The best, cheapest car insurance in Washington D.C.

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Best car insurance company in Washington, D.C.

Drivers in Washington, D.C. pay an average of $2,157 a year, or $180 per month, which is the 9^th highest in the country, according to our research.

Actual car insurance rates vary by company, and Erie Insurance, GEICO, and others continue to offer some of the most competitive premiums in Washington, D.C..

When it comes to the best cheap car insurance in Washington, D.C., Erie Insurance is our No. 1 choice followed by GEICO and Progressive.

Erie Insurance scores well with third-party rating organizations and it has an average premium in Washington, D.C. of $1,581 a year, or $132 a month, which is roughly $576 less than the Washington, D.C. average.

The best car insurance companies in Washington, D.C.

How we picked the top auto insurance companies

When choosing the top car insurance companies in the state, we not only looked at the average cost of coverage but also J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores, AM Best financial strength ratings and National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint rankings. National averages were used where state and regional data was not available.

For each of the four metrics, we gave companies in each state from 1 to 5 (5 being the best) based on how they performed in each category. Those components were then given the following weights, to arrive at an overall star rating.

• Premiums: 25%
• JD Power: 30%
• AM Best: 25%
• NAIC: 20%

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Cheapest car insurance in Washington, D.C.

GEICO has the cheapest average rate in the state at $1,408 a year.

While GEICO is the cheapest for many drivers, the perfect insurer for you may be a different company.

Insurers consider a wide variety of factors when setting a premium including your driving record, credit score, age, marital status as well the vehicle. Where you live also affects rates.

“States that have a higher rate of severe weather that damages cars or helps cause accidents will typically have higher rates,” says Chong Gao, director of product management R&D at Mercury Insurance. “Washington, D.C., for example, is prone to extreme weather like hurricanes and its car insurance costs are consequently much higher.”

Insurance companies crunch all this data with proprietary algorithms, which can result in dramatic differences in premium quotes.

The data clearly shows the range of premiums for similar drivers.

In Washington, D.C., as mentioned earlier, the cheapest policy is GEICO with an average rate of $1,408 a year. Progressive follows with an average premium of $1,488 a year or $124 a month and Erie Insurance with premiums of $1,581 a year or $132 a month.

Allstate is the most expensive insurer with an average premium of $3,769.

Make sure you’re taking advantage of all the discounts you qualify for to ensure you’re getting the best possible rate. Ask your agent to review your policy for any available savings you might be missing.

Below are the cheapest car insurance rates by state. To calculate these rates, we used data for a 40-year-old driver of a 2023 Honda Accord LX – one of the most commonly insured vehicles – to provide a consistent and realistic comparison across states.

Cheapest full-coverage insurance in Washington, D.C.

Full coverage car insurance in Washington, D.C.

As noted, the rates above are for full coverage car insurance. Full coverage car insurance adds collision and comprehensive to your liability insurance coverage, so your vehicle is repaired or replaced after an incident.

Full coverage insurance includes collision and comprehensive which will pay to repair your vehicle. Collision covers damage caused by a collision with another vehicle or object while comprehensive repairs damage done by perils such as fire, theft, flooding, vandalism, and more.

Learn more about liability, collision and comprehensive coverage.

Shopping for car insurance in Washington, D.C.

Shopping around for coverage is a great way to make sure you are getting the best rates on your auto insurance. Experts often tell consumers to shop for insurance yearly. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should be looking to switch.

“I recommend that people stay with the same insurance company, as they tend to get a better rate when they have been with the same carrier for more than 12 months. The more tenure you have with a carrier, the more potential there is to earn benefits,” says Tim Bottini, a Country Financial insurance agent based in St. Louis. “The carrier can also review your claims history and provide information about applicable discounts.”

But make sure you are comparing like coverage levels and deductibles.

“It is extremely important to make sure you start off with an apples-to-apples comparison,” Bottini says. “However, if a person has low limits, say 25/50/25 – limit per person/per occurrence/limit for property damage – I am going to recommend and quote at least 50/100/100. Depending on their age, income and profession, I would quote higher limits to protect their net worth and earnings potential.”

Bottini also says people can save money on their car insurance by keeping their credit score up, following the speed limit and placing both home and auto insurance with the same carrier.

Cheapest car insurance in Washington, D.C. by age

Car insurance rates will vary by age as reams of statistics show that teen and young adult drivers, because they are inexperienced on the road, take bigger risks and are more likely to get in an accident and file a claim, which is why they pay more for coverage than older more experienced drivers.

GEICO turned out to be the best insurer in Washington, D.C. for drivers of all ages. The numbers show the difference between young and old drivers with the lowest premium for a teen coming in at 91% more than the lowest premium for a senior driver.

Once a driver hits 25, rates will start to drop, assuming they keep their driving record clean, and will stay stable until their 70s when they will start climbing a bit.

Cheapest car insurance for senior drivers in Washington, D.C.

Seniors pay more for car insurance than other drivers, excluding teens. GEICO is the best choice for seniors in Washington, D.C., according to our data, with an average premium of $1,520 annually, which translates to $127 a month.

Progressive was the second most affordable at $1,568 and Erie Insurance was next with a premium of $1,680.

“Seniors tend to have slower reaction times and may suffer from vision or hearing impairments, which can impair their driving ability. This makes them more prone to accidents and thus considered high-risk by insurance companies,” says Tariro Goronga, CEO of DriveSafe driving schools in Colorado.

The table below shows the average premium for senior drivers.

Average rates for seniors in Washington, D.C.

Car insurance for young drivers in Washington, D.C.

While young adults pay less than teen drivers, they still pay more than older more experienced drivers. The best choice for young adults (early 20s) in Washington, D.C. is GEICO with an annual rate of $2,428 or $202 a month.

Progressive had the second cheapest premium at $2,477 a year followed by Erie Insurance was third at $2,491.

If young drivers keep their driving record clean, their rates will drop down as they move out of their 20s.

The table below shows the best insurers for young drivers in Washington, D.C.:

Average rates for young drivers in Washington, D.C.

Car insurance for teen drivers in Washington, D.C.

Adding a teen to a car insurance policy will always push up the rate. Teens are the least experienced drivers out on the road which leads to more accidents and claims and higher premiums.

“Teen drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents due to their lack of driving experience and tendency to engage in risky behaviors like speeding,” says Eliezer Zupnick, founder of East Leads Group LLC. “Teens are involved in three times as many auto accidents per mile compared to drivers aged 20 and up, making them a high-risk category for insurers.”

For Washington, D.C. teens, Erie Insurance is the most affordable option with a premium of $3,212 a year or $268 a month. GEICO is the next most affordable at $4,991 a year or $416 a month followed by Progressive running $6,595 a year.

If your teen has a B average or better, ask for a good student discount to help save a bit of money. Having your teen drive an older vehicle will also help save some money. If the car is old enough that you wouldn’t repair it after an accident, you may be able to drop collision and comprehensive.

The chart below shows average premiums for teens in Washington, D.C.:

Average rates for teens in Washington, D.C.

Average cost of car insurance in Washington, D.C.

The average cost of car insurance in Washington, D.C. is $2,157, which makes it the 9^th most expensive state in the country behind Louisiana and Florida.

Metropolitan areas – and all states have them – equals lots of drivers, which often leads to car crashes and claims.

“States with a higher population density have more cars on the road and thus more accidents and claims, increasing insurance rates. A more rural state like Iowa will have significantly lower average yearly car insurance costs compared to a highly metropolitan state like Washington, D.C.,” says Gao.

Below are the cheapest car insurance rates by state. To calculate these rates, we used data for a 40-year-old driver of a 2023 Honda Accord LX – one of the most commonly insured vehicles – to provide a consistent and realistic comparison across states.

Average rates for a 40-year-old in Washington, D.C.

Which Washington, D.C. ZIP codes are most expensive for car insurance?

Car insurance costs in Washington, D.C. can vary significantly based on your location, as insurers consider the ZIP code where your vehicle is primarily parked when determining your premium.

Our data shows that the Washington Navy Yard area came out as the most expensive with an average annual premium of $2,157.

Here are the most expensive ZIP codes in Washington, D.C. for car insurance:

Most expensive ZIP codes in Washington, D.C.

Which Washington, D.C. ZIP codes are the cheapest for car insurance?

When it comes to cheap car insurance in Washington, D.C., these ZIP codes have the most affordable coverage. The area around Washington has the lowest premiums in Washington, D.C. with an average premium of $2,157.

Least expensive ZIP codes in Washington, D.C.

Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers in Washington, D.C.

If you have an at-fault accident, DUI or speeding ticket on your driving record, your insurer may consider you a high-risk driver and will push up the cost of your coverage.

A speeding ticket increases the average premium to $2,414 and will stay on your record and impact your premium for three years.

If you are responsible for an accident, your rates will push the average cost of coverage to $3,041.

A DUI is considered a major violation and will raise the average premium to $3,514.

The table below shows the average increase for drivers with an incident on their record:

How much rates increase in Washington, D.C. after a traffic incident

Minimum car insurance requirements in Washington, D.C.

Most states require all drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage to drive legally. Washington, D.C. requires drivers to carry 25/50/10 in liability coverage, which translates into:

• $25k for bodily injury and $50,000 for death for a person involved in an accident
• $50k for bodily injury and $100,000 for death for two or more people in an accident
• $10k for property damage for a single accident

These required minimums are fairly average when compared to other states. However, these minimums are rarely enough coverage if you are involved in a serious accident. Once your coverage levels are exceeded, you will be on the hook for any remaining damage.

Experts typically recommend carrying 100/300/50 as a minimum liability coverage level.

What our expert says

Q: How does a state’s population affect car insurance rates?

Chong GaoDirector of product management R&D at Mercury Insurance.

“States with a higher population density have more cars on the road and thus more accidents and claims, increasing insurance rates. A more rural state like Iowa will have significantly lower average yearly car insurance costs compared to a highly metropolitan state like Washington, D.C..”

Mark Vallet

Contributing Researcher

 

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Mark Vallet is a Denver-based insurance expert and journalist with 18 years of experience covering the car insurance industry. He specializes in breaking down complex insurance topics into clear, expert-backed insights that help drivers make smarter insurance coverage decisions.