Now, as far as options go, there are plenty of Washington car insurance companies to choose from. And although the average car insurance premium of the state is slightly more expensive than the national average ($1,550), you can also find most of the largest car insurance firms in Virginia, including, Liberty, Geico, Farmers, Progressive, State Farm and Farmers.
Of course, it should also be kept in mind that despite the average car insurance rate in the state, the actual costs and premiums can still vary from one city to another. This is particularly true between towns and cities, where the cost of car insurance is higher for the latter and lower for the former.
In addition to location, age, driving record, credit rating, gender and even marital status can have a big influence on what kind of premiums you’ll be expected to pay. This is the reason why you need to broaden your list of options as much as possible. And in the context of the internet, this usually means getting as many quotes as possible.
You can think of quotes as both your options as well as your insurance risk score. They give you an analysis of what kind of rates car insurance companies are most likely to give you based on the information that you have given them. Moreover, they can provide you with some idea on what kind of schedule you’ll be allowed to pay your bills (i.e. quarterly or monthly). And it is for these reasons why you need to get as many quotes as you can.
Washington State Requirements for Car Insurance
Like every other state in the country, Washington also has minimum liability insurance requirements for its residents and motorists. These requirements are a prerequisite for all drivers, and you cannot drive a car in Washington without complying with them first.
The minimum required amounts for car insurance in the state of Washington are:
$25,000 per person injury coverage
$50,000 per accident injury coverage
$10,000 for property damage coverage per accident
In addition to complying with these requirements, you should also remember that you will be required to carry proof of your insurance policy. This proof will come in the form of a simple card that will contain your name, policy number, the expiry date of your license as well as your car insurance provider. Be sure to bring this card with you whenever you drive, as police officers have a mandate to request them from motorists. And if it so happens that you are found driving without your card, you could face a fine of $450.
Aside from the minimum liability requirements, you should also remember that the state of Washington uses the Tort system, which basically means that in any traffic accident, one of the parties involved must be found “at fault.” And that person as well as his or her car insurance company will be held responsible for damages.DUI’s/DWI’s in Washington
Another issue that you should be aware of is Washington’s DUI laws. It may not seem relevant, but as far as car insurance companies are concerned (particularly the ones which have to deal with drunk drivers), the statistics on drug or alcohol related traffic fatalities in a particular town can have far reaching effects on their business goals. So it is for that reason why living in a town or city where traffic accidents are common can have a detrimental effect on your car insurance premiums.
The good news is that Washington’s traffic related fatalities have gone down in recent years. This is partly because state laws have become stricter and additional preventative measures have been put in place. The penalties for a first time DUI/DWI in the state of Washington includes:
24 Hours to 1 Year Worth of Jail Time.
$865.50 to $5,000 in Fines
90 Days to 1 Years Worth of License Suspension
Mandatory Installation of an Ignition Interlock Device
Mandatory Acquisition of Washington SR22 Insurance
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Education
And of course, in addition to these penalties, a DUI motorist can also expect higher premiums once his or her agent finds out about the incident. However, car insurance penalties varies from company to company. So you may want to look up those which have reputation for being lenient with their clients.
Car Theft and How It Affects Washington Car Insurance Rates
Car theft is also a big issue in Washington. And although the overall crime rate may have an effect on your car insurance costs, what really matters as far as car insurance companies are concerned is your car’s chances of getting stolen.
As a general rule, people who live in large, heavily populated areas tend to be more at risk of car theft than people who reside in rural towns and farms. What this basically means is that urban residents can expect to pay larger premiums than people than their rural and farm dwelling counterparts.
Aside from where you live, the type of vehicle you drive can also have a significant impact on what kind of car insurance premiums you are likely to face. Some cars are simply more likely to get stolen than others, and in Washington, the latest figures indicate that the cars which are most likely to get stolen include:
1993 Subaru Legacy
1995 Acura Integra
1991 Honda Accord
1992 Honda Prelude
1990 Toyota Camry
1994 Saturn L-Series
1994 Nissan Sentra
1995 Honda Civic
1997 Ford F-150
1993 Toyota Corolla
Now, if you happen to find your car on this list, don’t worry. Even though you might get higher premiums, there are still other options that you can try to reduce the cost of your car insurance costs. For starters, you have to remember that the issue has to do with car theft. So improving your car’s chances of not getting stolen can greatly mitigate the amount of money that you’ll be asked to spend on your premiums. You can do this by installing alarms and locks on your car. Keeping it in garage or in a safe area can also help in reducing your car insurance costs.
Of course, it should also be kept in mind that despite the average car insurance rate in the state, the actual costs and premiums can still vary from one city to another. This is particularly true between towns and cities, where the cost of car insurance is higher for the latter and lower for the former.
In addition to location, age, driving record, credit rating, gender and even marital status can have a big influence on what kind of premiums you’ll be expected to pay. This is the reason why you need to broaden your list of options as much as possible. And in the context of the internet, this usually means getting as many quotes as possible.
You can think of quotes as both your options as well as your insurance risk score. They give you an analysis of what kind of rates car insurance companies are most likely to give you based on the information that you have given them. Moreover, they can provide you with some idea on what kind of schedule you’ll be allowed to pay your bills (i.e. quarterly or monthly). And it is for these reasons why you need to get as many quotes as you can.
Washington State Requirements for Car Insurance
Like every other state in the country, Washington also has minimum liability insurance requirements for its residents and motorists. These requirements are a prerequisite for all drivers, and you cannot drive a car in Washington without complying with them first.
The minimum required amounts for car insurance in the state of Washington are:
$25,000 per person injury coverage
$50,000 per accident injury coverage
$10,000 for property damage coverage per accident
In addition to complying with these requirements, you should also remember that you will be required to carry proof of your insurance policy. This proof will come in the form of a simple card that will contain your name, policy number, the expiry date of your license as well as your car insurance provider. Be sure to bring this card with you whenever you drive, as police officers have a mandate to request them from motorists. And if it so happens that you are found driving without your card, you could face a fine of $450.
Aside from the minimum liability requirements, you should also remember that the state of Washington uses the Tort system, which basically means that in any traffic accident, one of the parties involved must be found “at fault.” And that person as well as his or her car insurance company will be held responsible for damages.DUI’s/DWI’s in Washington
Another issue that you should be aware of is Washington’s DUI laws. It may not seem relevant, but as far as car insurance companies are concerned (particularly the ones which have to deal with drunk drivers), the statistics on drug or alcohol related traffic fatalities in a particular town can have far reaching effects on their business goals. So it is for that reason why living in a town or city where traffic accidents are common can have a detrimental effect on your car insurance premiums.
The good news is that Washington’s traffic related fatalities have gone down in recent years. This is partly because state laws have become stricter and additional preventative measures have been put in place. The penalties for a first time DUI/DWI in the state of Washington includes:
24 Hours to 1 Year Worth of Jail Time.
$865.50 to $5,000 in Fines
90 Days to 1 Years Worth of License Suspension
Mandatory Installation of an Ignition Interlock Device
Mandatory Acquisition of Washington SR22 Insurance
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Education
And of course, in addition to these penalties, a DUI motorist can also expect higher premiums once his or her agent finds out about the incident. However, car insurance penalties varies from company to company. So you may want to look up those which have reputation for being lenient with their clients.
Car Theft and How It Affects Washington Car Insurance Rates
Car theft is also a big issue in Washington. And although the overall crime rate may have an effect on your car insurance costs, what really matters as far as car insurance companies are concerned is your car’s chances of getting stolen.
As a general rule, people who live in large, heavily populated areas tend to be more at risk of car theft than people who reside in rural towns and farms. What this basically means is that urban residents can expect to pay larger premiums than people than their rural and farm dwelling counterparts.
Aside from where you live, the type of vehicle you drive can also have a significant impact on what kind of car insurance premiums you are likely to face. Some cars are simply more likely to get stolen than others, and in Washington, the latest figures indicate that the cars which are most likely to get stolen include:
1993 Subaru Legacy
1995 Acura Integra
1991 Honda Accord
1992 Honda Prelude
1990 Toyota Camry
1994 Saturn L-Series
1994 Nissan Sentra
1995 Honda Civic
1997 Ford F-150
1993 Toyota Corolla
Now, if you happen to find your car on this list, don’t worry. Even though you might get higher premiums, there are still other options that you can try to reduce the cost of your car insurance costs. For starters, you have to remember that the issue has to do with car theft. So improving your car’s chances of not getting stolen can greatly mitigate the amount of money that you’ll be asked to spend on your premiums. You can do this by installing alarms and locks on your car. Keeping it in garage or in a safe area can also help in reducing your car insurance costs.
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