What Washington requires
Washington's liability minimums are 25/50/10 - $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per accident, $10,000 of property damage - verified as current by the Department of Licensing. Two coverages attach to that floor by default: uninsured motorist coverage must be included in every Washington auto policy unless you waive it in writing, and personal injury protection must be offered and is added and charged unless you reject it in writing.
| Coverage | Washington position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 / $50,000 | Required |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 | Required - among the lowest property damage floors nationally |
| Uninsured motorist | Included by default | Waivable only in writing |
| Personal injury protection | Offered; added unless rejected | $10,000 medical, waivable in writing |
| Underinsured motorist | Optional offer | Not mandatory |
PIP, when kept, pays $10,000 of medical and hospital costs per person for up to three years, $2,000 funeral costs, up to $200 a week in lost wages (to $10,000) after a 14-day disability, and lost services benefits - coverage you can raise to $35,000 of medical by endorsement. Pedestrians and passengers are covered too, which makes Washington's PIP unusually broad for an optional benefit.
The default-coverages philosophy
Washington's approach inverts the usual opt-in pattern: the protective coverages are on the bill unless you actively take them off. UM rides with liability until you sign a waiver; PIP is added and charged until you sign a rejection. The legislature built the defaults this way because Washington's uninsured-driver population has long ranked among the nation's highest - several percent above the national average in the studies that track it.
For drivers, the decision is mostly about checking the declarations page rather than buying anything extra: find out whether UM and PIP are still there before assuming the cheaper quote is cheaper. A quote that stripped both coverages by default is not comparable to one that kept them - it is a thinner policy wearing the same liability numbers.
Underinsured claims and the floating layer
Washington's underinsured motorist treatment has a feature other states lack: under Washington law and attorney-general interpretation, your UIM coverage forms a floating layer that is not diminished by what the at-fault driver's liability insurer pays you. If your damages are $80,000, the other driver carries $30,000, and you hold $50,000 of UIM, the two sources combine rather than the UIM coverage swallowing the liability payment.
The practical value shows up in exactly the crashes where the at-fault driver carries minimum limits - which in Washington are low. Because UIM is offered but not mandatory, buying it is a choice; the floating-layer rule means every dollar of it stays available above what the other policy pays.
What Washington drivers pay
Washington prices below the national average despite its high uninsured rate and dense Puget Sound corridors. Quote.com's September 2025 comparison put minimum coverage near $45 a month - cheaper than all but a handful of states in that table. Seattle and Tacoma garaging price above the state average; the I-5 corridor's commuter belt, windstorm exposure on the coast and theft in urban centers push comprehensive and liability higher than eastern Washington counties.
Washington permits insurers to consider credit history in rating under state and federal law - so credit hygiene remains a rating lever here, unlike in California. Drivers convicted of uninsured driving face fines starting around $550, and the state's verification habits mean the cheap-quote temptation of dropping UM carries its own arithmetic.
How to save in Washington
- Keep UM (default coverage) and reconsider any written PIP or UM waivers before signing them.
- Bundle auto with home or renters - standard multi-policy discounts apply across Washington carriers.
- Report accurate mileage: I-5 commuters and weekend rural drivers should not pay the same rate.
- Price telematics programs - usage-based discounts are widely offered in the state.
- Raise comp deductibles in windstorm and theft-exposed areas only to levels you could cash-flow.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner runs the consumer hotline for claim and rate complaints - a reachable regulator in a state that actively reviews carrier rate filings.
What Washington insurers price on - and your rights
Washington carriers rate on driving record, garaging zip, annual mileage, age and marital status, vehicle safety features, and credit history - which state law allows them to consider, unlike in California. The default coverages also shape the quote: UM and PIP sitting on the policy raise the price over a stripped-down liability quote, which is why two Washington policies with identical liability numbers can differ by twenty percent or more. Comparing them means comparing the coverage blocks line by line, not just the bottom number - and drivers who waived UM or PIP years ago should re-check what the waiver is still saving them.
Related pages
- Liability limits: how much you need
- How car insurance works
- How to get the cheapest car insurance rates
- Auto insurance in California
- Auto insurance hub
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Washington's car insurance minimums?
25/50/10: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 property damage - one of the lowest property damage floors in the country. Uninsured motorist coverage is included by default and PIP is added unless rejected in writing.
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Washington?
Every Washington auto policy must include UM coverage unless you waive it in writing. It pays your bodily injury costs when the at-fault driver has none - a meaningful protection given Washington's above-average uninsured rate.
Is PIP required in Washington?
Not by statute, but your insurer must offer it and will add it and charge for it unless you reject it in writing. PIP covers $10,000 of medical costs per person plus lost wages and services - and can be increased to $35,000.
What is Washington's 'floating layer' UIM rule?
Your underinsured motorist coverage sits on top of what the at-fault driver's insurer pays rather than being reduced by it - so UIM dollars remain available above the other policy's payment in a serious claim.
Does Washington allow credit scores in car insurance?
Yes. State and federal law permit insurers to consider credit history in Washington - unlike California and a few other states that restrict or bar the practice.
Last updated: 2026-10-01