Best Car Insurance in Washington for 2026

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Updated: April 20, 2026

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Key Takeaways
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GEICO earns Washington's top MoneyGeek score at 4.7/5 with a perfect 5/5 affordability score and minimum coverage at $39 per month, the cheapest baseline rate among the three featured winners.

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Travelers is best for young drivers and those on low incomes, with the highest customer experience score in Washington (5/5) and six add-ons, including gap insurance.

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Kent and Tacoma are the only cities where Travelers leads the MoneyGeek score, both scoring 4.9/5, the highest city scores in Washington, while four different insurers split the other eight cities.

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HOW I DECIDED ON THE BEST CAR INSURANCE IN WASHINGTON

Mark Fitzpatrick, Licensed Insurance Producer

I analyzed quotes from seven Washington insurers across every ZIP code in the state. Washington operates as an at-fault state with 25/50/10 minimum liability requirements, notably low property damage coverage at $10,000. Credit scoring is currently allowed after courts struck down an emergency ban. PEMCO, a Washington-based regional carrier, ranks sixth among the analyzed insurers. Farmers earns the highest coverage score at 5/5 with 10 add-ons but ranks last for customer experience among the seven analyzed insurers.

  • Affordability is weighted at 60%
  • Customer experience accounts for 30%
  • Coverage options make up the remaining 10%

Best Car Insurance Companies in Washington

My analysis of Washington insurers identified three winners. Drivers searching for the cheapest car insurance in Washington will find these three carriers lead different profile categories: GEICO for overall value, Travelers for young drivers and low-income households and State Farm for drivers with violations. 

PEMCO, a Washington-based regional carrier, ranks sixth in the state and offers Pacific Northwest expertise for drivers who prefer a local insurer. Farmers has the highest coverage score in Washington at 5/5, with 10 add-ons, including gap insurance and new-car replacement, but it ranks last for customer experience among the seven analyzed insurers.

Geico4.64$6766
Travelers4.54$8114
State Farm4.5$7436
Progressive4.49$8122
Farmers4.46$78101
GEICO
Best Overall

GEICO

GEICO earns the top composite score in my Washington analysis, driven by the highest affordability score among the Washington insurers I reviewed, with rates that remain competitive across clean-record and vehicle-age profiles. At $39 per month minimum for a clean-record adult, it's the lowest of the featured winners for that profile, though State Farm's $38 per month is $1 cheaper for the same driver. GEICO also wins best score for old-car drivers ($34 per month, cheapest) and new-car drivers ($41 per month, cheapest). On Washington's regulatory environment: the state attempted a credit-scoring ban that was halted in court, and a study bill was passed in 2025, with recommendations due in late 2026, so the credit-based pricing landscape may shift in the near term.

On customer experience, GEICO ranks sixth among the Washington insurers I analyzed, behind Travelers, Progressive, State Farm and PEMCO, a Pacific Northwest-based regional carrier with strong local reviews. Travelers holds a perfect 5/5 customer experience score. GEICO's phone-and-online model means most claims are handled without a local agent, and consumer reviews nationwide flag difficulty reaching live support. For Washington drivers who rarely file claims and want the most competitive clean-record rate, GEICO is the clear pick. For drivers who anticipate filing, especially for weather events in the Cascades or flooding in western Washington, Travelers' perfect customer experience score is worth $14 per month more.

Score Breakdown:

  • Affordability (60%): 5/5
  • Customer Experience (30%): 4.4/5
  • Coverage Options (10%): 3.3/5

Don’t pick GEICO if you need gap insurance, accident forgiveness or a local agent. Its three add-on menu doesn’t include either of the first two. Travelers’ six-add-on menu covers both at $53 per month minimum, and State Farm’s $38 per month clean-record rate is $1 cheaper than GEICO’s, while adding a local agent relationship.

Travelers
Best for Young Drivers and Those With Low Income

Travelers

Travelers earns a 5/5 customer experience score in my Washington analysis, the highest of any insurer I reviewed, and gets the best score for young drivers ($104 per month minimum), low-income drivers ($67 per month), bad-credit drivers ($104 per month) and new-car drivers ($50 per month). Travelers ranked #1 on Insure.com's satisfaction study and earns consistently strong agent reviews for claims responsiveness. That's meaningful in Washington, where winter ice events in the Cascades, flooding in the Puget Sound corridor and wildfire smoke in eastern Washington drive above-average comprehensive claim volume.

At $53 per month minimum for a clean-record adult, Travelers runs $14 per month more than GEICO and $15 per month more than State Farm. Its six add-on menu includes gap insurance, accident forgiveness, new-car replacement and rideshare coverage, the last of which is relevant in Seattle, where Uber and Lyft driving are widespread. For young and low-income drivers in Washington who want the state's best service record alongside real coverage depth, Travelers is the strongest all-around option.

Score Breakdown:

  • Affordability (60%): 4.4/5
  • Customer Experience (30%): 5/5
  • Coverage Options (10%): 4.1/5

Don't pick Travelers if the lowest monthly rate is the priority. GEICO's $39 per month clean-record minimum is $14 cheaper, and State Farm has the cheapest DUI, speeding ticket and accident rates in Washington by a wide margin. Travelers works best for young drivers, low-income drivers and anyone who wants the top customer experience score in the state.

State Farm
Best Cheap for Drivers With a Violation

State Farm

State Farm wins every violation category in my Washington analysis, with the best score and the cheapest rates: $41 per month minimum for DUI and speeding tickets, and $44 per month after an at-fault accident. Those are among the most stable violation rates I found anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, and State Farm sweeps all three violation types on both designations. State Farm also wins best score for clean-record adults at $37/month — $2 less than GEICO for that profile.

State Farm ranks third in customer experience among the Washington insurers I analyzed, behind Travelers and Progressive. Its local agent model is its service foundation: State Farm's national agent network averages 4.6 stars, and in-person policyholders consistently report named contacts who handle claims directly. For Washington drivers with a violation record who want the lowest rate and a local agent, State Farm is the strongest option in the state. Its three add-ons include rideshare coverage, relevant for the Seattle metro.

Score Breakdown:

  • Affordability (60%): 4.7/5
  • Customer Experience (30%): 4.6/5
  • Coverage Options (10% of score): 3.3/5

Don't pick State Farm if you need gap insurance or accident forgiveness. Its three add-on menus don't include either. Travelers' six-add-on menu is available for both at $53 per month minimum, and its 5/5 customer experience score is the highest in Washington for drivers who prioritize service quality.

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WHAT IS MY VERDICT?

For most Washington drivers, GEICO is the strongest all-around pick. The 4.7/5 MoneyGeek score, the $39-per-month minimum rate, and the perfect affordability rating make GEICO the top choice in a state with a tight field of high-scoring insurers.

Travelers is the right call for young drivers, low-income drivers and anyone who prioritizes service quality. Its 5/5 customer experience score and six add-ons provide the strongest combination of support and coverage depth in Washington.

State Farm is the pick for drivers with violations. Its rates after a DUI and speeding ticket are among the cheapest in Washington, and its 4.6/5 customer experience score means drivers are not sacrificing service quality for the savings.

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MORE WASHINGTON CAR INSURANCE GUIDES

Best Car Insurance in Washington by Driver Profile

My Washington profile analysis shows GEICO winning the cheapest rates on most clean-record profiles, State Farm sweeping the cheapest rates for all violation types and Travelers earning the best MoneyGeek score for young drivers and low-income households. Credit scoring is allowed in Washington after the courts struck down the 2021 emergency ban issued by the Insurance Commissioner, and current state law permits credit-based insurance scoring with certain restrictions. Washington does not require UM/UIM coverage, though both coverages are worth adding given the state's traffic density and uninsured driver rates.

National General wins the cheapest rates for bad credit, and American Family wins the cheapest rates for low-income car insurance in Washington, but neither carrier is among the seven reviewed insurers with full MoneyGeek scoring data. Rates for both carriers are included in the table below as reference points for drivers in those categories.

Driver Profile
Best Provider
Average Monthly Minimum Coverage
Average Monthly Full Coverage

Adult drivers (26 to 64), clean record

State Farm

$37

$108

Young drivers (16 to 25)

Travelers

$104

$229

Senior drivers (65+)

State Farm

$44

$118

After an at-fault accident

State Farm

$44

$125

After a speeding ticket

State Farm

$41

$118

National General has the cheapest bad-credit rates at $62 per month and the cheapest low-income rates at $52 per month in Washington. National General is not among the seven reviewed insurers, so full MoneyGeek scoring data is not available, but the carrier is worth quoting for drivers in those profiles.

Best Car Insurance in Washington by City

My Washington city analysis produced the most distributed winner split in this review, with four different insurers leading across 10 cities. Travelers earns the highest city MoneyGeek scores (4.9/5) in Kent and Tacoma. Kent at $106 per month and Renton at $101 per month carry the highest average premiums among Washington's 10 most populous cities, while Spokane Valley at $67 per month is the lowest. The Seattle metro runs well above Eastern Washington cities, reflecting higher density, traffic volume and vehicle theft rates on the West Side.

GEICO leads in three cities (Bellevue, Everett, Seattle), Progressive leads in four cities (Kirkland, Renton, Spokane, Vancouver), Travelers leads in two cities (Kent, Tacoma), and Farmers leads in one city (Spokane Valley). Progressive's four-city sweep shows strength across Washington's geographic diversity, from the Seattle suburbs to Eastern Washington.

City
Best Provider
MoneyGeek Score (/5)
Average Monthly Premium

Bellevue

GEICO

4.70

$82

Everett

GEICO

4.70

$82

Kent

Travelers

4.90

$106

Kirkland

Progressive

4.70

$84

Renton

Progressive

4.80

$101

Washington ZIP code location affects auto insurance rates. The Seattle metro's higher density, traffic volume and vehicle theft rates push West Side premiums well above Eastern Washington cities like Spokane ($77 per month) and Spokane Valley ($67 per month).

How to Find the Best Car Insurance in Washington

Washington's seven analyzed insurers represent one of the most competitive markets in my state-by-state review. The gap between GEICO at $39 per month and Travelers at $53 per month for minimum coverage is $14 per month, or $168 per year. That difference is meaningful in a state where auto insurance rates run above the national average.

  1. 1

    Know Washington's minimum coverage requirements

    Washington requires 25/50/10 liability coverage: $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage. Washington is an at-fault state. Neither PIP nor UM/UIM coverage is required, though both are worth adding. Washington's traffic density and its share of uninsured drivers push up the cheapest car insurance in Washington rates for drivers who carry only minimums.

  2. 2

    Consider PEMCO and Farmers for broader coverage

    PEMCO is a Washington-based regional carrier ranked sixth in the state, worth quoting if you prefer a local insurer with Pacific Northwest expertise. Farmers has the widest menu of coverage in Washington (5/5 coverage score, 10 add-ons), but ranks last in customer experience among the seven insurers analyzed. Compare options for a home and auto bundle in Washington.

  3. 3

    Credit affects your rate

    Washington currently allows credit scoring in rate-setting. An emergency ban was struck down by courts; the current state law permits insurers to use credit with certain restrictions. National General offers the lowest bad-credit rate at $62 per month. Find low income car insurance in Washington.

  4. 4

    DUI drivers: State Farm leads on rate

    State Farm is the cheapest provider of car insurance after a DUI in Washington. SR-22 filing is required after a DUI conviction in Washington.

  5. 5

    Seattle metro vs. Eastern Washington

    Drivers in the Seattle metro should expect rates much higher than in Eastern Washington. Spokane Valley averages $67 per month; Kent averages $106 per month, a $39-per-month gap for the same top-scoring insurer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest car insurance in Washington?

How much is car insurance in Washington on average?

What car insurance is required in Washington?

Does Washington allow insurers to use credit scores?

What is PEMCO?

Which Washington insurer has the best coverage menu?

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers. 

He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships. 

His insights on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among others. 

Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to the analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

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