Car insurance in Seattle: Cheapest insurance and average rates

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Car insurance in Seattle costs $1,910 per year for full coverage – $159 monthly. In 2024, USAA offers the cheapest car insurance policy at $80 per month.

Seattle has more than 779,000 residents, and the economy is a hub for innovation. If you are moving to Seattle — or already live there — it is important to find the right car insurance policy. Fortunately, there are ways to get cheap car insurance in Seattle that will provide the coverage you need. 

How to find the best car insurance in Seattle

With the right tools and a little work, you can find the best car insurance policy in Seattle that marries the coverage you need with a cost you can afford. 

Before shopping for car insurance, determine the type of policy you need, including the coverage you need to protect yourself. Make sure you get quotes from at least three companies comparing similar coverage limits and options and ask about any discounts you qualify for. It’s always best to buy as much coverage as you can afford.

Cheapest car insurance company in Seattle

USAA provides the cheapest car insurance in Seattle, according to the most recent data. It costs an average of $959 annually to purchase a full-coverage policy from the insurer – but USAA is only available to military community members and their families. The next cheapest car insurance companies are Geico and Pemco.

See other cheap car insurance rates in Seattle in the table below.

Average annual rates from insurers in Seattle

How much is car insurance in Seattle per month?

Seattle residents can expect to pay an average of $159 per month in full coverage car insurance costs, or $46 per month for the state minimum coverage.

Of course, some drivers pay less than this average, while others pay more. Factors determining how much you pay for car insurance include the insurance company you choose and the coverage you need. 

Other factors — including your age and gender, car type, and history of accidents and violations — also influence car insurance costs.  

Monthly rates for car insurance in Seattle, Washington

How do rates in Seattle compare to other large cities in the U.S.?

The cost of coverage in Seattle compares favorably to other major cities. Seattle drivers pay more than other Washington drivers – the statewide rate is $1,608 annually, compared with Seattle’s $1,910.

See how much you can expect to pay for car insurance in several major U.S. cities in the table below.

Full-coverage car insurance costs in major U.S. metropolitan areas

Here’s what you need to know when driving in Seattle

Seattle is one of the bigger cities in the U.S., and that has created some traffic problems in the metro. 

In 2022, drivers in Seattle lost an average of 46 hours in traffic, according to INRIX, which looks at traffic patterns. That makes Seattle the 19th most-congested city in the U.S. 

If you are driving in the Seattle area during rush hour, you can expect to spend an extra 20.9 minutes in traffic, according to the website CoPilot. That places Seattle at No. 11 among all cities in the nation when it comes to losing time due to rush hour. 

Other things to remember when driving around Seattle:

• Speed limits in Seattle are typically 20 mph on residential streets, or 25 mph on arterials, which are streets with a yellow line down the middle. 
• All intersections in Seattle are considered crosswalks; cars must stop for people who are walking or rolling.  
• There are more than 700 electric vehicle chargers in Seattle. 

How much car insurance do I need in Seattle?

Washington law requires you to purchase a minimum amount of liability car insurance coverage. These amounts are: 

• $25,000 of bodily injury or death of one person in any one accident.
• $50,000 of bodily injury or death of any two people in any one accident.
• $10,000 of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.

However, these minimum levels of coverage will not be adequate for most drivers. 

Many drivers will prefer to carry much higher levels of liability coverage so they are better protected financially. In addition, liability insurance does not cover you or your car. 

“A minimum-limits policy only protects other drivers,” says Robert Passmore, APCIA department vice president, personal lines with the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. “It will not fix or replace your car, provide you with medical payments, or provide you with a legal defense in an at-fault accident. ” 

That means drivers also might be interested in going beyond the minimums and protecting their own vehicles by purchasing insurance beyond the minimum, such as comprehensive and collision coverage. 

If you are unsure of how much coverage you need, consult with an insurance agent who can help. 

Average cost of car insurance in Seattle

The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in Seattle is $1,910 annually. That compares to the statewide average of $1,608 and a nationwide average of $1,895. 

Annual average rates in Seattle for state minimum coverage and full coverage

How much does car insurance in Seattle cost with violations?

Moving violations on your driving record will push your car insurance rates up. Violations such as speeding tickets often cause a significant but manageable rise in rates. Other types of violations can make rates climb much higher. This is particularly true if you are convicted of a DUI. However, Washington State does not allow credit scores to affect auto insurance rates.

See rate increases in Seattle in the table below by violation.

Cheapest car insurance in Seattle by age

Your age will impact how much you pay for car insurance. The youngest drivers tend to pay the highest rates. Older drivers also are likely to pay more. See how much you can expect to pay by age in the table below.

Annual rates for state minimum and full coverage car insurance in Seattle, by age

Compare auto insurance rates in Seattle by ZIP code 

Where you live also plays a role in how much you pay for car insurance. Here are the Seattle area ZIP codes with the cheapest and most expensive car insurance rates. 

See the tables below for the cheapest and most expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in Seattle. 

TABLE: Cheapest annual car insurance rates in Seattle, by ZIP code 

Most expensive annual car insurance rates in Seattle, by ZIP code 

Our recommendations: Car insurance for drivers in Seattle

If low prices are your top focus when shopping for car insurance, USAA might be your best choice. It has the lowest average rates in our survey. 

However, it’s often a mistake to shop by price alone. It is crucial to make sure you have exactly the coverage you need, even if you have to pay a little more for it. 

Shopping around and gathering quotes from several insurance companies is the best way to get the coverage you need at the best price. 

A full coverage insurance policy with liability limits of 100/300/100 is the best option for most drivers. Consider increasing your liability limits as you accumulate wealth and your net worth increases. Purchasing as much car insurance as you can afford will give you peace of mind as you navigate the roads of Seattle.

Resources & Methodology

Methodology

In 2024, Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to pull rates for a 40-year-old who has a 12-mile commute and drives a 2023 Honda Accord LX 10k miles annually. The hypothetical driver has full coverage, carrying policy limits of 100/300/100 with $500 deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverages. We analyzed 51,088,003 insurance quotes from 167 companies across 34,588 ZIP codes in every state and Washington, D.C.

Chris Kissell

Contributing Researcher

 

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Chris Kissell is a Denver-based writer and editor with work featured on U.S. News & World Report, MSN Money, Fox Business, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Money Talks News and more.