Question 1

What are Washington's minimum auto insurance requirements?

Accepted Answer

Washington requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage — commonly written as 25/50/10. Those are legal minimums, not recommendations. A moderate hospital stay or a newer vehicle written off can exhaust them, and anything beyond the limit comes out of your assets.

Question 2

Is Washington a no-fault state?

Accepted Answer

No. Washington is an at-fault state, which means the driver responsible for an accident is responsible for the resulting damages, and their liability coverage responds. That is different from no-fault states, where each driver's own policy handles their injuries regardless of who caused the crash.

Question 3

What is PIP, and do I need it in Washington?

Accepted Answer

Personal Injury Protection covers medical expenses, and often lost wages, for you and your passengers regardless of who caused the accident. PIP is not mandatory in Washington, but insurers are required to offer it — at least $10,000 of medical coverage — and declining it requires a written rejection. Because it pays without waiting for fault to be sorted out, it is one of the coverages we most often recommend keeping.

Question 4

What is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage?

Accepted Answer

It covers you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough of it. Given how many drivers carry only state-minimum limits, "not enough" is the more common scenario. This is coverage that protects you and your family rather than someone else, it is usually inexpensive relative to what it does, and declining it in Washington requires a written waiver.

Question 5

Does comprehensive cover a cracked windshield or a break-in?

Accepted Answer

Generally yes. Comprehensive handles damage that is not a collision: glass, theft, vandalism, fire, falling branches, and animal strikes. Many policies treat glass differently from other comprehensive claims, sometimes with a lower deductible or none at all, so it is worth knowing what yours does before you need it.

Question 6

Am I covered driving a rental car?

Accepted Answer

Usually your existing coverage extends to a rental you are driving temporarily, at the same limits you carry on your own vehicle, but the details vary, and a personal policy behaves differently for rentals abroad or rentals used for business. Worth a two-minute call before you leave rather than a decision at the counter.

Question 7

Am I covered if I drive for work or for a rideshare app?

Accepted Answer

Personal auto policies typically exclude driving for hire, and the coverage rideshare platforms provide has gaps around when the app is on but no passenger is in the car. If you drive for Uber, Lyft, or delivery apps, or if you use your personal vehicle regularly for business, tell us — the fix is usually an endorsement or a different policy structure, and it is far cheaper than an uncovered claim.

Question 8

What actually affects my premium?

Accepted Answer

Your driving record, the vehicle itself, how much you drive, where the car is garaged, the coverages and deductibles you choose, and your claims history all factor in. Carriers weigh these very differently from one another, which is exactly why shopping the risk across multiple carriers usually beats renewing on autopilot.

Auto Insurance in Washington

Why do you need car insurance?

Common questions about auto insurance