New Car Insurance Rates in Washington
Reader’s Question:
I live in Washington. I just want to know how long do I have to get an insurance after I purchased a car?
Mikaela
Thank you for asking Mikaela.
According to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington state, the State requires individuals that drives a motor vehicle to have liability insurance. There is no grace period for liability.
In addition to that, insurance regulator for the state of Washington states that all insurance providers have different time requirements to add a newly acquired car to the insurance policy. You may contact your insurance provider to get information regarding grace period for adding that newly acquired motor vehicle to your existing insurance policy. Most dealers require physical damage coverage on the car before it leaves the dealership.
If you have car insurance already on other vehicles and purchase a new car that needs to be added to your insurance policy you may contact your insurance company to make know if your insurance policy will extend to the new car for a certain amount of time or if you must add the car immediately to the policy to be covered.
If you do not have a car insurance policy yet on any vehicles but is planning to buy a car then you will need to get car insurance before leaving the lot with the car normally.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
What Is The Fine Cost For Driving Without Auto Insurance in Washington?
Reader’s Question:
Can you please tell me the fine if I drive without an insurance in the state of Washington?
Markus
Thank you for asking Markus.
Washington State mandatory insurance law, listed in Title 46 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), states that motorist must carry with them an insurance identification card showing proof that you have a valid vehicle insurance policy. The current mandatory limits for WA are 25/50/10.
These numbers stand for:
$25,000 total for bodily injury per person,
$50,000 total for bodily injury coverage per accident and
$10,000 total for property damage per accident.
If you are found driving a motor vehicle without having proof of insurance or of the mandatory insurance law you are committing an infraction. This violation of the law is punishable by a minimum fine of $250. There may be other fees that can be added to this fine.To get more information of the exact amount of your fine you may contact the court on the ticket.
A ticket for driving without insurance is like any other moving violation and will become part of your WA driving record.
To make sure you have at least the Washington state minimum auto insurance coverages so to avoid penalties, you may contact your insurance company.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
Can Washington State College Student Use Auto Insurance Out Of State?
Reader’s Question:
My son is in college in the state of Massachusetts but has a Washington state driver’s license. He is planning to buy a car but still undecided where to make her permanent address. He wants to get a policy also and still planning to stay in MA for 5 months. What can he do?
Lara
Thank you for asking Lara.
If your son is going to purchase a motor vehicle, he needs to have it registered and drive it in Massachusetts then she should get a MA car insurance policy to cover the motor vehicle. If she moves to another state after 5 months then she can register and insure the vehicle in her new state of residency.
Your son can also obtain information on how to register a motor vehicle in Massachusetts by contacting the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles. In addition to that, he may also get information from the RMV if she will need to switch her Washington State license for a Massachusetts driver’s license after she graduates from college since he may then be considered a resident of MA.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
I Live In Washington Do I Have to Pay My Out of State Ticket?
Reader’s Question:
What will my happen if I ignore the speeding ticket I received in the state of Texas? I live in Washington.
Denver
Thank you for asking Denver.
Texas and state of Washington are both members of Drivers License Compact (DLC) and Non-Resident Violator Compact. This means that member report information regarding traffic violations that a motorist received back to the person’s home state. So the court in Texas will inform the Washington Department of Licensing of your violation.
In addition to that, the Non-Resident Violator Compact requires member states to suspend or revoke the driver’s license of those who get tickets for traffic violations in other states. Since WA and TX are both part of this it looks like that if you do not take care of the issue the Texas speeding ticket that Washington State could suspend your drivers license until you did take care of the TX ticket.
You may want to read the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 46.23 regarding Washington’s participation in the Nonresident Violator Compact to get more information about it.
The ticket will likely stay with you until you take care of it. you may want to check with a traffic ticket lawyer to get more in formation information on this.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
Should I Change Washington Car Insurance Companies Every 6 Months?
Reader’s Question:
I have an international license and Im currently here in Washington for 6 months and Im thinking of buying a car here. Is it possible to change insurance companies every month?
Rina
Thank you for asking Rina.
It will be not easy to get around the issue of getting a US license for insurance on a car by changing insurance provider every month or so. It is difficult to get car insurance with a foreign or international license at first. If you start to terminate auto insurance every few weeks it will show up when you are trying to get new insurance. Insurance providers will likely see this as a red flag and not want to insure you.
Usually, the Department of Motor Vehicle keeps tabs of insurance polices, when they terminate or lapse, to make sure a vehicle is not without insurance. Switching insurance companies so often might cause the Department Motor Vehicle to become questionable. If you want to buy a car, look into getting Washington state license.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
I Need Full Coverage Auto Insurance In Washington
Reader’s Question:
Can you please tell me what will be required to get a full coverage of insurance. I live in the state of Washington.
Regine
Thank you for asking Regine.
A full coverage requirement is usually set by your finance company and not by a state. According to the Washington Insurance Commissioner collision and comprehensive may be required by your lender until you have the car completely paid off.
In Washington state, you are required to have car insurance when you drive. If you operate a car that is registered in Washington, you need to have car insurance policy with limits of at least:
* $25,000 of bodily injury or death of one person in any one accident
* $50,000 of bodily injury or death of two or more persons in any one accident
* $10,000 of injury to or destruction of property of others in any accident (property damage)
The Washington state laws require bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. If your car is registered in the state, you must place this in your insurance. If you are financing a car, you are likely to be required to get the full coverage. The state would not require this of you but the lien holder or title holder of the car.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
Will a Speeding Ticket in Washington Increase My Car Insurance?
Reader’s Question:
I have a speeding ticket in the state of Washington. Will this increase my car insurance premium?
Melanie
Thank you for asking Melanie.
Individual insurance providers in the state of Washington determine their own insurance rates based on their own internal rating system. Their rate requests is submitted to the WA Insurance Commissioner for review. The request will be approved if the state agency is satisfied with the rates.
Insurance companies’ car insurance rates are based on different factors. The premium you pay consists of a base rate. The base rate depends on various factors like your age, marital status, driving pattern, sex, claims history, location, credit history, and the make, model and year of your car. You have to remember when you shop around that these companies uses different factors and rates.
Most insurers apply a surcharge to motorist who got involved in an accident or those who were convicted of multiple moving violations. In addition to that, your rates will likely increase because of your claims history. This means that the increase on your premiums will depend on the rating system of insurance companies.
To get more information on the rating system of your insurance company you may contact your insurance agent or the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner where they submitted their rates. Your agent will be able to tell you if one traffic violation will increase your premiums.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
Washington SR-22 Auto Insurance Rates
Reader’s Question:
I was required to carry an sr-22 but wasn’t been able to make a payment for it so it was canceled. My question is this, do I need to start the three years again or should I start from the day that I canceled it? Thank you.
Eric
Good question Eric.
It depends upon the laws of the state if you will need to start all over again from the time period that you were required to carry the sr-22 or if you can start from the time where you left off before canceling the future proof of financial responsibility.
In most states you are going to have to restart after reinstating the policy with an sr-22.
In Washington State if an individual whose proof of financial responsibility has been terminated applies for a drivers license within a period of three years from the date sr22 was originally required, that application will be refused unless the motorist applying shall re-establish a proof for the remaining three-year period.
I would really suggest that you check with your WA Department of Motor Vehicles to verify what is required of you regarding the time period in which you must maintain the proof of financial responsibility or SR-22.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
Washington SR22 Insurance
Reader’s Question:
I live in Washington. How long do I have to carry sr22 auto insurance?
Gio
Thank you for asking Gio.
If a driver is required to get an SR-22 then he or she must maintain it for 3 years in the state of Washington. the amount of time you are required to carry sr-22 depends on the conviction or offense.
Theres a lot of reason why a person is mandated by the state to carry the financial responsibility certificate. Some of the reasons are: driver’s license suspension reinstatement due to a DUI, driving without insurance or a subsequent offense of leaving a child unattended in a running vehicle, etc
When you are eligible to reinstate your driver license, you need to file future proof of financial responsibility first for 3 years from the date you are eligible to restore your license.
Below is a Revised Code of Washington 46.29.600 titled Duration of proof
– When proof may be canceled or returned states the following
(1) The department shall upon request consent to the immediate cancellation of any bond or certificate of insurance, or the department shall direct and the state treasurer shall return to the person entitled thereto any money or securities deposited pursuant to this chapter as proof of financial responsibility, or the department shall waive the requirement of filing proof, in any of the following events:
(a) At any time after three years from the date such proof was required when, during the three-year period preceding the request, the department has not received record of a conviction, forfeiture of bail, or finding that a traffic infraction has been committed which would require or permit the suspension or revocation of the license of the person by or for whom such proof was furnished; or
(b) In the event of the death of the person on whose behalf such proof was filed or the permanent incapacity of such person to operate a motor vehicle; or
(c) In the event the person who has given proof surrenders his license to the department;
Your call the Washington State Department of Licensing to get more information.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
How Long Do I Have To Carry SR22 Auto Insurance in Washington
Reader’s Question:
I was convicted of moving violation and was required to carry an sr-22. Its been more than three years already? Do I still need to carry it? How do I cancel it?
Tim
Thank you for asking Tim.
It looks like you were required to carry an sr22 or proof of Financial Responsibility in Washington. The sr22 is an Insurance Certificate that you need to carry to reinstate your drivers license after a suspension because of many reasons of moving violations. From the information that you provided, it is true that in this kind of situation, one must carry an insurance for three years.
To get more information if your period for carrying the SR-22 for your driving offense is over already, you may contact the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) that required you to get the SR-22. They will be able to tell you all the information you need in case your required time period to carry the sr22 is up already.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
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