Washington State Car Insurance Requirements: Minimums, PIP, and UIM Rules

Washington State Car Insurance Requirements: Minimums, PIP, and UIM Rules

Washington requires drivers to carry liability insurance with minimums of 25/50/10: $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 in property damage coverage. Washington does not force you to buy Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage outright, but insurers must offer PIP and must include UIM on every new and renewal policy, and turning either one down takes a written rejection, which is a meaningfully different rule than an ordinary optional add-on. Washington is also a comparative fault state, which affects how a claim is paid when more than one driver shares responsibility for a crash. Details below are subject to the policy's terms, exclusions, and any applicable endorsements. See our auto insurance coverage options for Washington drivers.

Washington Car Insurance Rules at a Glance

Figures reflect the statutes and agency guidance as published in 2026. A policy's actual benefits and exclusions govern any specific claim.

Washington's Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements

Bodily Injury Liability: $25,000/$50,000

Property Damage Liability: $10,000

Personal Injury Protection (PIP): Offered Unless You Reject It in Writing

Under RCW 48.22.085, no new or renewal auto liability policy may be issued in Washington unless PIP is offered, and a named insured who does not want it must reject it in writing. The minimum PIP an insurer must offer under RCW 48.22.095 includes $10,000 in medical and hospital benefits, a $2,000 funeral benefit, $10,000 in income continuation (up to $200 a week), and $5,000 in loss-of-services benefits (up to $200 a week). A written rejection of PIP is valid and binding as to all levels of the coverage and on everyone who might otherwise have been insured under the policy, so one written rejection from the policyholder can waive PIP for other drivers on the policy too. PIP pays medical expenses and certain lost wages regardless of who caused the accident, which can mean faster payment than waiting on a liability claim or on a fault determination. Because PIP applies without regard to fault, it works differently from the liability and UIM coverage discussed below, both of which are shaped by Washington's comparative fault rule. Whether a specific expense is paid depends on the policy's terms, exclusions, and any applicable endorsements, so it is worth reading your declarations page or asking a licensed agent what your PIP limit actually covers.

Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage: Included Unless You Reject It

Washington's rule on UIM coverage is often misunderstood as purely optional. Under RCW 48.22.030, no new or renewal auto policy issued for a vehicle registered or principally garaged in Washington may leave out underinsured motorist coverage, unless the named insured or their spouse rejects it in writing. In practice, this means UIM comes with your policy unless you or your spouse actively decline it, rather than being an add-on you have to request. UIM protects you when the at-fault driver's own liability limits, which may be no higher than Washington's 25/50 bodily injury minimums, are not enough to cover your medical bills or other losses. The coverage is subject to the policy's terms, exclusions, and any applicable endorsements, and the limit you carry is worth confirming on your declarations page rather than assuming it matches your liability limits. Given how many Washington drivers carry little or no insurance (see below), many policyholders choose to keep this coverage rather than reject it.

Washington's Comparative Fault Rule

Washington follows a comparative fault rule for auto accident claims. Under RCW 4.22.005, contributory fault chargeable to a claimant reduces that claimant's damages award in proportion to their share of fault, rather than barring recovery outright as some states' rules do. Oregon is also a fault-based state, but it differs in requiring every auto policy to carry PIP so certain medical bills get paid regardless of fault; see our Oregon auto insurance requirements guide for that comparison. In Washington, how fault is allocated between drivers can directly affect how much a liability or UIM claim ultimately pays, since an insurer or court may look at each driver's share of responsibility before settling a claim. Washington's PIP offer rule adds a narrower, fault-neutral coverage on top of that broader fault-based system. All of this is subject to the policy's terms, exclusions, and any applicable endorsements, and a claim's outcome depends on the specific facts of the accident.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance

The Washington Department of Licensing states that driving without the required insurance can bring a fine of $550 or more. Depending on the circumstances, drivers convicted of certain offenses, who fail to pay a judgment, or who drive or own a vehicle involved in an accident while uninsured may also have to file proof of financial responsibility, known as an SR-22, in most cases for three years from the date they become eligible to reinstate their license. An SR-22 is filed by an insurer on the driver's behalf and generally costs more to maintain than standard coverage, on top of the fine itself. Maintaining continuous coverage is the simplest way to avoid both consequences, and a lapse in coverage, even a brief one, can trigger the same penalties as never having carried insurance.

How Many Washington Drivers Are Uninsured?

Insurance Information Institute data compiled from Insurance Research Council figures estimates that 19.1% of Washington motorists were uninsured in 2023, the 10th highest rate among states. That figure is one reason the UIM default-inclusion rule above matters: even though liability insurance is mandatory, a meaningful share of Washington drivers are not carrying it, which is exactly the gap UIM coverage is designed to fill. It is also a reason many Washington drivers keep their UIM coverage in place rather than rejecting it in writing.

Other Coverage Options

Collision and comprehensive coverage are not required by Washington law but can be worth adding. Collision coverage generally pays for damage to your own vehicle after an accident, while comprehensive coverage generally addresses theft, vandalism, weather, and animal strikes, subject to the policy's terms, exclusions, and any applicable endorsements. Whether either is worth adding depends on your vehicle's value and your tolerance for out-of-pocket repair costs, particularly given Puget Sound traffic density and the range of weather across western and eastern Washington. See our auto insurance coverage options to compare what a policy can include.

Get Proper Washington Auto Coverage

Don't rely on Washington's minimum limits to protect your assets. Through our Washington insurance services, we help you find coverage that truly protects you.

Coverage options and rates vary by carrier and circumstances. This information is educational and not insurance advice.

Ready for a quote? Contact us or call (208) 880-5598.

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