Common questions Washington residents ask about home, auto, and related insurance — with plain-English answers from a licensed independent agency.
Washington requires drivers to carry liability coverage of at least 25/50/10: $25,000 in bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 in property damage. Uninsured motorist coverage is offered but optional. Most agents recommend higher limits — Washington's $10,000 property damage minimum is among the lowest in the West and is easily exceeded by a single newer-vehicle collision.
No — earthquake damage is excluded from standard homeowners policies in Washington and must be added separately. The Cascadia Subduction Zone running off the Washington coast is identified by the U.S. Geological Survey as one of the highest-magnitude earthquake risks in the country, and the Puget Sound region also sits over shallower fault systems. Earthquake coverage typically uses a percentage-based deductible (10% to 20% of dwelling coverage) and is most valuable as catastrophic-loss protection.
Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage anywhere in Washington. Flood coverage is sold separately through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or private flood insurers. Coastal areas, river valleys, and low-lying parts of King and Pierce counties carry meaningful flood risk; even properties outside designated FEMA flood zones can flood, so a quote is usually worth getting.
Yes. Eastern Washington — Spokane, the Methow Valley, the Okanogan, and much of central Washington — has significantly higher wildfire exposure than the wetter western side. Carriers price and underwrite accordingly: a home in eastern Washington in or near the wildland-urban interface may face higher premiums, defensible-space requirements, or limited carrier availability. Working with an independent agent matters most in these areas because one carrier may decline while another accepts.
Generally yes — a Washington homeowners or auto policy follows you within the state, but the carrier will re-rate the policy based on the new address (zip code, fire-protection class, distance to coast, etc.). Notify your agent before the move so coverage on the new home or garaging address is in place on day one.
We are licensed across all of Washington. Most of our clients are in the Seattle metro area, Tacoma, Bellevue, and Vancouver, plus Spokane and the Inland Northwest. Our office is in Meridian, Idaho, so most Washington clients work with us by phone, email, and video.
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