Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Washington, DC? (2025)
Geico has the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Washington, D.C., at $175 per month for full coverage.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Washington, D.C.
Best cheap Washington, D.C. auto insurance
How we chose the top companies
Best and cheapest car insurance in Washington, D.C.
- Cheapest full coverage: Geico, $175/mo
- Cheapest minimum liability: Erie, $66/mo
- Cheapest for young drivers: Erie, $133/mo
- Cheapest after a ticket: Erie, $189/mo
- Cheapest after an accident: State Farm, $194/mo
- Cheapest for teens after a ticket: State Farm, $64/mo Erie, $173/mo
- Cheapest after a DUI: Progressive, $199/mo
- Cheapest for poor credit: Progressive, $354/mo
Monthly rates based on full coverage car insurance for a 30-year-old man. Some rates use different ages or coverage limits.
Erie has the best mix of reliable customer service and cheap quotes in Washington, D.C.
Although Geico and Progressive have cheaper rates for some people, their customer service isn't typically as good as Erie's. That means they may take longer to fix your car after a crash.
Cheapest car insurance in Washington, D.C.: Geico
Geico has the most affordable full coverage car insurance in D.C.
At $175 per month, full coverage from Geico is $23 less per month than the city average.
Drivers in D.C. should also compare rates from Erie, which typically costs $180 per month. Although that's $5 per month more than Geico, Erie has better customer service reviews. That could be important if you're ever in an accident.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Washington, D.C.
USAA offers the cheapest quotes overall, at $92 per month for full coverage. But USAA is only available to current or former military members and their families.
Cheap full coverage car insurance quotes in Washington, D.C.
Company | Monthly rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Geico | $175 |
| Progressive | $177 |
| Erie | $180 |
| State Farm | $194 |
| Allstate | $368 |
| USAA* | $92 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
The average cost of full coverage auto insurance in Washington, D.C. is $198 per month.
That's more expensive than rates in neighboring Virginia and Maryland. Rates in large cities are typically more expensive because they tend to have more traffic and car thefts.
Cheapest liability car insurance quotes in D.C.: Erie
Erie has the cheapest minimum liability car insurance in Washington, D.C., at $66 per month.
That's $25 per month cheaper than the Washington, D.C. average, which is $91 per month.
Drivers with military ties can find even cheaper rates at USAA. Minimum liability coverage from USAA costs just $41 per month. But only military members, veterans and some of their family members can buy car insurance from USAA.
Best cheap auto insurance in D.C.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $66 |
| Geico | $76 |
| State Farm | $86 |
| Progressive | $105 |
| Allstate | $174 |
| USAA* | $41 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Washington, D.C.
Cheapest car insurance in D.C. for young drivers: Erie
Erie has the cheapest quotes for teens in Washington, D.C.
Minimum liability coverage from Erie costs $133 per month for an 18-year-old driver. That's less than half the D.C. average.
Erie also offers the best rates for full coverage. At $372 per month, full coverage from Erie is $307 per month cheaper than average.
Teens with military connections can get even cheaper rates from USAA. Minimum liability insurance from USAA costs $94 per month for teens, while full coverage is just $203 per month.
Best car insurance in D.C. for teens
Company | Liability only | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $133 | $372 |
| Geico | $233 | $512 |
| State Farm | $273 | $626 |
| Allstate | $599 | $1,262 |
| Progressive | $642 | $1,101 |
| USAA* | $94 | $203 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
In Washington, D.C., 18-year-old drivers pay three and a half times more for insurance than 30-year-olds. That's because insurance companies consider younger drivers high-risk due to their lack of driving experience.
Young drivers can save on insurance by looking for discounts for good grades, safe driving or leaving their car at home while away at school. Some insurance companies also offer discounts for taking a defensive driving course.
New drivers can also save by joining a parent's car insurance policy.
Low-cost car insurance in D.C. after a speeding ticket: Erie
Erie has the cheapest car insurance quotes for Washington, D.C., drivers with a single speeding ticket. Full coverage insurance from Erie is $189 per month after a ticket. That's $45 per month less than the city average, and $20 per month less than the second-cheapest option, State Farm.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $189 |
| State Farm | $209 |
| Progressive | $220 |
| Geico | $250 |
| Allstate | $424 |
| USAA | $113 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
A single speeding ticket raises rates by 19% in Washington, D.C. That's an average increase of $37 per month for a full coverage policy.
Cheap D.C. car insurance after an accident: State Farm
State Farm has the best car insurance quotes for D.C. drivers after an at-fault accident. At $194 per month, a full coverage policy from State Farm is $92 per month cheaper than average.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $194 |
| Erie | $230 |
| Progressive | $280 |
| Geico | $371 |
| Allstate | $508 |
| USAA | $131 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Just one at-fault accident on your record can increase your insurance quotes by 44% in Washington, D.C.
Don't stress about switching car insurance companies right after your accident. Your rates won't go up until your current policy renews. But any quotes you get now will have your accident on your record, so they'll probably be more expensive than your current rate.
Instead, wait until you get your renewal offer from your current company a few weeks to a month before your policy expires. Then, you should compare quotes from multiple companies to find the best price for you.
Cheap DC insurance for teens with a ticket or accident: Erie
Erie has the most affordable car insurance for young drivers with a speeding ticket or accident on their record.
Minimum coverage from Erie costs an average of $173 per month for an 18-year-old driver after a single speeding ticket. Young drivers with an at-fault accident on their record pay around $153 per month for minimum coverage with Erie.
Company | Ticket | Accident |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $173 | $153 |
| Geico | $289 | $376 |
| State Farm | $296 | $273 |
| Progressive | $675 | $748 |
| Allstate | $697 | $707 |
| USAA | $107 | $110 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
On average, insurance companies raise rates for teen drivers in D.C. by 13% after a speeding ticket and 20% after an accident. This is a smaller increase than adults usually see because younger drivers are already considered high-risk.
Cheap auto insurance in Washington, D.C. after a DUI: Progressive
Progressive offers the best rates in Washington, D.C., for drivers with a DUI. Full coverage from Progressive costs $199 per month after a DUI. That's $153 per month cheaper than average, and $72 per month less than the next-cheapest company, Erie.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $199 |
| Erie | $271 |
| Allstate | $469 |
| Geico | $502 |
| State Farm | $510 |
| USAA | $163 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Overall, D.C. drivers pay 78% more after a DUI. That's an average increase of $155 per month for a full coverage policy.
D.C. drivers with a DUI may also have to get SR-22 insurance. Insurance companies typically charge between $15 and $50 to file an SR-22 form for you. That's in addition to any increase in your insurance rates.
Cheap Washington, D.C. insurance for drivers with poor credit: Progressive
Progressive has the most affordable car insurance in Washington, D.C. for drivers with bad credit. Full coverage from progressive costs around $354 per month, which is $170 per month cheaper than average in D.C.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $354 |
| Geico | $400 |
| Erie | $473 |
| Allstate | $609 |
| State Farm | $1,125 |
| USAA | $183 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Poor credit more than doubles car insurance quotes for Washington, D.C. drivers. That's because insurance companies believe drivers with poor credit are more likely to make claims in the future.
Best car insurance in Washington, D.C.
USAA offers the best car insurance in D.C. because of its excellent customer service and cheap quotes.
However, USAA is only available to military members, veterans and their families.
Erie is the best choice for Washington, D.C. drivers who don't qualify for USAA. Erie also has great customer service scores and affordable rates.
Top car insurance companies in D.C.
Company |
Editor's rating
|
J.D. Power
|
AM Best
|
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 739 | A++ | |
| Erie | 700 | A+ | |
| State Farm | 657 | A++ | |
| Geico | 637 | A++ | |
| Allstate | 635 | A+ | |
| Progressive | 622 | A+ |
Average car insurance costs in the D.C. metro area
Washington, D.C. has some of the most expensive car insurance rates in its metro area, at $198 per month for full coverage.
Maryland suburbs College Park and Clinton are the only cities in the metro area with higher rates than Washington, D.C. Full coverage in these cities costs around $204 per month.
Arlington, VA has the cheapest rates in the D.C. metro area, at $153 per month for full coverage.
City | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $198 |
| Arlington, VA | $153 |
| Reston, VA | $155 |
| Bethesda, MD | $156 |
| Fairfax, VA | $162 |
Washington, D.C. packs nearly 700,000 people into 69 square miles, and 6.3 million people live in the D.C. metropolitan area. Just as the overall cost of living in Washington, D.C. is well above the national average, so too is the cost of car insurance, both in the District and in neighboring communities. This is partially because of traffic congestion and higher property crime rates.
What car insurance is required in Washington, D.C.
Washington D.C. drivers must have a minimum amount of liability car insurance coverage, sometimes written as 25/50/10. Drivers also need matching uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage and $5,000 of uninsured motorist property damage.
- Bodily injury (BI) liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Property damage (PD) liability: $10,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI): $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD): $5,000 per accident with a $200 deductible
However, most drivers should consider adding higher coverage limits to pay for damage after an expensive accident.
What's the best car insurance coverage for D.C. drivers?
Full coverage car insurance is the best choice for most people in Washington, D.C.
Full coverage includes comprehensive and collision insurance. These coverages protect your car from damage after a crash, theft, vandalism or a weather event — regardless of whose fault it is. Most lenders require these coverages if you have a car loan or lease. It's also a good idea to add them if your car is less than eight years old or worth more than $5,000.
In addition, full coverage can have higher liability limits than required by law. This is important because the minimum requirement may not be enough to cover the cost of a major accident.
For example, if you hit and total an expensive car, $10,000 of property damage liability coverage won't be enough to replace it. If you have minimum liability insurance, you'll have to pay the difference out of pocket, which can get very expensive.
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance a month in D.C.?
The average cost of car insurance in Washington, D.C., is $91 per month, or $1,097 per year, for a minimum coverage policy. Full coverage in D.C. costs an average of $198 per month, or $2,371 per year.
Why is car insurance so high in D.C.?
Washington, D.C., has the 11th-most expensive minimum-coverage rates in the country, and the 12th-most expensive full coverage rates. Washington, D.C., car insurance is expensive partly because of the high population density, traffic congestion and number of fatal accidents for its size. Washington, D.C. also has high car theft rates, according to the FBI.
Is car insurance cheaper in D.C. or Virginia?
Car insurance is more expensive in Washington, D.C., than it is in Virginia. The average quote for full coverage in D.C. is $198 per month, compared to $140 per month across the whole state of Virginia.
Methodology
ValuePenguin collected auto insurance quotes for Washington, D.C., from top car insurance companies in the area. Rates are for a 30-year-old man with good credit who owns a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
Quotes are for full coverage insurance, which includes liability limits higher than required minimums plus collision and comprehensive coverage.
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Personal injury protection: $10,000
- Property damage liability: $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage: $5,000 per accident; $200 deductible
- Comprehensive and collision: $500 deductible
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurance company 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.