The Washington auto insurance requirements stipulated by law are:

The law requires anyone driving a motor vehicle in Washington to have an insurance liability policy, a certificate of deposit, or a liability bond to the required limits. If you have 26 or more vehicles, you can self-insure.

Under the law, you’re required to have a liability policy with limits of at least 25/50/10. This means:

* $25,000 for injury to another person; $50,000 for injuries to all other persons
* $10,000 for damage to another’s property

You must carry the same limits if you choose to buy a bond instead of an insurance policy. If you use a certificate of deposit, you must deposit $60,000 in cash or securities with the Office of the State Treasurer. If you’re insuring 26 or more vehicles, you can self-insure through the Washington State Department of Licensing.

Proof of insurance

If stopped by a law enforcement officer, drivers must present an insurance identification card showing that either the vehicle or you are insured.

Your insurance company must provide you with an identification card when they issue or renew your motor vehicle liability policy. At your request, the company will provide a card or temporary proof of insurance for each vehicle covered under your policy.

The insurance identification card must include the name of the insurance company, the policy number, and the policy’s effective and expiration dates. It also needs to include a description of the insured vehicle(s) and/or the name of the insured driver.

If you’re stopped by law enforcement and do not provide proof of insurance, it is considered a traffic infractions and you’ll receive a $450 fine that may go on your driving record. The courts could add other fees to your fines, such as a public safety and education assessment, which is 70 percent of all fines.

Out-of-state drivers

Even drivers registered in other states who drive within Washington must comply with Washington’s Mandatory Auto Insurance Law. Out-of-state drivers who plan to drive in Washington should check their policies. Most policies include a broadening clause that raises the liability limits to the minimum of the particular state they’re driving in.

Exemptions

Some vehicles, including motorcycles, are exempt from the Mandatory Auto Insurance Law

Specially licensed “antique vehicles” over 40 years old
“Collector’s vehicles” over 30 years old
Publicly-owned vehicles (vehicles owned, rented or leased by state, federal, city, county, and town governments, school districts and political subdivisions)
Vehicles registered with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission as common or contract carriers (any truck that hauls for payment)
Motorcycles
Motor-driven cycles, such as motor scooters
Mopeds

Regardless of this exemption, all drivers are subject to the state’s Financial Responsibility Law. This law requires the person who is responsible for the damage or injury to pay the loss.

Source: http://www.insurance.wa.gov/consumers/auto/mandatory_auto.shtml

Please note that these are minimums required by Washington state law, not suggested coverage amounts. The simple fact is, each state’s minimum requirements are typically inadequate to sufficiently cover your costs should you be involved in a major accident. The shortfall will have to be made up out of your own pocket. Obviously, having to pay this difference could easily destroy one financially. Therefore, it is highly recommended to get much higher coverage amounts. Consult pages elsewhere on this site for recommendations in this regard.

Washington Auto Insurance Requirements – More Information

For more information regarding auto insurance requirements in Washington, contact the state’s insurance regulatory agency:

WASHINGTON – DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE

Insurance Building, P.O. Box 40255
Olympia, WA 98504-0255 United States
Phone: 360-725-7100
FAX: 360-586-2018
Web: http://www.insurance.wa.gov
Description: Mike Kreidler, Insurance Commissioner

Note that this information, like all information provided on this site, is provided for as a general guide and is for reference purposes only and should in no way be considered legal advice. Contact the appropriate regulatory agency for the state in question for definitive answers that apply to that state.