
| GEICO | $1,444 | |
| Marysville | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,137 |
| State Farm | $1,572 | |
| GEICO | $1,632 | |
| Mercer Island | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,507 |
| State Farm | $1,624 | |
| GEICO | $1,647 | |
| Mount Vernon | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,055 |
| State Farm | $1,181 | |
| GEICO | $1,463 | |
| Mountlake Terrace | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,414 |
| GEICO | $1,649 | |
| State Farm | $1,712 | |
| Mukilteo | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,227 |
| State Farm | $1,572 | |
| GEICO | $1,632 | |
| Oak Harbor | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,055 |
| State Farm | $1,181 | |
| GEICO | $1,214 | |
| Olympia | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,060 |
| State Farm | $1,409 | |
| GEICO | $1,480 | |
| Parkland | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,507 |
| GEICO | $1,929 | |
| State Farm | $1,949 | |
| Pasco | Mutual of Enumclaw | $995 |
| State Farm | $1,163 | |
| GEICO | $1,293 | |
| Port Angeles | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,154 |
| State Farm | $1,181 | |
| GEICO | $1,276 | |
| Pullman | Mutual of Enumclaw | $995 |
| State Farm | $1,063 | |
| GEICO | $1,283 | |
| Puyallup | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,507 |
| GEICO | $1,694 | |
| State Farm | $1,739 | |
| Renton | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,431 |
| State Farm | $1,683 | |
| GEICO | $1,798 | |
| Richland | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,055 |
| State Farm | $1,164 | |
| GEICO | $1,293 | |
| Sammamish | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,182 |
| State Farm | $1,604 | |
| GEICO | $1,646 | |
| SeaTac | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,431 |
| State Farm | $1,742 | |
| GEICO | $2,026 | |
| Seattle | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,471 |
| GEICO | $1,607 | |
| State Farm | $1,710 | |
| Spokane | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,001 |
| State Farm | $1,370 | |
| GEICO | $1,547 | |
| Spokane Valley | Mutual of Enumclaw | $939 |
| State Farm | $1,370 | |
| Progressive | $1,509 | |
| Tacoma | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,456 |
| GEICO | $1,830 | |
| State Farm | $1,869 | |
| Vancouver | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,295 |
| State Farm | $1,480 | |
| GEICO | $1,668 | |
| Yakima | Mutual of Enumclaw | $1,055 |
| State Farm | $1,219 | |
| GEICO | $1,400 |
Because where you live has a significant impact on your rates, next we compare full coverage car insurance quotes for the five most populated cities in Washington:
- Seattle
- Spokane
- Tacoma
- Vancouver
- Bellevue
Seattle, Washington
- Average annual auto insurance quote in Seattle = $2,086
- 23% more expensive than Washington average
Seattle is home to some of the most expensive auto insurance policies in the state, though Mutual of Enumclaw, GEICO and State Farm could help drivers find savings, as they were the cheapest insurers in the area.
Spokane, Washington
- Average annual auto insurance quote in Spokane = $1,639
- 3% cheaper than Washington average
It is a little less expensive in Spokane relative to the state average for motorists to insure their cars. We still recommend comparing quotes to help you find the best savings.
Tacoma, Washington
- Average annual auto insurance quote in Tacoma = $2,094
- 24% more expensive than Washington average
Shop around for quotes to find good rates, as premiums with the most expensive insurer, Farmers, were more than double of that of the cheapest, Mutual of Enumclaw.
Vancouver, Washington
- Average annual auto insurance quote in Vancouver = $1,799
- 6% more expensive annually than Washington average
Car insurance in Vancouver, Washington was only slightly above the state average. Drivers can still find savings as the three cheapest insurers in Vancouver cost, on average, 18% less than the city mean.
Bellevue, Washington
- Average annual auto insurance quote in Bellevue = $1,897
- 12% more expensive than Washington average
Average cost of car insurance in Washington state
The average cost of full coverage car insurance in Washington was $1,691. Among the 50 most populated cities in Washington, the most expensive for car insurance were Parkland, SeaTac and Burien, together averaging $2,149. The urban areas of Kent, Tacoma and Seattle were also among the most expensive, each with annual premiums above $2,000.
The cheapest cities were Anacortes, Oak Harbor and Port Angeles together averaging $1,434. There is a general trend between rising auto insurance prices and larger metro areas, as greater population density implies more opportunities for car accidents and claim filings. Spokane was among the larger urban areas that offered relatively cheap auto insurance at $1,639.
Below we list the average annual full coverage premiums in Washington state's largest cities, where quotes were available. The list shows average annual premiums in each city and is ordered from cheapest city to most expensive city. Check it out to see where your city stacks up against others in the state:
| Rank | City | Annual car insurance premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anacortes | $1,420 |
| 2 | Oak Harbor | $1,430 |
| 3 | Port Angeles | $1,453 |
| 4 | Bellingham | $1,474 |
| 5 | Richland | $1,482 |
| 6 | Pullman | $1,494 |
| 7 | Ellensburg | $1,497 |
| 8 | Mount Vernon | $1,514 |
| 9 | Centralia | $1,543 |
| 10 | Kennewick | $1,553 |
| 11 | Pasco | $1,555 |
| 12 | Spokane Valley | $1,568 |
| 13 | Longview | $1,571 |
| 14 | Bremerton | $1,576 |
| 15 | Yakima | $1,597 |
| 16 | Olympia | $1,620 |
| 17 | Spokane | $1,639 |
| 18 | Bainbridge Island | $1,641 |
| 19 | Lacey | $1,655 |
| Average | Washington | $1,691 |
| 20 | Camas | $1,739 |
| 21 | Arlington | $1,749 |
| 22 | Vancouver | $1,799 |
| 23 | Battle Ground | $1,817 |
| 24 | Marysville | $1,826 |
| 25 | Kirkland | $1,862 |
| 26 | Sammamish | $1,882 |
| 27 | Cottage Lake | $1,893 |
| 28 | Mukilteo | $1,893 |
| 29 | Issaquah | $1,894 |
| 30 | Bellevue | $1,897 |
| 31 | Bothell | $1,910 |
| 32 | Bonney Lake | $1,923 |
| 33 | Evertt | $1,957 |
| 34 | Puyallup | $1,982 |
| 35 | Edmonds | $2,009 |
| 36 | Kenmore | $2,013 |
| 37 | Mountlake Terrace | $2,026 |
| 38 | Mercer Island | $2,035 |
| 39 | Covington | $2,054 |
| 40 | Lakewood | $2,067 |
| 41 | Seattle | $2,086 |
| 42 | Auburn | $2,094 |
| 43 | Tacoma | $2,094 |
| 44 | Des Moines | $2,096 |
| 45 | Kent | $2,107 |
| 46 | Renton | $2,113 |
| 47 | Federal Way | $2,121 |
| 48 | Burien | $2,126 |
| 49 | SeaTac | $2,161 |
| 50 | Parkland | $2,161 |
Methodology
We obtained quotes for insuring a 2015 Honda Civic EX owned by our benchmark driver, a single 30-year-old male. Quotes were drawn from all available ZIP codes in Washington state. The driver was profiled as having no credit history, which makes him equivalent to a driver with below-fair to poor credit, according to our data source, Quadrant Information Services.
When our driver had a full coverage policy, we gave him coverage limits slightly above Washington's minimum requirements.
Full coverage policy
| Coverage type | Study limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily liability | $50,000 per person/ $100,000 per accident |
| Property damage | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist BI | $50,000 per person/ $100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive & collision | $500 deductible |
| Personal injury protection | $10,000 |
Our rates for a minimum coverage policy represent the average cost of a policy that meets Washington state's minimum required auto insurance coverage.
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.